I tried the family-friendly cafe-bar at White Rose in Leeds - and here's what I thought

It was the vibrant exterior that initially drew me and my sister into Bianco Lounge. It’s unmissable, the walls are a shade of pink and the venue is decked with many yellow lights.

I recall the outdoor space being rather busy when I visited the shopping centre in Beeston a few weeks ago, especially when the temperature was warmer.

But it was initially quiet the weekday evening we visited. Walking in, we were told to sit anywhere we liked and introduced to the menu.

Solo diners, couples, mother-daughter duos, siblings and big families soon joined us and it quickly became evident that the cafe-bar had achieved what it set out to be: a true family-friendly restaurant.

True to its description on the White Rose shopping centre’s website, the cafe-bar had something for everyone – a large breakfast menu, burgers, tapas and Mexican food as well as some noodle dishes.

It was incredible to see an entirely vegan and gluten-free menu, with more than just a few options, to cater for different dietary requirements.

We opted for the vegan bang bang cauliflower, which arrived a bigger portion that I had expected, with crispy fried cauliflower bites, noodles, pak choi, broccoli, mushroom and peas for £13.25. Cooked in a thick coconut sauce, the dish was overbearingly sweet but paired well with the other items we ordered.

My sister went for the black bean and sweetcorn salsa quesadillas made with mature cheddar, before we noticed it was only available as a tapas dish. She then ordered the Lebanese falafel flatbread with hummus, tomato and red pepper salsa for £8.75.

The two bites of the quesadillas were delightful and paired nicely with a well-made spicy tomato dipping sauce. But the flatbread was a little difficult to cut into and bite, and the dish felt a little bland despite the amount of hummus, salsa and pickled onions it came with.

With a few fries on the side and a non-alcoholic drink, the bill came to a total of £39.10 – a very affordable price especially in comparison to its neighbouring restaurants.

The service was quick – maybe even quicker than the fast-food restaurants inside the shopping centre. In about half-an-hour, we had ordered, been served and finished our meal.

In this little time, we took in the space. Bianco Lounge is from the West Country-based cafe and bar group Loungers and mirrors the look and feel of its sister cafe and bar Caballero Lounge, located in Thorpe Park.

And its nice. The laid-back nature of the space makes it an ideal place for casual hangouts, whether it be a breakfast before popping into the shops downstairs, a quick drink with friends or a meal with the family after a long day.

The front-of-house staff also sell a really comfortable experience and its such experiences that keep customers coming back and just for that, we will be.

Factfile

Address: White Rose Shopping Centre, Unit RU15, Leeds LS11 8LU

Telephone: 0113 831 5849

Opening hours: Monday-Sunday, 9am-11pm

Website: https://thelounges.co.uk/bianco/

Scores

Food: 7/10

Value: 9/10

Atmosphere: 8/10

Service: 9/10