Kendells Bistro in Leeds: what to order and when to go
A French bistro by the Playhouse that has been feeding Leeds since 2007: onion soup, set menus and a table before the show.
By Only Leeds Editorial
Kendells Bistro is a French bistro at 3 St Peter's Square, in the City Centre patch around Leeds Playhouse, Northern Ballet and the BBC building. The Yorkshire Post places it on a side street round the corner from the Playhouse, opposite Leeds College of Music. Think candles, blackboard menus, an open kitchen and cloth napkins that are not starched. It has been going since 2007, according to its Yelp listing, which makes it one of the city's longer-running places to book a table.
The story
Chef-patron Steve Kendell started it with his wife Sharon. He was born in Halifax and trained in the French style, falling for the food while working in Paris, the Dordogne and Amsterdam, according to the Yorkshire Evening Post. The paper also notes he ran Paris in Horsforth and Leodis before this, and that he prefers age-old techniques to modern fuss. Kendells says on X that it has won YEP Oliver Awards.
What to order
Start with the French onion soup, the signature dish and Leeds List's tip. The same site also names Burgundy snails in garlic parsley butter with puff pastry, slow-roast duck leg and beef bourguignon. For a pre-theatre meal, Leeds List mentions a black pudding starter and the crème brûlée as a house favourite. OpenTable diners pick out the king scallops, and beef Wellington and venison have appeared on the menu too.
The menu is on blackboards and changes, so treat all of that as a guide rather than a promise. For pudding, OpenTable's menu lists tarte Tatin, pear and almond frangipane, fondant au chocolat (allow 15 minutes) and homemade sorbet at £9 each, with the cheese board at £11.50. Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are listed on Tripadvisor, and reviewers say the kitchen adapts dishes.
When to go
Dinner is served Tuesday to Saturday from 5pm. It is closed on Sunday and Monday. Opening hours vary between listings, so check before you set off for a late table.
The smart move is the tea-time set menu. Leeds List gives the windows as 5pm to 7.30pm Tuesday to Thursday and 5pm to 6.30pm on Friday. Check with the restaurant whether Saturday is included. Tea-time diners are normally asked to hand the table back within an hour and a half, so it suits a show but not a long lunch-style linger. Reviewers say they were seated quickly when they mentioned a 7.30pm curtain.
Later in the evening it is a date-night sort of place. Leeds List frames it as good for pre-theatre dining and romantic dates, and OpenTable tags it romantic and charming. It can get lively and noisy at busy times, and tables are close together.
What it costs
- Tea-time set menu: around £32 for two courses, £37 for three, and around £45 for three courses with half a bottle of house wine, going by Leeds List's most recent round-up. Prices have crept up over the years, so check before you book.
- À la carte: Leeds List put starters at £9 to £13 and mains averaging about £21, though some main courses cost noticeably more.
- Overall: OpenTable puts it at £26 to £40 a head, Tripadvisor at £23 to £46.
Its listing says there is no charge for bread and no service charge.
Booking
Book ahead. Discover Leeds recommends reservations, and you can do it on OpenTable or through kendellsbistro.co.uk. The phone number is 0113 243 6553. There is no outdoor seating. Dress code is smart casual. OpenTable diners rate it 4.6 from over 3,000 reviews, though a few mention recent inconsistency.
For after
The obvious next stop is the neighbour: Leeds Playhouse, a short walk from the restaurant, as Hardens points out. Eat first, then catch the show.
More detail from OpenTable, Leeds List and the Yorkshire Evening Post.
