Like many students, I can safely say that eating is one of my main priorities. Having a nice meal is often, for me, better than a night out to Call Lane or Stone Roses where my money, and sometimes dignity, is often lost on a night I struggle to recall the next day. Don’t get me wrong I do love to go out but sometimes I just want to have a nice meal and revel in the enjoyment of knowing I will remember it the next day.
There are countless places in
Leeds to eat to suit every budget, occasion and situation providing busy and
stressed out students some comfort and solace.
For those of you who have read my blog or any articles I have written you
will be aware that I like to eat out a lot and regularly review restaurants in
my local area. Unsurprisingly I am
writing my dissertation on restaurant review food blogs in the vain hope that
if I write about something I already have an interest in it will motivate me
and encourage me to work...watch this space, it hasn’t been massively
successful so far!
I have compiled a list of 12 of
my favourite places to eat in Leeds for every occasion.
Where to Go If You Are
Strapped For Cash:
1. Miro
- This may be an obvious choice, particularly for students at Leeds University
due to its location, but I think this is one of the best cafes around Leeds Met
and Leeds Uni. There is an amazing
selection of fresh sandwiches, paninis, salads and pastas along with Italian sweet
treats like Torta Limone and Pistacchio Aragostine.
My Choice: Sundried Tomato, Pesto and Cheese Panini – at
£2.70 it would be rude not to.
2. Roast
and Toast – Located on the Kirkstall Road this is my favourite sandwich shop in
Leeds. The choice of sandwiches, koftas
and wraps seems to be almost infinite, and the service is always
excellent. Shamefully I must admit the
lady who works there now knows my order and says it along with me. This isn’t really something to be proud of
but I think I might just be their biggest fan!
My Choice:
Basil Chicken, Salad and Lemon Mayo or Roasted Pepper, Pesto and Mozzarella in
a big soft roll.
3. Kirkstall
Morrisons Salad Bar – I know this is a pretty odd choice, but it really needs
to be tried to be appreciated. With so
much to choose from, including pastas, salads and fruit, and a large salad box
priced at £2.70 I have to admit a lot of squishing goes on when I’m trying to
close the lid of the box.
My Choice: Almost everything, excluding the Tuna Potato
Salad (something’s not right about that).
Where to Go For Great Food at
Reasonable Prices:
4. Bangkok
Cafe – Situated right in the centre of buzzing Hyde Park, this little treasure
is a real find. The cafe itself sits
only a few people at a time, but I feel this even adds to its charm and
considering a delivery service is available there is really no reason not to
give it a go! The food is seriously
delicious and well priced for a student budget.
My
Choice: Garlic and Pepper Chicken with
Noodles, honestly the best Thai food I have had in years.
5. Love
Rouge Bakery – My friends and I are massive fans of the bakery in Headingley,
serving cupcakes, cream teas and more to the masses. As my mother says these are cupcakes which
actually taste of something not just of cardboard and I must say that is high
praise indeed.
6. The
Clock Cafe/LS6 – Almost across the road from Bangkok Cafe is the quirky and
fabulous Clock Cafe, aptly named if you have already been in due to the huge
collection of clocks on the walls! The
student vibe almost makes this cafe feel homely and they have a great selection
of teas – perfect for taking a break from uni stress and catching up with your
friends.
My
Choice: Caesar Salad, swapping the bacon
for sundried tomatoes.
Where to Go For the Best
Deals:
Before I go on I must inform you
of my long standing favourite app, Vouchercloud. Vouchercloud offers deals on restaurants,
clothes stores and more. Not surprisingly I use it the most to go out to
dinner. The app is available from any
smart phone app store and is free – you can’t be bad to that. Vouchercloud works as a mobile voucher so
there is no hassle printing off the voucher and it displays the deals which are
nearest to you by a tenth of a mile.
7. La
Tasca - Tapas can be quite an expensive dining experience, but fear not with
Vouchercloud you can often get 2 for 1 on tapas at La Tasca on Greek
Street. This usually will halve your bills
and ensures you are stuffed with Spanish satisfaction for the rest of the
evening.
My Choice: Anything fishy or meaty or carby – there
isn’t much at La Tasca I don’t like!
8. Loch
Fyne - Admittedly this is a pretty up-market place for a student to eat, but
with a Vouchercloud discount voucher of 25% it may become a lot more
appealing. This is the perfect
restaurant for any fish lover, although there are some chicken and beef dishes
on the menu, it really is wonderful food and definitely worth a visit.
My
Choice: Monkfish and Prawn Thai Curry
with rice – honestly, it is heaven.
9. The
Box – This is likely to be a very familiar haunt to most students and as well
as well priced drinks and a lively atmosphere they also serve great food. The best days to go are on a Monday or a
Wednesday when it is 50% off your food bill.
You might have to wait a little for a table and for your food but surely
for a deal like that you will be patient!
My Choice: Sweet Chilli Chicken Wrap with Chips – with
Monterey Jack cheese and jalapeños and mango chutney there is nothing they
could do to make it better.
Where to Take Your Parents
When They Come to Visit:
10. The New Conservatory – This lively jazz bar
in the city centre has seating outside for those sparse warmer days and a large
restaurant area inside where delicious food and friendly service can be
found. Downstairs where the restaurant
and bar are situated is cosy without feeling cramped and with books all along
the walls it has its own sense of individuality. From past experience, parents love this
place.
My
Choice: The Sampler platter is
uh-ma-zing. There are 5 or 6 little
delights to try ranging from tempura prawns, brushetta with goat’s cheese and
mini burgers – perfect for sharing or equally for going solo and being greedy.
11. The Living Room –This has long been a
favourite in my family and for good reason.
Their food is of an outstanding quality and it is always bustling with
hungry customers. The Living Room is known
for its great atmosphere and there is regular live music on the piano, which is
soothing background music rather than a blasting for your ears – perfect for
parents.
My
Choice: Spiced Duck Breast with Pak Choi
and a Sweet Potato Fondant, definitely worth the price but not quite for a student
budget!
12. Piccolino – Italian food in my opinion does
not get much better than this. Piccolino
is situated on Park Row in a beautiful light restaurant where the waiters know
the menu back to front. The food is
almost beyond fresh and the flavours are simple.
My Choice: Beef Carpaccio with a Rocket and Parmesan
Salad or the Tomato, Mozzarella and Basil Salad – both light meals, but two of
the best Italian Starters around.
There are some really delicious
places to eat in Leeds to suit every budget, many are little gems tucked away
which normally you wouldn’t look twice at but I suggest you go out and try
them! I often think that those
restaurants which look the least impressive are the tastiest and the best value
for money. So branch out from the
typical student eateries like the Scream pubs and Wetherspoons and see what
Leeds has to offer.
No comments:
Post a Comment