Having gained a fan following since opening in York at the end of 2018, The Cut and Craft has upped its architectural décor game with this Leeds venue. Born out of a love of steak and beer, this dining destination has now bagged a prime Victoria Quarter spot, situated comfortably next to The Ivy, and we went to check it out.
There's plenty to gawk at while you dine here.
Arriving at the King Edward Street entrance, my partner and I were immediately whisked upstairs to the upper level while taking it all in; the impressive circular bars (two of them, no less), luscious trees and walls covered in luxurious fabric wallpaper - beautiful details at every glance. There's something about the imposing, domed glass ceiling and dark wood finishes that made me feel like we could’ve stepped back in time. This is pretty apt when you consider that a resident orchestra member of the building back in 1906, Wallace Hartley, went on to be Band Master aboard the Titanic.
The offer of a welcome glass of bubbly as we took our semi-circular booth seat continued the trend, which was sipped while sitting back against the plush velvet cushions. By this point we couldn't wait to get stuck into some grub, so ordered the daily baked brioche loaf (£5.50) appetiser to share. It was mouth-wateringly good - light, fluffy and served warm - and we had no trouble mopping up the accompanying chilli-herb butter.
The Cut And Craft Leeds menu is centred around British beef.
Crispy calamari (£9.50) with a signature lemon mayo and seared King scallops (£13.95) followed shortly after, the latter of which came topped off by black caviar while sat on a rich sauce of braised fennel and brandy - no complaints here. Polishing off the last of the bubbles, we ordered a couple more drinks to tide us over until the main event. My Beauté du Sud French Malbec (£8.25 a glass) was subtly sweet thanks to its blueberry notes and my partner’s pint of Peroni (£6.25) made the perfect refresher.
The Cut and Craft is famed for its steak, so it felt only fitting to order two examples of 28-day Himalayan salt-aged British beef. I went for the 8oz Fillet (£28) and my other half chose from the specials menu. After quizzing the waitress, he decided on the 16oz sirloin on the Bone (£35), but could’ve easily been swayed by the 24 karat gold fillet - a dish reminiscent of Salt Bae fame. Maybe next time, for the 'Gram. Not wanting to miss out on the full experience, we both ordered our choice of accompaniments, meaning the table was brimming with truffle and parmesan chips (£5.50), skin-on seasoned chips (£4.50), chimichurri sauce (£3), peppercorn sauce (£3.50), and some steamed tenderstem broccoli with chilli and garlic (£5) for good measure. Portions were on the large side, so I’ll definitely be sharing next time.
Time to gobble up a feast.
Being up there with some of the pricier steaks I’ve had, these cuts didn't blow me away as much as I expected (we were perhaps missing that melt in your mouth feeling on the fillet). However, both sauces had such amazing flavour and the truffle did its job of making my parmesan chips undeniably moreish.
Sinking back further into our sofa booth, we forced just enough room for dessert and decided to have the homemade chocolate brownie (£7.50) with a dollop of fresh cream between us. It was exactly what it promised to be - squidgy, warm and rich - everything a chocolate-lover craves from their favourite pud. Good luck getting an equal share…
The DesignMyNight Digest
There’s no sugar-coating it; for a lot of us, The Cut and Craft Leeds is in special occasion territory thanks to premium steak prices and side add-ons. Having said that, heading here for a couple of cocktails or other menu staples, such as burgers and fajitas, would make it easier on the bank balance. This place is ideal for satisfying your need to visit the latest player in Leeds' dining scene, all while enjoying a stunning slice of architectural history too.
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💰 The damage: Around £135 for meal between two. 📍 The location: 23 King Edward Street, LS1 6AX. 👌 Perfect for: Showing off to the parents or a sophisticated date night. ⭐ Need to know: Request a table upstairs to fully admire the character of the building. |
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