Last Sunday I was delighted to be invited for brunch at Fettle Café by the owners Simon & Kamil. For anyone that hasn’t come across Fettle yet, it’s nestled at the top of Great George Street, a peaceful street by Leeds LGI, which, on a sun drenched morning, is a lovely stroll to take you away from the hustle and bustle of town.

Excuse me… the sun was very bright

We arrived a little before 10am but even at this early hour (for a Sunday anyway!) there was already a bustling but relaxed Sunday morning atmosphere about the place. As it was such a warm morning we decided to leave Hector to chill at home but as a side note, for anyone who enjoys to brunch with their four legged friends, Fettle is dog friendly and so Hector will definitely be joining us at some point in the future! (You can find out all about dog friendly venues, including Fettle here My Dog Friendly Leeds)

The whole café has been lovingly transformed by Simon and Kamil and they have done an amazing job at creating a scandi style that is so welcoming and warm, with a mix of colourful modern print fabric chairs, stripped wood tables, industrial touches such as the crittal glass and a plethora of plants.

We were shown to a table at the rear of the café with a view across the busy hub of Sunday brunching folk and were immediately offered water which came in a bottle infused with cucumber – just what was called for after a stroll through town with the sun shining down! Having ordered some drinks we browsed the ‘Weekend Menu’ whilst enjoying the surroundings and, after much deliberation over the tempting range of dishes, eventually settled on our choices. I opted for a lighter brunch option of homemade flapjack granola, with peanut butter yoghurt, raspberry chia jam and banana (which is also gluten free). Dave chose a bigger brunch and one of his favourites, eggs royale, which was served with Staal smokehouse’s dill gravadlax on a sourdough toast.
Mine was the perfect choice for a warm Sunday morning – just the right balance of fresh and light whilst still feeling substantial. Dave equally enjoyed his eggs royale – beautifully presented and top quality ingredients. With brunch cleared we sat and enjoyed the  relaxed atmosphere whilst pondering holidays and chatting to the customers either side of us. Both couples had been visiting Leeds for the weekend and were loving the little independents they had found in the city.

Brunch Mains

Before heading off, Simon persuaded us to sample some of the cakes on offer, all of which were displayed at the front of the cafe.  Dave doesn’t need much persuading when it comes to food but I was already quite full from brunch and so was a little more reluctant at first (not wanting to over-indulge after the talk of beach holidays!). However I’m so glad I did as the homemade banana loaf it amazing and is a must for anyone with a sweet tooth.

Cake Cake Cake

Fettle also offer a fine dining menu on Thursday – Saturday evenings called Fine at Fettle, which offers a range of healthy Vegan and gluten free options. This is something I can’t wait to go back and try after sampling the delicious brunch menu as it shows their real passion for the food and dishes they create.

I think in a time of Brexit and the constant approval to be yourself, our independents are essential – it helps a City to be individual and retain its own identity rather than going on a City break to a new place only to find the same shops and restaurant chains that you find at home. Like many of you I would much rather spend my Sunday in a chilled atmosphere with friendly staff and engaging owners than a corporate chain of targets and micro managed menus. You can really feel the energy and enthusiasm in Fettle which comes from the owners and their passion/ drive for their business, which is a great atmosphere for a Sunday, or any day of the week for that matter, right?

 

 

This post was in collaboration with Fettle Cafe. They  very kindly invited me for brunch so I could experience their brunch. All the words, images, and opinions are my own.