The best restaurants in Leeds

This Japanese kitchen is a local gem. Whether you choose to eat in or take away, you can look forward to flavourful Japanese favourites, including sushi, gyoza and noodle dishes, served with a smile.

New-century tapas in beautiful white and royal blue surrounds are what diners can expect from the Leeds branch of this Spanish chain. Majoring in cheeses and cured meats, the menu honours Spain’s centuries-old gastronomic traditions.

Mega-popular with locals and visitors alike, this spot offers exemplary south Indian food served by the smiliest waiters in Leeds at an affordable price. And it’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Leeds train station.

Forget vice, this award-winning restaurant and cocktail lounge specialising in modern British cuisine is virtuous in our eyes. Guests can look forward to a fine dining experience through a variety of tasting menus and paired drinks.

Quality pub grub including (but not limited to) massive burgers, fried chicken, wraps, snacks and hearty veggie meals are the order of the day at this relaxed bar-kitchen-courtyard near Leeds Cathedral.

So popular was this friendly independent’s tiny ground floor bar/restaurant that it was required to expand next door after a couple of years. The menu majors in charcuterie and cheeses, craft beers and wines.

Loved by locals and visitors alike for its excellent food and outstanding service, Dakota is a hotel restaurant with a difference. Majoring in comfort food favourites, there’s something for everyone at this stylish grill.

Located on the first floor of the Old Flax Store, this brewery-based refectory hosts regular takeovers from local food vendors, though the focus on the varied styles of beer the ‘monks’ brew.

When the chef has been both a Masterchef finalist and a Great British Menu contestant, you know the food is going to be first-class. Bobby Geetha heads up the kitchen here serving everything from chicken keema nachos to miso ginger salmon with greens.

As the name suggests, Pho specialises in Vietnam’s national dish of noodles in soup, bringing fresh, vibrant cooking to this northern city. Beyond the signature dish, you'll find plenty of other Vietnamese favourites. 

This Korean and Japanese fusion restaurant offers traditional flavours in a contemporary setting. Whether you’re after some bottomless brunch, a budget bento box at lunch or a blow out dinner with friends, Oba has you covered.

Casa Leeds truly is an option for everyone, as this Latin American tapas spot just so happens to be gluten free. With a motto like ‘count the memories, not the calories’, this is the kind of place we can get on board with.

Show-stopping interiors combine with colourful dim sum, large and small plates, and handsome desserts to create a unique dining experience at Tattu. If money’s a bit tight, go for the set lunch menu which offers excellent value.

This relaxed eatery isn’t licensed but friendly staff are happy to provide you with drinking vessels for your wine or beer as you tuck into inventive small plates that change according to the seasons.

Situated in the heart of Leeds’ smart legal and business quarter, this branch of San Carlo promises sleek, stylish good looks, a cheery, welcoming vibe and a wide-ranging menu peppered with trattoria classics.

It’s hard to believe a restaurant with over 200 dishes on its a la carte menu could be exceptional, but this Thai restaurant manages it. A firm favourite among locals, Sukhothai continues to thrive thanks to its imaginative menu.

This charming restaurant housed in a former textile mill serves quality dishes in an adorable setting. It’s the kind of place you can visit with friends, on a date or with your parents at the weekend.

With its menu of vegetarian Indian street food, craft beer and stripped-back surroundings, it's clear to see that Bundobust is one of the trendier haunts this city has to offer. Long wooden tables and eye-catching artwork set the scene nicely.

Expect the usual array of obscene burgers that promise to fulfil the brand’s ‘come hungry, leave wobbly’ motto, along with hotdogs, fries, sides and hard shakes. Kids and dogs are both welcome and vegans are catered for too.

Glitzy black, white and cowhide livery make dining here feel like an event, with the beef – sourced solely from the Pampas plains of Argentina – as the star of the show.

Fantastic views of the city are yours for the taking at this modern British restaurant in the heart of Leeds. Part of the D&D group, Angelica & Crafthouse is popular for its smoky Josper-grilled steaks and native lobsters.