Power to the People: Best places for lunch

With one thing and another I have not been managing to eat out as much as usual. I'm sorry if you have noticed a bit of a decline in posts, I'm still here and I hope to resume normal service soon enough.

In the mean time here is a little round up of recommendation from my twitter followers of their favourite places to grab a spot of lunch. If you have anything to add, stick it on to the comment section. I always love getting feedback from you guys!

@monicatailor "The Engine House Cafe. Lovely menu, great specials and really good prices"

@seaneeboy "Gotta be Pickles and Potters - turns any boring lunchtime into a foodie treat!"

@kahootz_leeds "We love the Olive Tree in Chapel Allerton"
@kahootz_leeds "I could give you a loooong list! @salsamexicana, Thai Edge, Chaopraya, Sam's Chop House... !

@gilatab "Tampopo, quick, fresh, good value and always tasty."

@bakelady59 "Went to Anthony's for birthday brunch other week, that was good, would recommend there."

@Spinface "Slips Deli! If I was ever anywhere near Slips Deli at lunchtime..."

@Chardonnay73 "Lunch @Crosskeys!"

@RichardKnott1 "Picollino on Park Row. Not the cheapest but worth every penny in my opinion. Never had a bad experience there. Always great!"

@kaerast "I'm quite keen on Nation of Shopkeepers for lunch, though primarily for the atmosphere and location rather than the actual food."

@illbefrancoise "I'd like to suggest La Cascade off great George St - great food, cheap and tasty."

@doggonwheels "fave lunch spots @Saltsdeli, @BottegaMilanese, @oppositecafe, Pickles and Potters, Tiled Hall. RIP French rev. Or somewhere on BOGOF"

@abifox84 "Salvos Salumeria, Harvey Nichols, Flying Pizza,"

@thmsbsh "Can't beat Opposite for coffee/sandwich/newspaper!"

@sammi_x "Wagamamas, Tampopo, Yo Sushi all quick & tasty! :)"

@mattsynthia "it's gotta be Pickles and Potter for me!! Great variety in one meal and grt healthy options, @Oppositecafe for the coffee tho!"

@Smylers2 "Pickles & Potter is lovely and cosy, with great fresh salads in giant
portions."

@pholloway "1 of my fave Leeds lunches is the 'pizza & a pint' offer at BRB: yummy pizzas! But they don't beat fresh Bagel Nash bagels IMHO."

@nalsa "I quite like @Sesame_sushi for lunch - what I'm having today!"

@tomsheppard "it's all about @BottegaMilanese - the best coffee, the best, freshly made sandwiches and San Pellegrino lemonade. Hell yeah!"

@mattsynthia "deli style anti pasto lunch at Salvo's Headingley is always a treat"

@Sophie_Noz "Pooky and Grumps and Pickles and Potter for lunch!"

@northernwrites "The honest answer is anywhere that isn't my desk at the moment. Though to expand on it further.

As i work at the University of Leeds, I love to take the time out and just go and sit in St George's field. It is the perfect oasis of calm, in one of the busiest parts of the city. In the summer it is great to just go and find a shady spot, under a tree. To prepare a box of antipasti meats, cheese, some bread and rocket leaves, and to slowly enjoy the differing tastes and textures, without worrying what work I have to go back to. The only thing missing is a nice, crisp glass of white wine; but that will have to wait till after work."

Tiled Hall Cafe

The Tiled Hall Cafe is located in between the Leeds art gallery and the central library. It can be accessed from either building.

The menu is a traditional selection of home made soup, sandwiches, quiche, jacket potatoes and cakes.

I had the potato, mushroom and bacon soup- a combination I have not tried before. It was an nice home made soup, served with 2 mini bread rolls.

Most things appear to be freshly prepared and the menu states that ingredients are locally sourced where possible. Considering this, a bill of £10 for for soup with bread, a sandwich and a large pot of tea for 2 is more than reasonable.

We didn't have any cake but what was on offer looked delicious.
What sets this cafe apart from others of a similar quality are the amazing multicoloured Victorian tiles that cover every inch of the walls and ceiling, its totally unique and really worth going in just to look at.

The food isn't anything new or completely special but I have found it to be consistently nice, with the added bonus of the amazing surroundings and the convenient central location.

Tilled Hall Cafe
*Spectacular decor
*Averagely nice food
*Reasonable prices

Leeds City Art Gallery
The Headrow
LS1 3AB
0113 22 44 811

Website

The Hedley Verity

I got the chance this week to pop in to the newest Wetherspoons pub, The Hedley Verity.

Named after a locally born cricket player, what used to be the Baja Beach Club is hardly recognisable now they have removed the shark from the roof space and re-decorated in a more traditional style. There is also a new patio area with a few seats to the front of the pub.

The Hedley Verity is actually a Lloyds No1 bar so you will find sport being shown on big screens and music playing inside. Otherwise it is standard Wetherspoons- comfortable and cheap with a good choice of real ales and free wifi.

The menu is the same as any other Wetherspoons, cheap & cheerful, reliably tasty and most probably microwaved.What more can I say.

Hedley Verity
*Lloyds No1 pub
*Huge venue with loads of space to sit
*Cheap cheerful food

43a Woodhouse Lane
Leeds
LS2 8JT

0113 390 7590

Website

Fuji Hiro revisited

Looking back this is one of the first places I reviewed nearly 2 years ago, and I'm glad to say nothing much as changed.

This unassuming, basic cafe serves a selection of ramen, rice and noodle dishes, all for well under £10.Portions are large, food is simple, as far as I can tell pretty authentic and completely delicious.

I again had the chicken ramen, a huge bowl of noodles in a chicken broth, with a whole chicken breast and watercress. Filling, with delicate flavour.

Pork goyoza were obviously home made as was the dipping sauce they came with.Emma's chicken katsu curry was better than the one at Wagamamas, for the same price.

I can't fault it.

Fuji Hiro
*Basic cafe set up
*Authentic, quality food
*Reasonable prices

45 Wade Lane
Leeds
LS2 8NJ
0113 243 9184

Giorgio's Ristorante Italiano

Giorgio's is a fairly new addition to the Headingley restaurant scene. Located next to the Olive Tree (and owned by the same people as it happens), Giorgio's has a bright modern feel to it with flashes of colour coming from bright red sofas and other details through the dining room.

We decided to have the lunch menu priced at £8.95 for 2 courses (£10.95 for 3). There is a good selection of dishes with a reasonable selection being meat free. I was pleased to see that the meals were not all pizza and pasta- there was a choice of a salad and chicken main meal too.

Bread and oil was bought to the table on our arrival and the drinks order was bought over quickly.

I had for the starter the goats cheese terrine, which was basically goats cheese layered up with bits of pepper and then drizzled in red pesto. It also came with a good amount of fresh salad. It was light and fresh and delicious.

I am an absolute cheese fiend but this huge portion nearly outfaced me. Emma had the pate which was delicious too, but again came in a huge brick of a portion with 3 big slices of toast.Emma's main course, Chicken Caesar salad came out with a whole chicken breast on it (much better than playing hunt chicken like you do with some Caesar salads). I had a bowl of salmon tagliatelle. Fortunately this portion was a bit more reasonable in size, than the starter (but still generous) with a good chunk of smoky grilled salmon and a very rich creamy sauce.The bill for 2 with soft drinks and added service was £25. Perfect service, portions so huge I didn't need tea that evening and tasty, decent food. What more could you want.

Giorgio's
*Good value
*Tasty food
*Friendly efficient service

72 Otley Road,
Headingley
Leeds
LS6 4BA‎

0113 278 2030‎

Website

Cool Beans

Cool Beans is one of the many coffee shops now to be found on Woodhouse Lane opposite the University of Leeds.

Cool Beans is certainly very cool, you enter the basement level cafe down a set of steep sets, through a mini garden with graffiti designs on the wall and futuristic furniture. The inside of the shop is much the same.

The menu is pretty much the same every other cafe along the stretch, with a range of pre made sandwiches, cakes and soup etc.

Speaking to the owner, many of the items are home made such as the chutney in the sandwiches and the soup. He seemed genuinely keen and interested to deliver on the quality of his food.

I ordered a large cappuccino and an home made tomato and basil soup. I paid around £4 for both of the items together. I decided to sit outside in the back yard, which is nothing special as yet but at least it is away from the traffic.

One thing that did baffle me was the presentation of the food. I was asked if I would like to sit in or take away. As I was sitting in I was provided with proper saucers for my soup and coffee, but the drinks themselves were served in paper take away containers. I received a plastic spoon with my soup and a metal one with my coffee. Its a minor niggle, but to me when I sit in I prefer that I have my food served on proper crockery, it just makes it feel a bit nicer.
The soup was a pretty decent home made effort with nice chunky herby croutons for good measure, the portion was a bit on the small side but ample with bread. The coffee was huge and tasted good.

Cool beans is probably not worth a special trip too, but is up to standard with comparison with the other cafes in the area for lunches and quick bites. The bright, stylish interior will probably appeal to the young student crowd too.

Cool Beans
*Trendy cafe
*Standard menu offerings
*Many items home made

Woodhouse Lane
Leeds