Those with a keen nose for secrets would have already spotted this gem, hidden in plain sight, just…read moreup in Far Headingley. But a stone's throw from Cottage Road Cinema, Sebby's Deli, Beer Ritz and the other gems in the area, this little shop-come-art gallery-come-cafe is a real treat. I've wandered by a few times and cursed myself for not having the time to pay them a visit, so on a weekend wander, I made sure to pick this spot for a coffee. As you go in, there's a counter of fresh goodies right before you, including home baked cakes at seriously cheap prices. They've a deli shelf, with all manner of world-friendly and nicely made things, such as specialist teas, biscuits, Fentimen's drinks, and more. It's a treasure trove of treats, and that's before you've even ventured beyond the initial entry. It appears to be family-run, and the friendly chap who served us was incredibly pleasant, smiley, and welcoming. We ordered two coffees, and went through to the dining room area. This gorgeous front room (the café must be a part of their actual home) is beautifully decked out in red and white table cloths, kitsch little things, a cabinet of locally made jewellery, and all manner of local art adorns the walls. Paintings of various styles take up all available space, making this quaint room come alive with colour. I loved it. Then, you can step through into the secret garden. Literally just across the road at one of the pubs was a crowd of rowdy Otley Runners, and despite still hearing the odd 'waaaaaay!', I felt transported elsewhere. Somewhere serene, safe and as the name suggests, secret. The garden is shaded by a huge tree, and it's a fabulous little spot to sit and enjoy a cuppa. At the time, there was an unfortunate moment, where a fledgling wood pigeon had fallen to the ground and so the lady (who I assume co-runs the cafe) warned us that it was frightened and to watch out for it. The poor thing looked pretty bewildered, fingers crossed it survived the fall and lived to fight another day. The coffees we enjoyed were fabulous, freshly made, and huge. It's not often you get such a generous cup, so you're definitely in for a treat if you're a caffeine fan. They serve a range of sandwiches made to order, croissants, cakes, and other bites too should you feel peckish. This time, I fancied something more brunch-y, but I'll definitely be back soon for a bacon sarnie in the garden! Needless to say, I'm a real fan. It's a local family run business, supporting local artists, who frame pictures too, and serve up a great coffee. What's not to love? Sneak away for a secret moment, it's worth it.

Cafe Lento is one of those places that seamlessly combine coffee culture with local community. It's…read moreunassuming and inviting from the outside, with a couple of table and chairs outside for sunnier days, and modern but homely on the inside. With lots of exposed brick and coffee coloured walls it's nice and clean and inviting without being intimidating. It sits in steep contrast to it's surroundings, but that shouldn't put anyone off from taking a step inside. Coffee and food. Two of the simple things in life that are often beautiful leisure time indulgences that so so many people seem to get horribly wrong. I am happy to report that Cafe Lento is not one of them. The coffee is fairtrade, this will be impressed upon you whilst you cogitate what to order, it's all fairtrade. Lovely. But who's is it and how does it taste. It's Lavazza Tiera, not my particular favourite brand of coffee, but it packs a nice smooth punch so fair enough. They do well with what they have, and offer a good range of hot beverages, with large latte's at £2.30 and Americano's at the good price of £1.50, amongst others. Cold drinks for sunny days are also available, adding a shot of espresso to one of their milkshakes is a lovely way to waste some time over a good book outside. If your belly is rumbling, then unlike Starbucks and Costa and Nero and all those others, Lento offers food beyond the panini, there's soup and a roll, Greek salads, jacket potatoes, hot sarnies, cold sarnies, and the saving grace the full English breakfast. The only thing missing from the full English is a nice side of black pudding, but that could be my Mancunian routes shining through. £5.50 for juice, sausage, egg, bacon, beans, tomato, mushrooms, bread and butter, it's definitely a feast worth the indulgence.

I've only been to Café Lento a few times but it has fast become one of my favourite places to go in…read moreLeeds. It feels so laidback in there that you can't help feeling relaxed too. On my first visit, I wasn't sure whether it was table service or I was supposed to go up to the counter to order. When I asked, the lovely chap behind the counter merely replied, "Whichever you'd prefer!" The menu is classic café food: hot and cold sandwiches, full english breakfasts, baked potatoes etc. They have a cabinet full of homemade cakes at the counter and a good variety of hot & cold drinks. All very reasonably priced as well. In theory, it sounds like nothing different to many other cafés, but there's just something special about this place in my opinion. Everyone else there seems to be regulars, people who pop in for the atmosphere and to wile away a few hours, have a chat with the owner or read a book in the corner. It just feels like a really nice getaway from the hubbub of Headingley and it's easy to lose track of time. But at no point do you feel a glare from any of the staff implying you've been there too long nursing your cup of tea and/or using their free wifi. In fact, the warm friendly demeanour of the staff is probably the biggest factor as to why it has such a lovely atmosphere in there. There's seating outside too, if you're lucky enough to visit on a day when the weather is behaving itself, and live music now & again though I haven't experienced that myself yet. Oh, and though it's small, there's a lot of seating and it can fit more in than you realise - on my last visit, the entirety of Leeds Rhinos seemed to be getting coffee in there and there was still plenty of room for a friend & I to tuck into delicious generously-filled bacon sandwiches!

This is a relatively new spot in Headingley town, and one that I should really frequent more. In…read morefact, one that I would recommend to even non-locals to LS6, as my experience here was dandy and it's not somewhere you'd think to go - so allow me to place it in your mind thoughts for future brunching. I'd spotted them crop up on Yelp a few months back, and had bookmarked them in my head. I love brunch, and I don't know of many places in Leeds that serve it, so it had to be visited. The chap and I made the trip up a few weeks ago on one semi-sunny Sunday, a short but pleasant constitutional from my house, and wandered in. Being as the windows are single pane, and the kitchen gets hot inside, the windows were completely steamed up and it was quite warm inside. That mattered not, as they have a few seats al fresco, which still feels like a holiday to me, even if Otley road is busying away right next to you. It afforded us the opportunity to watch a plucky crow investigate a bin whilst we waited for our order, which is an added bonus. (Not one I can promise you'll have when you visit, mind.) I'm not sure if I mentioned how much I love crows, but that's for another piece of writing. I ordered a coffee, cherry cola of the Fentimans variety (the best one) and the French toast with bacon and maple syrup. The chap had eggs, although I'm sure if I recall correctly, he was tempted by a breakfast burrito. The food arrived fairly quickly, and I've nothing but praise for my French toast. It was as eggy as you like, crispy in some places, soggy in others, and had a plentiful pot of syrup to accompany. The bacon was perhaps a little too crispy for my liking - I've one or two fillings that I always fear breaking - but of course, I ate it all up. I'll just ask for it a little softer next time. You can partake of more English style eats here, bacon sandwiches and the like, but really it's all about the brunch. And with cushions, magazines, papers, and other cosy accoutrements inside, I can see this being a warming little spot come the colder weather. Until then, soak up that sun, and grab an afternoon treat!

This is my local but also favourite Headingley cafe. Yes the coffee is good and the food…read moresatisfyingly scrumptious, but the main thing is the friendly people who own and run the place. A little delight.

This place stocks a large selection of Italisn meats, olives, cheeses and breads. It's a little…read morecafe too so you can enjoy a coffee and cake in there if you fancy. I can recommend their olives and parma ham. The only complaint I have about this place is that it isn't nearer the central drag of Headingley and you have to navigate some compllicated road crossing to get there. Otherwise it's great

This is a really nice place to meet a friend for coffee or lunch. The sandwiches and paninis are…read morenice. But where this place comes into its own is with its selection of meats and cheeses. The quality is excellent.

The new kid on the block ! I had a pulled pork sandwich which was certainly very scrummy and no…read moresurprise there!!! ... apparently the chap in the kitchen is a proper chef who cut his teeth down under!

Awful service. It took 20 minutes to get a cup of tea. The woman who served me (Maria?) looked like…read moreshe hates her job. She swore at another customer whilst I was there, the negative atmosphere made me feel really awkward. Needless to say, I won't be going back again but I doubt her business will survive with her hatred of customers. She needs to get another job and seek help for her mental health.

After Mum and I had finished up some bargain hunting in Meanwood, we decided to stop off here for a…read morebite to eat. From the outside the barred windows can give off the impression that it's not going to be the best experience, but don't let that put you off. Really, don't. Inside you'll find a delightful little vintage styled tea shop, the smell of freshly cooked food in the air and a number of wonderful cakes. Indeed, their supplied by That Old Chestnut, so you can be sure a sweet bite with a cuppa will be more than yummy. However, on this occasion my Mum and I chose to partake of their grilled sandwiches. You get the usual choice of bread, with pittas being an unusual option as well, and there's a good range of hot and cold. The sandwiches we opted for were the garlic chicken, and I'd assumed we'd get some chicken pieces in a bun with garlic mayo. Not the case! The chicken was freshly grilled as we waited with our lovely coffees and the garlic was not only plentiful, but freshly grilled as well. The bread was lovely and soft and it came with a healthy dollop of mayo to boot. Fantastic! The staff were lovely too, and whilst we were dining I noted that another chap had a pretty tasty looking all day breakfast on the go, so I may have to come back the next time a hang over visits me... Another lovely discovery and certainly worth a visit!

Oooh, Headingley you funky thang. First we get a Red's, then we get a Whites! Okay, so this is old…read morenews to H-town locals and those that like to be in the know, but here's my take on this latest spot to crop up. The shop used to be Dusty & Dylan (still ongoing online, so check 'em out for vintage threads) and is now a super-cool spot to take your laptop, pull up a pew at the coffee bar, and grab a beverage and a sarnie. I'm a real fan of the coffee bar and I dig the aesthetic; inside it feels a bit like an IKEA show room. I really don't mean that to be offensive, it's just in the vibe: clean, sparse woods and tiles match the wooden block your latte comes on and the slate rectangle upon which you sandwich sits. The ceiling is sorightnow; the original brickwork is exposed and the light fixtures come with rustic cables. You see what I'm saying? Post-modernism is back and it's gotten cosy with that clean, simplistic Scandi feel. Expect students to congregate here and not do their work. Expect cool mamas to come in with the wee 'uns and grab a spot o' lunch. Expect MacBook twats like me to sit at the bar. (Except, I'm not posing, because I do work hard. Honestly, I do.) The coffee didn't capture me as much as the likes of Atha's and Laynes in town, but it's definitely good. And the sandwich was chunky and full of fresh, and I believe locally-sourced, goodness. I tried the ham sarnie: fluffy bread, tasty ham, good accoutrements. Solid and trad. You can also buy all sorts of bits to take home: watch out wallet! Staff are cool -- friendly, not too-cool-for-school, and smile a lot. It's an all round good egg and I'm glad it's here.

whites deli when hand written on their wifi sign looks like shites deli...but it's actually quite…read moregood so who knows what to believe any more in this mixed up world of ours.

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.

Sadly, I'll have to downgrade somewhat. It's never fun to do so, as I do love the independents in…read moreMeanwood, but my sandwich from here was just sub-standard. Basically, after a failed mission to two separate sarnie spots locally, I ended up here for a bite. It was just before closing, which may have been why it wasn't great, but we were pretty ravenous by the time we got here and grateful they didn't mind whipping up a take out sandwich. We ordered two coffees to go, and had those (half of them) whilst waiting. I ordered a roasted veg and mozzarella toasted panini, and with all the fresh ingredients in the fridge counter I was excited to gobble it up. About 10 minutes later, we paid and were given our sandwiches, then nipped home to eat away. Whilst they smelled amazing, what we had was less than expected. I couldn't really taste the roasted veg or cheese in my sandwich, so opened it up to see a long sub with hardly any cheese at all and about five slices of pepper, one courgette, and that was about it. (Might have been some onion.) It was the barest sandwich I've ever had! The chap opened his and it was the same story - minimal filling, and white onions rather than the red stated on the menu, and no feta that he could discern. I will say that the lady was lovely, and the vibe has always been friendly, but the sandwich was just not good enough! Such a shame, as I was a fab before. Also worth noting, if you like a strong coffee, this isn't for you. Perhaps it's worth looking at the more substantial meals, but I shan't be back for lunch too soon.

There is a distinct lack of cafes in Meanwood where you can pick up a good breakfast unlike in…read moreHeadingley where one is spoilt for choice so thank goodness for Fanoos! Its not the best cafe I've ever been to but it does the job when you have a hangover at the weekend, and it feels very homely. They also do sandwiches and smoothies so are equally good for visiting at lunch time.