The Gatehouse

A great place to stop for a cuppa and a cake after a stroll around the Abbey or a visit to the Museum.

The cakes are really delicious and generously portioned and the savoury food is nice too, although a bit pricey.

The surroundings are so beautiful, gorgeous architecture and if its a nice day you can sit outside on one of the tables on the patio area, surrounded by lovely flowers and with a view of the Abbey over the road.

So come for an afternoon in lovely Kirkstall and refresh yourself at the Gatehouse!

It's been a fair while since I went in the Gatehouse and we happened to get hungry nearby today, on a fantastic winter walk with the family. Sunday is a good day to call in, as they feature a roast dinner, so we figured we'd try it out. The venue is amazing, nicely spaced tables and two beautifully restored rooms. I noted the menu was small but perfectly formed. My wife and son had grilled sandwiches and he managed to wolf down his very tasty looking lemon drizzle cake before his chicken and chorizo wrap arrived. I opted for the roast beef and it was a good choice. Very slow roasted brisket arrived in a long chunky strip, accompanied with mashed swede, roast potatoes, mange tout and a very yummy Yorkshire. The gravy was fantastic, no doubt thanks to all that slow roasting and I think it'll not be long before we return. Special mention of the pistachio cake, sadly not available today, but if it's on then grab a slice...you won't be disappointed.

The Gatehouse has had it's ups and downs over the years. In late 2007, when Boutique took over, it was a huge step change in quality. It went from being a tired old council cafe into a wonderful environment with quality food and great beverages. It grew better and better over the next years, opening early for weekend breakfasts which were unbeatable and lunchtimes feature a steady popular menu with fantastic 'interesting' specials. Wonderful stews, curries, Fish dishes, pies, ploughmans etc.
Sadly, through 2010 I noticed the menu become smaller, specials are rare and the quality has really slipped. A few times I have ordered Sunday Lunches and the meat has been fatty and thin. Fishcakes have a high potato content and the salad portions with meals are laughable. The childrens menu is also a shadow of it's former self.
The staff are wonderful, but it would be great to see Boutique ramp the quality up to the levels of when they started. It's not impossible as we often visit the City Museum and Boutique are doing a great job there.