LEEDS RESTAURANTS – MY CURRENT TOP 5

 

With my beautiful daughter Belle just starting her first year at University in Leeds it has given me even more opportunities to visit & try out the many fabulous restaurants this city has to offer. There are many wonderful restaurants to choose from offering every cuisine imaginable & these are currently in my top 5.

 

1.    The Ivy – Victoria Quarter

I’ve visited The Ivy in many cities now and have never been disappointed. The standard throughout the chain is first class from the appearance and attitude of the staff the minute you walk in to the delicious food and wonderful menu. The style and aesthetics are similar in each restaurant which is classy, luxurious & welcoming with immaculate attention to detail. The Victoria Quarter restaurant instantly transports you to the luxurious feel of the Art Deco era of the 1930’s and the food and staff are faultless. A restaurant I continue to return to regularly.

www.theivycollection.com/restaurants/the-ivy-victoria-quarter-brasserie

 

2.    The Alchemist – Greek Street

Unlike The Ivy which keeps it’s ‘look’ in each restaurant, I’ve visited many Alchemists, some I far prefer to others. I love both The Alchemists in Leeds but, whilst the restaurant in Trinity is quite compact, the Greek St Alchemist is substantially larger making it feel less like you are dining with the people on the table next to you. The menu is plentiful and also appeals to my teenage son when we go making it a winner for the whole family. The cocktails menu is vast and are outstanding (yes I’ve worked my way down the menu on a couple of occasions!) and the food is tasty with plenty to choose from. Prices are reasonable although the bill can mount up if you’re on cocktails for the evening!!!!!

www.thealchemistbars.com/venues/leeds-greek-street

3.    Tattu

 The ambience and aesthetics of Tattu are simply stunning!!! ‘Sooo Instagrammable’

We were shown to our table by the extremely attentive restaurant manager and immediately greeted by our equally attentive and lovely waiter.

The service was quick, and our drinks arrived within minutes of ordering whilst we perused the menus to choose our food. The restaurant has a superb cocktail menu & I would have loved to not have been driving so I could have sampled a few of the delicious cocktails that kept passing our table from the bar!

The food menu is full of delicious sounding dishes & I opted for a few small dishes rather than a main meal. Isabelle ordered the Chinese BBQ Chicken with special fried sweet potato and I ordered the Crispy Belly Pork, Crispy Duck Spring Rolls & Duck Egg & Sausage Fried Rice.

The waiter looked in surprise that I only ordered small dishes and not a larger meal also but when it came I was glad I did as the portions were extremely generous and I couldn’t possibly have eaten more.

The food all looked simply stunning when it arrived & worthy of the glossy magazine pages in a food magazine. It didn’t disappoint on taste, flavour, quality & quantity either. It absolutely lived up to my expectations and beyond and we drooled over every mouthful. I was annoyed when I started to feel full as I didn’t want to leave even a mouthful. For the record I didn’t & I haven’t felt that full in a long time!

The attention to detail in every aspect of décor, service, food, staff, colour scheme, aesthetics, ambience etc etc makes the restaurant stand out amongst most others I’ve been to and we loved every minute. It was also wonderful to spend some mum & daughter time in such a gorgeous setting.

I knew when I booked it was going to be a pricey evening and I wasn’t wrong. Yes, it is expensive, but you get what you pay for and it is a quality restaurant. The attention to detail in every aspect, from booking your table to the end of your evening is excellent & the staff were wonderful. As it had been my birthday, I was also treated to a delicious complimentary desert complete with sparklers. Isabelle assures me she didn’t say anything so I can only presume I entered my date of birth on booking, but I really don’t remember. A lovely surprise none the less. 

It was worth every penny and I cannot wait to go back.

On booking, expect an expensive evening so maybe save it for a special occasion BUT, I can assure you, you will not be disappointed, I can’t recommend this wonderful restaurant enough. 

www.tattu.co.uk

4.    Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor Brasserie

A beautiful setting and a beautiful lunch. The restaurant has a lovely atmosphere, and the service is top notch!! Attentive staff who go out of their way for you making this a wonderful all-round experience.

The seasonally changing menu offers a range of delicious dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner along with a vast drinks menu. There is also an excellent kids menu and a Plant based menu. The menu’s are relatively small but focused on quality ingredients and taste combinations.  

The Terrace area also has a new menu with light snacks, mains & desserts. The views over the city’s rooftops are spectacular making it the ultimate city centre dining experience.

The prices are excellent value for the quality of food & service you receive.  

www.harveynichols.com

 

5.    Craft House

Another fabulous city centre restaurant with views over the city from inside the restaurant or from the dedicated rooftop terrace. The décor & ambience is second to none & The Craft House is just a stones throw away from the Railway Station making it an excellent choice for food & drinks. The glass lift entrance adds a sense of theatre right from the start which continues through this dining experience.  

The Craft House is open for lunch and dinner with a seasonally changing menu which focuses on sustainable, local and quality produce.  

The restaurant offers an A la Cart menu, a set menu, Afternoon Tea & Sunday lunches.

The service is excellent and the wonderful atmosphere makes it a true city centre dining experience.

Prices are competitive for city centre dining and this restaurant is certainly worth a visit.  

www.crafthouse-restaurant.com