Murgatroyds Yeadon: I tried the Leeds fish & chip restaurant that's been serving enormous meals for 30 years

Anyone who have even passed through Yeadon have surely spotted Murgatroyds Fish & Chip Restaurant - a large green building with bright signs reminiscent of an American diner or fast food chain.

The restaurant sits on the location of the former Moorfield Mill, which was owned and run by Billy Murgatroyd - known to locals as "Billy Murg" - in the 1870s. In 1994, the Chadwick family opened the chippy, naming it in honour of the man who once put Yeadon on the map.

The chippy, it's fair to say, enjoys as much popularity today as its namesake did some 150 years ago. And having previously attempted to eat there on a Sunday, but with little luck, I decided to come back on a "quiet" Tuesday.

This time, we had no problem finding parking and being escorted to a large booth. However, the restaurant was clearly a popular weekday lunch venue. Even the take away window was busy on a blustery January day, where outdoor picnic benches are offered.

Upon entering patrons are welcomed by friendly servers, a large wooden bar, and floral stained glass lamps. Large leather booths and dainty white bistro sets host guests in a space that bridges American diner with classic British chippy. Overall, the atmosphere is welcoming and cheery.

The menu offered is large and full of great offers. There are multi-course deals for seniors as well as two course offers for all other diners.

My guest and I opted for the two course meal, mostly because of the large variety of starters offered. Most options are seafood based, although there are some vegetarian choices like the Brie Wedges I tried. They were fried and served with a tangy tomato sauce that complimented the gooey brie. My guest enjoyed the chef's daily soup, served with plenty of bread. On this occasion it was a creamy and rich leek soup; the perfect aid on a cold day.

For mains I chose the classic haddock, which is offered in a variety of sizes and served with chips. Despite thinking I could handle the larger portion, I was defeated, even though I thought it was cooked perfectly. My guest agreed the haddock was ideally battered and crispy and the scampi that accompanied their meal was equally delicious.

With our mains we were provided coffee and tea and a serving of soft buttered bread. It is fair to say Murgatroyds makes sure no one will be leaving the restaurant hungry.

The only disappointment we had was being too full to try the desserts on offer, which are featured in a glass display on entry, and which look all too appealing.

Our final bill came to about £49.00, which we felt was fantastic for the amount and quality of meal served.

Overall, Murgatroyds is a great spot if you're looking for well-cooked, large meals for a decent price. The great selection of starters, mains and deserts, along with a number of meal deals, means this chippy is sure to have something for everyone to enjoy.

Factfile

Address: Harrogate Road, Yeadon, Leeds LS19 7BN

Telephone: 0113 250 0010

Opening hours: Restaurant mon-un 11.30am – 9.00pm; Takeaway mon-sun 11.00am – 10.00pm

Website: https://www.murgatroyds.co.uk/

Scores

Food: 9/10

Value: 10/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Service: 8/10

Total: 8.75