Some days, every now and then, all you want is to be indulgent and wolf down a satisfying burger. Today was one of those days.I first visited Handmade Burger early last year in Wakefield – in fact my sister and I made the journey over especially to visit the restaurant there as she loved it and wanted me to try it. We were then delighted when one opened in Leeds, but I have to say I haven’t been as much as I thought I would because it can be such a hassle getting into the city centre just to eat (and there are so many amazing places out of town). Well, as if to answer my prayers, a brand new Handmade Burger opened up at the White Rose Centre, about fifteen minutes out of central Leeds, only a couple of days ago.

Handmade Burger is a small chain that began in Birmingham and has since grown to nineteen restaurants across the country. Priding themselves on only using traceable, fresh ingredients, they have an imaginative menu that regularly changes. Far from the token veggie burger you find on a lot of menus, the menu here boasts an impressive seven – including one vegan burger (the chickpea & quinoa – yum!). I always appreciate a restaurant where the veggie dishes have taken as much thought as the rest of the menu, and think this makes Handmade Burger a really good option for dining out with meat-eaters. There were no queues when we arrived (there was as we left) so we were seated very quickly before ordering at the counter. The food took around twenty-five minutes to arrive but we figured it was only their first weekend since opening so I’m sure it will speed up a bit. On this particular visit I opted for the three cheese & baby leek burger with no mayo. The outside of the burger was very crisp (only an ear away from being burnt but still on the right side), perfectly complementing the moist slightly gooey inside. It is served with an apple and sultana chutney, adding a slight sweetness. The bun was soft with fresh tomato, lettuce and red onion to round things off. My boyfriend, the non-veggie around here, ordered the peppered burger. He said it was excellent but not really peppery enough to warrant its title.On the side we went for peri peri chip with a chipotle dip to share. The portions of chips are pretty huge so I definitely recommend sharing. Thick-cut and almost like (less greasy) chip shop chips, they were covered in an amazing “fresh” peri peri seasoning – rather than a ground powder, this was chilli flakes, herbs and black pepper. The chipotle dip had that trademark smokey flavour but was very fresh tasting and balances out the spice perfectly. This was all rounded up nicely with bottomless drinks – I did say we were going for indulgence! The food, sides and drinks came to just shy of £25 for the two of us, which isn’t too bad given the quality. I’ll definitely be back to try out the other new vegetarian options!

Where is your favourite place when you fancy a burger?