It’s hard to imagine you are right in the centre of the city when you encapsulate yourself in the atmosphere and design of The Botanist.

With its back to nature rustic and very clever design it is a vibrant but relaxing place with a touch of sophistication.

The two outside terraces are beautifully lit, comfortable and warm even in the most wet and inclement weather. They are modern yet upbeat but retain that rustic feel.

This is the place to enjoy the Botanists unique botanical cocktails and there’s a whole list to choose from.

This simple décor of a potting shed extends throughout the restaurant with wooden tables, lamps suspended from the ceiling, hanging plants and dried herbs giving a superb intimate atmosphere. This is the place to enjoy the Botanists unique botanical cocktails and there’s a whole list to choose from.

The Botanist is blessed with a great staff who are helpful and friendly and who put service and attention to detail at the top of their ‘to do’ list.

After a friendly welcome we settled ourselves in this rather quaint and quirky atmosphere which makes dining so enjoyable.

The Botanist’s menu is large and full of choices for everyone including a very good selection of vegan and vegetarian options.

For a starter I decided on the Crispy Mushrooms. These were truly like no other. It was a large portion and came with a well-presented salad. The mushrooms were really crispy and coated in polenta which gave them an even crispier taste. Served with a truffle mustard mayo on the side I found these the perfect starter.

My colleague’s Gambas Pil Pil were just to his liking. The king prawns were perfectly cooked in a spicy garlic butter with a strong taste of chilli. Served with a sourdough bread this balanced out the taste.

You cannot visit the Botanist without trying their hanging Kebabs – one of which is sold every three minutes at their restaurants. My colleague chose the new to the menu Chicken Tika Hanging Kebab accompanied by a flat bread and ordinary chips. The meat was tender and succulent, and he was amazed at how the way the dish worked with the sauce drizzling over the the kebab through a hole at the top of the stand so you don’t have to dip your kebab into the sauce.

My choice was another best seller the Cheeseburger. The thick and juicy burger was made with tasty pulled beef. The cheddar cheese tasted like cheese and not like plastic and I loved how crispy the onions were. I ordered a side-salad that was loaded with every salad ingredient and some delicious chips that were beautifully cooked – crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Harking back to his childhood times my colleague just couldn’t resist the Knickerbocker Glory. This nostalgic indulgence was just as it should be with ice cream, peach slices, raspberry coulis, choc sauce, whipped cream and nuts.

My choice of Banoffee Sundae did not disappoint. It was just so delicious and had shades of a banana split but was much tastier. I loved the caramelised banana which blended beautifully with the Biscoff biscuit crumb and chocolate sauce.

The Botanist has a certain feeling of nostalgia about it and one that makes you feel as if you want to come back again soon – its just a hidden gem in the hub of the city.

The outside terraces are great for drinks and cocktails and are dog friendly. There’s more than just food and drink at The Botanist once a month on the first  Wednesday there’s bingo and live music on Friday and Saturday.

The Botanist  67 Board Lane, Leeds. Tel: 0113 2905 3240

Open: Monday to Thursday 12pm – 12am; Friday and Saturday 12am to 1.00am; Sunday 12pm – 11.pm.