Winner of the Leeds Best Restaurant award in 2010, you will find Kendell’s Bistro opposite the new Leeds College of Music, in the thriving arts district of Leeds city centre, next to the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the new BBC building. Owned and run by Steve Kendell, a passionate Yorkshire man with a wealth of experience gained in Paris, the Dordogne and the Michelin starred Box Tree restaurant in Ilkley, it is a French haven in the middle of the city centre.

Steve strongly believes in having a relaxing dining experience and ensures that guests are able to relax in a pleasant and warm environment without any air of pretence. The dining room is beautifully decorated and exactly mimics the atmosphere and styling of a Parisian bistro. With soft lighting, bespoke artwork painted directly on to the walls, candles in champagne and wine bottles on every table, huge gilt-framed mirrors resting against the walls and wrapped in fairy lights, the effect is romantic, intimate and one of a kind. You will not find waiters topping up wine glasses after every sip or sneaking up behind you with a giant peppermill but instead you will find yourself charmed by the blackboard menus and enthralled by the open kitchen where you can watch your meal being created by the highly talented chefs.

The menu is updated on almost a daily basis as the kitchen like to almost exclusively use local produce and therefore work with what is seasonally available each day. With a fantastic value pre-theatre menu and a delicious a la carte menu, you will be truly spoiled for choice when dining at Kendell’s. Highly recommended dishes include the duck confit ‘sarladaise’ of preserved duck leg, duck fat potatoes, celeriac remoulade and Morteux sausage; Saumon en croute with spinach, tomato, butter and a rich sauce wrapped in puff pastry; and, for the risqué vegetarian, Menage aux trois promises to be a real treat with leek and Roquefort tart, white bean and aubergine timbale and spinach and pine nut croquette.

Kendell’s Bistro in Leeds city centre is easily the most romantic restaurant in Leeds. It is beautiful and the attention to detail is meticulous. It’s perfect for an intimate meal for two to a sophisticated catch up with friends over fine wines or a pre-theatre treat. Whatever the occasion, we guarantee you that you’ll be hooked and return time and time again.