Darvish Traditional Persian Tea House and Restaurant

Darvish Restaurant’s unimposing front on busy Roundhay Road, a ten minute drive outside of Leeds city centre, does not do justice to the elegant and fragrant Persian dishes being prepared there. Led by husband and wife team Mortaza and Sepideh Bagheri, originally from Iran, the Darvish Restaurant team have been bringing the subtle flavours of Persian cuisine to Leeds since the restaurant was established in early 2005. Their quiet spot between Chapel Allerton and Harehills has meant that, despite the hype, Darvish Restaurant has retained its homely air.

The lesser-known cousin of some of the Middle East’s bolshier cuisines, Persian ingredients have been a mainstay in Western cooking for many years already. Darvish Restaurant has been teaching Leeds locals about the delights of saffron, pomegranates and quinces for the best part of a decade. With a menu heavy on stews for sharing, this family-friendly gem on Roundhay Road is a great spot for meeting friends and exploring a new kind of Middle Eastern food.

Darvish Restaurant has friends in high places, not just the Leeds locals who are doing their best to keep this gem hidden. In 2010, Mr. Jamie Oliver himself visited Darvish and featured the team on his programme looking at the influence of new cultures on British eating habits. Jamie was clearly delighted to learn a little from head chef Mortaza, and confessed himself to be impressed by some of the most interesting stews he has ever tried. Given Jamie’s glowing review, it’s unsurprising that Darvish Restaurant is regularly packed to the rafters, so reserving a table, particularly for bigger groups, is a wise move. Darvish Restaurant is open from 5pm weekdays and from 12pm at weekends.