If there's one new restaurant you've got to try before the new year is out it's The Agora. Whilst…read moreit isn't fine dining in the strictest of senses, compared to say, Kendell's Bistro or Brasserie Forty 4, it is a fantastic place to eat. There's a few reasons, which I'll go into, but let me explain -the five star rating spans the whole experience. So, the staff. Every time I've visited this delightful restaurant the greeting has been most warm and the staff have been attentive. If there's something not on the menu at that time they've suggested alternatives and you're always greeted with a smile. The décor and ambience is lovely; it's spacious and classy without making one feel as though you've to be overly dressed up. Then there comes the food. Everything I've eaten here has been delicious. Their grilled houmous is some of the best I've tasted and the boreks are to die for. The lamb dishes are delicious and they make a mean moussaka, if that floats your boat. Basically, it's all fresh, mouth watering cuisine, cooked beautifully and above all they feed you like a king. On top of that the food seems to be really healthy, so you can eat until you burst on their fantastic lunch time deal, without feeling as though you've a small loan to take out. You can eat on a budget without having to accept sub-standard food, which feels like a rarity these days. Add to that the home made desserts, which are fabulous, and you're on to a great meal out right there. As for drinks, you can always partake of some of the usual wines and beers, but my choice has to be that home made lemonade. Simply delicious and I'll be sending spies for the recipe.

Oh I'm sad :( I really, really wanted to like this place. So many friends have recommended it, and…read moreI want to support independent restaurants. The owners are really friendly, and it is cosy, but despite that, dinner was a disappointing experience. We decided to take advantage of their 3 courses for £14.95 offer, and - credit to the owner lady for her honesty - she dissuaded us from ordering extra houmous, saying we wouldn't need it. She was right - the portions are extremely generous! We started with halloumi which was really really good. Then we had platters for our mains (£3 extra on the deal, they told us upfront, and it's fair because they are HUGE). Boyfriend's meat platter was apparently quite tasty. My veggie platter had some nice moussaka and rice on it, but everything else wasn't so good sadly. The keftedes and falafel had been deep-fried for so long that they were really crunchy and just tasted of salty fried-ness rather than what was inside. The feta roll was also so oily I couldn't eat it. The briam was quite nice but nothing special honestly. We were feeling really full by this point so we got the bill rather than having dessert. Unfortunately because we hadn't had three courses we were charged full price for the dishes, and they are quite pricey! There was a sign on the wall saying two courses are £12.95, but this didn't seem to apply. To be fair, perhaps we should have enquired about this, but we'd already made a fuss over getting our drinks, so we wussed out. Service was quite slow, and we had to ask twice before our drinks came out - well after the starter had been served. Rowena's right though, the home-made lemonade is really gooooooood. Unfortunately we both felt pretty ill that night - not in a food poisoning way, but I think just massive indigestion from greasy food. I didn't finish my veggie platter, but I found myself wishing I'd skipped the keftedes and falafel entirely. Gah, I feel horrible giving just two stars, because they are really friendly. However I have to be honest and say I don't really want to eat there again - especially given all the other great places there are to choose from in Headingley. I've heard the desserts are amazing, so perhaps one quiet lunchtime I should pop in for some cake and a lovely lemonade and give these guys another chance.

Left to wait almost two hours. After almost 20 calls to find out where they were was forced to…read morevisit the place.. Told they won't answer the phone when busy... Very rude. When googling them to leave my review I find they were rated zero stars..... Lucky lucky escape!!! Thanks for your appreciation to your customers. Too busy taking other customers money in store to even answer the phone... Not that thought at one point they did answer... I say hello... They hang up... Disgusting. If too busy they can't deal with customers chasing up their order stop taking more until those who have already ordered have received theirs... If this lack of service is disregarded when busy... What else is being skipped in the back ground.... Eurghhhh.

Please be careful eating here! I have used these guys for years, never had a problem before and…read moreit's always been wonderful food.... Until this evening! We spent £38 on food. We ordered two half baby chickens for my 6 year old son and his 5 year old friend, they were eating away until they got to the RAW chicken on the bones. Luckily we noticed it whilst they were eating otherwise they would have carried on eating as they are too young to understand what raw chicken looks like and know not to eat it!! They were both totally undercooked and still blood on the bones. I was absolutely livid and so worried now they are going to get really poorly. The rest of the food was great but after this, we will NEVER be using them again!!

I have walked past this place so many times and never even noticed it. It's a veritable hole in the…read morewall. Apparently it used to be a news agents before it was converted into a restaurant. It's right by The Dark Arches. My friend had come to visit for the day and had to catch an early train back to Sheffield so we had to find somewhere near the station. The only way this place could be closer to the station is if it was on a platform. We realised we'd walked past it when the scent of grilled meat faded to be replaced by the stale beer from the pub opposite so we turned round and went back. The place is tiny and gets very busy so it's worth making a reservation if you're going on a Friday or Saturday night. If I could separate my food and service reviews, I would. So here goes! First the downside: The service. It smelled about as bad as the seedy pub. It was slow, the waitress added up the bill wrong and put on a corkage charge for wine we never brought. She was quite friendly but there is no way one person can deal with a full restaurant on her own. It was like a meat-scented circus. There was this lovely waitress, juggling plates, bills, bowls of salad, while simultaneously taking orders and dancing a jig. The chairs didn't help the circus atmosphere. Should you wish to play a prank on a friend, take them along and get them to sit down on one of their chairs. Ours collapsed as soon as my friend sat down on it and the handsome gents sat in the next table later confided that the same thing had happened to them the last time they'd been there. But you know what? It wouldn't stop me from going back. It is the ultimate restaurant for a dyed-in-the-wool carnivore such as myself. Delicious, juicy gobbets of meat on a stick. The lamb was so tender and soft it just melted in my mouth, the chicken was juicy and perfectly cooked and as though that wasn't enough, the portions are huge so come armed with a healthy appetite. The menu might be simple, but good food doesn't need to be complicated. You pick what you want and it gets cooked on the most enormous charcoal grill you've ever seen and served to you with rice and salad. So should you ever regress to your caveman/woman state and require a giant pile of dead animal, this is the place to get your fix.

The reason i walked into this place the first time was a bit weird. I wanted to get something to…read moreeat and I was thinking to have a nice sandwich so I walked towards the sandwich shops that are in Headingley. There I had a small problem I know both the owners to the shops that were opposite to each other and I was feeling bad if I walk to one instead of the other so I was standing outside trying to decide what to do. Then I looked at the window of mind cafe and there I saw the magic word "COXINHA" It's a Brazilian yummy food. My mom used to make it on special occasions and I love that food. So without second thought I walked in. I'm happy I didn't get disappointed. The size of them are I think a touch smaller than a tennis ball if not the same size and they are really yummy. Second time I went with Rowena I still went with the C. but to make up for it since I wanted to try something new I tried the crepe with nutela, I did ask to have also a banana but they forgot to put it. Mistakes like that happens since it wasn't even on the menu, I just kinda missed mach from what was on the list. They did apologize for the mistake but it was still really delicious that I didn't mind about it. They some times have events, had a friend perform couple of times but unfortunalely wasn't able to go to be able to give you more details on that. But keep an eye for them. They usually post it on their window and their Facebook page.

If you're not often wandering up and down North Lane on your travels, chances are you'll have…read moremissed the arrival of this quaint cafe. I'd spotted it a while back, but only bobbed in for a nosy at the vintage, so when I had a chance to check it out proper I was pretty pleased. Not least because my initial judgement of this place was a little off - I'd scooped out the vintage and wasn't too impressed, so made the poor assumption that the food might not be too great either. Books, covers - you know the phrase. So, firstly, the lovely Natalia and I dived downstairs to the basement to reacquaint ourselves with the clothing. There's a few nice pieces there, some great woollen skirts, but much of the rest still isn't for me. There's a rail full of addidas style jackets for one, and those just aren't to my liking. However, the small collection of lamps is pretty cute, so do have a peek. Next, the cafe. It's pretty cosy in the front room, but there's a whole back room too if you're feeling hemmed in. We took the window seat, and besides knocking over a sugar bowl, it was a lovely cosy spot to sit in, with waiter service. Perfect! After having coxihnas (spelling may be wrong here) explained to me by N, I decided to choose one of those and the grilled halloumi salad. The range of Lebanese delights on the menu offers up a great selection, most of it being healthy too. Another thing - the prices are great, making it really easy to have a filling lunch under a tenner. I had the cinnamon tea, which was lovely, but perhaps a little less flavoursome than I'd have liked. I do like a strong taste though, and so it'd be perfect for those of a milder palate. However, the vanilla latte I had later was fabulous and strong as you like. The service here is beautifully relaxed and friendly too. You wait a while, but that only means things are cooked fresh, which is something of a rarity in certain places. I have to say, the coxhinas were delicious. Proper comfort food, slow to eat, and tasty through and through. It's basically a breaded ball of potato-y-ness, with shredded and spiced chicken inside, from what I could gather. Looks like a scotch egg, but far superior! The halloumi came in a huge portion, and was utterly delicious. I couldn't finish! Blink, and you could find that three hours have ticked by in this lovely relaxed place. The food is wonderful, and the family that run it absolutely lovely. Dotted around are little notices and flyers for local goings on, and the vibe of the space is easy to soak in. Whilst I might not return for a vintage find, I'll certainly be back to sample some more authentic home cooked goodies, and catch up with friends. Absolutely worth popping in and grabbing something fresh.

Gzing bills itself as 'Leeds first and only Kurdish restaurant'. Which, if you're a taste junkie…read morelike me, should be enough to take the short trip from the centre of town to seek out the culinary delights offered here. Or you could be swayed by the recommendation of a friend who I have to thank for alerting me to this very cheap, very tasty little place. Lincoln Green estate is probably not people's first choice to find great places to eat. But just off the main road, lit up like a beacon with a bright red sign and its own car park (is it churlish of me to admit I was relieved to see the private parking?) is Gzing. The restaurant is a large room with glass windows overlooking the car park (scenic), with basic cafeteria style decor. I'm not really selling this place am I? Don't be fooled by my flippancy. As we entered we were warmly welcomed by the member of staff on the door, and chose ourselves a cafeteria table. As we were getting familiar with the menu, our host arrived with a couple of bowls of delicious vegetable soup by way of appetizer, on the house. I like these people's style. The menu features some dishes that might be familiar if you've visited Persian or Turkish restaurants. There's a charcoal grill in the kitchen and it gets well used, with a large part of the mains menu dedicated to varieties of grilled meats. Ful (broad beans), hummus and ghanoush were all dishes I recognised on the starters menu, with a number of tasty looking lamb and cereal type dishes we didn't try. Vegetable casseroles form the other part of the mains courses, with a short dessert menu featuring baklava and ice cream. We opted straight for the mains, boyfriend opting for a grilled skewer of chicken breast, with rice, salad and the delicious Kurdish flatbread/nan. I had a grilled half chicken, which was served with a bowl of vegetable casserole, rice and a flatbread. It was unseasonably cold so we fortified ourselves with delicious Kurdish cardamon black tea. The food was a triumph - tasty, tangy chicken that melted off the bone in the case of the half chicken. I chose an okra casserole, which was rich and flavourful. I suspect there was lamb in the stock that made it - this is not a place to take your vegetarian friend. Flavours are subtle, hints of lemon, saffron and cinnamon coming through. Boyfriend stopped demolishing chicken skewer long enough to indicate strong approval. I have a slight quibble with the bread - it wasn't quite fresh I thought, but boyfriend disagreed so maybe I am fussy. Portions were enough that I took half home for lunch the next day. Now here's the really amazing bit....our meal of soup, tea, chicken, rice, bread and vegetable casserole came to £11.50. For both of us. I think I almost laughed with disbelief as we paid up (yes, we did leave a tip!) Gzing also does takeaway, and throughout our meal enormous piles of flatbreads were being handed over to customers coming to pick up their order. Service is warm and friendly, it feels like a community, informal kind of place. This impression is strengthened by the existence of a shisha lounge and pool table out back. It has to be said that the community is mostly men, and whilst it was a welcoming atmosphere it was also very male (as in I was the only woman in the place!) on the midweek night we were there. I might not choose to dine there alone, although I'm sure I would be made to feel welcome. But if you want what is probably the best value tasty dinner in Leeds, in informal surroundings plus getting a bit of culture to boot, I say get yourself to Gzing!

Great food! This is one of my favourite restaurants to visit in Leeds. I absolutely love all sorts…read moreof Middle Eastern foods and this is one of the best Kurdish restaurants I've been to. There are a lot of very good choices on the menu and all reasonably priced.

We dropped in here for a coffee after completing the Leeds Owl Trail around the town centre, and it…read moremade for a pleasant end to the afternoon. There was quite a few of us, so we took over the upstairs seating area - unfortunately wasn't aware until we were leaving that they also have an outside patio area - which was ok, I guess it would be better if there was more comfortable seating! Prices are very reasonable though, and this will probably attract me to go back again - less than £3 for coffee & a cake!

I've been back, and despite promising myself that I'd try the tea, I failed to arrive early enough…read moreto do so. It's fine though, as we arrived in good time to grab a late night bite and a shisha. We grabbed an apple juice from the fridge, ordered chicken, houmous, mushroom and cheese sandwiches, and sat in the outdoor area to await the food and the shisha. I can't recall which flavour I chose, but have to say, it was delightful -fruity, sweet and lovely! (Of course, that's if you're a fan of shisha.) The sandwiches came promptly, and were simply delicious. The chicken was cooked beautifully, the toasted bread was stuffed to the brim with fresh houmous, mushrooms and melted cheese and the plate came with a helping of salad to eat alongside the sarnie. Incredible! The space is fabulous too; when you enter, it feels like you've gained access to a secret club, where only a select savvy few know it exists. Despite the main shop being empty, we walked in to find a lively hub of folk, all with the same great idea to side-step the noise of Leeds City Centre. The staff are really accommodating, regardless if you're a little wobbly, and it makes for an excellent little hide away from the busy late night streets of Leeds. Given that it's two minutes away from most of the bars along Call Lane, it's the perfect spot to soak up some booze with their varied edibles, relax with friends and escape the rowdiness of town. The best bit? The food is practically take away prices, with none of the awful grease -now that's worth knowing. Yes, sometimes, all you want is an awful kebab, but for those who don't have such a calling come 1am, there's Kadas. Hidden, tasty, friendly and just really flippin' cool. Get involved.

This is a really brassy refurbishment that stands out brightly in the evening. Plush interior,…read morenicely laid-out, and presented on the inside although why eateries of the café variety seem to insist on getting the height of table and chairs at completely the wrong ergonomic dimensions for eating from I do not know; either the tables too high or chairs too small. Apart from this there is nothing particularly new here for this area, same old Turkish-style menu dotted with burgers, Greek salad and sandwiches as well as falafel and hummous. What is a little worth it is the breakfast currently on offer with a tea or coffee for three pounds ninety five pence.

Another cafe in Hyde Park but a vey nice one it is too! Cafe Du Bien is a coffee shop/Turkish…read moreeatery. Unlike similar cafes of this kind it has meat tagine on the menu! There are a few veggie options when it comes to couscous and burgers but no veggie tagine, which is a shame. There are the usual offers of cheap breakfasts to reel the student punters but once you get in there you realise that this place has more to offer than a fry-up. The decor is very appealing but I'd have to agree with a previous reviewer - the tables are chairs are an odd size to eat off! The low tables are perfect for shisha smoking but since the smoking ban this is not possible so maybe the furniture needs to adapt to the times also?