Award-winning restaurants and foodie favourites
If you’re planning your trip around a memorable meal, Leeds has a growing collection of restaurants that regularly catch the attention of critics, guides and serious food lovers.
Ox Club
Set inside Headrow House, Ox Club is a relaxed but seriously impressive restaurant built around live-fire cooking with a Michelin Guide listing. Its’ wood-fired grill, quality produce and bold flavours, make it a favourite of both visitors and locals looking for a lively, modern Leeds dining experience.
Tharavadu
A Leeds institution, Tharavadu brings authentic flavours of Kerala to the heart of the city. This much-loved and award-winning South Indian restaurant has received Michelin Guide recognition and continues to be praised by guides and locals for its delicious dishes, service and atmosphere.
The Swine Bistro
A relaxed neighbourhood bistro in Headingley, The Swine Bistro is known for seasonal, ingredient-led British and European cooking. Family-run and full of character, it has earned national attention from SquareMeal, which lists it among its UK Top 100 restaurants.
Chef Jono at V&V
For a creative tasting menu experience, Chef Jono at V&V offers modern British cooking with personality and precision. Led by MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Jono Hawthorne, the restaurant focuses on seasonal produce, bold ideas and memorable presentation.
Shears Yard
Set in a converted former industrial building in The Calls, Shears Yard offers relaxed fine dining with a focus on seasonal and local produce. Its evolving menus, stylish setting and cocktail bar make it a great option for visitors looking for a polished but unpretentious Leeds dining experience.
Bavette
A neighbourhood French bistro in Horsforth has quickly become one of Leeds’ standout dining destinations. Expect beautifully executed bistro classics, warm hospitality and a wine list with real personality, including bottles connected to co-owner Clément Cousin’s Loire Valley roots. Bavette was named Britain’s Best Local Restaurant 2024 by The Good Food Guide and is also listed by Michelin.
The Smithfield
Tucked away on Fish Street, Empire Cafe brings old-school Leeds character together with confident, contemporary cooking. Reborn on a site with a long dining history, it champions proper Yorkshire hospitality, market produce and a menu built around the grill, barbecue and its much-loved rotisserie chicken.
Eat Your Greens
Part organic restaurant, part natural wine bar, Eat Your Greens is a laid-back city-centre favourite. Its seasonal menu changes regularly, with colourful vegetable-led plates, carefully sourced produce and plenty for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free diners, alongside low-intervention wines and a relaxed evening atmosphere.
Global flavours and international cuisine
Leeds is a brilliant city for eating your way around the world. From Indian street food and contemporary Kerala cooking to Japanese comfort food, Sardinian specialities and riverside Spanish tapas, these international restaurants bring global flavours, relaxed hospitality and plenty of personality to the city’s food scene.
Ambiente
Overlooking the River Aire in The Calls, Ambiente is a relaxed tapas restaurant set inside a Grade II listed former warehouse. With exposed brick, a riverside balcony and a menu made for sharing, it’s ideal for a leisurely lunch, dinner with friends or a sunny al fresco moment by the water. Expect authentic Spanish flavours, a warm atmosphere and plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too.
Mowgli
Set on Boar Lane, Mowgli brings the colour, warmth and energy of Indian street food to the heart of Leeds. With glowing lanterns, trees, roped swings and tiffin-style dishes, it’s a relaxed and atmospheric spot.
Kerala Canteen
Close to Leeds Playhouse, Kerala Canteen offers a fresh, contemporary take on South Indian cooking, with bold Kerala flavours served in a sociable tapas-style format. Created by chefs with experience across MasterChef UK, Great British Menu and Michelin-starred kitchens, it’s a great choice for pre-theatre dining, group feasts or anyone keen to explore the spice, seafood and street food traditions of India’s southern coast.
Little Tokyo
A long-standing Leeds favourite and full of character, Little Tokyo has been bringing Japanese food to the city centre since 2000. Hidden away on Central Road, it’s known for its cosy atmosphere, friendly service and wide-ranging menu, from sushi and bento boxes to teriyaki, noodles and comforting Japanese classics.
Domo
Bringing a taste of Sardinia to Yorkshire, Domo is all about handmade food, generous hospitality and dishes rooted in island tradition. The menu celebrates Sardinian small plates, fresh pasta, wine and aperitivo-style drinks, all served in a relaxed setting on Leeds’ South Bank.
Heritage pubs and food-led locals
Leeds knows how to do a proper pub. From centuries-old ale houses and restored Victorian landmarks to neighbourhood locals where the food is every bit as important as the beer, these are the places to settle in for local character, warm hospitality and a real taste of the city.
Whitelock’s
Hidden down Turk’s Head Yard just off Briggate, Whitelock’s Ale House is a true Leeds institution. First founded in 1715, it is the oldest pub in the city, with a beautifully preserved Victorian interior, real ales, craft beers and a menu of locally sourced British food.
The Highland Laddie
One of the city’s most talked-about pubs, The Highland Laddie is a restored neighbourhood pub from the team behind Empire Cafe. It’s where the warmth of a proper pub meets seriously good cooking, from oysters and open-fire cooking to Sunday roasts and local produce. It was named Britain’s best pub in The Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Pubs 2025 list. Be sure to book ahead to avoid disappointment.
The Victoria & Commercial
A legendary Leeds pub reborn, The Victoria & Commercial is a stunning pub in all it’s Victorian splendour. This Grade II-listed landmark has been lovingly restored by Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock’s Ale House, with a focus on local suppliers, quality beer and classic pub hospitality.
Lamb & Flag
Set beside Leeds Minster in The Calls, Lamb & Flag is a welcoming city-centre pub full of historic charm. Restored from a 19th-century building, it combines exposed brickwork, big windows and a courtyard beer garden with freshly cooked, locally sourced food. It’s a great stop for a relaxed lunch, Sunday roast or post-sightseeing drink in one of the city’s most characterful corners.
Stylish city-centre dining, rooftops and special occasions
For birthdays, date nights, group dinners or a treat after shopping, Leeds has plenty of restaurants where the setting is part of the experience. From grand interiors and rooftop terraces to polished grills, contemporary Indian dining and Italian small plates, these are the city-centre spots made for lingering a little longer.
The Cut & Craft
Set in the heart of the Victoria Quarter, The Cut & Craft is one of Leeds’ most striking restaurants, combining grand interiors with a lively, occasion-ready atmosphere. The menu focuses on steak, seafood and British dishes, with locally sourced produce, Yorkshire drinks and premium Aberdeen Angus steaks all part of the offer.
Restaurant Bar & Grill
Overlooking City Square from the Old Post Office building, Restaurant Bar & Grill is a long-standing Leeds favourite for polished dining, cocktails and special occasions. Open for brunch, lunch, dinner and private events, it serves grill classics, fresh seafood and seasonal dishes in a grand city-centre setting, with a terrace for alfresco drinks and dining when the weather allows.
Cinnamon Kitchen
Inside The Queens Hotel, Cinnamon Kitchen brings bold, contemporary Indian dining to one of Leeds’ most iconic city-centre buildings. Led by chef Vivek Singh, and his first restaurant outside of London, the menu takes inspiration from a journey through 12 Indian states, bringing together Indian spice, modern techniques and Yorkshire produce.
CrowdedHouse
Set across two floors and a rooftop in Trinity Leeds, CrowdedHouse is a flexible all-day destination that moves from coffee and casual working to dinner, drinks and celebrations. With refined plates, curated drinks and a relaxed rooftop setting, it’s the perfect place for a special meal.
Uyare by Tharavadu
Perched above Victoria Gate, Uyare by Tharavadu takes Keralan dining to new heights with a rooftop restaurant and bar in the heart of Leeds. Created by the team behind Tharavadu, it combines South Indian flavours with contemporary interiors, cocktails and skyline views.
Stuzzi
Tucked away on Merrion Street, Stuzzi brings the spirit of Italian stuzzichini to Leeds, with small plates designed for sharing over drinks. The menu blends traditional regional recipes, modern Italian cooking, imported produce and house-made bakery and sweets, creating a relaxed but distinctive dining experience that’s ideal for slow lunches, date nights or an evening of wine and plates with friends.
Dishoom
Bringing the warmth and bustle of Bombay’s Irani cafés to Vicar Lane, Dishoom Leeds is an all-day dining destination for breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening drinks. Expect much-loved Dishoom favourites alongside Leeds specials, with interiors inspired by Bombay’s Art Deco heritage and a story-led setting designed for lingering over chai, small plates, curries and cocktails.
