The Queens Hotel in central Leeds has recently undergone a huge £16 million refurbishment, ushering in a grand new era for the 84-year-old property.
As part of the overhaul, the hotel has welcomed an opulent new Raffles-inspired restaurant, Grand Pacific.
Grand Pacific is part of the Living Venture’s group, which also has brands like The Alchemist and The Botanist in Leeds. There is already a site in Manchester, but this is the first to open in West Yorkshire.
The new luxurious all-day drinking and dining destination is styled on the old colonial hotels of south-east Asia and can seat up to 100 guests in the main restaurant.
Here, staff aim to recreate the golden age of high society “with a sumptuous yet relaxed charm accompanied by great service”.
In the dining area, quintessential British classics are fused with flavours from further afield. Dishes like Asian-spiced duck cottage pie and tempura Szechuan sea bass sit next to a teriyaki steak sandwich and classic club on the all-day menu.
Its indulgent afternoon or ‘high’ teas are also very popular, offering a selection of miniature sandwiches and sweet treats with a choice of loose leaf tea or bubbles.
On a Sunday, guests can also enjoy a roast with a difference – accompanied by a set of contemporary classical music from the Grand Pacific Palm Court Orchestra.
From the bar, there are plenty of indulgent cocktails to try ranging from Grand Pacific’s yuzu negroni and pomegranate mojito to salted caramel espresso and grand pornstar martinis.
One of the most iconic drinks here, though, has to be their ‘golden pineapple’ which is both a cocktail in its own right and a symbol of hospitality in general. Made with several different types of rum, pineapple, guava and lime and then topped with crushed ice it’s pretty to look at and wonderfully refreshing too.
As if this wasn’t enough, the hotel is also now home to Café Pacific – an all-day social hub offering coffees, superfood smoothies and healthy snacks. A perfect spot to set up on your laptop for the day if you’re working away from home.
Grand Pacific’s restaurant and bar is open now inside The Queen’s Hotel. As part of their soft launch, which runs until 27th June, diners can get 50% off their meal when they book a table using this link.
To find out more and keep up to date, follow them on Instagram.
