Empire Café review: I tried this sensational Leeds restaurant and counterpart to The Highland Laddie

The Burley Road-adjacent boozer has been on everyone’s lips - literally and literally again - since it was reopened following a monumental refurbishment 10 months ago.

And yes, it has still only been 10 months since the wondrously traditional pub relaunched, was named pub of the year by the prestigious Good Food Guide and became the must-visit spot for every reviewer and influencer within a 300-mile radius.

But for owners and Leeds food and drink aficionados Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton, it was not their first nearly-forgotten local institution resurrecting rodeo.

The Empire Café was reopened by the duo in March 2023, having been a go-to eatery in just about every guise for local market traders and theatre goers for over 120 years.

Rotisserie chickens over an open flame and a revolving menu of high quality dishes sourced with fresh produce from the drumstick’s-throw-away Kirkgate Market have been the order of the day since the old, rotten ‘Empire Café’ sign was reupholstered and erected.

So with The Highland Laddie fully booked for months in advance, surely it’s left plenty of space and opportunity to check out what its older sibling has to offer? Apparently not.

Nestled down the cobbled ginnel that is Fish Street, the tastefully unassuming diner was packed during our visit.

Like its counterpart, it offers two rooms for dining and an intimate feel that lends itself to the laser-sharp focus on quality over abundance; an aim that is met with aplomb not just in terms of the cuisine but also for the décor, efficiency and atmosphere.

In both sites the service is effortlessly welcoming. After being taken down the spiral stairs and into the moodily lit room our brilliant server Rosanna provides everything we could ask for without prompt.

Seeing as we’re just having a spot of lunch we go for a couple of juices and water but for those looking to enjoy themselves the wine list and back bar is devilishly tantalising.

As for the food; Oh my.

Wanting to try a couple of the smaller plates (a set of which can make a tapas-style offering) before the essential rotisserie chicken for main, our first dish served on the Empire Café-branded crockery was the Argentinian prawns with bacon lardons and aioli (£14).

Gorgeously breaded and beautifully combined, it was a rush of flavour that set us up delightfully for the flatbread that followed (£10), which was topped with smoked tomato and arbequina (a type of olive) and from one source or another imbued with an unparalleled mix of charred intensity and fresh alleviation.

The rotisserie chickens are served with potatoes cooked in the drippings from the swirling poultry along with a crumb and tough choice of lathers, which Rosanna helped us settle on Kashmiri butter.

The full chicken (£36) was more than plenty for the two of us and as totally enjoyable as you could hope for, with the subtle hints of spices and flavourings elevating it no end. And with plenty left over for the next days’ sandwiches, it leaves us with full stomachs and hearts.

By no means a springboard for the success that has since come, Empire Café is both a star in its own right and the perfect counterpart to the Laddie; with both feeling like they have been cornerstones of the city for far longer than in reality.

Fact file

Address: 6 Fish St, Leeds LS1 6DB

Telephone: -

Opening hours: Monday - Tuesday: Closed, Wednesday - Saturday: 9am - 11pm5pm, Sunday: 12pm-9pm.

Website: https://www.empirecafeleeds.co.uk/

Scores

Food: 10/10

Value: 8/10

Atmosphere: 10/10

Service: 10/10