Whether you’re new to the city or have been here a while, Leicester is a neighbourhood filled with lots of opportunity for students — and I have just the guide for you! There is so much to see and so much to do!
Nightlife for students in the neighbourhood of Leicester
Let me guide you round! The neighbourhood of Leicester is home to one of the best student nightclubs — Quarter 25. Located down Yeoman Street, this club always has amazing DJ sets and has been a family-owned business for 50 years! Each year around Freshers they tend to hold a week of events too, which is a perfect way to introduce yourself to the neighbourhood if you’re joining Leicester as a student!
Not far round the corner is O’Neill’s, and I love going there for drinks! It’s a sports bar just off Guildhall Lane in Leicester city centre, but you can also drop by there midday for a good lunch deal too! They do a great bottomless brunch, which is a dangerous offer if you’re a student!
If you prefer a quiet night, Leicester also has a Showcase cinema. It’s just at the end of Highcross shopping centre and you can get good deals on tickets if you mid-week! This chain of cinemas always has the comfiest seats I reckon.
There’s a huge range of activities for each type of student in the Leicester neighbourhood!
My guide of places to eat in Leicester
Now for my favourite part of the Leicester student neighbourhood guide! My absolute favourite place to eat in Leicester is Crafty (aka St Martin’s Coffee Shop). You can go during the day for a tremendously delicious breakfast (their hasbrowns are to die for), or visit in the evening Thursday-Saturday for the best burgers in the world! I seriously recommend it to all students who are new to Leicester!!
Another great place to go to if you’re looking for a quiet study spot is Saints of Mokha. It’s a little cafe on Belvoir Street and the overall vibe of it is so cute! It tends to be pretty calm in there as it’s tucked away between the shops around it. I reccommend it to students over working in the library!
Speaking of great study spots, another honourable mention is Esquires Coffee — they have two locations, one on New Walk and the other is behind John Lewis. They both have plenty of space inside and make perfect study spots, thoguh the New Walk store does tend to get pretty busy during lunchtime hours. I prefer the store by Highcross as it’s close to the bus station, but I love how both stores are so close to the neighbourhood! Plus they do student discount, which is a bonus!
We are really lucky students in Leicester to have so many great places to visit around our neighbourhood!
Activities in the student neighbourhood of Leicester
Now I’ve covered nightlife and food in my Leicester student neighbourhood guide, but that’s not all! There’s so much more to do in the city centre than eat and drink!
If you’re a student who, like me, has a maintenance loan burning a hole in their back pocket, never fear! There’s so many great lttiel shops all around the neighbourhood! My personal favourite hangout is Set as it’s not too far of a walk from campus. It’s a perfect shop for gifts, and I always find myself coming home with a new trinket or too after I visit! They have a huge range of Jellycats too, I adore shops that put a lot of effort into their displays!
If you enjoy history, I recommend Leicester Museum and Art Gallery, as it’s a short walk from the DMU campus and honestly a hidden gem to the city! It’s free to visit and a good place for students to spend their lunch breaks! On that note, Leicester is famous for the King Richard III Visitor Centre — tucked away along St Martin’s. Leicester is a city with a lot to offer, especially to students!
Lurking in the student neighbourhood of Leicester
Or maybe you’re looking for something a little different? Hiding in the Silver Arcade (opposite Caffe Nero) is the best thing that the Leicester neighbourhood has to offer — Super Game Shack. This shop has everything! You can buy games, look at really old consoles, browse their amazing collection of pin badges, and there’s so many little trinkets to see! I usually visit this place at least once a week and I think that the students of Leicester seriously underrate this place. Do try it out! Even better, above it is a video game cafe and there is a record shop a few doors down! What more could you ask for?
There’s actually so many more cool things to see around the neighbourhood in Leicester than I originally thought! If you’re looking for some more ideas, check out my list of the best arcades in Leicester!
I’m a third-year English Language student at DMU. I live in Leicester but am originally from Northamptonshire. In my spare time I can either be found writing poetry or snuggled up on the sofa with my nose in a book.
