Older LBA regulars still talk about Cabin Bar’s quieter days
Back before Leeds Bradford’s big food and drink refresh, Cabin Bar had a reputation as the calm pint stop, away from the crowds now camped around Tap & Brew and Beer House. The current setup at LBA has shifted footfall heavily towards the newer concepts, so Cabin feels like a legacy name from the pre‑SSP contract era rather than the headline act in the terminal line‑up.
Leeds Bradford has just the one main terminal, so anywhere branded “Cabin” historically sat airside, after security, near the main boarding gates that now feed traffic to Jet2, Ryanair, and others. Older maps put it close to the central departures seating area, a short walk from the standard UK holiday gates, which made it an easy stop for a quick drink before Tenerife or Malaga.
Pricing at LBA’s previous bar setups typically hovered in the £5–£6 range for a draught beer and £8–£10 for simple mixers, and Cabin Bar followed that airport norm rather than undercutting it. Food, where offered, sat in the usual £7–£12 band for paninis, burgers, and breakfast plates, matching the rest of Leeds Bradford’s pre‑refresh food court. Nothing pointed to it as a high‑end spot; think standard terminal bar economics.
The current public restaurant lists for Leeds Bradford lean heavily on Tap & Brew and Beer House, both tied into the 14‑year SSP food and beverage contract announced in 2022. That long contract reshaped which outlets survive in departures, and Cabin Bar is now mostly mentioned in the past tense on airport guides and news pieces, alongside brands that have since been swapped out or rebranded.
For today’s trip through LBA, treat Cabin Bar references as historical and check the live “food & drink” section on the Leeds Bradford website or the departures lounge boards. Names change faster than the signs on old web pages, so confirm what’s actually pouring within 5–10 minutes of clearing security.