Yorkshire
Leeds, scrubbed up nicely
Worth dressing up for
Updated
For a big night in Leeds, start in the city centre. Ox Club cooks over a wood-fired grill inside Headrow House, Chef Jono at V&V serves a modern British tasting menu upstairs on New Briggate, and Shears Yard is a smart room near the river at The Calls. For something glamorous, there’s steak at Gaucho under Park Row or the Dakota Grill, and blossom trees and cocktails at Tattu on East Parade. Further out, Inlamentation in Boston Spa and The Box Tree in Ilkley are worth the journey.
Our picks
Ox Club
Headrow House, The Headrow, city centre
Address: Headrow House, 19a The Headrow, Leeds LS1 6PU- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Have dinner off the wood-fired grill, cooked with Yorkshire produce, at the restaurant tucked inside Headrow House, a converted old textile mill.
Why it's a good date: The smell of the grill hits you as you walk in, and the room feels like a treat without being stuffy. Book ahead, and have a drink in Headrow House's bar first.
Photo: Mtaylor848, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Inlamentation
High Street, Boston Spa
Address: Inlamentation, 174 High Street, Boston Spa, Wetherby LS23 6BW- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Book one of the few tables at Michael O'Hare's tiny tasting-menu restaurant in Boston Spa, a short drive from the city.
Why it's a good date: The chef behind The Man Behind the Curtain cooks an ever-changing menu for a handful of guests, so it feels like a real occasion. There's no published menu and seats are scarce, so book as soon as dates open.
Chef Jono at V&V
New Briggate, Northern Quarter
Address: Chef Jono at V&V, 68 New Briggate, Leeds LS1 6NU- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Go upstairs on New Briggate for a modern British tasting menu from chef Jono Hawthorne.
Why it's a good date: One of the few proper fine-dining rooms in the city centre, small enough to feel personal. It's handy for the Grand Theatre, so you can make a night of it.
Gaucho Leeds
Park Row, financial district
Address: Gaucho, 21-22 Park Row, Leeds LS1 5JF- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Big night
Share Argentinian steak and a bottle of red in Gaucho's dark, glamorous dining room under Park Row.
Why it's a good date: Low lights, leather and a buzz in the room: it's made for a celebration. Ask the staff to talk you through the cuts if you can't decide.
Tattu Leeds
East Parade, city centre
Address: Tattu, Minerva House, 29 East Parade, Leeds LS1 5PS- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Romantic
- Big night
Dress up for modern Chinese food and cocktails beneath the blossom trees of Tattu's dining room on East Parade.
Why it's a good date: It's all about the setting, and it's a fun one for a birthday or an anniversary. Book ahead at weekends and leave time for a cocktail at the bar.
The Box Tree
Church Street, Ilkley
Address: The Box Tree, 35-37 Church Street, Ilkley LS29 9DR- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Take the train to Ilkley for a tasting menu at The Box Tree, one of Yorkshire's best-known special-occasion restaurants.
Why it's a good date: A cosy old stone building with a long history of fine dining, and the menu changes with the seasons. Go early and walk up towards Ilkley Moor before dinner.
Dakota Grill
Russell Street, city centre
Address: Dakota Leeds, 8 Russell Street, Leeds LS1 5RN- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Big night
- Romantic
Book a steak and seafood dinner in the moody, low-lit grill at the Dakota hotel.
Why it's a good date: A stylish hotel grill that feels like a night away without leaving town. Start with a cocktail in the hotel bar.
Shears Yard
Wharf Street, The Calls
Address: Shears Yard, 11-15 Wharf Street, Leeds LS2 7EY- Restaurant
- Rain-proof ☔
- A treat
- Foodie
- Romantic
Have a seasonal dinner at this smart independent restaurant on Wharf Street, near the river at The Calls.
Why it's a good date: Good cooking and a relaxed welcome, so it feels special without being stiff. Walk along the river afterwards to finish the evening.
Quick answers
Where is Michael O'Hare cooking now?
At Inlamentation, his tiny tasting-menu restaurant on the High Street in Boston Spa, a short drive from Leeds. There are only a few tables, so book as soon as dates open.
Is there a special occasion restaurant near Leeds worth the train?
The Box Tree in Ilkley, in an old stone building on Church Street, is one of Yorkshire's best-known special-occasion restaurants. Go early and walk up towards Ilkley Moor first.
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