West Yorkshire Restaurant Guide

Shabir Hussain’s “fantastic” curry house prepares “Indian, Asian, Balti, Pakistani dishes to sort everyone’s taste buds”. Over three decades it has grown from a 28-seater in Bradford city centre into a national chain with spin-offs from Birmingham to Glasgow. The menu features two ‘challenges’ for the greedy or brave – on quantity and heat.

“Refreshing to have a place of this quality in the vicinity!” say local fans of this modern operation opposite the civic hall, which has been in new ownership since 2019 and where “really good food is served by a young and enthusiastic team” from breakfast onwards (for which it receives nominations). In late 2021, The Observer’s Jay Rayner pronounced himself a fan: “powerless in the face of good bread… flavours are reliably big and self-assured… with nods towards the Middle East”, while “the value is obvious” in a restaurant that “hums with a comfortable contentment”.

This 500-seat mega-restaurant is “still immensely popular with the Asian community”, having started out more than 40 years ago as a tiny Kashmiri shop on the same street it now dominates. It’s “maybe too big these days” to hit the highest culinary ratings, but remains a “great place for a family get-together”. There’s now a spin-off in Leeds and a national brand of ready meals. Mumtaz banned alcohol on the premises in 2019, ‘to uphold the memory of our late Mother’, founder Farzand Begum.

“Beautiful old Yorkshire inn” – originally an eighteenth-century corn and spinning mill – that hosts “some seriously excellent cooking” from chef Will Webster. It’s a “fabulous and cosy spot” – in a place made famous by TV’s ‘Gentleman Jack’ – “and best of all there’s no mobile phone reception, so you can escape the world for a couple of hours of peace!”. Top Menu Tip – “breaded lamb spam and lamb-fat peas”.

“Recently moved from the market, but still with a down-to-earth feel” – this Leeds gastropub moved in early 2022 from Kirkgate market to Lockside, in the Mustard Wharf development, complete with a covered canalside terrace. It is run by a MasterChef semi-finalist (Liz Cottam) and a former head chef of Ilkley’s Box Tree (Mark Owens), who also run Home. “The food is what every gastropub should be: delicious and always seasonal with their catch of the day”.

For its many regulars, a meal at this “always-consistent French bistro” with a “great wine list of interesting bottles, including aged classics” is “the highlight of any trip to Leeds”. The large basement venue has hosted business lunches and evening celebrations for more than 30 years.

“Very tasty authentic Indian vegan and vegetarian street food” is paired with a “great beer selection” at the Leeds branch of the Manchester-based winner. “Could just as easily be in the ‘best Indian’ or ‘best cheap eats’ category”. Top Tip – “you have to try the okra fries!”.

For a “really enjoyable, reasonably authentic Tapas experience”, all served in a “buzzing” environment, many would recommend this national chain’s four London branches (in Victoria, Canary Wharf, Farringdon and Marylebone). “Uneven” service can make them “a bit hit ’n’ miss” (especially in SW1) but one constant is “a particularly strong list of Spanish wines, many by the glass or carafe”.

“Dead hippie sauce is a must” at these “very loud” operations, which “remain at the head of the gourmet burger pack” for many fans with “lots of options available”. After 14 years of growth from a food van to a national chain with 10 venues in the capital, they “don’t seem to have lost their way yet”. “The dark and grungy ersatz New Orleans interior vibe” is of the love-it-or-hate-it variety.

“The new venue” and “absolutely brilliant menu” have “really taken things up a level” at Elizabeth Cottam’s five-year-old venture, now in the city centre at Brewery Wharf on the River Aire. “The interior is very sexy and intimate, while the food has just gone up a notch”, with “an astonishing set of dishes”.

“I’ve been going to Salvo’s for almost 40 years… it’s still great” – this well-known Italian restaurant has been run by the Dammone family since 1976, providing pizza and pasta alongside more substantial dishes (including such Italian specials as ‘hand-cut chips’!).

“Pure gastronomic theatre and drama” has won national fame for Michael O’Hare and – after some ups and downs in feedback over recent years – his moody and “romantic” basement in the city centre reestablished itself this year as the most commented-on venue in Leeds in our annual diners’ poll. From a 10-14-course tasting menu, “the food pushes the limits of taste like at the Fat Duck and some dishes go a little far (oyster in a dessert?)”. Not everyone’s super-impressed, with the odd reporter feeling that “while the food’s good, it’s clear that everyone involved fancies themselves too much”. Significant disappointments are notable by their absence, though, with most diners feeling the place is on dazzling form.