Flat Iron Leeds
Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor
The beefy brains behind Flat Iron are reshaping the nation’s attitude to steak. They’re responsible for hugely popular restaurants in London, Cambridge and Leeds – with a Manchester venue set to launch in early July. They all have one thing in common: impressively high-quality steaks at a pleasingly affordable price point.
The Flat Iron cattle live a charmed life on a farm in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, run by Charles Ashbridge – a man whose dedication to giving his herd a happy life is a joy to witness. (I know, I met them.)
Meanwhile, Flat Iron Leeds is fast becoming an essential part of the West Yorkshire food and drink scene. Thanks to the friendly staff and stylish venue, it has a vibrancy and energy far removed from some of the North’s stuffier steakhouses. It also serves up superb quality dishes that won’t leave you empty of pocket.
The menu’s simple: flat iron steak for £14 plus an array of side dishes, all for around a fiver or less. But don’t underestimate the quality of this featherblade meat, it’s one of the most underrated cuts of meat, and the Flat Iron team know how best to serve it (medium rare, sprinkled with thick crunchy rocks of salt).
There’s also a phenomenal cheeseburger that’s so juicy and messy it should come with an explicit content warning. Fancy ordering outside the box? There’s an ever-changing Wagyu steak of the day to order, and seasoned steak fans will appreciate the inclusion of Scottish bavette, a richly marbled cut from the hindquarter flank, also known as ‘the butcher’s cut’.
The sides and sauces match the standard of the steaks, effortlessly so. The truffled macaroni cheese is a gloriously gooey mix of earthy, salty and creamy flavours, while the green salad is a bright, crisp contrast to the near-sinful meat. Best of all, the outrageously buttery garlic mash comes topped with little balls of crispy bone marrow – it’s an overload of texture and taste, and while you probably shouldn’t eat it every day, if you’re a meat-eater you’ll surely want to.
For a final, brilliantly semi-socialist flourish, a delicious soft-serve ice cream dessert cone is free for all customers at the end of their meal. Not only that, if you don’t fancy it there and then, you can keep the token and pop by to claim it whenever you like.
In brief, Flat Iron is flawless. The pricing ensures great steaks are available for all, plus there’s an irresistible buzz and deftness to proceedings that shows why people keep coming back again and again. From cattle to staff to customers, this is exactly what a successful modern steakhouse looks like.
