The Empire Cafe

We managed to get a late-night booking at The Hidden Gems of Leeds, which was the only time slot available. Although we were seated at a high table which made dining a bit uncomfortable. The overall atmosphere of the restaurant was excellent. The ambiance was lively, and there was a great selection of drinks and wines to choose from. Food-wise, I’d rate the experience a 7 out of 10. The standout dish was definitely the roast chicken—tender, juicy, and full of flavor. On the other hand, the steak was fresh but unfortunately lacked taste. The staff were absolutely lovely and attentive throughout the night, adding a personal touch to the service. I’d happily return just for that roast chicken!

We had wanted to go here for so long and it didn’t disappoint. Service was fab, food was delicious and we will be returning. Had flatbreads and the pork dumpling, chicken in Kashmiri butter (a bit too much butter for our personal preference, it was dripping), steak and chips with a Caesar salad. The steak was perfect! Pudding was delicious too. Bloody Mary was perfect, so tasty as was my Espresso Martini. Enjoyed the wine recommendation.

This is a terrific place to go visit just for their gorgeous rotisserie chicken. It has a small, very cosy, inside seating area where you can sit next to the open kitchen, drooling at the chicken you're about to order. Another seating area downstairs (no where near as cosy) and a few tables outside, great for when the weather's good. Best chicken I've had in the city. Highly recommend.

Empire Cafe – A Hidden Gem in Leeds ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Wow. I honestly can’t put into words how impressed I am with Empire Cafe. This place is an absolute hidden gem in Leeds. I’ve eaten in many places around the world, but this stands out as something truly special. The food was nothing short of stunning — every dish was beautifully presented and packed with flavour. It’s rare to find a place that gets everything right, but Empire Cafe absolutely delivers. What really made the experience even better was the service. Mark, our server, was fantastic — attentive, friendly, and clearly passionate about what he does. He’s a real credit to the restaurant, and the entire team showed some of the best customer service I’ve experienced in a long time. If I could give 20 out of 10, I would. Without a doubt a 5-star experience. Please do yourself a favour and give this place a try — I was completely blown away. We’ll definitely be back very soon. Kindest regards, Charles

I’ve wanted to try here for ages and it was as good as I’d hoped 👍🏼 A couple of us got a dish each and shared, we got steak and chips - beautiful! The rotisserie chicken with potatoes was gorgeous and we selected the smoked garlic and hot honey sauce, and a rotisserie chicken salad which was really lovely too. We got a couple of desserts to share and the strawberry eclairs was the standout! All the staff were so lovely and the vibe was outstanding.