Leeds Restaurant Guide

2019 Review: “Consistently good food” arrives “in enormous portions” at this four-strong northern chain’s city-centre basement venue, kitted out with 1920s Shanghai décor and specialising in palette-tingling Sichuanese cuisine.

“High quality, reasonably priced tapas” – “as traditionally Spanish as ever and properly prepared” – alongside an “interesting selection of Spanish wines (many from less usual wine areas)” is the hallmark of this group that originated in Great Portland Street 15 years ago; now joined by branches in Victoria, Canary Wharf, Marylebone, Farringdon and Leeds. “The paella had just the right degree of socarrat” (the caramelised crust on the bottom).

2018 Review: A continued strong showing in survey feedback for the stylishly decorated Leeds branch of this popular and ever-expanding Bradford-based Indian chain.

“Hasn’t changed in decades” is intended – and will no doubt be taken – as a compliment to this Leeds institution, a spacious city-centre basement popular for business lunches and celebrations for more than 30 years. The best of France and the best of Yorkshire combine to produce “good food well cooked”.

“It’s still got it serving top noodles!” – this well-established Japanese canteen in the Merrion Centre continues to please its small but ardent local fan club.

A “brilliant escape to Thailand” – this former street stall serves “very authentic and tasty food, in an amazing buzzy atmosphere with very happy staff”. The colourful format has proved “a winner”, and there are now offshoots in Headingley, Newcastle, York and Nottingham.

“Glorious burgers and great music in grungy surroundings” – this punk-inspired dirty burger operation “has many imitators now – but it’s still the best” for its diehard devotees. A decade after making the transition from a food van to a permanent site, the chain now has nine venues in the capital. If the excitement of its early years has dimmed a little, its food ratings continue to shine: “Dead Hippie burger, deep-fried mac’n’cheese, salted caramel brownie – is that not a perfect (heart-stopping) indulgent meal?”

2018 Review: The first bricks and mortar site of Aussie Mark Wright’s foodie-fave chain delivers “fab” and “good value Indian street food in the Trinity Centre”; following a second HQ at London’s Spitalfields, a third opened in Oxford’s Westgate shopping hub in October 2017.

2021 Review: The “lovely Thai food” at these reliable cafés is “impressively authentic given that they are a chain” – “excellent value” and “fast”, if occasionally let down by “iffy service”. Founded in 2008 by Saiphin and Alex Moore, who inherited the name of their first East End site, the group has 18 branches in London and expanded to Liverpool, Manchester, Reading (delivery only) and Leeds following the sale of a majority stake to US investors. The couple also have two spin-offs, Lao Café in Covent Garden and the new Chinese noodle bar Hoh Sek in St Katharine Docks.

This large, smart and impressive venue from D&D London, on the fifth floor of the new Trinity Leeds shopping centre, is enclosed in floor-to-ceiling windows with great views over the city, oak and marble interiors and an open kitchen. The cooking is generally considered “good” or better, with a decent set menu as well as more lavish à la carte and tasting menu options.

“The best veggie Indian in Leeds by some margin – and that’s up against some stiff competition”, say fans of this Yorkshire branch of the Manchester-based street food and craft beer combo. It’s “fab – low key, with a range of specials, beer collaborations and tasty snacks, too”. Nor will it break the bank.

“Michael O’Hare is a great innovator and leader of his team” and has won fame for this (perhaps excessively monochrome) basement in the city-centre. “All staff are exceptional and work as a team and the chefs bring some of the courses out and explain the concepts” of a wild and wacky gastronomic journey whose tasting menu aims for showmanship and culinary fireworks. No gripes this year about the pricing and ratings for the experience were consistently very high. That said, there is not quite the huge volume of feedback it once inspired.

“A really good all-round experience”, this snazzy five-year-old above the Trinity shopping centre is one of four D&D London venues in Leeds, and its first Japanese venture anywhere. The menu majors on sushi and hot dishes from the robata grill to be shared – ‘Issho’ is Japanese for ‘together’ – and there’s a glamorous cocktail bar, Kori, with large choices of sake and Japanese whisky.

“Simple dishes, cooked brilliantly” win the thumbs-up for this sharing-plates operation, across the road from Lovell Park. “Really nice… especially the beef fat buns at lunch! Book ahead or they’ll be gone…”