Leeds certainly isn’t short of good pubs, and with so many new eateries cropping up every month, it can be difficult to decide where to wander for an after-work bite or lazy Sunday lunch. A staple on the scene is The Lamb and Flag; located on Church Row, it's one in a string of brewpubs cooking up decent local grub in a no-fuss ‘Yorkshire’ way.
Menus offer an alternative take on traditional pub food, with a twist on the usual dishes. Set in a renovated 19th Century building, The Lamb and Flag has that cosy pub feel for chilly evenings; with a large courtyard garden that’s perfect for sizzling Saturdays during the summer. The menu changes seasonally and the bar is stocked with Leeds Brewery beers alongside the standard tipples.
Head to The Lamb and Flag whatever the weather.
Having just switched up to a summer menu, we were invited to try out some of the new locally-sourced dishes. I hadn’t eaten here for a good while so I was looking forward to seeing how it compared to competing city centre pubs like The Midnight Bell and Crowd of Favours, both of which also have that warm welcome and charming atmosphere.
We ordered the ham hock hash, with pea puree and poached hens egg (£6.50) to start - it had a delicious, crispy potato crunch on the outside and smoky ham within that paired perfectly with the purée underneath. The egg was a nice addition as the yolk stopped it being dry.
Disappointingly they were out of the steak and red wine pie (£12.50), so we went for the pan-fried sea bass fillet (£12.95) for the main event. Served on top of crushed new potatoes, wilted greens and a generous dollop of lemon caper butter, it was well seasoned and perfectly cooked. We also ordered the rib-eye steak (£16.95) which was a hefty portion alongside hand cut chips, portobello mushroom, plum tomato and peppercorn sauce.
Not your usual pub grub here.
Ordered medium-rare, it was juicy and rich, and there wasn’t really much fat to tackle. The hand-cut chips are worthy of ordering a portion in their own right - they have that proper home cooked taste you remember from childhood and they’re consistently great (having tasted them at other Leeds Brewery locations). The peppercorn sauce was a nice thick consistency that was perfect for chip dipping too.
Dessert was probably our favourite course - we shared the chocolate and orange tart (£5.50) which was served alongside the creamiest vanilla ice cream with a tangy fresh sauce and fresh berries. The chocolate was mouth-wateringly rich so the hint of orange cutting through was just right, especially with the shortbread crust. Washed down with a glass of red wine and locally brewed pint, this was the perfect ending.
The DesignMyNight Digest
The vibe at The Lamb and Flag is really relaxed, with a quirky library corner in the restaurant area upstairs making the ideal date night spot. It’s ideal for all occasions, and with a varied menu offering everything from traditional fish and chips to Yorkshire's finest Ploughman's, I’d be surprised if you struggled to find something that hits the spot.
