Queens Arcade, Leeds
It’s time for another
sugar-fuelled pit stop. This time, I’m branching out. Recently, I took a day
trip to Leeds to visit some lifelong school friends, and taking tea was, of
course, an obligatory part of the day. My friend took us to Olive and Rye, a
quaint little tea shop, cafe and deli inside the very sophisticated Queens
Arcade.
It’s a charming little place,
with small wooden tables and the most stunning selection of towering cakes on
display in the window. It was a crisp, cold and sunny Sunday afternoon and we
were fortunate to get seated on the last table available. The four of us had to
squeeze into the corner, but it was cosy. We knew we only wanted coffee and
cake, so we didn’t bother looking at the main menu, although it would have been
nice to have been offered one. The service was a little bit slow, they seemed
understaffed and unable to cope with a full house.
I had the White Chocolate and
Raspberry Cake – four layers of moist sponge containing juicy pieces of
raspberry, layered up with white chocolate flavoured frosting. There wasn’t an
excessive amount of frosting, so it wasn’t overly sickly. The slices were huge
and very reasonably priced, at just £3.50.
 |
| Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake |
For research purposes (cough),
I also sampled my friends’ choices. The red velvet was exactly as you’d expect
it to be. I love red velvet, although I find the sponge can be dry and it has a
tendency to harbour a powdery texture.
Meanwhile, the Oreo cake was
superb but you’d need an extra sweet tooth to get through it. I am a cake fiend
and there is nothing too sweet for my palate, but a couple of my friends are
more savoury people, so a gargantuan slab of gateaux is more of a marathon for
them. Still, if it means I can inhale the leftovers, you won’t find me
complaining.
When I got home, I had a peep
at the main menu and it sounds delicious. Serving brunch, lunch and small
plates, it’s all locally sourced produce put together by owner and chef Joe
Hepworth. There are pancakes, waffles, smoked salmon and full breakfasts,
healthy sandwiches on homemade breads and ‘small plates’, including
combinations such as hazelnut hummus, roasted heritage carrots, herbs and
curry. It’s got to be worth a try.
If you’re ever in Leeds, go in and indulge. In the meantime, have a browse:
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