5 Must-try places to eat in Leeds
This post has taken a bit of time to write because picking just 5 restaurants in Leeds was so difficult, there are so many great options!
These are my current favourite places to eat in Leeds, and if you’re looking for somewhere to go for a date night, or for a catch up with friends, I’ve got you covered…
house of fu
If Nick and I are planning a meal out, this is always his first suggestion of somewhere to go! We love it here, and they’ve added a new options to their menu recently which I can’t wait to try!
We went again just recently for Nick’s birthday, and it was fun to go with a group of friends because it meant we could order lots of their tasty sides to share. I’d recommend the crispy cauliflower, the House of Fu pickles and of course, the gyoza. The special gyoza is always a great choice, currently its chicken & prawn toast gyoza which sound amazing!!
The Taco Rice bowl is new on their menu. I had this last time we went and it was super tasty, although a little bit too spicy for me! And I really want to try the Seabream Hiyashi Chuka which is new on their menu too.
I've written a longer post about House of Fu which you can read here.
Issho
This is the best sushi restaurant in Leeds. It's quite a pricey restaurant, but it's totally worth it. This rooftop restaurant has an amazing outdoor terrace, it’s the perfect place to enjoy a few cocktails and delicious sushi on a sunny day.
This is somewhere you'll want to go with a big appetite because there’s so much to choose from on the menu. Of course the sushi is star of the show, but there are also a selection of bao buns, and plenty of hot options to choose from. I’d recommend the rib eye steak, and yakitori skewers. And don’t miss out on the crackers with avocado pea guac!
Tharavadu
We lived in the centre of Leeds for a while before moving to our current house, and while we were living in town we were regulars at Tharavadu, an authentic Keralan restaurant.
I'd recommend to book well in advance here because it's always busy. And it’s a great place to go if you’re vegetarian or vegan because there’s lots of options to choose from.
Image source: Tharavadu
My favourite dish here is the Kerala Kozhi Curry, which they say is the most loved chicken curry in Kerala, and once you’ve tried it you’ll know why. The chicken is cooked in roasted coconut and kerala spices, and the gravy has an intense flavour with a medium level of spice.
The appam is a must-try too, I’d never tried this before going to Tharavadu, and before I’d always order a chapati with a curry. Appam is made from fermented rice batter and coconut milk, and these light and fluffy pancakes and also gluten-free!
El Gato Negro
If you’ve ready any of my previous blog posts, you’ll know that I love tapas, and El Gato Negro is still my favouite tapas restaurant in Leeds.
My favourite thing on the menu is the Catalan bread with fresh tomato and jamón serrano. The rich and buttery serrano, with the fresh tomats, garlic and olive oil is just the most delicious combination!
Other dishes I love here are the mini Catalan chorizo with Aspall cider, gambas al ajillo, and of course you can’t have tapas without patatas bravas and pardón peppers!
Hern
Hern is located in Chapel Allerton in North Leeds, and they serve a fixed 4 course menu in the evenings, with the menu created using what’s in season whilst also trying to minimise waste.
This is such good value for money at just £35 with the amazing quality of the food. And they have a great wine selection too!