Jay Rayner hails Leeds food scene as 'incredible' during visit - and reveals his favourite restaurants

Jay Rayner has publicly celebrated Leeds's vibrant food and drink industry.

During a recent appearance at the Farsley Literature Festival, Rayner described the city's food scene as "incredible."

Speaking on Monday November 9, as part of a discussion around his new book, *Nights Out in the Kitchen*, the sequel to *Nights Out at Home*, Rayner specifically mentioned several establishments.

These included the award-winning pub Highland Laddie, the popular bar Friends of Ham, and Empire Café.

The critic's praise came during a conversation with host Amanda Truman, who owns Truman Books in Farsley, Leeds, further cementing the city's reputation as a growing gastronomic hub.

The Highland Laddie in Leeds was named the best pub in the country by the Good Food Guide in 2025 and Jay previously described it as ‘a red-brick wedge of an old Leeds boozer.’

“It's a 1970s classic with the safety catch off”, Jay said in a January 2026 review.

“Let’s just celebrate a present which has found space for the Highland Laddie amid the high-rise clutter”, he concluded.

In 2013, Jay also reviewed Friends of Ham - a craft beer bar in Leeds city centre - while with The Observer.

“I would choose Friends of Ham over any number of bona fide Leeds restaurants”, he said.

Empire Café was also given praise by Jay on the night.

He reviewed the café in 2023 and said he “loved the enthusiasm of the staff, its attention to the good things” and “its sweetly comic attachment to location”.

Jay stayed behind after the event to sign books for fans.

Truman Books was named the North England Regional & Country Winner for Independent Bookshop of the Year at the British Book Awards 2026.

Farsley Literature Festival runs throughout October and November.

The line-up includes John Boyne, the critically acclaimed author of The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and Yorkshire-born Joanne Harris – bestselling author of Chocolat.