These restaurants may be out of sight, but they should never be out of mind!
Even if you’ve lived in Leeds your whole life, there are still secrets to be uncovered, hidden gems off the beaten track and tucked away out of sight – these are five of them. From scrumptious donuts to heaving bowls of paella, rustic bistros to neon-lit Chinese restaurants, everywhere on this list deserves to be sought out. So what are you waiting for? Get started!
The donut shop hidden down an alley
Credit: Ben Bentley
Doh’hut is more than just a shop. It’s a bakery and cafe rolled into one, perfect for takeaways, but just as good for catching up over a cuppa. First, however, you’ll need to find it. This lovely little indie is tucked away down an alley, just off Boar Lane. They make their donuts fresh each day, fry them to golden perfection, roll them in sugar and stuff them full of delicious goodness. From raspberry jam to chocolate ganache, they’re perfectly paired with North Star Coffee.
Doh’hut, 2 Trevelyan Square, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6ED.
The dim sum paradise marked only by a doorway
Hidden in the business district, tucked away underground, Mans Market relies on word-of-mouth and a brightly-lit neon doorway to tempt punters in. Risky? Not with their food. Dim sum comes in every iteration – plump dumplings vie for your attention amongst duck spring rolls, firecracker prawns and sticky honey-glazed ribs. Want more? Baos come stuffed with tempura aubergine, sharing pans loaded with crispy chilli beef and mountains upon mountains of rice.
Mans Market, Unit F, West Point, Wellington Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4JJ.
The Argentina steakhouse below stairs
Hidden in plain site, beneath the well-trodden streets of Park Row, Gaucho is a treat worth seeking out. This is one of the finest steakhouses in Leeds – their steaks come from premium Black Angus cattle, bred in Argentina at hand-selected farms, and their chefs pay homage to their superior quality by cooking them to exquisite perfection. Delicately marbled rib-eye, spiral cut sirloin, slow-grilled chateaubriand – whatever you choose, you won’t be disappointed.
Gaucho, 21-22 Park Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 5JF.
The paella restaurant off the beaten track
Bomba is a secret you want to be in on. This little Spanish restaurant, tucked away in the twisting maze of Holbeck Urban Village, is the perfect hideaway. Watch their chefs at work in the open kitchen as they whip up steaming bowls of paella and too-good-to-share tapas. This is feast-worthy, go-big-or-go-home material, so get the ham croquetas, get the fried calamares, get the padron peppers, even get the tortilla, but whatever you do, leave space for the churros.
Bomba, 1 Saw Mill Street, Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 5WH.
The French bistro tucked away underground
© Copyright Leeds-List 2022 by Jess Rowbottom
Seemingly unchanged in the last 30 years, Sous le Nez is like a bubble in time. Downstairs, in its little nook below Quebec House, it’s just as rustic, and dare we say just as romantic, as it’s ever been, with the same focus on French classics, done well. The menu runs from deep fried brie to chargrilled pork loin with braised shoulder bonbons and red wine jus – and the service is second to none. It’s every bit the warm welcome you’d expect from a family-run restaurant.
Sous le Nez, The Basement, Quebec House, 9 Quebec Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2HA.
