Review: Whites Cafe Bar, Headingley

I recently popped up to Leeds to visit my brother and, of course, I used the opportunity to tick off another new place to eat in the city. Whites Café Bar in Headingley is a trendy café-cross-bar on Otley Road which grabbed my attention thanks to the beautiful images of food on their website so I was excited to check it out with my family:

Whites does a little bit of everything, from coffee to food to alcohol. The range of drinks was surprisingly broad and my Dad was impressed to see a variety of unusual beers on the menu, including his favourite Meantime Porter, and my Mum and I had a glass of wine alongside our delicious coffees. I liked that the deli was a great spot for a variety of situations; a simple coffee, a brunch or lunch date or, in the evening, a spot for drinks.

We decided to share two sharing boards – although I was seriously tempted by the whole menu, including a range of healthy brunch options, such as smashed avocado on sourdough toast, and flatbread sandwiches. However, we settled on the Italian meat board and the vegetarian mezze which was the perfect amount for three people to share at lunch. The meat platter had a variety of meats, including parma ham, prosciutto and spicy salami, accompanied by a tasty salad and slices of artisan bread. It was tasty but the vegetarian platter really stood out. Simply put, it was the best vegetarian platter I have ever had. The hummus, made with lentils rather than the traditional chickpeas, was incredibly smooth and it was delicious with the brown bread. We were also treated to some tasty falafels, a vinegary bulgar wheat tabouleh and grilled halloumi. The platter was fresh, vibrant and like I say, the best vegetarian platter I’ve had as I find that the veggie option is often overlooked and becomes very cheese focused – it was refreshing to be able to choose such a tasty non-meat mezze busting with flavour.

Whites Deli is a hidden gem in the generally very student-y Headingley but it’s well worth seeking out for its delicious fresh produce and tasty coffee. Have you ever tried Whites Café Bar? Where else would you recommend in Leeds’ outskirts to eat?