John Haigh
We chose Arts for a birthday celebration and we thoroughly enjoyed it. We ate just before 7 so we had the option of the set menu or ordering from the a la carte menu. Three courses for £21 was excellent value for money. The highlight of our meal was the well cooked coley in a fabulous sauce and a warm tart with clotted cream. They also offer a BYOB on a Monday which is a nice touch. Head round to Latitude beforehand to pick up something special to make your evening truly memorable!
Nigel Martin
EatDrinkYorkshire.co.uk Review
Arts on Call Lane in Leeds might have new owners and a new name (it had previously been known as the Arts Cafe) but if our recent trip was anything to go by then regular diners need not fear as the food it serves continues to be a thing of beauty.
One of Leeds’ original independent cafe bars, since the venue opened in September 1994 it has earned a reputation for great tasting food made from the best and freshest local produce available, not to mention a fine selection of wines and beers.
Despite its name, Arts’ atmosphere is far from pretentious. Subdued lighting conjures up an air of relaxation and contemplation, ably assisted by the variety of tasteful artwork by local up-and-coming artists that adorn the walls. The setting makes it a perfect lunchtime spot or, as we found out, a cosy venue for a quiet mid-week evening meal.
With an extensive menu to select from, for our starters we opted for the Thai Fishcake (£6.50), which was wonderfully meaty with a pleasantly crisp coating, served alongside a healthy wedge of fresh lime, sweet chilli jam & dressed peppery rocket.
For our other starter, we went off-piste to the Specials Board after being swayed by the Heirloom Tomato & Mozzarella Bruschetta (£6.50). The tomatoes were fresh and juicy, while the generous helpings of mozzarella were creamily decadent, contrasting nicely with the crispy bruschetta, making the deviation away from the standard menu well worthwhile.
For our mains, the Lamb Shank (£16.95) sounded too good to miss and it definitely delivered with the meat literally just sliding off the bone. Served with mixed bean & smoked paprika ragù & mint yoghurt, the dish was a riot of Middle Eastern flavours. Superb.
Rounding off a high quality evening of food, for our other main we went for the Pan Seared Chicken Breast (£14.95). Accompanied by a leg croquette, fried smoked bacon, peas, artichokes & mushroom ketchup, the quality of the individual elements again came together to form another dish of an extremely high standard.
The name may have changed, the high level of quality of the food certainly hasn’t. A fantastic and versatile venue for every occasion.
lisa sowerby
After trying to find somewhere to eat that was sure they served gluten free food we found this lovely little place . Really nice decor ,food was tasty and very well priced as was the gin and the staff were extremely courteous and friendly, would definitely recommend.
Laura Cook
Amazing place! It's simply the best food in Leeds. I brought my now wife here for our first date, and 10 years later the food is as magical as our first date! The range of types of dish and attention to detail is second to none. Please go if you never have.... It'll be the best decision you ever made.
Muriel Rogers
Have had some friends visit Arts before and enjoy it so thought we would give it a go. Went for lunch on a Tuesday, easily able to find a table. Staff very friendly and quickly out to take our drinks and food orders. Food came out very quickly and was delicious. I had the beef brisket sandwich which was excellent! Coffee at the end also very good. Great atmosphere and would recommend.
Tracey Earl
We had a lovely meal here on Saturday evening, the menu was packed with choice and the food didn't disappoint. We had starters, mains and desert, all were beautifully presented and tasted delicious. The atmosphere was nice and relaxed and the staff were very friendly. Definitely recommend this lovely little restaurant.
andrew walker
Excellent evening meal for my wife's 50th. Great selection of vegetarian and gluten free dishes which was ideal for our party. As a meat eater I had a full vegetarian meal due to the interesting selection available. Excellent service, attentive without being overbearing. Will definitely be returning when in Leeds
Alastair Cartwright
Excellent food, flavours and atmosphere. Definitely give it a go.
disorderly
Cool atmosphere, quality food and a non chain almost rustic vibe. The roasted chicken is awesome and they have an early evening menu which is £16 for 2 courses. Very reasonable and overall a fabulous find
Kate Langwick
Awesome stop for Sunday brunch, quiet but with atmosphere and excellent food. I had the eggs Baghdadi which was incredible. The Marmalade negroni was also immense. Good service too and we managed to get a table for 5 with not too much notice. We'll be back 🙂
Andrew Buckley
Excellent cafe/restaurant with a great selection of food. The space itself is very nice, not too cramped that you feel wedged in. The selection to choose from is good, and us seasonal too which means you're getting top quality. The sister restaurant round the corner, Shears Yard, is excellent too.
Ayah Alfawaris
I like the simplicity of the place. Nice music and really good on Fridays as it relatively quiet so you can actually have a conversation. The first time I went there I liked it a lot. The second time the meat was so chewy, I had to get it out of my sandwich.
Richard Young
Great little cafe bar. Very clean and well decorated... Recommended
Jane Cawthorne
Absolutley delicious. Made very welcome , staff very friendly and helpful, also knew the menu and were passionate about explaining the food on offer . Excellent value and we will definitely return. Thank-you
Jo Harrison
Art's is a firm favourite for us. We are city centre dwellers and so have a great choice of restaurants on the doorstep, it's a clue to just how good Art's food & atmosphere is that it keeps on drawing us back! Menu refreshed regularly, always a couple of veggie choices, wines are excellent, always friendly.... What more is there?!
Ian Botterill
Visited here the first Saturday in June and it was a very enjoyable evening. The food was fantastic, the atmosphere good and the service casual and friendly.
If going, try the "Pan roast loin of cod with pea velouté, ham hock fritter, watercress, pea shoots & lemon oil", it was brilliant.
Anthony Neidhart
Best meal we had in Britain. Small selection but everything fresh and delicious. The opposite from pub food! Also the service was very sympathetic and efficient - this place made our day 😊
Sam Adams Nye
3 Courses for £15, you can't beat it! If you want to splash out more there's plenty for you to choose from.
Understated interior, classy yet relaxed + friendly service. Intelligently worded menu that didn't fail to deliver on taste, texture and aroma. Stunning combinations that left us wanting more with every mouthful.
Really well priced - exceeded expectations. We'll definitely be back for more some day!
Breadsticklers
...the Haddock and Dill Fritters with tomato gel, caper and chive potato salad. I expected a few more fritters (there were two 1 inch long bites), not just because I'm greedy but also because it would have improved the fish to potato ratio... but it looked pretty. The tomato gel didn't seem very 'gel-like' to me but more like a tomato sauce, perhaps I'm a little too uncouth to notice the difference. The flavours combined well, the batter was light and crispy, a small dish done well.
Paul Hart
Tarragon crusted chicken with pancetta and creamed cabbage, the meat was cooked perfectly...crust added great texture and was delightfully aniseedy from the Tarragon but the creamed cabbage was just a bit too rich all in so the finished dish was a little off balance in my mind.
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