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The food scene in Leeds is the envy of its neighbouring cities, proudly securing a number of Michelin stars in recent years (sorry Manchester, always the bridesmaid, never the bride). As such, you’ll find all types of excellent restaurant, from those specialising in traditional locally-sourced fare, to more outlandish fine dining tasting menus, and Indian restaurants with a unique Yorkshire twist. Here are our favourite restaurants in Leeds.
Here are our picks
Ox Club at Headrow House, 19a The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 6PU - Visit now
Appearing in both the Good Food Guide and Michelin Guide for 2018, Josh Whitehead’s Ox Club is a restaurant for high quality food. In particular, people tend to talk about the cod cheeks, with smoked butter, chervil root and parsley.
The Reliance, 76-78 North St, Leeds, LS2 7PN - Visit now
Seared duck hearts, dandelion, thyme and blood orange. If that gets you interested, The Reliance is the place to be. A fine food restaurant, The Reliance also a features a bar and in-house cinema, where the carefully curated films are accompanied with special food and drink.
Ham and Friends, Grand Arcade, Leeds, LS1 6PG - Visit now
Ham And Friends hasn’t been open long, but it’s already built an impressive reputation across the city. Sister restaurant to the much-loved Friends Of Ham, this bright, spacious venue specialises in wonderful small plates, with a wine room upstairs and plenty of produce to take away with you.
Norse, 28A Swan Road, Harrogate, HG1 2SA - Visit now
As the name suggests, this Harrogate restaurant boasts a Scandinavian-inspired menu, full of big bold flavours. The focus is on freshness, seasonality and local sourcing, but the Nordic influence is most evident in the preserving techniques used in many dishes, such as pickling, drying and curing.
Gaucho Leeds, 21-22 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5JF - Visit now
The Leeds branch of Gaucho is all glittering lights and sparkling chrome fixtures – not to mention cow-hide seat coverings – in case there was any doubt about what kind of food is on offer. Yes, this is all about steaks, easily the best in the city. Steel yourself for a luxurious, opulent evening, packed with meat, meat and more meat.
Man Behind The Curtain, 68-78 Vicar Ln, Leeds, LS1 7JH - Visit now
Perhaps the most famous restaurant in Leeds, The Man Behind The Curtain was opened in 2014 by celebrated chef Michael O’Hare. This is modernist cuisine, often weird but always wonderful – you don’t get a Michelin star without being reliably brilliant.
Tharavadu Restaurant, 7-8 Mill Hill, Leeds, LS1 5DQ - Visit now
Easily the most popular and celebrated Indian restaurant in Leeds, Tharavadu specialises in cuisine from Kerala, a small coastal area of South-West India with a strong focus on fish dishes. Expect plenty of dishes you haven’t encountered before at this multiple-award-winning restaurant.