Life is a bit confusing right now, I feel like a nomad. I constantly hop from place to place and pretty much live out of a suitcase. At the moment, my time is split between Leeds and London (I really don't know which one of them is home!) but as a graduate of the University of Leeds and, a Yorkshire girl born and bred (I hate that term but it's true, Yorkshire is in my blood), my heart always pangs for Yorkshire, there's no place like it. When I'm back in Leeds, there's one place I spend most of my time, that place? Angelica. It truly is my second home. If you follow me on Instagram or Snapchat (emshelx) you'll know this because I always post about it, it features on nearly every single weekly vlog I upload too, because I'm there at least once a week. It's safe to say, I adore this place. It feels wrong that Angelica doesn't yet have a full blown feature and review on my blog, I've mentioned it many times, such as in my post about the best places to eat and drink in Leeds, what to do in Trinity Leeds and, when I reviewed Angelica's luxury sister, Crafthouse Leeds. The only reason Angelica is yet to feature? I find myself always going on an evening with my camera and I wanted to show you it in the day time so you can understand why I love this place so much, whilst it's such a fun place on an evening and definitely the best fancy date night, it photographs much better in daylight! Not many places can do breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner but at Angelica, they really can. If you're from Leeds or coming to Leeds, make sure visiting Angelica is at the top of your to-do list. Let's just say, Leeds completely lacks Instagrammable venues but thankfully, Angelica came along and saved the day.
Head upstairs in Trinity Leeds or in the special Angelica lift on Boar Lane and you'll be greeted with easily the most luxurious bar in Leeds. Not only is this a bar though, it's a restaurant too and shouldn't be overlooked as an amazing place for food. I've visited Angelica for breakfast many times, their waffles and Yorkshire breakfast are divine, they even do avocado now too and I don't think anywhere else in Leeds has caught on with this trend yet. In London, I live on avo on toast, acai bowls and all the superfoods, let's just say, apart from Angelica, Leeds hasn't really got there yet. For lunch, they do a set menu which is actually really reasonable but with such high quality food, you can of course order from the a la carte too. For dinner? The a la carte is your best friend and I always go for the lobster. The menu is quite small but it's concise and there really is something for everyone, take this from the fussiest eater in the world. The only thing missing from the menu? A big, juicy fillet steak although Crafthouse downstairs certainly delivers in that department and then you can always come up to Angelica for a drink or three (there's a lift and spiral staircase to connect the two). To be honest, if you asked for anything, I'm almost certain they'd go above and beyond to help you - Dan who works there is one of the best bar tenders I've come across and all the staff at Angelica are so helpful and lovely. Apart from that though, they've got everything from ravioli to salads to chicken to burgers to lobster. I have never raved about a place as much in my life, people joke and say I should have shares in it because I love it so much but really, I do. Angelica feels like my happy place, I'm so comfortable there but it's a really special place too. I love how many people have visited Leeds just to go to Angelica after seeing my rave reviews. When I love a place, I want it to do really well (hence why I constantly rave about Angelica) and I have no doubt that Angelica is one of the most popular places in Leeds, there's a reason for that...
Leeds used to get a really bad rep (or at least, I felt as if I spent my whole first year of University telling people how amazing it is and changing judgemental opinions - even the other week someone was telling me 'how awful it is up North', trust me, the North is an amazing place) and even though I spend a lot of my time in London, I love raving about the best places in Leeds as I'm so proud of the place I grew up in and how far it's come, for a foodie like me it's pretty exciting to have amazing bars and restaurants popping up all over. When companies like D&D London (the owner of Angelica) are jumping ship and opening in Leeds, you know it's an up and coming city. Leeds really has developed over the last few years and it's places like Angelica that really put it on the map; a premium, rooftop space for people to relax and enjoy.
I popped on my favourite dress for a celebration Sunday brunch with my loved ones. I'd just wrapped up hosting a talk and event at Topshop (read about that here) where I got to meet so many lovely followers, there was obviously only one place to come and celebrate. Notice my neon nails? I actually went to a lovely local salon in Leeds called Pastille to get these gels done before my trip to Florida, they have the best selection of gels ever and they were so quick and efficient. I told you Leeds is a great little place full of hidden gems!
The outdoor area is stunning in Summer but even on chillier days (it's not grim up North but it certainly gets chilly) they have amazing patio heaters and faux fur blankets. On this particular day, the outside was booming so we sat inside with views of the whole city. Did I mention this rooftop restaurant and bar has the best panoramic views of Leeds? It's so beautifully designed.
As always, I opted for the lobster. Angelica do really good fresh fish dishes if that's your thing.
The boys went for the burger. 
My Mum opted for the chicken which she loved.
I always add on olives, bread and broccoli because how could I resist delicious sides?
The best thing about Angelica as far as I'm concerned (apart from the views, the service and the amazing drinks) is the versatility of the place. Whether it's breakfast, a quick coffee, a meeting with your laptop out and a client, a swanky date night dinner or a girls night at the bar, they really do cater for all occasions throughout the day. I often sit here mid-week and take meetings, whilst on weekends it's my night out hot spot, but equally, you'll find me there on a Sunday brunching with the family. I even take my Mum to just catch up with a healthy green juice and a brownie (balance at its finest). It's not often that a place satisfies all needs but Angelica really does. I'm just gutted I didn't get round to writing this review sooner but I really wanted to make sure it was perfect.
Angelica isn't just about the food, it's an amazing cocktail bar in its own right (definitely the best in Leeds) so whether you're going for breakfast, brunch, a date night dinner or, a night out, make sure you grab a cocktail. I highly recommend the elderflower viviant and the cheesecake martini. Their cocktails are stunning and when people ask me where to go for a drink in Leeds, it's always Angelica. I always see people wandering in with all their shopping for a nice refreshing cocktail to finish a successful day.
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Have you ever visited Leeds? Have you seen me rave about Angelica? Do you like brunch, breakfast and dinner places? Do you eat out a lot?
Lots of love, Em x
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