Habibi Leeds Review - The Coolest and Tastiest Restaurant in Leeds Right Now

A rainy Saturday in Leeds probably shouldn’t have felt like Mykonos or Dubai, but somehow Habibi managed it.

From the second you walk in, the restaurant completely takes you out of the city. The interiors are unreal - flowers hanging dramatically from the ceilings, warm lighting, soft neutral tones and the kind of decor that makes you stop for a second before even looking at the menu. It’s easily one of the most visually impressive restaurants in Leeds right now, but without feeling style-over-substance.

We were seated inside one of the arched booth spaces, which almost felt like a private dining room while still letting you soak up the energy of the restaurant around you. It gave the whole experience that slightly escapist feeling, like we’d disappeared somewhere much further away for a few hours.

And then the food arrived.

We started with warm bread topped with Za’atar alongside hummus and a fresh Greek salad, which immediately set the tone for the meal. The bread was soft, warm and dangerously moreish, while the salad brought something lighter and fresh to the table.

The next course might have been where things really shifted. The aubergine parmigiana was genuinely perfect - rich, comforting and full of flavour without feeling too heavy. Alongside that came the Bang Bang Chicken, crispy with a spicy sauce that had the right balance of heat and sweetness without overpowering everything else on the plate.

For mains, the flat iron steak completely delivered. It had been sous vide before being finished on the Josper grill, and you could really taste the difference in how carefully it had been cooked. Tender, smoky and packed with flavour, it felt like one of those dishes where the quality speaks for itself.

We also ordered the short rib, cooked in a Moroccan style, which practically fell apart the second it hit the table. Rich, slow-cooked and ridiculously good, it felt properly indulgent in the best way.

Sides were standout - there was the creamy Aligot mash which has truly changed the mashed potato game forever, truffle mac and cheese which has never disappointed me yet, roasted vegetables (health is wealth) and the Kabsa rice, which came fragrant with warming spices, toasted almonds and sultanas running through it.

By this point we were very full, but skipping dessert was obviously never going to happen. We finished with a banging tiramisu and a our all time fave desert, a Basque cheesecake - name a more iconic duo.

What makes Habibi stand out isn’t just one thing. It’s the combination of everything - the interiors, the atmosphere, the hospitality and food that genuinely lives up to the setting around it.

The hospitality throughout was incredible. Warm, attentive and genuinely welcoming in a way that made the whole experience feel easy from start to finish.

Leeds has plenty of good restaurants, but Habibi feels different. More immersive, more transportive, somewhere that brings all the vibes and turns lunch or dinner into a real experience.