La Strega

Any port in a storm. Well ok but It will have to be a bad storm before I tie up here again.
There are a number of cafes around Leeds which do the ‘traditional’ no frills food and it seems that most do it better than La Strega.
It’s cramped and it’s grubby (I’m not talking worn and loved) and a café doesn’t have to be like that even if it is back to basics.
In my opinion the appeal of traditional cafes is that they serve food just like mum used to but in fairness to my mum she hasn’t yet managed to serve an egg which is barely cooked on top and burnt on the bottom and her tea is served hot.
On a seperate and possibly random note, I’m not a big person so i feel very sorry for anyone who is trying to get into the men’s toilet.

I would recommend La Strega for two reasons, first of all it provides really filling comfort food and secondly its cheap. If you’re a student you can also get a 20% discount which aint too bad! Inside its clean and comfortable and the women that work there are very friendly. Service is quick even when its busy! They sell proper Brittish grub like pies, chips and bacon sandwiches. This is just the kind of place to visit when the days are long and cold.

La Strega is a luminous green café down a little alleyway in town. It would be unmissable if it weren’t for it’s hidden location. It’s exterior looks like it could be one of those sour chew bars you used to get when you were a kid. The ones that were packed full of e numbers and made you feel like a hyper lunatic for an hour. Obviously it’s not a giant chew bar, just the same colors.
It really is a hidden gem when you are looking for decent greasy spoon style food in and amongst all the Greggs and Ainsleys in town. They do a small selection of sandwiches and some really tasty fry-​ups if your feeling the need for a big boost. They also do a meal deal which is a sarnie and drink for £3. Pretty good.
Bare in mind that they are quite small and don’t have a huge amount of seats, so unless the weather will accommodate you in the outdoor seating area, you may have to eat on the move.

In a land of fancy sandwich shops, chain coffee shops and McDonald’s, it’s rare to find a proper greasy spoon in the city centre that doesn’t feature broken glass and locals who look like they’d rather eat you than their breakfast as standard. Happily, La Strega features neither grimy décor nor psychotic locals, despite it’s back alley location, and is instead a bright, cheap and cheerful place to grab a quick bite to eat. The menu is what you’d expect and certainly nothing exotic, with eggs being pretty much the only veggie option and everything coming with chips and beans, but it’s well cooked and surprisingly good quality considering the price. Next time you’re hungry in town and don’t fancy paying £6 for a couple of slices of bread and some rocket, come here instead where you can fill your gut to bursting, have a cup of tea and still leave with change from a fiver.