Whether you like yours in ramen, soups, pho and good old traditional stir-fried dishes, there are so many great places to get noodles in Leeds.
Traditional noodles make the ultimate winter warmer, and now that the seasons have firmly changed to a constant cycle of rain and blustering winds it feels like the perfect time to wrap up and head out in search of Leed's finest noodle dishes
Fortunately, we've got just the selection for you to choose from.
We've put together a list of all the best places to slurp up some delicious carbs around Leeds city centre. All that's left to do is choose your favourite and get those chopsticks at the ready.
House of Fu
This tasty ramen bowl is made up of chicken and shiitake broth, sesame & miso tare, Yorkshire kale, tantan pork, mayu, egg, chilli and garlic confit / Image: House of Fu
House of Fu has only been in Leeds for three short months but has already proven popular with noodle fans in the city centre. With a fresh interior design and tasty ramen bowls that don't take themselves too seriously, it's one of our top picks.
The Original Fu Ramen here is a winner, combining pork broth with toasted rye noodles,BBQ chashu pork, fresh menma, spring onions, nori and egg cooked with burnt garlic oil. Delicious. Wash down with a frozen cocktail but don’t forget to leave room for dessert - the vegan miso caramel ice-cream sandwiches are worth every bite.
Bar Soba
Located on Greek Street, Bar Soba is hardly subtle in its design. Its hot pink logo and street-art décor make the site one of the trendiest ramen spots in Leeds, but it’s the vast menu that makes Bar Soba so special. Paying homage to South East Asian street food artists, each meal is packed with flavour designed to ‘get your tastebuds dancing’.
Their £6 lunch menu is one of the best value meals around. Opt for a large plate of teriyaki noodles with your choice of meat or tofu filling. It’s crispy, sweet, spicy, salty and savoury all in one delicious sauce. Looking for something a little different? Add cheeseburger spring rolls for just £3.
Pho at Trinity Kitchen
This healthy spicy green noodle soup comes with pak choi, green beans, morning glory, lime and fresh Thai basil / Image: Pho Restaurant
Getting your Pho fix at Trinity Kitchen is always a delight. Whether you choose wok-fried noodles cooked with lemongrass, chilli and peanut, or aromatic pho (a rice noodle soup that is Vietnam's national dish) prepared over twelve hours, Pho really does bring the best of Vietnamese street food to the city centre.
For a truly authentic experience, pair your dish with a Cá phê (rich Vietnamese coffee from Caphe VN) or a jasmine flower tea bloom, where the flower actually blooms in front of you as you slurp and sip your way through your meal.
Senbon Sakura
Simple, fresh and authentic. That’s exactly how Senbon Sakura comes across. In the Greet George Street restaurant, guests describe the service as excellent, the food as tasty and the price as reasonable. The restaurant offers a wide selection of sushi and rice dishes, but its ramen is a standout meal on the plentiful menu.
You can grab your ramen twelve different ways, but the classic ‘Senbon Sakura soup ramen’ is a favourite - combining chicken, king prawns, salmon and cha-shu, it's perfect for those that want a bit of everything. As for veggies and vegans, there is still plenty of options including vegetable tempura or the vegan cha-shu meat ramen.
Oba Leeds
There are tasty noodle dishes aplenty at one of the newest restaurants, we're obsessed with the careful presentation too / Image: Oba Leeds
The Merrion Centre's newest restaurant fuses Korean and Japanese food for an extensive range of dishes that are bursting with flavour. Inspired by their existing food store, Hang Sing Hong on Vicar Lane, Oba Leeds is the team's latest venture to feed the people of Leeds with delicious cuisine.
Try either of their staple noodle dishes, japchae: a combination of juicy glass noodles with Korean style beef and stir-fried vegetables. Vegetarians will be delighted to hear that meat-free alternatives are available. The only way to top this meal is to have a raspberry lemonade mocktail on the table too. Made fresh-to-order with soda and fruit, it's a showstopper.
Mi's Noodles
Oba's sister store, Mi's Noodles also operate in the Merrion Centre, in fact, one is just a few steps from the other. Driven 'to use the most original methods to cook traditional cuisines', Mi's team aim to bring the ultimate taste of Yun Nan, China to the table. The only important decision here is ramen or vermicelli.
If you prefer hot, spicy food above all else; Mi's noodles are the only ones to sample. The Super Hot Special, compromising of fish, king prawn, roasted pork, crab meat sticks, fish balls and bean curd rolls, is just one of the speciality dishes that are on offer. Pair this with a salted lemon Seven Up for a truly unique sensory experience.
Little Tokyo
Little Tokyo Leeds have a great selection of noodle dishes, including our favourite, the shallow stir fried noodles / Image: Little Tokyo Leeds
Have you ever wondered what would happen if you combined traditional Japanese piquancy with flavours present here in Yorkshire? Having opened over twenty years ago, Little Tokyo has been rated in the top one hundred restaurants in the country and offer the epitome of flavour fusion and continue to be leaders in their market.
Whilst there are plenty of bento boxes, sashimi and soups on offer, the shallow stir-fried noodles are our recommendation. A generous portion of noodles, boiled to perfection with stir-fried vegetarian soy sauce, delicious. Visiting on a Sunday is a particular treat as customers can feed the koi fish after enjoying their meal.
A new Yorkshire barbecue restaurant has opened in Leeds city centre, with sandwich fillings cooked over open flame.
Mandy's Barbecue has taken over the kitchens at The Attic - already one of the city's coolest spaces - serving sourdough sarnies by day and small plates in the evenings.
It's brilliant news for The Attic, after their last resident, Fener Bar, closed after just two months after launching.
Headed up by chef Easher Panesar, whose CV includes the former Michelin-starred Man Behind The Curtain, Mandy's has a proudly Yorkshire menu.
He's created a menu of sandwiches with all the fillings cooked over an open fire barbecue, from BBQ rump steak to a Korean chicken thigh.
And when he says it's a Yorkshire barbecue, Easher means it - meat comes from Neil Smith Quality Butcher, fish is from Kirkgate Market (either S Myer's or Tarbett's Fishmongers), and he sources his veg from a local fruit and veg stand.
And the bread is proudly local too, sourced from Leeds indie Bluebird Bakery.
Mandy's Barbecue in Leeds cooks its sandwich fillings over fireMandy's Barbecue has opened in The Attic, taking over what was previously Fener BarProduce is all proudly YorkshireThe sandwich menu at Mandy's BarbecueMandy's Barbecue is now open at The Attic
Once the sarnie menu ends at around 3pm, he pivots into small plates, like Jerk mackerel, BBQ sirloin with kimchi, lamb neck with pea puree, and a dark chocolate ganache with olive oil.
There's a new bespoke cocktail menu, created thanks to celebrated Leeds bartender Sands (who you might recognise from Rinse and Bottle Chop).
Priced at just £8 each, that includes classics like Negroni, Old Fashioned, Aperol spritz, Pineapple Daiquiri, and martinis.
Mandy's Barbecue is open at The Attic in Leeds now.
Iconic Leeds United pub The Moot reopens after six-figure refurb
Daisy Jackson
The Moot Hall Arms, Leeds' favourite football pub, has just reopened its doors after a six-figure refurb.
The iconic Leeds United pub is still covered in local sports memorabilia and merch, but there's even more of it now.
That's because The Moot has now expanded across two floors and three bars, including a brand-new bar and events space upstairs, The Changing Rooms, created to celebrate the rich history of Leeds United.
That extra space is ready for busy matchdays and the full seven-days-a-week programme of events and deals, which includes live music, karaoke, bingo, quiz nights, and more.
And operator Claire says she wants to the pub to be Leeds city centre's best-value sports and entertainment venues, with pints available from £3 in the week.
The popular Craft Union Pub Company venue has reopened its doors today to the bigger, brighter pub, ready to once again attract football fans from across the UK looking to experience its unique atmosphere.
The 'significant' refurbishment includes new decor, bars, furniture, lighting, toilets, and entertainment facilities, like nine TVs, two large projector screens, and three Sky boxes.
Over this weekend and the bank holiday weekend, there'll be DJs, live music, karaoke, themed events, and special guest appearances from former Leeds United favourites Stuart Dallas, Mel Sterland and Noel Whelan.
Inside The Moot in LeedsThe new 'Changing Rooms' bar at The Moot Hall ArmsThere's still plenty of Leeds United merch everywhere
Claire, Operator at The Moot Hall Arms, said: "We're absolutely delighted to be reopening and finally showing everyone what we've been working on.
"Over the last five years we've worked extremely hard to build The Moot into something special. We're proud of the community that's grown around the pub, the friendships that have been made here and the reputation we've built among Leeds United supporters.
"This investment is a huge vote of confidence in the pub and what it has become. We've managed to make The Moot bigger, better and more versatile, while keeping everything people love about it."
Sport remains central to the venue's identity, with the pub continuing to show Sky Sports, TNT Sports and Premier Sports coverage throughout the year.
When it's a Leeds United fixture, the full matchday experience will include pre- and post-match DJs, live entertainment, and full sound for games.
Claire said: "We want The Moot to be much more than somewhere people simply come for a drink. Our ambition is to be one of Leeds city centre's best-value sports and entertainment venues, with something happening every day of the week."
New artwork in the windowsLeeds Leeds Leeds
Alongside its sporting credentials, The Moot Hall Arms has also earned recognition for its commitment to charitable causes, raising more than £100,000 for charities and good causes, supporting organisations including St Gemma's Hospice, Leeds Women's Aid and NECS Uganda.
The Moot's team has also travelled to Uganda in recent years, sponsoring the education of four children, delivering aid and supporting community projects within local villages.
For Claire and her team, the most important thing is ensuring The Moot remains true to its roots.
She said: "We’re passionate about keeping the Moot accessible and affordable. At a time when customers are watching what they spend, we want people to know they can still come into the centre of Leeds, have a reasonably priced pint, watch live sport and enjoy entertainment without spending a fortune.
"Most importantly, we want The Moot to retain its personality. It’s still going to be loud on matchdays, full of Leeds United memorabilia, packed for big games, raising money for good causes and putting on entertainment throughout the week – there’s just a lot more of it now!"
Sophie Smith -
6th October 2021 
