Mexican - Cielo Blanco
I love food. I can't help it, and to be honest it's a constant battle to not eat everything in sight, especially when in and around Mexican/Italian/Indian places.
I've already done a post about Cielo Blanco in Leeds Trinity so I won't go into too much detail as you can find out all about it here. I will just say that I eat a LOT of Mexican food, whether that's at home, in restaurants or at food festivals and this is the best I've ever had. If you're a lover of Mexican food and plenty of Tequila (and great service) then you NEED to head over to Leeds Trinity and sample the delights from Cielo Blanco. I especially recommend the stuffed jalepenos if you like a bit of a kick in your food.
Italian - Jamie's Italian
Steak - Miller and Carter Steakhouse
Italian food is another one of my favourite cuisines, and before I discovered Cielo Blanco I would say it is my favourite. However, Italian is a safe favourite with me and the SO. The only problem is that there's an incredible one near where we both grew up and I mean IN-CRED-I-BLE. I mean we still often go to chains like Bella Italia and Zizzi's but nothing really compared to the home-cooked goodness of our favourite place. That was until we went to Jamie's Italian. I'd never been to a place owned by a famous chef and imagined it to be overpriced and overrated but that was far from the truth. The food was delicious and fresh and the best Italian food I've had in Leeds.
Sometimes only a steak will do and me and the SO were having one of these particular days. The Leeds Food Festival was in town and we'd been spoilt by delicious food at our fingertips so we didn't want to go home and have stodgy takeout. We decided to head to Miller and Carter Steakhouse which is a swanky-looking joint on Leed's thriving Headrow. We expected good food but this was something else. The service was fantastic, the restaurant looked top class and the steak was AMAZING. What surprised us most was that it was pretty affordable by steak standards. Oh, the cocktails were also incredible - I especially recommend the After Eight Thirty.
Hearty food - Red's
There are times, whether you are recovering from a hangover or just a bad day in the office, when you just want to fill your boots with hearty food that will stuff your belly. Red's is the place. I'm lucky enough to work about five minutes away from Red's so we always get seated straight away and I'm always surprised with how quickly they bring my delicious food to me (excellent for avoiding hunger strops). The burgers are huge, meaty things that are anything but delicate to eat - probably not the best place for a first date when you're trying to impress. However, for everyone else Red's is ideal. It has a unique laid back attitude from the staff to the setting to the menu, but I love it. The potato salad is also to DIE FOR.
Something different - The Botanist
The Botanist is just around the corner from Leeds Trinity but seems to be thriving despite the obvious competition. It's hard to describe what sort of food they do. We had a shared deli board to start and then the SO had a flattened steak, while I had a kebab. However you'd describe it, it's absolutely delicious (I've used that word a lot). They also have an extensive list of cocktails. The interior is quirky, the food is fresh and a little bit different, and they serve you coffee in a mug - score!
Pub grub - The New Conservatory
If you are heading on a first date, or just want something a little different for date night that isn't going to blow the bank then The New Conservatory is what you need. It looks like you've stumbled into an old library as it is adorned with stacks and stacks of books. The food is fresh, the drinks are reasonable and the staff are always friendly. I would definitely recommend the salad and the hot chocolate.