Recommended restaurants in Leeds

Written by Sophie Clarke

Recommended restaurants to eat out in Leeds
Pizza express at White Cloth Hall

Dining out in Leeds certainly never gets boring as there’s plenty of restaurants in the city centre, and a great variety. Whatever you fancy, there’s plenty of choice available in cuisines from around the world, from Italian and Indian to Mediterranean and East Asian. I’ve chosen five of my favourites from the vibrant restaurant scene in Leeds which I’d definitely recommend.

Akbar’s

With a reputation which precedes them, Akbar’s chain of restaurants are renowned for their high quality Indian dishes, and with good reason. There are two restaurants in Leeds, located on Eastgate and Greek Street, both bustling with hungry locals at the weekends.

Their menu is packed full of authentic starters and chef’s specialties, and (at the Greek Street restaurant) all prepared and cooked in a busy kitchen in view of the patrons. They cater for everyone’s tastes in hot and spicy food: whether you’d prefer a korma, a vindaloo or something completely different. Each restaurant has its own contemporary theme and atmosphere and the staff are friendly and efficient. Akbar’s is the place to go for a brilliant Indian feast!

Blackhouse Grill

What’s your favourite steak? Rump, ribeye, sirloin and fillet are all on the menu at Blackhouse, which can be found on East Parade. They specialise in excellent steak and seafood dishes, served in stylish surroundings. With an extensive wine list, cocktail menu and ‘beers of the month’ to be enjoyed, it is the perfect place to relax with a few drinks and enjoy the live music which is regularly performed to accompany your dinner.

The atmosphere is lively and entertaining, and the restaurant is also family friendly as kids eat free from the children’s menu when adults order from the main menu. With welcoming staff that are happy to help, it all combines to make Blackhouse worth treating yourself to.

Pizza Express

Everyone’s heard of the Pizza Express chain, and probably visited a few too, as their pizzas are great and don’t break the bank. There are three restaurants in Leeds city centre: one positioned behind the corn exchange at The White Cloth Hall, the second at Clarence Dock and my personal favourite at Park Square.

All three are popular and have their own character, but Park Square Pizza Express is located further away from the bustle of the main shopping streets and right next to the lovely haven of Park Square. They serve a range of dishes: thin and lighter pizzas with a range of appetizing toppings and plenty of pasta to choose from. Consistently good quality food, and with money-saving vouchers regularly available, Pizza Express rarely misses the mark.

Ego

If you fancy a taste of the Mediterranean, then the Ego restaurant on King Street is the place to try. Their menu is influence by Spanish, Italian and Greek cuisine with a variety of dishes on offer with something to suit everybody. They offer a great value ‘Lunch Rapido’ menu – the salmon fishcakes and Tuscan meatballs are really good, and also available on the main evening menu.

The restaurant is large and nicely decorated with a suitably Mediterranean theme, and they have an emphasis on using local organic produce in their seasonal menus. As a little extra indulgence, there’s also a range of delicious desserts and liqueur coffees to finish off your meal.

Tampopo

Tampopo is a small chain of East Asian restaurants, with their Leeds site located on South Parade in the city centre. Their menu is jam-packed with so many delicious looking options that it’s hard to choose what to try first! There are small dishes to start or share with friends, salads, hearty noodle soups, stir-fries, curries and noodles and rice dishes cooked in the wok. It’s guaranteed that no two trips to Tampopo will be the same.

There’s influence from Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Korea and Malaysia among others, and a guide on the menu which tells you where each dish comes from, as Tampopo aims to faithfully reproduce authentic dishes from all over East Asia. The restaurant has long benches which are shared with other diners, and chop sticks for those of you who are dexterous enough to use them!

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