Celebrate Your Graduation In Style

Leeds is home to a variety of exceptional dining experiences, that’s why it’s the unofficial foodie capital of the North. With graduation on the horizon, it reminds us of those special occasions where friends and family join to celebrate together.

So as you approach the end of your University time in Leeds, now’s the time to show your family what Leeds is all about and make sure you celebrate in true Leeds style!

With independent venues and big-name favourites dotted around the city, you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to celebrating in style in Leeds. We have pulled together our list of top restaurant and venue picks for special occasions. The only question is, which will you choose?

Blackhouse – Grill on the Square

• 31-33 E Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS

For steak lovers, there’s no better place to celebrate than Blackhouse Restaurant on swanky East Parade. Serving up delicious steaks alongside grilled fishes, meats and vegetarian options, with a range of tasty sides and delicious wines and cocktails, you’ll feast like kings and queens. And in an intimate, stylish setting, Blackhouse is the perfect place to toast your special occasion with loved ones.

Con-GRAD-ulations offer at the Blackhouse will spoil you with a complimentary glass of fizz with your celebratory meal! Want to really graduate with a bang? Private dining options are perfect for the summer season with two outdoor dining areas – including an all year round conservatory looking out onto Bond Square, which is ideal for that al-fresco dining experience in the sunshine.

Blue Sakura

• Merrion Way, Leeds, LS2 8BT

Blue Sakura has been named Best Restaurant in Leeds 2022 and 2024 and it’s easy to see why.

The restaurant’s comfortable interior is distinguished by its beautiful sakura, ambient lighting and Japanese-inspired art as well as the unique concept of Japanese-style tapas consisting of sushi and Asian-style grill dishes all for a set price. Perfect for a special graduation celebration.

Blue Pavilion

• 90 Merrion Street, Leeds, LS2 8LW

Where culinary excellence meets timeless tradition. Indulge in an exquisite menu curated with the finest Chinese flavours, crafted to delight your senses at Blue Pavilion.

Private dining experiences start from 8 people for an intimate celebration or go out for the Jade Room, designed for up to 12 guests with full table service, a luxury set menu created specifically for your party and your own private karaoke room.

Cinnamon Kitchen

• The Queens Hotel, City Square, Leeds, LS1 1PJ

Chef Vivek Singh brings bold, spice-kissed flavours, inspired by a journey through 12 Indian states, right to the heart of Leeds at Cinnamon Kitchen. From Yorkshire fields to Indian spice markets, the menu is bringing together the best of both worlds in a venue inspired by the first-class waiting rooms on the Indian railway.

Book in for an intimate High Chai afternoon tea experience, or bring the whole family for some Rogan Josh Shepherd’s Pie, Tandoori Mushroom or Malabar Boatman’s Fish Curry and finish off with Saffron & Pistachio Kulfi or a Garam Masala Crème Brulee.

Dakota

• 8 Russell St, Leeds, LS1 5RN

Dubbed Leeds’ most luxurious hotel, Dakota Deluxe has certainly gained a reputation for their facilities – as well as their food. Serving up tasty British fanfare in a super stylish, clean and contemporary restaurant, this is one venue to consider if you’re really looking to wow your guests!

Choose luxury for your graduation celebrations this year in the Champagne room. Dakota’s champagne room is available to hire for your graduation celebrations this year. Delve into some light bites and the finest champagne with up to 20 of your family and friends.

Dakota offers a range of exquisite hotel packages, inviting you and your party to extend your celebrations across the weekend.

Emba

• Mustard Approach, Leeds, LS1 4EY

Masterchef Finalist Elizabeth Cottam brings luxurious seasonal and flavourful foods on a rotating menu to a casual laidback setting at new gastropub emba. Overlooking the Leeds Waterfront, find yourself having an intimate dining experience with loved ones and showing them one of the city’s most beautiful spots.

Choose from a menu of small plates or a set menu of delicious food for £75. Veggie or pescatarian? Let them know and they can cater for you! Cocktails are led by the menu so expect the unexpected.

Fourth Floor Brasserie Harvey Nichols

• Harvey Nichols Fourth Floor, Briggate, Leeds LS1 6AZ

On the top floor of the luxury retail paradise of Harvey Nichols lies the Fourth Floor Brasserie and Bar, one of the most luxurious venues for parties and celebrations in the city. With a stunning rooftop bar offering views across the city, and modern, high-end finishes, this is the venue for those extra special celebrations.

But it’s not just style over substance. A seasonally changing menu takes you on a culinary exploration, with each dish showcasing Yorkshire’s finest, fresh produce to its full potential. Classic and modern cocktails and a vast selection of wines and beer are also available to try.

Their three-course summer dining menu is only £35 per person and includes a glass of bubbles too!

Although private dining is not available, semi-private dining is – with intimate options for 6 to 50 people. And to really celebrate in style, exclusive use of the venue is available everyday, holding up to 250 guests.

Fleur Restaurant and Bar

• The Light, Leeds LS1 8TL

An instagram-approved venue filled with flower walls, neon signs and all-round good vibes, Fleur was created by award-winning MasterChef finalist and Great British Menu-famed chef Bobby Geetha, and offers delicious contemporary British cuisine spiced up with an international twist.

Private dining is also available here for up to 56 fun-loving guests or go semi-private for smaller occasions of up to 20. You’re sure to have a great time, and capture some Insta-worthy graduation shots, at Fleur.

Giggling Squid

• 27 Park Row, Leeds, LS1 5QB

Enjoy some of the best Thai food in Leeds at Giggling Squid. Serving plentiful dishes, exciting Thai ingredients and bold flavours for lunch and dinner. The beautiful restaurant offers a bright, botanical setting, welcoming service and delicious food.

Each dish – from the famous Salt & Pepper Squid to crowd-pleasing Sticky Chicken – is a work of love, exploring Thailand’s richness of natural ingredients. Celebrate your graduation in a casual yet beautiful setting.

Gusto

• 10 Greek St, Leeds LS1 5RU

A popular chain restaurant around the UK, chances are, you may have visited a Gusto once or twice before. And it’s popular for a reason. With picture-perfect, romantic interiors adorned with foliage and fairy lights, serving up crowd pleasing Italian favourites alongside a vast wine and drinks menu, this is one venue that’s sure to please.

Gusto invites you to experience your first drink as a graduate in their glamourous interior with a complimentary glass of fizz! Alongside this, Gusto has a menu exclusively for this special occasion and priced at £42.95 for three courses, you won’t be disappointed.

So why not celebrate your graduation here? For more intimate celebrations, private dining is available for up to 40 guests, or go semi-private for 10-20 people, perfect for smaller celebrations. And to go all out, why not hire the venue exclusively? Holding up to 170 people, it’s a fantastic venue to impress your guests for bigger parties and extra special occasions like your graduation!

Habbibi

• Victoria Gate, Leeds, LS2 7AU

Kerala Canteen

• St. Peter’s Square, Leeds, LS9 8AQ

One of the newest restaurants on the Leeds scene, Kerala Canteen has the benefit of award-winning chef Bobby Geetha (who also runs Fleur).

Their set menu is only £22.95, serving up bold flavour-packed Keralan dishes in a casual setting. Book for private dining and the team will plan a curated menu so that all members of the party can try something special. Perfect for a casual get together for graduation.

Lost and Found

• 12 Greek St, Leeds LS1 5RN
• 3 Albion Pl, Leeds LS1 6JL

A popular Victorian-style hideaway, Lost and Found has two locations in Leeds; one near the main shopping district on Albion Street and one on party favourite Greek Street. With instagrammable decors and classic British dishes, delicious cocktails, wines and beers, this is the perfect venue to celebrate that special occasion. There’s options for private, semi-private and exclusive use, so no matter your party size, Lost and Found has you covered.

Lost and Found are giving graduates extra special treatment to enhance their celebrations with a complimentary glass of prosecco or a select choice of beer options.

Have your whole crew celebrating a graduation with you? At Albion Street, private dining is available for up to 100 people, with semi-private dining available in the cosy lounge area for up to 40 people. Exclusive use is also available for you to hire the entire venue for up to 300 people. Prefer to party on Greek Street? Private dining is available for up to 50 people, semi-private dining in the restaurant area seats up to 50, while exclusive use can host up to 400 people.

Malmaison

• 1 Swinegate, Leeds, LS1 4AG

Located in a wonderful location close to the train station, bars and restaurants, Malmaison is one of the most popular hotels for city centre dwellers. Housed within a stunning Victorian building, Malmaison boasts over five floors and 100 rooms, with all the luxuries you’d expect from a four-star hotel.

Want to switch up your graduation celebrations to an Afternoon Tea? Malmaison’s Chez Mal Brasserie is rewarding graduates with a free glass of Champagne to accompany a delicious Graduation-themed Afternoon Tea this year. Alternatively, their exclusive graduation menu also offers a complimentary glass of Champagne to celebrate your successes! With a range of room packages also on offer, you could extend your celebrations even longer and turn your graduation celebrations into a luxury experience.

Ox Club

• 19a The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 6PU

Ox Club is an award-winning contemporary British solid-fuel grill restaurant showcasing the best of Yorkshire produce, opened in December 2016 at the popular Headrow House – a multi-use venue housed within a former 20th Century textile mill and home to one of Leeds’ most iconic rooftop bars!

For graduation celebrate with family and friends with a private dining experience for up to 38 people, or equally as special book a smaller table for an intimate fine-dining but casual experience serving the very best local seasonal produce whether that’s langoustines from the North Sea or lamb from the Yorkshire Dales.

Shears Yard

• 11-15 Wharf St, Leeds LS2 7EH

A local legend, Shears Yard is a kitchen and bar that delivers a fresh and seasonal menu of creative combinations made from locally sourced ingredients. Shears Yard was built in the 1800s and originally used as a rope and canvas manufacturer, and has retained much of its industrial past in its interior today, alongside modern touches that bring the space to life. An intimate and romantic venue complete with steel beams, exposed brickwork, high ceilings and ambient lighting, Shears Yard is here to host your big celebrations of all your hard work.

Although private and semi-private dining is not available, you can rent the venue for exclusive use for up to 130 people in a standing capacity. And in a venue this picture-perfect, why not choose Shears Yard for your graduation celebrations?

Stuzzi

• 7 Merrion Street, Leeds, LS1 6PQ

Traditional recipes sit along side modern Italian cooking and street food essentials to create a chaotic mix of gastronomic treats from Stuzzi.

Enjoy a three-course menu for £45pp with a rotation of seasonal delights, or share small plates with your friends whilst sipping a complimentary Aperol Spritz.

Tattu

• Minerva, 29 East Parade, Leeds, LS1 5PS

Tattu Leeds is contemporary Chinese cuisine fusing traditional flavours with modern cooking methods. Each Tattu has its own identity, taking guests on a sensory journey with Leeds being decorated with white cherry blossom and roses for Yorkshire.

With a two-course ‘Power of Wisdom’ menu and complimentary cocktail from £32.50, celebrating at Tattu is a great choice! Elevate your celebration with a private dining experience, from 18 diners to 70 guests.

The Alchemist

• Trinity Leeds, Leeds, LS1 6HW
• Yorkshire House, Greek Street, Leeds, LS1 5SH

Level up your graduation celebrations at The Alchemist, known for it’s unique twists on food and drink. Menus include a Chicken Burger with cornflake crunch, Lobster Mac & Cheese with a truffle dust and a Next Level Chocolate Brownie.

Graduates can expect a complimentary round of Cosmic Oyster Shots to celebrate as well as a theatrical experience like no other!

The Cut and Craft

• Victoria Quarter, Leeds, LS1 6AX

One of Leeds’ most luxurious & elegant restaurants The Cut and Craft has been named Restaurant of the Year two years running since opening and won awards for it’s interior design. The menu features a selection of the finest local produce, be that top-quality Yorkshire drinks and cheese, premium Aberdeen Angus steaks or fresh, locally-grown vegetables.

The three-course Graduation dinner is only £50 including a glass of bubbly, or if your going all out why not book private dining with a champagne arrival, sumptuous canapes and reign of the first-floor mezzanine. For extra special hire your own concierge service which includes chauffeur travel to and from your event, bespoke decorations and a dedicated Guest Experience Manager to handle all the details for you.

The Ivy Asia

• Victoria Quarter, Leeds, LS1 6BA

Located in Leeds’ luxurious Victoria Quarter, The Ivy Asia serves up fabulous Asian-inspired dining and show-stopping cocktails with stunning décor.

For graduates in 2025, The Ivy Asia is offering a three-course dinner for £60 complete with a glass of bubbly. Choose from a variety of menu items including Salmon Teriyaki, Seared Beef Tataki and a special dessert called the Graduation Sphere. For an extra special experience why not book the Buddha Room for private dining with your own dedicated events manager to assist with any details to enhance your graduation celebrations.

Uyare

• Victoria Gate, Leeds, LS2 7AU

Leeds’ newest rooftop destination, Uyare is the team behind celebrity favourite Tharavadu. Serving up great Keralan cuisine with a contemporary twist and an extensive wine and cocktail menu. They even have their own beer brewed specially in collaboration with their head chef and Kirkstall Brewery.

They offer an intimate 15-person private dining room with a view over the city’s Victorian architecture, as well as bespoke menus tailored to you and your party. Finish off with a bottle of Dom Perignon.

 

 

 

 

 

As well as these incredible venues above, there’s so many more fantastic food and drink places to explore in the city that make Leeds a foodies’ paradise. Check them out, or see how you can spend 24, 48 and 72 hours in the city with our itineraries.