As Yorkshire’s largest and most cosmopolitan you’d expect that Leeds has plenty of top places to eat – and you’d be right. We’ve put together a list of the best restaurants in Leeds. From casual dining to high end grub, so you can enjoy a date night with your significant other or a meal with pals.
Whether its in the city centre, or one of its great suburbs like Headingley, Roundhay, Chapel Allerton or Horsforth, there is plenty of places to go for a nice meal in the West Yorkshire city.
1. Salvos – Leeds Restaurants
Salvos opened back in 1976 and has become a favourite restaurant of many Leeds residents over the years. Located in the popular suburb of Headingley, it serves up authentic Italian food in a relaxed environment. It’s the perfect romantic Leeds restaurant for couples to enjoy a meal together. Afterall, what says love, like Italian cuisine.
Back in May, the owners Gip and John Dammone announced that they were retiring, and intended to sell the restaurant, but the restaurant remains open and serving up tasty dishes for you to enjoy. 115 Otley Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 3PX
2. Sukhothai
From Italian to Thai food, Sukhothai is another longtime resident of Leeds, and is one of our favourite city centre spots to eat and is also located in Chapel Allerton. Serving up authentic Thai food in a beautifully decorated place to enjoy a memorable meal.
You can enjoy a range of noodle, rice, meat and veggie dishes – our favourite being a Massaman curry, with spring rolls or maybe a Pad Thai. 15 South Parade, Leeds, LS1 5QS
3. Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza
Rudy’s, another Leeds city centre restaurant, that is also located in Headingley and Chapel Allerton, serves up classic Neapolitan pizza with a focus on quality. Enjoy classics such as Marinara, Margherita and our favourite Calabrese all of which are authentic to Naples the birthplace of this beautiful pizza. All set in a casual dining environment.
The dough is made fresh daily and is fermented for at least 24 hours. Topped with ingredients imported from Naples twice a week such as San Marzano tomatoes and Fior di Latte mozzarella.
Cooked in a wood-burning pizza oven on-site, it takes just 60 seconds to create the iconic leopard-spotted pizza that tastes like no other.
They also serve a range of drinks alongside its tasty pizzas such as Italian classic Aperol Spritz, and refreshing summer drink San Pellegrino. 2 New Station St, Leeds LS1 5DL
4. Tharavadu – Leeds Restaurants
Another one of the best Leeds city centre venues, it’s set in a modern venue with floor-to-ceiling windows and polished floors, Tharavadu is the home of Kerala Cuisine, and serves up flavours of ‘Tharavadu’ food in Leeds, which is close to Mother Nature, has a hand-crafted flavour and is, above all, healthy family cooking with no artificial ingredients.
The award-winning restaurant, which has been featured in the Michelin guide serves up authentic south Indian cuisine offering fish curries, poultry, and red meat as well as a vast range of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes using fish, poultry, and red meat.
Their curries is created using fresh and fragrant spices that are sure to leave your taste buds craving more. 7-8 Mill Hill, Leeds LS1 5DQ
5. Issho
The ultimate date night or special occassion venue, Issho – meaning ‘together’ in Japanese – is a contemporary Japanese rooftop restaurant, bar and terrace in Leeds’ Victoria Gate. It serves up contemporary twist in Japanese favourites in a stylish space which is decorated to the hilt ready for those Instagrammable snaps.
Expect sushi, fried chicken and other dishes serve on small plates with a range of fancy curate cocktails perfect for that friend’s date night or a fancy spot to enjoy a few drinks. Victoria Gate 3rd Floor Rooftop, George St, Leeds LS2 7AU
6. Dakota Restaurant
The luxurious Dakota restaurant is known for its stylish brasseries restaurant that serves up succulent steaks in its grill restaurant using traditionally reared, grass-fed cattle from the best British farms. Local comfort food that’s classically inspired is the theme – where the let the ingredients speak for themselves.
Enjoy a nice steak with one of their tasty wines or maybe a cheeky cocktail to make the experience in Leeds city centre that bit more special. 8 Russell St, Leeds LS1 5RN
7. El Gato Negro
This city centre restaurant in Leeds opened back in 2019 and is chef Simon Shaw’s through El Gato Negro. It serves up an award-winnng menu, which combines modern and traditional Spanish flavours and techniques offering seasonally-influenced dishes with locally-sourced ingredints.
A perfect couples date night, you can enjoy signature dishes as well as small plates served with some of the best Spanish wines and sherries. 35 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5JL
8. The Swine That Dines
Run by Stu and Jo Myres, The Swine That Dines is a Leeds Restaurants located in the city centre and serves modern British dishes with touch of sunshine in and uncomplicated but flavourful way.
What was a greasy spoon, is now a small-plates dining experience with menus change seasonally, and some of the highlights of the menu include, Pork Belly dish served with chicory, & marsala, another dish is a goats cheese souffle served with confit fenne & hazelnut.
Located on North Street in Leeds, this is one spot you might want to save for a special occasion, although we’d love to eat here every week! 58 North St, Leeds LS2 7PN
9. Ox Club
A stunning restaurant located at Headrow House, the Leeds city centre restaurant is a beautiful light-filled space serving up award-winning contemporary British grill restaurant showcasing the best. ofYorkshrie produce. Now in its seventh year, it’s housed in a former 20th ceontury textile mill and serves local and regional produce.
Whether you want to try the à la carte, prix fixe, or brunch menu, the Leeds Restaurants specialises in elevating comfort food. And, you can’t argue with that. They’re a range of honours such as a fearure in the Michelin Guide, the Good Food Guide and more. 19a The Headrow, Leeds LS1 6PU
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10. Crafthouse – Leeds Restaurants
The sleek, industrial-look modern restaurant serves up a British menu or chargrilled seasonal dishes and offers some of the best views across the city. If you’re looking for. adate night with a difference then Crafthouse, located on the fifth floor in Trinity Leeds on Boar Lane is the one.
It’s such a beautiful venue and the food is created using the freshest ingredients. to create a tasty menu of classic British items. Level 5, Trinity, 70 Boar Ln, Leeds LS1 6HW
11. The Man Behind The Curtain
A popular spot in Leeds for those who value their tastebuds, The Man Behind The Curtain was created by Michael O’Hare – infusing art with quality cuisine, making for a foodie experience like no other.
Everything has been deeply thought of, including the decor, the food presentation, the colours that grace your plate, and the crockery it lies on. Inspirations from the food come from all over, too, with hints of Japanese, Italian and British influences combining together to make for some pretty special flavour combinations. 68-78 Vicar Lane Lower Ground Floor Flannels, Leeds LS1 7JH
12. Crown Hotpot – Leeds Restaurants
Looking for something. a little different? Crown Hot Pot, you become the chef in this first of its kind in Leeds restaurant. The entire menu is dedicated to this style of Chinese cooking method. You simply tick of what ingredients you want on a list and hand it to your server. You are then offered the raw ingredients and you cook your food at the table.
It’s at the back of a Chinese supermarket and up some stairs need University of Leeds. You can make your won sauce and order meat, seafood and tofu dishes by the metre. LS2 9HJ, Leeds, Back Blenheim Terrace, 1
13. Tattu
Fusing beautiful and meaningful design, Tattu is an independent family-run business founded by two brothers in 2015. The venue is one of the most popular Leeds restaurants due to its incredilbe decoration and sharing plates, colourful dim sum, and luxurious large plates. They also serve amazing cocktails. and stunning desserts. This together has made them the top place to go on a nigh tout with friends and is an experience in itself. Minerva, 29 E Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS
14. Gaucho
Located in the city centre of Leeds, Gaucho offers up sophisticated Argentinian steakhouse, serving up the best quality steak in the world. The beef comes from Argentinian, premium Black-Angus casttle bread at hand-selected farms.
The restaurant prides itself in offering a premium dining experience brining a slice of Argentina to Leeds perfect for those wanting. to relax with friends or colleagues for cocktails and great food as well as celebrating a special occasion in a beautiful setting. Gaucho, 21-22 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5JF
15. Bundobust
The popular craft beer bar serving Indian street food Bundobust Serving up Gujarati street food in the iconic compostable paper tubs and plates, the independent prides itself on offering a casual dining experience serving local cask ales, international beers and Indian street food and craft beer.
As well as doing to sharing dishes such as okra fries, bhaji butties, and Tarka Dhal with rice, Bundobust’s serves bar snacks, like spicy nuts. 6 Mill Hill, Leeds LS1 5DQ
16. Zaap Thai Street Food – Leeds Restaurants
Found in Leeds city centre and Headingley, you can get a taste of Asia as the colourful flavours of authentic Bangkok street food from Zaap Thai. The first Zaap Thai arrived in Leeds back in 2015, after the success of Sukhothai restaurant in Leeds which opened up 20 years ago this year.
Before we discuss the food, it’s worth mentioning the experiential decor with Thai-inspired graffiti, unique tuk tuk seating booths, neon lighting, an open kitchen lined with Thai hawker carts, that creates an energetic environment that pays homage to the iconic capital city
You can enjoy over 80 delectable meals to select from, ranging from mild to hot. The famous Pad Thai and the spicy Pad Ga Prao are on the Thai street food menu. 22 Grand Arcade, Leeds LS1 6PG
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