The diversity of cuisine available is one of the things I love the most about England and Leeds is no exception. It’s no wonder that I end up eating out as frequently as I do; there are just so many places waiting to be tried and so many that warrant returning. Every month I’m going to share a little update with you on where I’ve been dining, with a quick round-up of each, how good it was for a veggie and, crucially, if I would return.

As the first time doing this, I’m a little lacking in photos from the restaurants but I’ll try to get a little less behind-the-camera-shy in these situations. I’d like to do some more in-depth restaurant reviews in the future too so look out for those.

OK so the first two places on this list are actually in Harrogate, having spent the first weekend of January there, and there’s also an appearance from one in Ilkley too but the general idea is in and around Leeds…

1. Signatures, Harrogate.

The restaurant sits under The Kimberly Hotel, where I was staying for the night, so when I spotted a Groupon offer for Signatures it seemed a natural choice to start the weekend off with lunch there. The offer was for a two course lunch for two people (usually £17.95 per person). I opted for a goat’s cheese spring roll to start and gnocchi for the main. The spring roll was only a slightly different take on the typical goat’s-cheese-and-onion-something-for-the-veggies that features on about 80% of all menus in the UK, though the cheese itself was particularly strong which I liked but my boyfriend didn’t. The gnocchi has a rich sauce and was quite heavy for a lunch. The service was excellent but the table was a bit grubby and the restaurant a mix of shadows and bright spotlights so not the most ambient of places.

Verdict: the veggie options weren’t bad but there was only one vegetarian main course on the set menu.

Returning: to the hotel yes, to the restaurant no.

2. Kaiten Harrogate

The second meal of the weekend in Harrogate was at Sushi & Sake Bar, Kaiten. I’d wanted something completely different to the food at Signature’s and it didn’t disappoint. The veggie options were plentiful and varied – I had spicy edamame, salad roll, vegetable gyoza, and vegetable tempura (not all to myself!), finished up with some warm sake. The décor was minimalist with a few Japanese features here and there and the service was flawless.

Verdict: don’t be put off by it being a sushi place, veggie options abound.

Returning: I’d probably make the journey to Harrogate just to go back here.

3. Sami’s Moroccan, Chapel Allerton

A bit more local to me this time, Sami’s has somehow been overshadowed by other restaurants in the area. With fairly basic décor downstairs it sometimes feels like Sami’s do themselves as injustice since glancing in from the street it doesn’t look like much, but the food is very good and upstairs has a much more traditional Moroccan feel to it. When I visited Sami’s they had a set menu – starter, main, side dish and dessert for £13.95. There is one veggie main listed here but they were very flexible and I was able to choose from any of the mains from the regular menu. I opted for falafel to start (crisp outer, soft inner, served with hummous and salad. Spot on), feta and spinach in filo for the main (don’t judge me – I went for chips alongside) and cheesecake to finish.

Verdict: very accommodating, about four solid veggie main options.

Returning: I already have!

4. The Box Tree, Ilkley

This one was a Xmas treat from my boyfriend to me. A well-established Michelin Star restaurant, The Box Tree is a definite splurge. I would describe it as being as much about the experience as the food and it probably warrants a post of its own (I definitely would have been embarrassed taking photos here though). They have a separate vegetarian set menu with a couple of options for the starter and main. It took a bit of waiting around try to catch someone’s attention to get hold of the vegetarian menu but when I did, I opted for the pumpkin velouté to begin and the risotto for main. Each dish is explained as it’s brought out and I liked that attention to detail. Now, I really want to say it was some of the best food I’ve ever eaten but really, the starter was a bit boring and the main was too salty. It didn’t make that much sense to me that the vegetarian set menu could be the same price as the regular menu either, given that they weren’t any particularly special ingredients being used.

Verdict: a touch disappointing food-wise, but an amazing experience and the wine was superb

Returning: unlikely for a veggie menu like that

5. Selections, Oakwood

I’m always on the lookout for new hidden gems, and after viewing the menu on their website, decided to check out Selections in Oakwood one evening. The menu had a few Mexican dishes (as well as Italian and Mediterranean), including veggie ones that looked very appealing. Unfortunately upon arriving we discovered they had changed their menu and, a few starters aside, the only veggie mains were pizzas. Fortunately, they were very accommodating and offered to make me a vegetable burrito, as had featured on the former menu. As nachos with guacamole, cheese and sour cream were available as a starter I’d hoped these ingredients might be included in the burrito (as they are in the description online too) but much to my disappointment, the burrito was lacking these, the filling was too onion-heavy, and the price was higher than the menu online. The restaurant itself was loud with brash Europop playing for most of the evening.

Verdict: barely any veggie mains on the menu, disappointing food and atmosphere

Returning: nope, there are much better options in the area

6. Napa, Roundhay

Part of the Arc Inspirations group which many in Leeds will be familiar with, Napa has a few solid but predictable veggie options – salads, pasta, burger – but more enticingly they offer halloumi skewers. What I really like is that you can choose two side dishes and a sauce making it quite a versatile offering. I went with sautéed bok choi & sesame (nicely cooked but a touch salty), chunky chips (what, again!?), and teriyaki sauce. The skewers itself hosted big chunks of just perfectly chargrilled halloumi, peppers courgettes and red onion. Almost a whole onion was a bit excessive but other than that I very much enjoyed it. Napa is a little on the pricey side (the skewers are £14.50) but we had a £10 off voucher from their newsletter and like the entire Arc group, they regularly have offers on during the week so it’s worth keeping an eye out for these.

Verdict: very enjoyable

Returning: yes, but probably only when there is an offer on

7. Elyisum, City Centre

Towards the end of last year I picked up a Groupon voucher for wine tasting at Elysium but only had chance to finally make it there at the very end of January. The voucher also included 20% off food so I decided to take advantage of it after the wine tasting. The wine, by the way, was excellent but I didn’t learn very much! Moving over to the restaurant from the bar area, I ordered a vegetariana pizza. Upon arriving, my eyes instantly made a beeline for a stray piece of pink ham tucked under the vegetables. It was impossible for me not to be double checking every subsequent mouthful and that turned the whole thing into a fairly unpleasant experience. Not one member of staff asked if our food was OK – during the meal or when taking the plates. We did mention it when asking for the bill but the waitress was uninterested and no action was taken by them. I always feel like how a restaurant deals with an issue says a lot more than if there are any problems. Complaining is the worst thing for me and I rarely do it (even when I want to) so if it’s dealt with badly or rudely, I don’t return.

Verdict: poor service,

Returning: absolutely not

I hope you enjoyed reading about my experiences and if you’re local that you’ve heard about somewhere new. What local treats are in your area?

*I don’t like to write negative reviews but there are few things more disappointing that a bad meal so my aim is to give an honest account of my experience.