Cath Kane excitedly reports on two of her favourite Leeds eateries who delivered ‘lockdown’ food to her doorstep.
Patty Smith’s
The last time I ate out in Leeds, the Thursday before lockdown, will forever be etched into my memory… one of my last memories of ‘normality!’ A group of us headed to Belgrave for food, after a cheeky post-work drink in Wax Bar. I knew exactly what I wanted to eat and made a beeline for Patty Smith’s burger stand. I remember how busy it was that night, so busy we only just managed to get a table. We commented how the burgers here are up with the best in Leeds.
Pattie Smith’s kicked-off their delivery service trial run a couple of weeks ago. After issues with ordering via Just Eat, I was asked to ring them up directly to order. The menu was limited, although this could change if it proves successful, so I ordered all four items! These consisted of a Dirty Burger, a B12 Vegan Burger, their famous ‘skin on’ session fries (loaded with Chorizo, Jalapeños and spicy Mayo), plus a tray of plain fries.
Although the food arrived an hour late, not surprisingly as there were issues with the designated delivery service, we were not disappointed. It was actually one of the owners who dropped off our delivery, and informed me that burgers had sold out in an hour and a half. (Told you they were good!) Including a delivery service for being outside of the City Centre, the meal cost us £27 in total. Collection orders are also available.
Café 164
Café 164 is one eatery that I have been missing a lot since lockdown. It’s situated perfectly, just a 5 minute walk from my Quarry House based office. I’ve frequently visited here during my five years of living in Leeds, and it was very much part of my working week routine. Their lunch delivery and collection service commenced last Friday. They are currently only open on Fridays, with deliveries to be booked by 5pm on Wednesdays through their Facebook page.
Our delivery slot was 12-1pm, although the order was late and delivered just after 2pm. Café 164’s menu is also currently limited to see how it works out. We ordered a bag of their house blend coffee beans, along with two Coconut Dahl Soups, a Vegetable Loaded Focaccia, and two slices of Chocolate Marble cake. The soup was fresh and tasty, although it could have handled some more heat. The coffee was spot on, and the Marble Cake was as delicious as all their desserts are. For us, the focaccia was a bit on the pricey side at £4.50 for a palm-size portion. The total cost of lunch was £26, with no charge for delivery.
Anticipating
So whilst there are currently teething problems with the delivery side of things, I think this is to be expected, and I’m sure things will get sorted out going forward. It is interesting to see how some other Leeds eateries have changed their businesses to help them to get through these exceptional times.
Living just a mile from the City Centre we will be in a fortunate position to access more indies as and when they re-open. I am, however, still dreaming of the day when we’ll be able to enjoy a meal or a drink back in my favourite places. This will never ever be taken for granted again!
Photographs by Cath Kane.
