What a stunning venue. I'm perhaps overly zealous about the beauty of Leeds, and have been often told that I err on the positive end of the spectrum, but when alighting the stairs to Leeds Art Gallery and entering this lofty, high ceiling-ed beauty, I fail to see how anyone doesn't take a moment. At some point back in time, folks really went all out with their architecture - a far cry from the select few cement blocks that litter our skyline. Leeds is a gorgeous city, and I'm not afraid to say it. And this is truly a gem.
Often, with buildings of historic stature, the cafes and eateries attached sadly offer a lack luster cup of grey tea. (Not earl grey, just grey.) The might attempt at a few cellophane wrapped dry cakes, and of course charge double what you'd expect, but here my friends... Here, they make an effort. An effort worthy of the attractive structure. The afternoon tea was on the agenda, when I met a friend here the other week, and my those scones were generous. Huge thick cakes, obviously freshly baked, and they came with a delectably cute pot of jam and a pot of clotted cream. Butter, even.
The tea was equally impressive. I ordered a Russian Caravan; a smokey dark tea, full of intrigue, and whilst it might not have suited the cake in question, it was delightful. The tea came in a loose leaf tea pot, perfect, and so this place is now on my list of loose leaf spots - something I hope catches on about Leeds. We need a dedicated tea room! The chap serving was lovely, friendly, and for two pots and two scones we treated ourselves like queens for the pauperly sum of a tenner. If you fancy an afternoon indulgence, truly, this is the perfect spot. Even better? You can wander around the gallery before or after, for absolutely nothing. read more