17 Incredibly Tasty Eateries Hidden Away in Kirkgate Market

From Caribbean street food to Yorkshire pudding wraps, Kirkgate Market is jam-packed with awesome eateries.

Kirkgate Market is a historic Leeds landmark that’s been selling fresh produce and locally-made goods since it opened in 1904. But that’s not all you’ll find here. Nowadays, it’s just as good for street food. You can snaffle everything from Turkish skewers to Indian thalis and good old fashioned British fish & chips in their dedicated street food kitchen or hunt out the tasty eats hidden between the bustling stalls throughout the rest of the market.

Jenny’s Jerk Chicken

Lip-smacking jerk chicken barbecued fresh to order in front of you – that’s what’s on offer at Jenny’s. It’s an authentic Caribbean eatery, so get ready for a feast of succulent meat, seasoned to perfection and served on or off the bone. You can get their chicken in a wrap, a burger or loaded onto rice and peas, but if you want to try something different they also serve slow-cooked curry goat and beef stew.

Jenny’s Jerk Chicken, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Manjit’s Kitchen

Manjit’s Kitchen is a colourful stall in the market that serves veggie-friendly Indian street food. You can wrap your chops around masala dosa filled with spiced veg and naan wraps stuffed-to-bursting with chilli paneer. But it’s their thali plates that are the star of the show – you’ll get three aromatic curries, served on a tray with a mound of rice, crispy bhajis, buttery roti and fresh salad. They’re licensed too, so you can wash it all down with a craft beer.

Manjit’s Kitchen, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Banh & Mee

Banh & Mee is a family-run Vietnamese street food kitchen that prides itself on bringing the authentic, home-style flavours of Hanoi to Leeds. From steaming-hot bowls of pho to fluffy bao buns, they do all of your Southeast Asian favourites. But you can also try more unusual eats, like the bánh mì, a traditional Viet baguette that’s smothered in pate then filled with juicy cuts of meat, fresh salads and chilli sauce.

Banh & Mee, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

The Fisherman’s Wife

The Fisherman’s Wife has been serving up traditional fish and chips in Leeds for 60 years. They’ve got takeaways across the city and beyond, including one in Kirkgate Market. You can tuck into all the classics like haddock fillets, scampi and jumbo sausages, all deep fried in a crisp and golden batter. Make sure you pair yours with their delightfully fluffy chip shop-style chips, then take your pick from gravy, peas and tartare sauce for dunking.

The Fisherman’s Wife, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

The Yorkshire Wrap Company

Fluffy Yorkie puds, cooked flat, loaded with meat and rolled up ready to devour – Yorkshire pudding wraps are a local delicacy and there’s nowhere better to snaffle one than at the Yorkshire Wrap Company in Kirkgate Market. You can get yours stuffed with slow-roasted beef, red cabbage and lashings of gravy, or tender shredded pork slathered in apple sauce. If you’re after something a bit different, why not try the full English breakfast version?

Yorkshire Wrap Company, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Mr Mackerel

You can get a true taste of Istanbul at Mr Mackerel, a Turkish street food vendor. Fillets of spiced mackerel sizzle away on on the grill in front of you, which you can enjoy in fresh baguettes or as shish kebabs. But don’t let the name deceive you because it’s not just a fishy affair, as you can also load up on lamb koftas or chicken skewers, each marinated in a lip-smacking blend of spices, served with flatbread, salad and your choice of chips or rice.

Mr Mackerel, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Fat Annie’s

Inspired by the popular street food carts of NYC, Fat Annie’s serves up a delectable menu of American-style hot dogs. Their mouth-wateringly meaty sausages are handcrafted by local butchers and you can get yours loaded with everything from maple bacon to 14-hour brisket beef chilli. It’s not all dogs though, they also make a mean Philly Cheesesteak that comes bursting at the seams with juicy cuts of steak, onions and gooey cheese.

Fat Annie’s, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Istanbul Bakery

An authentic Turkish bakery, Istanbul serves an array of sweet and savoury treats. It’s a family-run eatery with traditional recipes that have been perfected over generations. They do a roaring lunch trade, with hefty falafel sandwiches, succulent chicken shawarma and seriously cheesy slices of tandoori pizza. Got a sweet tooth? You can treat yourself to a baklava or a slice of fruit cake for dessert.

Istanbul Bakery, Street Food Kitchen, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Casa Mexica

Enter Kirkgate Market from the Vicar Lane entrance and the rainbow-coloured Casa Mexica is one of the first stalls you’ll see. It’s home to authentic Mexican street food, so you can get your fill of enchiladas, tacos and burritos. Whatever you go for, you’ll get to stuff it with your choice of fillings – they have everything from pulled pork to vegan chipotle chipolatas, which you can top with salad, guac and salsa.

Casa Mexica, 1904 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

The Owl

Nestled on Meat & Fish Row is The Owl, the first ever pub to open in Kirkgate Market. It’s from the folk behind Home, who wanted to create a cool gastropub that serves British dishes with culinary flair. Their produce is as fresh and as local as it comes, sourced direct from their neighbouring stalls. The menu features refined plates of oysters, game wellington and crab gratin. You can pair your meal with a pint of Northern Monk’s best – they have 10 different brews on tap, including The Owl’s own Wisdom IPA.

The Owl, Meat and Fish Row, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Yummy Sushi Bar

Yummy Sushi Bar is a hidden gem in the market. This Japanese takeaway is so small you could walk straight past it in the busy 1981 Hall, but it’s well worth seeking out. You can tuck into sushi rolls filled with avocado, tuna and prawn or try something a little more unusual with their beetroot salmon sashimi. Prefer a hot dish? They do a host of classics, from spicy beef teriyaki to crispy pumpkin katsu, drenched in curry sauce.

Yummy Sushi Bar, 1981 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Khao Gaeng Thai

Nestled at the far end of the 1904 Hall is Khao Gaeng Thai, an authentic Southeast Asian eatery that brings the street food culture of Bangkok to Leeds. They serve an array of rice and noodle boxes, each packed with colourful oriental veggies and punchy spices. Try the gaeng keaw wan, it’s an aromatic green curry that simmers chicken in spiced coconut milk with peppers, bamboo shoots and basil.

Khao Gaeng Thai, 1904 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Falafel King

For a taste of the Middle East, check out Falafel King near the Ludgate Hill entrance of the 1904 Hall. They do delicious chilli-spiced Lebanese fries, which are perfect for dunking in their homemade hummus and labneh. But it’s the wraps that are the real star of the show here – you can get yours filled with falafel, lamb kofta or chicken shawarma, then they’re topped off with salad and a special-recipe madina dressing.

Falafel King, 1904 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Cargo Crêpe

Cargo Crêpe make fluffy pancakes fresh to order and you’ll be spoilt for choice with all the delicious options that await. You can get dainty crepes smothered in irresistibly sweet sauces. Or go all-out with American-style pancakes, that come topped with blueberries and syrup or chocolate and banana. If you prefer something savoury, they even do authentic Belgian galettes that ooze with cheesy goodness.

Cargo Crêpe, Street Food Kitchen Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Falafel Chicken Shawarma

Falafel Chicken Shawarma is a down-to-earth eatery that whips up Middle Eastern delights in a flash. You’ll find their stall next to the New York Street entrance, where you can get everything from Zatar bread to slow-roasted chicken shawarma and smooth-as-you-like humous. Want a falafel fix? Go for one of their wraps that come loaded with three chunky chickpea balls, colourful salad and lashings of tahini.

Veg Falafel Chicken Shawarma, 1976 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Sterling Meat Co

You might know Sterling Meat Co as a butchers, but did you know that this Meat and Fish Row favourite also have a hot counter? That’s right, they have all kinds of meaty goodness cooked and ready for you to devour here. We’re talking lip-smacking chicken drumsticks, crispy pork sausages and deep-fried popcorn chicken. You can even get steak pies oozing with gravy and goose-fat roast potatoes – what’s not to love?

Sterling Meat Co, Meat and Fish Row, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Bluebird Bakery

You can snaffle freshly baked treats at Bluebird, a fantastic independent bakery at the top of the old Fish Row. Everything is handmade and their chunky pastries make for a delicious lunch. You have two options – spinach and chickpea or the Bengali five-spice, which brings together potatoes, carrots, ginger and chilli all tossed in their secret 5-spice blend and folded into flaky pastry. Fancy something sweet? Their brownies are irresistibly chocolatey.

Bluebird Bakery, 1875 Hall, Leeds Kirkgate Market, 34 George Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HY.

Cover image: © Copyright Leeds-List 2020 by Emma Cooke