The Best Restaurants In Bradford, Yorkshire

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South Square Vegetarian Café is a small cafe and part of the South Square arts and culture centre in Bradford. Based inside a fantastic grade II listed building, the resource centre includes artist studios and artisanal farmer’s – and craft – shops. The cafe here creates unique dishes on a daily basis from locally sourced ingredients. Chefs prepare a range of fantastic vegetarian and vegan dishes with rolling specialties. In fact, the menu rarely runs concurrently, so you can be sure of a tasty surprise whenever you visit.

For visitors seeking a trip back to the roaring twenties – that period of hedonism between two periods of global conflict – the Interlude Tea Room is a must visit. Boasting delicious food and fantastic service, the tea room is renowned for its cream teas. The high cream tea, Interlude’s specialty, involves a selection of open finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream and also a number of fresh cream cakes. This all comes with a pot of Yorkshire tea, or any other hot drink of choice. The cafe also offers a number of other options, including porridge or hot sandwiches, if cream teas don’t tickle your fancy.

After opening just over 15 years ago, Valentino’s has gone from strength to strength and now feeds a dedicated number of diners every week. A family run venture, the restaurant strives to produce the most authentically Italian food in Bradford, as well as the rest of the UK. In addition to the expected range of pasta and pizza dishes – all the usual suspects are here – Valentino’s also serves and prepares a great number of steaks, such as fillet served with king prawns and a lobster cream sauce. Pasta and risotto options are also available as starters for the particularly hungry.

While a new craze of coffee shops has swept through London, taking the capital by storm, Emily’s at De Luca Boutique now provides the same experience for the people of (and visitors to) Bradford. This cafe is one of the most culturally important places in West Yorkshire, having previously been the birth place of the Bronte sisters – Anne, Emily and Charlotte – as well as their brother Patrick. An Italian delicatessen, Emily’s serves a selection of salads, cured meats and fresh Italian chesses, including mozzarella and parmesan. There are also a good selection of coffees, including espresso, macchiato and Americano options.

Set in the beautiful surroundings of Bradford’s prestigious City Park, Forster’s Bistro & Deli aims to provide restaurant goers with a fantastic fine-dining experience. All this is achieved whilst the restaurant simultaneously works with Forster’s Community College, providing training and employment opportunities to people in the local area. As well as an onsite delicatessen, Forster’s boasts an impressive bistro, serving typical fare suited to quick service. The menu, naturally, operates on a seasonal basis and is prone to regular change. It has previously featured dishes such as duck confit, hot smoked salmon, and butternut squash risotto.

The Golden Fleece Inn is that brilliant combination – a traditional British pub, serving upmarket comfort food in a cosy and atmospheric setting. The pub delights in providing traditional ales, high quality cider, and also stocks a great selection of world wines and lagers. The pub is decorated in a traditional fashion, complete with a bar built of dark wood, complete with brass handled pumps and high-seated bar stools. Dishes include a game pie – filled with a mix of venison, pheasant, rabbit and partridge – a plate of crispy belly of pork with apple and black pudding mash, as well as wild mushroom ravioli.

Previously known as The Cut, The Waterside Restaurant is found in one of the busiest spots in Shipley, just outside of the city of Bradford. The restaurant describes itself as stylish yet unpretentious and is an equally good venue for friends, families and even romantic dates. The restaurant prepares modern British cuisine, with options presented in an a la carte fashion. Dishes currently include starters such as black pudding with seared scallops, or pigeon breast with an apricot tarte tatin, while main meals include monkfish or salmon fillets. There are also a number of desserts available for those with a sweet tooth.

With a variety of delicious dishes and nightly offers, Aldo’s Italian can successfully lay claim to being one of Bradford’s most popular Italian restaurants. Opened by Aldo de Vittoris senior in 1989 (he was also the founder of the Mamma Mia chain), he opened Ital as his last and greatest project. The restaurant is now operated by his sons, Aldo Jnr and Christian. The Ital regularly hosts an array of local jazz artists and bands, all of which provide great entertainment for diners several nights of the week. Dishes include all of the usual Italian favourites, complete with regional specialties.

No list concerning places to eat in Bradford would be complete without mentioning an Indian restaurant, largely because of the city’s fantastic multi-cultural credentials. Rajshahi Indian Restaurant is that restaurant, offering a great selection of fantastic dishes across the broad spectrum of Indian cuisine. There are a number of great curry specials on offer, with a healthy balance of the usual favourites – such as korma, rogan josh and dansak dishes – as well as chef specialties. One such dish is the raj sheem, which involves tikka marinated meat served with extra spices and green beans.