Roundhay Fox Leeds review: I tried a pint and pie at the country pub on the edge of Roundhay Park

The park was a hive of activity as I joined the crowds with a friend. After a long, slightly sweaty walk, we decided a pint and a pub lunch was an absolute necessity. 

Positioned at the edge of the park, and opposite Tropical World, the Roundhay Fox boasts a prime location to attract those in our predicament. Previously two Italian restaurants, a tea shop and a wine bar, the cosy pub has an old-world, country feel - with rustic décor and crackling log fires in the colder months.

But with the sun still beating down, we picked a table at the front of the pub to soak up the welcome warm weather - there’s also a pub garden to the back of the property.

There was a lovely atmosphere; tables were full of families (and, to our delight, their furry friends) and we had a prime people-watching location. We were even treated to a wedding party arriving in a limousine, the beautiful bride heading over to the Coronation Garden for pictures.

Ordering was easy using the QR code on the table. We started with two fruity ciders while we decided what to eat, which were delivered swiftly by a friendly waitress. 

The Roundhay Fox serves seasonally-inspired pub classics - burgers, stone-baked pizzas, sandwiches, steak and a good range of mains. I went for the home-baked pie of the day, which was chicken, pancetta and leek, while my friend opted for the crispy buttermilk chicken burger. 

After ordering using the QR code, our cutlery arrived almost instantly. But our pints had been drained by the time our food finally arrived almost an hour later. Not the end of the world, but an apology for the wait would have been polite. 

My pie had a huge puff pastry top, which was beautifully flaky, but I was disappointed to find so little filling underneath. The filling itself was tasty and well-seasoned, but with so much pastry and so little sauce, the dish quickly became dry.

I polished off the accompaniments - the buttery soft spring onion mash was the highlight on my plate and the sweet roasted carrots, cabbage and broccoli were perfectly cooked, still with a nice bite to them, although the broccoli did arrive cold. The gravy was delicious, but I could have done with another jug of it - and no one checked on our table once our food had been served.

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My friend’s chicken was tender and the accompanying fries were lovely and crisp. She felt the burger needed more chipotle chilli jam, but the pot of chipotle mayo was a hit. We had no complaints with flavour, but small tweaks would have gone a long way. 

Our bill came to just over £40, reasonably priced for two good-sized main courses and two bottles of cider, particularly given the pub’s location. 

Despite room for improvement, we still enjoyed our sunny lunch in the lovely surroundings. It was enough to tempt me to return - and I’ve heard the Sunday roast is a hit.

Factfile

Address: The Roundhay Fox, Princes Avenue, Roundhay, LS8 2EP

Telephone: 01132693352

Website: www.vintageinn.co.uk/restaurants/yorkshire/theroundhayfoxleeds

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 11.30am-11pm; Sat, 9am-11pm; Sun, 9am-10pm

Scores

Atmosphere: 9/10

Food: 7/10

Value: 7/10 

Service: 6/10