Leeds is hardly short of great places to eat, that's for sure. But if you're looking for something a little bit special, the Michelin Guide is always a good place to look.
This week, Michelin announced its new 2022 Guide and there are some great places to check out on the list.
In total, six Leeds restaurants were featured this year - each with their own individual quirks. From a tiny Japanese omakase eatery that only seats seven people, to sky-high dining rooms overlooking the cityscape, there's so much to discover.
Of course, Leeds' one Michelin starred restaurant The Man Behind The Curtain features prominently - but alongside it you'll also find some more low-key settings if you're after something a bit more casual.
Keep reading to discover the full list of Michelin recommended restaurants in Leeds.
The Man Behind The Curtain
What the guide says: "If you’re looking for the unconventional, you’ve come to the right place. Michael O'Hare is a chef who does things his own way and his idiosyncratic basement restaurant matches his cooking style perfectly. The original, very creative and artfully presented dishes – many of which come with assorted Asian influences or feature the colour black – start arriving with your drink and you’ll never know quite what to expect next.
"Thanks to the music and interior design, which includes everything from skateboard decks and graffiti to a surfboard and a motorbike, you’ll find you don’t need to feed off other customers to create your own atmosphere. Furthermore, the disorientating mirrors lend an ethereal quality to proceedings and make you feel cocooned in your own bubble."
What the guide says: "Suburban Leeds is home to this very intimate restaurant, which seats just 7 guests and must be booked at least 24hrs in advance. Japanese memorabilia and shelves of sake fill the room. The chef-owner serves a wide range of sushi and sashimi crafted from good quality imported ingredients."
Image: HanaMatsuri
Image: HanaMatsuri
Ox Club
What the guide says: "A former mill houses this multi-floor venue comprising a beer hall, cocktail bar, event space and restaurant. The latter boasts a wood-fired grill imported from the USA; rustic, smoky-flavoured dishes showcase Yorkshire ingredients."
HOME
What the guide says: "Set alongside the River Aire, this spacious ground floor restaurant is filled with natural light. The enthusiastic team serve pre-paid, set price menus and cooking shows imagination, creativity and a playful edge. For the optimum experience, go for the 10 course menu with wine pairings to match."
Image: HOME
Image: HOME
Crafthouse
What the guide says: "A bright, chic restaurant in Trinity shopping centre, with great rooftop views and a wraparound terrace. The open kitchen and marble counter take centre stage, and the refined, confidently prepared dishes focus on natural flavours; some are cooked on the Josper grill. Start with cocktails in Angelica."
Image: Crafthouse
Image: Crafthouse
Black Market
What the guide says: "A pleasant city suburb is home to this bright, modern bistro run by a cheerful owner. The menu is a mix of small plates – some familiar and others offering something a little different – and cooking is honest and full of flavour. Come at the weekend for brunch; on Sundays they play old vinyl at lunch."
Dakota Grill
What the guide says: "Make your way to the Dakota hotel’s elegant cocktail bar before heading down to the moody basement restaurant. The room is divided into a series of spaces, which adds to the intimacy. Appealing, carefully thought-out menus keep Yorkshire provenance at their heart and dishes have a playful element."
Image: Dakota Hotel Leeds
Feature image - Black Market Leeds
News
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
Clementine Hall
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Georgina Pellant -
17th February 2022 
