A pub lunch is a fine thing, so here’s where to grab the best one in Leeds.
Giant Yorkshire puddings, crispy fish and chips, loaded sarnies… are you drooling yet? Well, you will be once you settle down to scran one of Leeds’ best pub lunches. From modern gastropubs to inns that date back 1,000 years, in the city centre and out in the suburbs, we’re really spoilt for choice when it comes to good pub grub. Start working your way through this list.
Beck and Call
Credit: Mark Newton
The Brainchild of the geniuses behind Belgrave Music Hall and Headrow House, Beck and Call is the place to go if you want a quality, home-cooked lunch in a relaxed environment. Kick things off with sweet and sticky pork bites, before wrapping your chops around their sriracha butter chicken burger, complete with sriracha butter, crispy lettuce and a juicy tomato. If you’re looking to sate your sweet tooth, their lemon meringue cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding is sure to do the trick – but will you go for vanilla ice cream or custard?
Beck and Call, Stainbeck Road, Chapel Allerton, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS7 2NP.
Cardigan Arms
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You might think of Cardigan Arms as the perfect place to stop off for a midday pint, but did you know that they also offer up one of the most delicious lunches in Leeds? A Kirkstall Brewery pub drenched in Victorian charm, grab a seat in one of their pews and get to grips with this killer menu. Keep it light with their spicy chaat loaded fries, where crispy chickpeas, poppadoms, raita and curry Sauce meet moreish skin on fries, or go all out with the pie of the day. Visit on a Sunday for a mighty fine roast dinner – with bee, turkey, nut roast or veggie Wellington up for grabs.
Cardigan Arms, 365 Kirkstall Road, Burley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS4 2HQ.
The Fox
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Want to enjoy your pub lunch away from the hustle and bustle of Leeds city centre? A trip to The Fox is in order, then. A country pub full of character situated in the village of Menston, their menu changes with the season and is full of handpicked flavours for you to devour. From pan-roasted lamb rump to stone-baked pizza and supergreen salad bowls, there’s something to please everyone. Their steak is always reliable – will you go for the 7oz fillet, the 10oz rib-eye, or mix it up with a juicy 12oz pork tomahawk?
The Fox, 129 Bradford Road, Menston, Ilkley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS29 6EB.
The Midnight Bell
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Just a stone’s throw over the Aire is where you’ll find The Midnight Bell, serving up some of the best pub grub in Leeds. They know how to mix traditional with contemporary, with striking oak beams and ancient brickwork sitting alongside a concrete bar and wide windows – but let’s not forget about the food. You’ll come for delights like Yorkshire ‘nduja scotch eggs and chicken caesar salad, but you’ll stay for the sandwiches. Locally baked bloomer bread acts as a vehicle for delicious fillings like Swaledale sausage with fig and honey chutney and halloumi with roasted red pepper, hummus, rocket and basil.
The Midnight Bell, 101 Water Lane, Holbeck, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS11 5QN.
The Bingley Arms
The Bingley Arms dates back over 1000 years, back to when Vikings were conquering parts of the country. It boasts history like no other Yorkshire pub, chock full of original features, from Dutch ovens to old priest holes – but if it’s the pub lunch you’re more interested in, you’ve come to the right place. Their day to day menu boasts comforting classics like beef lasagne, fish and chips and steak and ale pie, but it’s their Sunday fare that’s really special. You can expect roasts with all the trimmings, beetroot and squash wellington, sea bass fillet and more.
The Bingley Arms, Church Lane, Bardsey, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS17 9DR.
The Roundhay Fox
If you’ve worked up an appetite after a stroll around Roundhay Park, where better for a bite to eat than The Roundhay Fox? Nestled on the edge of the park, they serve up some of the best pub lunch in Leeds, with a menu that’s sure to grab your attention. Stone-baked pizzas, stuffed sandwiches and whopping big burgers sit alongside delights like puy lentil cottage pie and hunter’s chicken schnitzel. Be sure to stop by on a Sunday and choose from their selection of hearty roasts, served with seasonal vegetables, garlic and herb roast potatoes, a Yorkshire pudding and endless gravy. Yum!
The Roundhay Fox, Princes Avenue, Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2EP.
The Roebuck
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The Roebuck sits high above Otley in a beautiful 18th-century building, complete with a roaring fireplace and wooden beams, not to mention an outdoor area looking out over Newall with Clifton. They’re all about the sandwiches here, but you’ll struggle to narrow it down – the double Yorkshire gets our vote, with Yorkshire blue cheese melted over roast beef, served with onion confit and red wine gravy. Elsewhere, there’s omelettes, risotto and juicy Whitby scampi and chips. Bliss.
The Roebuck, 1 Roebuck Lane, Newall with Clifton, Otley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS21 2EY.
The Boundary House
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The Boundary House is a cozy country pub offering up some of the best lunches in Leeds. Stop in at midday and you’re in for a real treat – their eclectic menu has something that will please all tastebuds. Kick off the affair with some crunchy vegetable spring rolls, before moving on to delights like pork belly, fondant potato and burnt apple puree. It’s their kebabs that take the biscuit, though. Wrapped in a garlic and coriander naan and loaded with salad, mint yoghurt and spicy mayo, you can take your pick from tandoori chicken, halloumi, lamb koftas and more.
The Boundary House, 24 Church Side, Methley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS26 9EE.
Deer Park
Sitting pretty on the outskirts of Leeds, Deer Park offers a stylish backdrop for all of your pub lunch needs. A welcoming gastropub with a huge outdoor space, their menu has almost too much to choose from, but the freshly battered line-caught haddock and chips with minted pea purée is sure to hit the spot. Elsewhere, king prawn, crab and chorizo pappardelle sits alongside rotisserie chicken, but if you want something to warm the soul (and belly) look no further than their steak and Malbec pie. Smothered in a rich gravy with chive mashed potato and sautéed green beans, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Deer Park, 68 Street Lane, Roundhay, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS8 2DQ.
The Crooked Billet Inn
If you’d like a side of history with your pub scran, look no further than The Crooked Billet Inn. Situated next to a War of the Roses battlefield, this is a Leeds pub that offers the perfect post-walk pub lunch. Inside you’ll find classic pub get-up, while outside, there’s a huge beer garden for when the sun’s shining. They’re famed for their giant filled Yorkshire puddings, which you can stuff with your choice of sausages, nut roast or stewed steak and kidney. Other favourites on the menu include beer battered haddock and chips, as well as lasagne and lamb shank – this is a menu that’ll leave you spoiled for choice.
The Crooked Billet, Saxton, Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, LS24 9QN.
Kirkstall Bridge Inn
Sitting on the bank of the River Aire is where you’ll find Kirkstall Brewery’s original pub, Kirkstall Bridge Inn. They’ve got that perfect old school style down to a tee, with vintage beer mirrors, stained glass and mahogany finishings. If you want moreish pub classics, this is the place for you – think steak and ale pie, fish and chips and burgers. Elsewhere, small plates like sweet potato hummus and flatbread and crispy chicken wings are the way to go if you’re keeping things light, alongside a series of pizzas – the Patatas Bravas is a double-carb delight, adding the popular Spanish tapas item to mozzarella and pizza dough in the collab we never knew we needed until now.
Kirkstall Bridge Inn, 12 Bridge Road, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS5 3BW.
Whitelock’s
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Leeds institution Whitlock’s has been knocking around since 1715, so it’s pretty much guaranteed they know how to do a cracking pub lunch. This historic watering hole has a jam-packed menu, with everything from fish finger sarnies to gochujang-glazed tofu burgers. Pass by on a Sunday and you’ll find one of the best roast dinners in the city. Take your pick of beef, lamb, pork or nut roast, and it’ll come served with a Yorkshire pudding, fluffy roasties, seasonal vegetables and, of course, gravy. Wash it all down with a pint of Kirkstall Brewery’s finest and you’re onto a winner.
Whitelock’s Ale House, Turk’s Head Yard, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS1 6HB.
The Cow and Calf
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The rustic Cow and Calf country pub overlooks the famous rock formation of the same name on dramatic Ilkley Moor. It provides respite after a day exploring the countryside, so how about a post-pootle lunch? Their sandwiches take you from hot beef brisket to fish finger, but will you be able to resist the tempting line up of mains? This is a lineup where chicken parmigiana and home-baked pie of the day meet slow-cooked pork belly. The latter is a downright indulgent affair, with a pulled pork and apple bon bon, chive mash, crackling and a rich red wine jus.
The Cow and Calf, Hangingstone Road, Ilkley, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS29 8BT.
Lamb and Flag
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Once a crumbling 19th century building, The Lamb and Flag stood empty before it caught the attention of Leeds Brewery. They combined warm exposed brickwork with big open windows to create the perfect environment to chow down on your pub lunch. Their sandwich selection is top notch, packed with favourites like steak with mustard mayo, caramelised onions and rocket and a fine BLT. But if you ask us, the 4oz rump steak with hand-cut chips and peppercorn sauce is the perfect accompaniment to a lunchtime pint.
Lamb and Flag, 1 Church Row, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS2 7HD.
The Adelphi
Credit: The Adelphi
Opulent Victorian architecture, a great beer selection and a homely atmosphere… does it get any better at The Adelphi? Oh wait, their food! Perfect for a mid-week treat, a catch up with friends or a Sunday roast, it’s one of the best places to grab a pub lunch in Leeds. Their 8oz sirloin steak is deliciously tender, their butter chicken curry will warm you up, but the slow-cooked steak and pale ale pie is first-rate. Served with buttery mash, buttered leeks and savoy cabbage and lashings of red wine gravy, it’s proper pub grub.
The Adelphi, 1-3 Hunslet Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS10 1JQ.
The Three Swords
The brainchild of Kirkstall Brewery and Dastaan, The Three Swords brings together refined small plates of Indian cuisine with cracking craft beer to create a pub lunch with a difference. Chock full with trinkets and antiques to tie into their Indian food offering, it’s the perfect environment to tuck into your small plates – but which ones will you go for? Kick things off with tangy chilli chicken, naga pork belly or the aloo tikka chat, with potato, peas, sweet yoghurt, tamarind and mint chutney. They even offer desi tacos, stuffed with your choice of jackfruit or pulled masala pork.
The Three Swords, 106-108 New Road Side, Horsforth, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS18 4QB and 4-6 Otley Road, Guiseley, Leeds, West Yorkshire LS20 8AH.
Cover image credit: Daniel Johnson
