Leeds v Food: The best burger and barbecue joints

Unless you’ve been asleep for the last three years (or only just arrived in the city) for the best student accommodation Leeds, you’ve probably noticed that Leeds isn’t short of burger and barbecue restaurants. The now legendary Reds True BBQ was first to capitalise on the Man v Food craze and have never looked back since opening their hallowed doors back in 2012. 

We take a look at them and the best of the rest this fine, meat-obsessed city has to offer. Vegetarians look away. There’s nothing for you to see here. 

Cattlegrid 

Tucked away behind The Corn Exchange, Cattlegrid has swiftly developed a loyal customer base due to its lively atmosphere and to-doe-for steaks and ribs. Focusing on cow and pig, highlights from their meat-centric menu include their melt-in-the-mouth sirloin steak and the peri peri baby back ribs, which are possibly the finest Leeds has to offer. 

Head down on a Monday night and £21.95 will buy you non-stop chicken wings and ribs until you’re fit to burst. They also do a rather tempting lunchtime menu deal, where you can get a burger, fries and drink for just shy of a tenner. Bargain. 

Smoke 

Hot on the heels of their successful Sheffield venue, Smoke BBQ became an instant hit with meat mad Leeds folk. Located just a stone’s throw away from Leeds Arena, Smoke is all about putting down your knife and fork and getting dirty. If you’re feeling incredibly hungry, then check out the sharer plate which includes the awesome house hot link sausage and has enough meat to feed a gaggle of ravenous cavemen no problem. 

Chicago Rib Shack 

Situated in the brilliant Trinity Kitchen, Chicago Rib Shack offers exceptional value (including a student discount) and some of the tastiest ribs, burgers and wings you’ll find outside of Chicago. Their beef chilli cheese fries and hand spun shakes and floats are also worthy of a mention, and the best thing is – they are available on Deliveroo for those CBA duvet days. 

Reds True BBQ 

Now with a whopping seven restaurants under their belt (including Shoreditch and Manchester), there’s no stopping the unstoppable meat goliath that is Reds. The team go on an annual ‘pilgrimage’ across the states in order to pick up barbecue tips and tricks for their new menus, and boy does this pay off. As well as serving up lip-smacking good ribs, burgers and wings, the atmosphere is electric and as close as you’ll get to the all-American experience in Leeds. You should go at least once, but be warned – it’s always packed. 

Almost Famous 

With close to 20 big name burger joints residing in Leeds, standing out from the crowd isn’t easy. That’s not a problem for Manchester brand Almost Famous however – they are hands down the best burger restaurant in Leeds. The Butter Blood and Bleu is so darn good that you’ll struggle to find a better burger there or anywhere else for that matter. 

The awesomeness doesn’t stop at the sides either – the fries combine ingredients such as Marmite and hot dog to great effect and are a meal in themselves. The chicken blasts are also well worth a mention. Loosen your belt, sit back and enjoy.