Get a taste of fine Gallic fare without stepping foot out of the city.
Bold flavours, good wine, refined presentation… French cuisine has it all. It perfectly straddles the line between delicious dishes and ambient atmosphere, and though Leeds may not have many dedicated French restaurants, the ones we do have demand a visit. So, what are you waiting for? Get ready for one of the best meals of your life!
Kendells Bistro
Kendells Bistro is the ultimate French restaurant in Leeds. Unbeaten on its atmosphere, it’s oh-so-cosy, with flickering candles at every table, vintage French artwork adorning the walls and a daily menu handwritten in chalk that’ll transport you to a backstreet Parisian cafe. And that’s before you even get to sample the culinary delights.
All the classics are present and correct. Starters cover French onion soup, ham hock croquette and escargots a la bourguignonne – that’s burgundy snails to you and me – which take you on nicely to a delightful selection of mains. Here you’ll find a pan-fried calves liver topped with smoked bacon and a roast veal chop engulfed in a creamy, mushroomy sauce. Yes, please.
Kendells Bistro, 3 St Peter’s Square, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS9 8AH.
Brasserie Blanc
Raymond Blanc’s Brasserie Blanc has restaurants up and down the UK, and the Leeds venue is certainly something to write home about. It overlooks the River Aire in a rather secluded and serene part of the city centre, where you’ll be sitting down to eat in an old converted mill – note the red brick walls and exposed pipes.
When it comes to the food, you’ll be diving headfirst into a menu filled with French classics, from the cheese souffle for starters to the slow-cooked boeuf bourguignon for mains. We can’t get enough of the duck leg confit – dressed in a citrus sauce, it comes with a side of indulgent dauphinoise potato. For dessert? It has to be the chocolate torte with a vanilla crème anglaise.
Brasserie Blanc, 4 Victoria Mill, The Embankment, Sovereign Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 4BJ.
Sous Le Nez
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Blink and you might miss it, but Sous Le Nez has to be one of Leeds’ most underrated French restaurants. The bistro is tucked away in a basement under the Quebec Hotel, where master chefs have been whipping up some of the tastiest fare in the city for over three decades. It’s understated and unpretentious, emphasising that the main focus is the food.
We do have to say, though, that the price point is higher than other French bistros in Leeds. This is reflected in the quality of the dishes, with a pan-roasted French duck breast and a Yorkshire lamb rump just a taste of what’s on offer. The desserts certainly punch above their weight – our favourite is of course the crème brûlee, both sweet and creamy in equal measure.
Sous Le Nez, The Basement, Quebec House, 9 Quebec Street, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 2HA.
Bavette
We couldn’t get enough of the crème brûlée on our last visit © Copyright Leeds-List 2024
Modern French dining, a carefully-curated wine list and warm hospitality? It can only be Bavette – owners Sandy Jervis and Clément Cousin arrived in Horsforth in 2023, bringing a slice of France with them. The vivid blue exterior will immediately catch your eye, and the dining room is just as beautiful, with gold accented green walls, stylish tiled floors and rustic wooden furniture.
Kick things off with a couple of snack plates – the baguette and house butter may sound simple, but it’s a treat – before landing on your main course – will it be chalk-stream trout with a watercress velouté or a pithivier of roast Delia squash? To finish, we recommend the crème brûlee, topped with Yorkshire rhubarb as a special nod to God’s Own County.
Bavette, 4-6 Town Street, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 4RJ.
Bistrot Pierre
Looking for a French restaurant out of the hustle and bustle of Leeds city centre? Take the short journey to Ilkley and you may just stumble upon Bistrot Pierre. The chain has made a name for itself when it comes to producing fine French fare, and its Leeds venue is no different, occupying a charming mid-19th century building.
From breakfast all the way to dinner, they’ve got you covered. You could be starting your day right with croissant French toast, or winding down with a salmon and smoked cod fishcake Niçoise. Our order? It has to be the 8oz rump. Aged for 28 days, it’s utterly rich in flavour and comes with a side of homemade garlic and parsley butter.
Bistrot Pierre, Crescent Hotel. Rook Street, Ilkley, West Yorkshire, LS29 8DG.
L’eclair Patisserie
Credit: L’eclair Patisserie
L’eclair Patisserie isn’t technically a French restaurant, more a bakery, but it’s too good not to include. You’ll find it in Pudsey, where the chefs behind Sous Le Nez set up shop in 2021 with the intention of bringing a true taste of Paris to the suburbs. It’s only open for four hours on a Saturday, so when the treats are gone, they’re gone!
Any one visit could see you choosing between a range of cakes, pies, cheesecakes and, of course, eclairs. If you can only choose one, it has to be the vanilla burnt Basque cheesecake that demands to be tasted – light, creamy and sweet in all the right places, it’s sure to tantalise your tastebuds. There are also hot drinks to accompany your pastry, like coffees and hot chocolates.
L’eclair Patisserie, Unit 3/4, Swinnow Grange Mills, Stanningley Road, Bramley, Leeds, LS13 3HZ.
Cover image © Copyright Leeds-List 2024
