The Best Restaurants in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom (2025)

Booked a table for 8, the staff and service was excellent. Great advice on the number of items to order, 4 per couple which worked out perfectly. The paella for 2 went down very well. The 3 ladies serving ensured the dishes flowed well. Even a little room for the house special cheesecake, which was delicious. Order your paella first as it is cooked fresh and can take 30/40 mins, then plan your other dishes.

I’m Spanish and went for dinner here tonight with the family. I get tired of Spanish restaurants claiming to be authentic and dishing up rubbish, but this is absolutely the real deal thank God 🙏. Firstly, the staff are super friendly. Jose and his wife come out frequently to check on their guests. The food is fantastic, really good. The iberico croquettes, meatballs and calamari, all to die for. And then of course the paellas. Fabulous. We had such a good meal and time and will definitely be regulars here 🇪🇸🤗🙌 Fenomenal Jose 👏

Wow! What a hidden gem! Fantastic Spanish tapas and lovely wine. The staff were professional and friendly. It was a pleasure to meet Jose and his wife Sofia. The food was all homemade and authentic...just one regret that we didn't leave enough room for dessert. We will definitely return.

Fantastic experience, family run business with great attentive staff. Food is excellent and some of the best tapas outside of Spain. Good selection of core menu and a specials which change. Food comes out at a nice pace and is relaxed. Restaurant isn’t huge so a nice cosy feel.

Stopped off on a whim whilst out shopping and what can we say? We will be back one hundred percent. Smash burgers were stunning and the chicken parmo was best I’ve had that’s not in the north east. Well done Mr T’s ✅👍🤝❤️

Always a great experience, interior decor has an American diner feel to it, staff are polite, friendly and hard working and the food speaks for itself! Always consistent, I’ve been in probably a dozen times and ordered on Ubereats and the food is always great quality and value for money. Kudos to you all you’re doing a fantastic job and providing a great service Ma’Sha’Allah!!

Food here is beautiful, stunning place to eat! Very well decorated. Bad boy boxes can highly recommend 😍 Jasmine who served us was really nice and professional! Will definitely be back again 💜

Lovely place! Jasmine is very nice and played with my two year old The food is great and clean! We get our pizza always from here🩷

Family run, simple food but so tasty and so well cooked. Although a limited menu the food was all excellent. And great value too. The aubergine starter was very vice. My favourite was the vine leaves could of eaten lots of those. The chicken and lamb kebabs were so nice. They apparently even do a collection take out so I think we will be definitely eating there again. The Baklava was very nice and I don't even like nuts.

I craved Persian food because I wanted the comfort of feeling at home, with someone cooking for me, and Rivas delivered exactly that. The food was excellent—fresh, perfectly prepared, and full of flavor. The staff was incredibly friendly, and the cozy atmosphere added to the experience. The prices were very reasonable, and the portions were just right.

Rivas Grill House offers an exceptional dining experience. The enchanting atmosphere, adorned with Persian rugs and lanterns, transports you to Iran. The staff is attentive, professional, and genuinely warm, enhancing the overall experience. The food is a culinary masterpiece, with perfectly seasoned kebabs, fragrant saffron rice and delicious appetizers like chicken wings and fresh salads. Desserts such as baklava with Persian black tea provide a heavenly ending. Each dish bursts with rich, authentic flavours and is beautifully presented. Overall, Rivas excels in every aspect, making it a must-visit for anyone who lives in Wakefield or nearby seeking the finest Persian cuisine.

Wonderful restaurant. Fantastic food & atmosphere. Loved it will go back. Main courses £12 - 16.

Food: Ordered a sharing platter for two, just for myself. The meat is so tasty, succulent and melt-in-the-mouth that I NEED as much of it as possible. The puddings are fantastic too, I'd recommend the Baklava, really the most delicious pudding I've ever had. Service: Waiters visit tables quickly after you arrive and come back regularly for more orders. All the staff are friendly and cheerful, even making jokes. Food is served in good time and presented smartly. Prices are reasonable and absolutely worth it. Atmosphere: The restaurant is window- fronted, so there's plenty of natural light during the day. The indoor lighting is warm and relaxing. The kitchen is visible from the seating area so you can see and smell the food being prepared. The decor is wood, brick and plants on the walls. There are even positive neon motifs on the walls like "Good vibes only". The seating is comfortable and soft, the tables are solid and stable. Overall very inviting and friendly. I have been here a number of times with friends, having traveled long distance just to come here. You HAVE to try this place, and you'll see what I mean.

Our first time visiting Aya Wakefield and they are FANTASTIC!! The funniest, most thoughtful staff, nothing was too much to ask. A fantastic atmosphere, decor was spot on and the service was first class. We will be returning very very soon! Thank you!!

Very nice place with friendly staff! The food was amazing and I can only recommend it! We will be back again.

Such an amazing place! The food was epic and the atmosphere was welcoming! Every course of the meal was perfect and if you struggle to decide, ask for a recommendation you will not be disappointed! The Baklava, Raki and Turkish Tea/Coffee was the perfect way to end the experience! Great place for any occasion! Cannot not wait to return!

Excellent quality food and fantastic service. All the meats were excellent and the staff kept bringing more. There’s a pleasant self-service salad/buffet bar too. It was basically empty on our afternoon visit so we got excellent personal service and everything cooked specifically for us. The minted lamb was my personal favourite. We will be back.

We bought a gift voucher 50% off and we eager to try. The salad bar had everything you need, everything was fresh and continuously being topped up. The best bit for me was unlimited peppercorn sauce yummy! The halal meats were good I think only a few options weren't served to us as they weren't halal. My favourite was the garlic steak. Garlic bread was amazing and they even bought chips to the table. Im not too happy with the 10% charge and the charity donation as this wasn't discussed. The hot pineapple was great. I enjoyed and would return. Parking is an issue!

Generally good service with a smile. The various meats available were very good and tasty although the gammon was excessively salty. The salad bar had a very nice selection but the hot choices were lacking. The Sticky Toffee pudding was delicious. A reasonable choice of beers but I expected more South American beers on the list.

Went here for our wedding anniversary.Service absolutely fantastic,food was absolutely lovely ,really enjoyed ourselves,can’t wait to go again!

You can't go wrong with 3 courses for £19.95 where you can get steak as a main! The value for money at rustico always shocks me. The portions are massive, and the food is always delicious 😋 Pictured are their ribeye steak and crab ravioli (from the specials menu), as well as their creamy mushrooms starter and tiramisu dessert 😍 All of the food was amazing, and I definitely left with a full belly 🤣 I'd definitely recommend this restaurant for good authentic Italian food with a rustic feel and a lovely atmosphere. It's a great place for a meet-up with friends, a family vibe, or even a date night! I honestly can't rave enough about this place... If you're in Wakefield, you need to check this place out if you haven't already Check out more of my reviews on Facebook and Instagram - @mallya.food

We came here for a family meal on a Sunday lunchtime and really enjoyed the experience. The staff are friendly and welcoming and accommodating to families. The restaurant decor has a charming rustic appeal. We ordered pizzas, and spaghetti with meatballs. The food was delicious, and generous portions and very good value for money. We will definitely go again! Thank you 🙏😊

They really look after you here. Very nice complimentary bread and dip while you read the menu, and prices are very competitive. A family could spend half as much compared to going to somewhere like Pizza Express. One point I did think was strange, though: the two course Sunday lunch set menu was £16.95 which is very reasonable, but the main courses only cost around £8. So it was cheaper to get two mains than a starter and a main course.

On Friday night, we actually tried to go to Fino up the road, but they were fully booked up, and they recommended us to come here. So we walked down and gave it a go. On arrival, they had no tables available, but they gave us their word they'd get a table within 5 minutes, and true it was. It was extremely busy. The service was surprisingly quick. I ordered the Mozzarella in Carrozza and the Calzone. (See Pictures) Prior to the food arriving, we were again pleasantly surprised, given complimentary bread, butter, and a tomato based dip that set the mood nicely. The food itself was a decent portion, reasonably priced and tasty! I didn't give it 5 stars because I've had better Calzone's, but it was still decent, and for what you get, you can't go wrong. You could tell this restaurant gets its regular attenders and for a reputation to have that loyal customer base it shows the service and commitment the staff give to make it a great experience 👏 I would recommend giving this place a go, and on the bonus side, it won't burn a hole in your pocket.

Lovely little restaurant serving top quality classics, often with a twist. Come here relatively regularly, always very good. They are very accommodating for our children, we come with a toddler to an early sitting and the staff are amazing with her.

Fantastic place with excellent food, efficient service and very good value for money. I had a starter (pigs in blankets), a beautifully cooked pork belly with a celeriac slaw and a cheese board for dessert for just over £25. Fantastic.

Never had a bad meal here. The best Sunday roast in Yorkshire puddings to die for! Starters are a must i can never manage a pudding as well but they looks special. Staff are very attentive.

We received a voucher from our letting agents to try a local restaurant. We really enjoyed our meal . We had some snacks, starters, mains and an extra side . I had an aperitif drink and a wine , my husband had a cider . Without the voucher it would have been around £75. Service was good at arrival and throughout but slow in the end when wanting to pay. It’s a pretty restaurant with a nice atmosphere. I’d recommend as a good restaurant in Wakefield.

I had my birthday bottomless brunch here yesterday with 7 friends and overall the food and service was amazing! The chicken curry was so tender and our drinks were replaced as soon as we had empties even though it was very busy. This is my 3rd time at Spicy Biker and I would definitely recommend, they will always accommodate your needs and the family who run the restaurant are wonderful!

Best fish pakora I've ever had. It melted in the mouth. Recommend the bhajis too. It was all truly excellent!

This place came highly recommended, and with good reason. Best onion bahji we've ever had. Best curry too. Reasonably priced, lovely, lovely staff and cool venue. Absolutely spot on. Will be back with the kids next time for the bottomless brunch 😊

Agree with the vast majority of reviews. We visited for the first time tonight as a party of 6. Excellent value for money. Top service and loads of atmosphere.

Top quality food with extremely generous portion sizes, luckily they provided us with some takeaway boxes for our leftovers. Looking forward to my birthday so I've an excuse to go again 😊

Came for a quick margarita cocktail.Initial confusion when the serving person thought I wanted a pizza,lol.Price was reasonable. Service very friendly. Margarita was gorgeous.

Really good food and a nice area

Well well we have a nandos competitor and id say it's quite equal in portion size and flavours. Yes same types of flavours , same small portions, but enough to get you thru lunch till tea time. Chips are just disgusting frozen types so don't order them . If they had skin on fries it would compliment the rest of the food nicely. Rice bowls are quite small though Halloumi is rubbery and squeaky in the mouth. And not much flavour had been imparted into it. But the flavours are definitely there in the whole meal and I would try this place again .

Wonderful place to eat, great quality of food lovely ambiance and meat just slides of the bone. It has a good variety on the menu not totally overbearing but enough to suit most people’s needs and it’s halal.

Came here on a quiet later afternoon. Great service, great food. My only feedback would be little longer for the food to hear up into the centre Great taste, would come back