The best restaurants from around the world to open in Leeds in 2021

What will 2022 bring to the Leeds foodie scene?

As 2021 comes to a close, we’ve been reflecting on our favourite new openings of the year.

Given the vast range of restaurant openings this year, it didn’t seem possible to miss out the fantastic cuisine that’s landed on our doorstep over the past twelve months.

We’ve chosen our favourite openings for 2021, with speciality dishes from Korean-Japanese fusion to Vietnamese coffee.

Oba, Merrion Centre

Specialises in: Korean-Japanese fusion dishes

Tucked away on the corner of Merrion Street, Oba Leeds is serving some of the best Korean and Japanese fusion dishes, with a range of vegan-friendly meals available. This hidden gem offers a warm welcome from the the moment you walk through the glass doors. The bright hues of sunflower yellow and bright blue mirror off the panelling and glass windows and match the service, always delivered with a smile, to a tee, since opening in September.

Find out more here.

Nam Song Caphe, Merrion Street

Specialises in: Vietnamese coffee and cuisine

What was formerly Rum and Reason on Merrion Street was taken over by Nam Song Caphe back in June. The new cafe and restaurant has since been serving up authentic Vietnamese coffees, bahn mi baguettes, bowls of pho and more. Now, customers can enjoy a good range of teas and homemade cakes from the day menu, which also features breakfast items and a variety of Bahn mi with filling choices like lemongrass chicken, nam song pork or garlic and sesame/sriracha/ginger tofu; with noodle salads and omelettes also on the cards at lunchtime.

Find out more here.

Sakku, St Peter’s Place

Specialises in: All-you-can-eat Asian grill

If there’s one thing that the pandemic starved us of, it’s all-you-can-eat buffets. Long gone were the days of piling up plates of delicious cuisine from around the world, or so we thought. Sakku has brought back one of the best ways to eat at their sashimi and Asian grill restaurant, using local and imported ingredients to bring unlimited dishes back to the dining table, at their hidden Leeds restaurant.

Find out more here.

House of Fu, Headrow

Specialises in: Ramen dishes and karaoke

Following years of pop-ups, House of Fu opened its own restaurant in the city back in June this year. They teased out their ‘green ramen’, right from the beginning which will be one of the headline plant-based bowls on offer here. Filled with gorgeous ingredients like kohlrabi chashu, sapporo noodles and super deep burnt garlic oil, it’s evident a lot of care and attention went into putting this menu together, and Leeds loves it. Finishing the year on a high, the restaurant have just added a karaoke studio to their venue.

Find out more here.

Read More: Tom Zanetti is opening a new dine, drink and dance concept in Leeds

Grand Pacific, Queens Hotel

Specialises in: fusion dishes

The Queens Hotel in central Leeds had a huge £16 million refurbishment in 2021, 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. 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.

Find out more here.

Feature Image- Grand Pacific