Beck & Call
Beck & Call
What was once The True Briton, has since received a hip makeover as the trendies behind Belgrave Music Hall, Headrow House and Water Lane Boathouse have taken over the Stainbeck Lane boozer. Smoothing the grittier edge worn by its city centre counterparts, Beck & Call is geared up as a family-friendly lunch spot, boasting two bars, a roof terrace, and an extensive beer garden with child’s play area.
Ox Club’s Ben Davy has put a contemporary spin on traditional pub grub fare, with a competitively priced menu centred around local produce. There are plenty of weekday offers to entice the midweek foodie crowd, including ‘buy one get one for £1’ offers on burgers and fish and chip suppers, while roast dinners are served all day Sunday.
Matt Healy at the Beehive
Swiftly taking over the Leeds restaurant scene, celebrity chef Matt Healy recently unveiled his third instalment, this time, in a somewhat unlikely setting. Following the success of his South Bank fine dining venture, Matt Healy x The Foundry, closely trailed by the vegan eating offering of Grön Kafe in Oakwood, the Masterchef finalist has afforded a local Thorner pub a city centre-style makeover.
The upshot of a £180,000 renovation, The Beehive is a modern gastropub flaunting bare brick, wooden beamed interiors. Drop in for a drink in the bar stocked with local craft beer and a curated wine list or get stuck into an all-day menu showcasing Matt’s signature flair in the adjacent restaurant. Dishes range from refined takes on traditional pub fare, including chargrilled sirloin steak with triple cooked chips, and the humble chicken Kiev, right up to eastern-inflected plates of Moroccan lamb with harissa yoghurt and pickled cabbage, and whole baked seabass in pickled ginger, soy and coriander.
Ego
After an extensive six-week refurbishment of the former Stonehouse Pub, Ego at The Wellington opened its doors in all its rustic shabby-chic glory. The Wetherby Road pub restaurant serves up freshly cooked Mediterranean food, with plenty of wines, cocktails and locally brewed cask ales to wash it all down. If you’ve just been for a stroll around Roundhay Park, its dog-friendly bar and beer garden make it a great pit-stop for a family lunch. Kids’ menus include a ‘make your own pizza’, which keeps the little ones busy channelling their inner Matt Healy, bringing a pizza base and toppings to your table, complete with child-size chef’s hat!
For the grown-ups, light bites including Greek meze platters of souvlaki, kofte and halloumi sit alongside hearty dishes of roasted meats, from lamb rump with mustard herb crust, to cod loin served on a tarragon cream cassoulet – perfect for keeping the autumn chill at bay.
Canteen
Late night city centre favourite, Sela Bar has snapped up the former premises of Nichols Vegetarian Eatery in Chapel Allerton, following its closure in July. The team behind the New Briggate cocktail spot have their eye set on the suburbs, bringing their brand of cocktails, craft beer and pizza to a new all-day bar and kitchen at the site opposite Seven Arts.
Renowned for its live music residencies (and being one of the few places in the city you can grab a quality slice after midnight), Canteen looks to balance its big sister’s reputation for late night revelry with daytime refinement. You can grab a coffee and a lunchtime bite and come back to party into the wee hours with craft beer and cocktails as DJs spin the tunes. Canteen is set to open in the autumn, after giving local foodies a taste of what to expect at a pop-up stall at the Chapel Allerton Arts Festival.
Dapur Malaysia
Following a residency at Trinity Kitchen, South East Asian street food vendor, Dapur Malaysia has opened its first permanent restaurant in the former premises of Buca di Pizza on Stainbeck Lane.
Owner Valerie Kolat established the eatery as a tribute to her mother, the cross-cultural menu comprising family recipes paying homage to the cuisine of the region’s three major ethnic groups: Malays, Chinese and Indians. The informal cafe-style eatery offers a family-friendly atmosphere, where you can enjoy anything from one-pot Chinese comfort food dishes, to traditional Malay currys.
West Park Lounge
Though West Park Lounge is under new management, the Otley Road café bar and bistro retains the luxurious contemporary styling and comfortable ambience LS17 regulars know and love.
Perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon tea or dinner, creative international cuisine is freshly prepared from 9am to 9pm using the finest local ingredients. Its new Mediterranean and Mexican-inspired menu includes tapas platters, chargrilled steaks, chicken fillets, vegetarian and gluten free options and regularly changing chef’s specials.
The popular eatery is offering a new early bird special which includes a starter and any pizza or pasta with wine for £13.95 from 5pm to 7pm Sunday to Thursday, and is now taking bookings for a three course Christmas dinner with all the trimmings and Bucks Fizz on arrival for £39.95 for adults and £19.95 for under 13s.
An old JLife favourite….
Shadwell Tandoori
Shadwell Tandoori brings you the finest Bangladeshi food, having built a reputation for delicate and authentic cuisine, beautifully presented with every attention to detail.
The family owned restaurant has been a staple of LS17 since 1986, the menu offering a variety of delicacies, old favourites and special dishes, well priced and cooked to the highest quality in a warm and friendly ambience.