Farmhouse Leeds: I tried the new brunch restaurant just opened in Lands Lane and the food was incredible

Farmhouse has just opened its doors after taking over the Ask Italian venue on Lands Lane in the city centre, and all I’ve been hearing lately is how good it is.

Its popularity in Harrogate, with reviews commending everything from the menu to the venue and the customer service, meant that I was walking in with high expectations. And I am happy to say I was not disappointed.

The new venue was attracting students, shoppers and passers-by like moths to a flame. Groups of people took turns looking at the menu plastered on the windows as I walked into the restaurant, and they continued to do so the whole morning.

The venue is modern and pictures online don't do Farmhouse justice. It’s gorgeous, well lit and seamlessly put together for every customer that walks through its doors – from wheelchair accessibility to being dog-friendly.

It’s a perfect venue for casual outings, formal events, anniversaries and first dates alike, where there’s no pressure to dress up but it’s also acceptable to do so. And the staff were not only professional and attentive but incredibly patient, allowing us ample time to look over the menu.

A phrase that first came to mind when I first saw the variety of food available was ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’. I was conscious that maybe the menu was too ambitious, and the restaurant was spreading itself too thin.

There’s traditional breakfast items alongside burgers, Japanese rice bowls and steak, with an impressive number of plant-based options and all unexpectedly competitively priced.

Farmhouse owner Jordan Aspinall said the team was excited to “not be tied down to any specific style of cuisine” before it opened shop. And we were in awe of the food we ordered before the plates even hit the tables, they were beautifully presented – and very full.

I ordered the Farmhouse Full Vegan for £13.50. It arrived with a few slices of toasted sourdough bread, hash browns that were crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, flavour-packed vegan sausages, well-roasted tomatoes and beans. There was also a golden cheesy tofu omelette which was surprisingly delicious and something I had never seen on a full English breakfast before.

Finishing the meal was difficult, I was stuffed within minutes and didn’t manage to finish everything. My guest had the same experience with the stacked blueberry and banana pancakes, which were only £10.50. Both dishes were fantastic value for money.

We joked that the blueberry pancakes – while heavenly in presentation when it arrived – did look a lot like a loaf of bread when broken into. My guest preferred that it was not overly sweet, considering its size, but tasted fresh and healthy.

Leaving the restaurant too stuffed to even finish my chai latte, I felt like I hadn’t done this restaurant justice by only trying the breakfast items.

There’s desserts, smoothies, cocktails and beers that I would have loved to try. It’s the amount of thought that has gone into the restaurant that makes me keen to return, from the menu to accessibility factors.

I think Farmhouse is just what Leeds was missing.

Factfile

Address: 20-22 Lands Ln, Leeds LS1 6LB

Telephone: 0113 244 6410

Opening hours: Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm, Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm

Website: https://www.farmhouse.biz/

Scores

Food: 10/10

Value: 10/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Service: 8/10