Quirky Restaurants in Leeds

Nestled at the top of Trinity shopping centre you'll find The Alchemist, a unique bar and restaurant waiting to serve you up a sumptuous selection of eats and innovative concoctions. Alongside weird and wonderful drinks, the kitchen cooks up everything from bang bang chicken salad to smoking beef fajitas.

Hosted in a Grade II listed Victorian building, The Lost & Found is a Victorian haven of antique furnishings and botanical cocktails. Head over for a weekend brunch or midweek dinner and tuck into the likes of beef ragu arancini and grilled seabream, before hunting down their secret den that's so decadent it would make Oscar Wilde proud.

Offering a small but perfectly formed food menu, Beer Hawk is a craft beer bar and bottle shop boshing out more than just pints. Chow down on buttermilk fried chicken sandwiches, vegan wings and an array of delicious sides including raclette-covered waffle fries, mac 'n' cheese and mango salads.

Head to Cuckoo for a wonderland of neon lights, decorative rhino heads, murals from local artists and so much more. While you're drinking a selection of craft beers and colourful cocktails, be sure to test out their quirky range of sweet and savoury pizzas - think Marmite bases, brunch slices and PB&J bites.

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Craft beer connoisseurs BrewDog are combining their hoppy sips with old-school games at their North Street bar. As well as boasting 36 draught lines and a delicious menu of pizza, salad and sharing platters, the quirky restaurant also has a number of shuffleboards for those of you looking for a little friendly competition.

The Belgrave Music Hall & Canteen is a three-storey extravaganza boasting two bars, kitchens, and space to host all kinds of music. Take your pick between its various floors kitted out with quirky interiors and enjoy a range of beers and cocktails, whilst noshing on scran from one of their rotating residencies.

With its traditional souk decor and delicious eats, Comptoir Libanais is definitely a cool Leeds restaurant for any occasion. Split some sharing plates, graze on mezze and indulge in tagines with your mates while enjoying a tipple or two from the extensive drinks list. 

With a quirky menu serving up everything from katsu curries and pad Thai salads to Korean popcorn chicken and cheeseburger spring rolls, Bar Soba is a top choice for dining out in Leeds. And when you're done? There's a cracking cocktail list of classics and signature mixes too.

Zaap will transport you to the streets of Bangkok, with upcycled light features and fittingly-themed signs. But the food delivers authenticity too, with all kinds of Thai street food treats – deep-fried okra, steamed buns and curries - served all at once, like a traditional Asian eatery.

Come to Revolucion de Cuba for a menu packed with delicious Cuban treats and tipples laced with rum, accompanied by upbeat Latin music. In fact, at the weekends you don't even have to stop at a meal, as you can storm the dance floor with their professional dancers till the early hours.

Bulgogi Grill isn't just a quirky restaurant in Leeds, it's also a hands-on experience. Not only can you chomp on a selection of locally-sourced BBQ meats and seafood, marinated in traditional Korean seasonings and sauces, but you cook it all yourself on a concave grill on the table.

Named after a quote from the Wizard of Oz, this weird and wonderful restaurant in Leeds lives up to its moniker. Strikingly memorable interiors are paired with unconventional 12-course tasting menus, touting names like 'Insecurity of Postment in Oakley Sunglasses'. You know you're in for a treat then.

A shrinking violet, Neon Cactus ain't. The Mexican cantina is bringing a dose of sunshine to Call Lane with vibrant interiors, tequila-fuelled cocktails and an authentic menu of tacos, burritos and quesadillas. And when the sun goes down? Drinks keep flowing and DJs hit the deck for a midnight fiesta.

Teppanyaki combines theatre with Japanese food to create a truly unique Leeds restaurant. Sit round the hot plate, where your chef will juggle, joke and use fire to dazzle you, while you feast on a selection of sushi, seafood and fresh meat plates.

Spread over two floors, Vice & Virtue is home to both an innovative award-winning restaurant and a sultry speakeasy-style cocktail bar, making for a quirky evening of drinking and dining. Begin your evening sampling one of their seasonal tasting menus before moving downstairs where the fun really starts.

Slightly off the beaten track you'll find Abyssinia; a traditional Ethiopian restaurant providing unique food. There's freshly roasted coffee and a variety of curries and eats to choose from, including a selection of vegan and vegetarian-friendly choices, to be enjoyed with the country's national injera bread.

The home of buttermilk fried chicken, Yard & Coop is the offbeat restaurant that lets you customise your meal with build-your-own steps and tasty sides, including mac 'n' cheese, loaded tatties and stuffing balls. Come the weekend, the kitchen whips out a cracking bottomless brunch that is not to be missed.