For the last five years I have concentrated on writing about the issues that consumers have with travel, and last year, I found myself getting frustrated at the lack of attention on my home city in the media, as a UK tourist destination. So I launched, a Leeds travel guide, written by local people, called My Life in Leeds, to prove that is it not grim up North.

Leeds is home to many award winning restaurants and you will find restaurants serving all types of cuisine from Thai, Japanese, and Ethiopian to Cuban. In this post I have focused more on restaurants in Leeds that specialise in Italian and British food, and one highly recommended Thai restaurant.

Here are a few of my personal favourites.

Located in the magnificent Leeds Corn Exchange

Anthony’s Restaurant is the place to go for something ‘completely new and different’ in lovely surroundings of the Corn Exchange. Order from the a la carte or ‘tasting menu’ and experience the good customer service and superb presentation of selections such as baby squid or white onion risotto with Parmesan foam. Anthony’s is always a unique and memorable dining experience.

A Thai restaurant with good reviews

Whether you are a lover of Thai food or just want an introduction, Chaophraya Thai restaurant is a terrific place to go and enjoy great food at moderate prices. The service is good and you will find a huge variety of starter and main courses to choose from. There is also a very good selection of vegetarian dishes. Make sure you try Chaophraya’s famous Thai Green Curry.

Award winning Italian restaurant

Gordon Ramsay’s F Word voted Salvo’s the best Italian restaurant in the country, and its customers all seem to agree. This is authentic Italian food prepared and served with speed. You will find an atmosphere that is warm and welcoming. Most of the ingredients are sourced from local farmers and suppliers or imported from Italy direct to the kitchen and the quality and flavour of each dish is outstanding.

Popular Italian restaurant

If you want a quiet, cosy, intimate evening or a cheap Italian meal, Bibis Italianissimo is not the place to go. However, if ritz, glitz and glamour plus delicious Italian food attract you, Bibis will not disappoint. This is a large and lively restaurant and no lack of pizzazz (or pizza) at any time. The traditional Italian dishes are delicious, and service is professional and friendly.

Great British cuisine in the old post office

British cuisine at its best makes the Restaurant Bar and Grill a popular restaurant in Leeds. The friendly, lively ambiance contributes to the ideal location for lunch or dinner. The fish and chips are very highly rated by regulars, but you may want to try out my favourite, the 8oz char grilled rib eye steak and béarnaise sauce; all ingredients are carefully sourced for freshness and flavour.

You can read more about restaurants in Leeds on my guide, but, I am interested to read your experiences with eating out in Leeds; have you eaten at a Leeds restaurant that you really enjoyed the food and atmosphere, or was it a case of you couldn’t get out of the restaurant quick enough – please leave your experiences in the comments below.