Diyar Restaurant: I tried this stunning Persian grill house on Burley Road in Leeds that oozed authenticity

The ability to transport you away from wherever you are with just one bite is something truly remarkable. And the effect is only more palpable when you least expect it.

Such was my experience when visiting Diyar Persian Grill House, an unassuming café-sized restaurant at the Burley end of Burley Road.

Opening at the back end of 2023, the restaurant faces stiff competition for authentic food with the locally lauded Bengal Brasserie situated just across the road and the plethora of options along Kirkstall Road being in smelling distance.

But upon entering Diyar, nestled between a set of empty stores, you are instantly faced with something that bit more "real".

The feeling is that of being far away from west Leeds. Glistening trinkets adorn the walls and a rich assortment of plants liven the place up while the smell of herbs and smoked meat from the wondrous charcoal grill at the head of the restaurant and a soundtrack of Iranian music and local dialect fills the room.

I had decided to give it a whirl and grab some lunch while working a shift and was in no uncertain terms blown away.

The easy going staff were settling and accommodating from the get-go and each enlightening milestone of the meal was brought out in good time and with an additional reason to mouth 'wow'.

First I went for one of the Persian teas on the menu that includes a brief history on how it replaced coffee as the nation's favourite drink in the 19th century.

It's understandable why. The Missionaries Tea was beautifully presented in a tea pot kept warm over a tea candle and drank from a petit glass with an accompanying stick of sugar (my first exposure to such a thing). Brewed with cardamom, rose flower and saffron, it was a soul warming experience that I never tired of ritualising the pouring of over the next hour.

For my lunch I kept it quite simple by going for a Koobediedeh kebab wrap. Coated in a fresh naan with onion and tomato and a side of seasoned chips; where it lacked in experimentation it delivered in simple brilliance. Filling, flavoursome and fresh; it was an ideal lunch and left one enticed to return and really explore the menu.

And that's exactly what I've done since, having returned for breakfast where I had a more out-there dish of lambs cheek and bread alongside a glass of freshly squeezed pomegranate and orange juice. Served in increasingly eye-catching style, it was a little heavy for my liking but still as unique as I remembered.

The only gripe was the compact space that felt ever smaller as more groups and families entered for their lunch. But if the constantly positive reviews online and ambition expressed by its lovely staff are anything to go by, it seems only a matter of time before this superb eatery expands further.

Cost:

Large pot of Missionaries Tea - £6

Wrap - £9

Additional fries - £2.50

Factfile:

Address: 266 Burley Rd, Burley, Leeds LS4 2NY

Telephone: 0113 294 7943

Opening hours:

Monday: Closed

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday: 8am - 10pm

Saturday: 8am - 12.30am

Website: https://diyarrestaurant.co.uk/

Scores

Food: 9/10

Value: 7/10

Atmosphere: 10/10

Service: 9/10