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The Sand Bar is a unique restaurant offering a relaxed and soothing ambience to guests. Comfortable sofas, low-level sunken booths and a stylish dining area are available to enjoy an informal meal while those who prefer al fresco dining can sit at the enclosed garden terrace. The menu is a mixture of culinary styles, with inspiration taken from around the world.

To get a taste of the variety of dishes on offer, try the skewers of spicy marinated chicken and peppers, served on a bed of rice with mango chutney and a cool minty yoghurt dressing, or haddock goujons in crispy beer batter; hand cut chips, pea puree and homemade tartare sauce. You could also share a tapas dish before moving on to more filling fare and order spicy chorizo sausage in a rich tomato ragout, marinated mixed olives, and garlic chilli prawns, served with crusty bread.

The wine list features names from around the world and beer, both draught and bottled, is also available.

Step in to La Cantina 44 and you are immediately enveloped by the casual atmosphere and the sight of people having a good time there will surely make you feel at ease. The dining area may be small, almost packed during busy times, but that only adds to the ambience of the place.

The menu is extensive and covers all bases of Italian-Mediterranean cuisine, so there could be the classic minestrone, chicken liver pâté or baked baby mushrooms in a creamy garlic sauce for starters. Main courses include beef stroganoff, slices of honey glazed duck breast and medallions of pork fillet wrapped in Parma ham.

If pizza and pasta is your idea of comfort food then there's plenty happening here; spaghetti tossed with New Zealand mussels and prosciutto and funghi. Little diners have their own dedicated menu and those who pop in early in the evening could avail themselves of a good value fixed price selection.

The new restaurant and bar at the Cosmopolitan Hotel in Lower Briggate offers an excellent range of both meals and drinks from an international menu.  Guests can drop by for a full meal, a snack and a hot drink, afternoon tea, or just an Illy coffee.

Patrons can enjoy an English breakfast with choice of eggs, bacon, sausage, black pudding, baked beans, mushroom, hash browns and fried bread along with muesli and fruit juice. If a light lunch is what you are looking forward to then select from spaghetti with salmon, chilli, garlic and white wine,  croque monsieur with fries, goat's cheese and beetroot quiche, char grilled steak sandwich or venison an caramelized red onion sausage. For dinner, choose either marinated kangaroo rump steak with roasted red beets, steak of wild boar on puy lentil puree, Thai green chicken curry, roasted herbed chicken breast with buttered greens or homemade steak burger with salad. An array of fine wines gives the occasion even more sparkle.

Housed in an impressive Grade II listed building, The EngineHouse Cafe is a small, friendly and independently owned business in Leeds's Round Foundry development. Exposed brickwork featuring a brick vaulted ceiling and dark wood furniture lend the interior an uncomplicated feel.

The cooking is full-bodied and robust, so you really should try their house speciality of 21 day aged grilled rib-eye steak with chunky chips, wilted spinach and Béarnaise sauce. The menu is a decidedly British affair with dishes such as goats' cheese baked in filo with red onion marmalade; seared king scallops with avocado puree, slow roast tomatoes and lemon dressing, or pan fried sea bream with sweet and sour peppers and balsamic dressing. Busy professionals can tuck into a generously-sized sandwich during lunchtime.

Owner siblings Jeremy and Catherine English aim to keep the EngineHouse chugging along for a long time by providing great food and drink to a diverse and appreciative clientele.

Located in an Asian neighbourhood, a short ride from the city centre in Leeds, Raja's Tandoor has been ruling the Indian restaurant scene for the last couple of decades. An unassuming façade, authentic Indian cuisine and sincerely warm service, have earned this restaurant its rightful spot as one of the top 10 Indian restaurants in the UK, according to The Times 2007 and 2008. The ambience is simple, warm and comfortable, unlike the loud Asian interiors that are part of so many new restaurants.

The curries at Raja's are often unequalled in authenticity, and with more than twenty years in the food business, it isn't that surprising. Begin with the prawn or fish pakoras and alu tikkis, followed by the classic tandoori chicken and lamb biriyani. If you'd like to deviate from the regulars, try dahi chicken which is chicken cooked with creamy yoghurt, malai kofta and onion kulchas. There are drinks on the menu as well - go for lassi, an Indian favourite, if you're feeling adventurous. Sumptuous meals, impeccable service and great value, set Raja's Tandoor apart from the pack.