It’s easy to rush into Leeds City train station without really taking stock of what’s around you, but Cinnamon Kitchen is making a very convincing argument for slowing down.
Set within The Queens Hotel, the Leeds outpost of Cinnamon Kitchen combines contemporary Indian cooking with one of the City Centre’s most striking dining rooms. We visited to try the Taste of Cinnamon menu — offering two courses for £15 or three for £19 — and found a set menu that feels considerably more special than its price tag might suggest.
And before the food even arrives, the restaurant itself makes a staggering impression – a dining room inspired by the Golden Age of Rail Travel
Cinnamon Kitchen’s 52-cover restaurant takes inspiration from the grandeur of historic Indian railway first-class waiting rooms, paying homage to The Queens Hotel’s longstanding connection with Leeds City station and the golden age of rail travel.
It really is a stunning space. High ceilings give the dining room an immediate sense of scale, while art deco details and striking murals draw inspiration from India’s diverse landscapes. At the centre of it all hangs a huge chandelier, creating a focal point that brings a très chic old-school glamour to the room.
Despite being practically next door to one of the busiest parts of Leeds, once you are inside it feels pleasantly removed from the hustle and bustle of the main thoroughfare.
We began with the Hakka Paneer Stir Fry, featuring delicate cubes of marinated paneer draped in honey, sesame, soy and chilli. It is exactly the sort of dish that makes paneer so difficult to resist when done properly: soft and tender, with plenty of flavour, crispy edges and that sweet spot combination of honey, salt and chilli that keeps everything fresh and lively. Served with salad and a cooling yoghurt dressing, it had enough heat to make an impact without overwhelming the paneer itself.
Our second starter, the Aloo Mattar Tikki Chaat, went in a completely different direction.
Built around a spiced green pea and potato cake with chickpeas and fine vermicelli, it brought together contrasting textures and layers of spice in classic chaat fashion. Soft potato, chickpeas and crisp strands of vermicelli made each mouthful slightly different from the last.
Between them, these two dishes were the perfect introduction to what Cinnamon Kitchen does particularly well: recognisable Indian dishes and flavours presented with a little more refinement and creative flair.
Naturally, we couldn’t visit Cinnamon Kitchen without trying one of the chef’s signature dishes: the Lamb Rogan Josh Shepherd’s Pie.
It sounds like an unusual combination on paper, but it makes complete sense once it arrives. The rich, deeply spiced character of a lamb rogan josh lends itself surprisingly well to the comforting format of a shepherd’s pie. It is familiar and inventive at the same time — unmistakably Indian in flavour of course, but with that hearty, unctuous satisfaction of a British classic. It’s easy to see why it’s become something of a staple here, and one which our lovely waitress heartily recommended.
Alongside it, we sampled the Paneer Butter Masala, served with pilau rice and a garlic naan. This is comfort food of a different kind: thinly sliced paneer enveloped in a rich, creamy and gently spiced sauce, with the rice and naan ensuring that very little of it was left behind. If you gravitate towards the richer side of Indian cooking, this is exactly the sort of main course you want in front of you.
At £19 for three courses, skipping dessert feels particularly difficult to justify.
We opted for the Saffron and Pistachio Kulfi, a cool, aromatic finish with a satisfyingly poignant flavour of saffron running through the traditional Indian frozen dessert. Then came the Gulab Jamun with Rose Custard.
Now, Gulab Jamun is already one of the great Indian desserts in my opinion – soft, syrup-soaked and unapologetically sweet — but pairing it with fragrant rose custard makes this version feel suitably decadent. It was a fitting end to a meal that consistently managed to feel indulgent without becoming overly heavy.
Is the Taste of Cinnamon menu worth it? For us, a resounding yes. Absolutely.
At £15 for two courses or £19 for three, the Taste of Cinnamon menu offers a surprisingly accessible way to experience a restaurant and dining room that feel decidedly more luxurious.
The food delivers plenty of the bold spices and comforting flavours you’d hope for, while dishes such as the Lamb Rogan Josh Shepherd’s Pie give Cinnamon Kitchen its own identity rather than simply reproducing and churning out the usual curry-house favourites. Add to this the luxury of one of the most distinctive settings in Leeds City centre, and this is so much more than somewhere to grab food before catching a train.
This welcoming place delivers its own unique culinary journey and is a destination in its own right – a worthy one at that.
In fact, the next time you’re passing through Leeds station, you might want to arrive considerably earlier than necessary…
Main image by Debbie Rolls. Remaining photography by Amy Mortin.
