Souvlaki Corner Wortley: I tried a Greek food gem in Leeds that is proving to be a local hit
Wortley is not a Leeds area that is flush with food options.
Whereas neighbouring suburbs have their own dining scenes, Wortley residents tend to have to venture elsewhere. The city centre is on the doorstep of Wortley, which may explain the comparative dearth of options.
That being said, there is a word-of-mouth phenomenon on Dixon Lane garnering plenty of attention.
Souvlaki Corner is a Greek cafe and takeaway, specialising in all the classic Greek dishes. If you can picture yourself eating it on a beach in Mykonos, cradling a bottle of Mythos, they probably serve it.
Offering dine-in and takeaway options, it is an establishment that takes pride in serving up hearty dishes packed with flavour.
Too often when I visit cafe-come-takeaways, I am aggrieved by the portion sizes. It is not even because I am a particularly greedy boy - although I can be.
It is because in a world of rising prices, I am loathed to fork out a decent amount of money for something that will barely fill me up. At Souvlaki Corner, this is not an issue.
I went for the mixed gyros box, comprised of a generous portion of chicken and pork, skin-on-fries, pitta bread and salad. It is served with a pot of tzatzizki, as well as a pot of souvlaki sauce. It set me back £15.50 but it was worth every penny.
The meat is cooked to perfection, bursting with flavour without being greasy. It is tender and tastefully seasoned, rather than greasy and carelessly assembled. It is a place that seeks to tantalise taste buds, rather than merely fill customers up.
That ‘post-takeaway feeling’ you sometimes get, when you feel uncomfortable and ready to burst, never arrived. The trousers remained fully buttoned up.
My partner opted for the chicken gyros wrap, which was packed to the rafters but in a neat fashion. Bursting at the seams but not messily overflowing? Perfection.
We also shared a portion of halloumi fries, which were absolutely spot on. Halloumi’s resurgence in recent years is something I have welcomed but as a result, there is a lot of rubbish halloumi knocking about. This was halloumi as it is supposed to be. Not overly rubbery or squeaky, not bland.
The establishment itself is small and there is not a huge amount of space for dining on site. However, in its intimacy there is undeniable charm. The interior is neat and stylish, even if the chairs are not the most comfortable I have ever sat on.
If you do not fancy braving the queue, orders can handily be made via Uber Eats.
Everyone I have spoken to in the Wortley area has raved about Souvlaki Corner and I am yet to drive past and not see a queue.
I am an advocate for Leeds suburbs having their own vibrant food scenes, especially considering meals are generally at their most expensive in the city centre. Wortley may not be a bustling hub of culinary delights, but having Souvlaki Corner is a feather in the cap.
I can, with confidence, encourage you to believe the hype. It is more than justified.
Factfile
Address: 100 Dixon Ln, Leeds LS12 4AD
Telephone: 0113 300 3150
Opening hours: Monday-Thursday: 10am-8pm, Friday and Saturday: 10am-9pm, Sunday: Closed
Website: N/A
Scores
Food: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Atmosphere: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Total: 8/10