The Myrtle Tavern is the postcard-perfect pub for a warm summer’s day.
Its huge garden overlooks a picturesque cricket pitch which wouldn't look out of place on a movie set. Solid wooden benches are enveloped by big trees and it even backs onto a peaceful woodland for a post-pint stroll in the sun.
On the day I visited though, it was freezing and the sideways sleet meant there wasn’t a soul in the beer garden. The warm, cosy atmosphere inside the Myrtle Tavern makes the Meanwood pub just as welcoming in the depths of winter though, with its low ceilings and stone features.
Read more: The 'best Chinese in Leeds' is worth the hype
I arrived for the pub’s famous Sunday lunch - and it looked as though half of Leeds had joined me. There wasn’t a spare table in sight and I was glad I’d booked ahead.
The food at the Myrtle Tavern is famed for being spectacular. Not only was it named Pub of the Year at the 2021 Great British Pub Awards, but it was recently ranked as the best place to eat in Leeds according to TripAdvisor reviews. It has since slipped to eighth place, but it is still held in high regard and is rated better than almost 1,200 other eateries in Leeds.
On most days, the Myrtle Tavern serves pub tapas, seasonal dishes and sharing plates. On Sundays however, there’s just one thing on the menu; Sunday lunch.
The first thing that struck me was the incredibly reasonable price. For just £11.95, you’re served a huge roast dinner with all the trimmings. Kid’s portions are priced at just £6.95.
The Sunday lunch menu is incredibly simple with no frills. There are five choices on offer; beef, lamb, pork, the three meat roast or the vegetarian nut roast.
The service was incredibly efficient, if a little stand-offish, as they rattled through our orders within minutes of sitting down. Between the three of us, we opted for one pork, one beef and one vegetarian nut roast to cover all bases - and added two portions of cauliflower cheese at £3.50 each.
No sooner had we placed our order than the food arrived in front of us - and there was a lot of it. The beautifully presented plate was piled high with vegetables, potatoes and slices of meat, with the giant Yorkshire pudding sitting proudly on top.
Any true Yorkshireman knows the true test of a Sunday lunch is its Yorkshire pudding and the Myrtle Tavern’s pièce de résistance doesn’t disappoint. The superb crispy shell envelops a light centre, which is perfect for mopping up the flavoursome gravy.
The creamed leeks were an unexpected but excellent addition, while the stuffing was perfect. The cuts of beef and pork came with very little fat, were perfectly moist and not chewy at all.
The roast potatoes were a little underwhelming though. Although they weren't poor - the insides were wonderfully fluffy - the deep golden skin suggested they would be far crispier on the outside than they actually were.
The cauliflower cheese was another minor disappointment and was ever so slightly bland as it lacked that little bit of oomph. The dishes were deceptively big though. One cauliflower cheese between three is plenty to share.
That being said, I ate every mouthful of my Sunday lunch and the packed tables around me were proof of just how popular the food is. While there were one or two slight changes that I would have made, it was extremely reasonably priced and the Sunday lunch was one of the best I’ve had in Leeds.
I’ll no doubt be returning soon to try the Myrtle Tavern’s other menus. I’ll just pick a slightly warmer day to come back.
The bill
Three Sunday lunches: £11.95 each
Two cauliflower cheeses: £3.50 each
Total: £42.85
Myrtle Tavern, Parkside Road, Meanwood, Leeds, LS6 4NE
Book online or call 0113 275 2101.
To get the latest email updates from LeedsLive, click here.
