I visited Moose Coffee in Leeds, an American inspired brunch spot which offers familiar staples like buttermilk pancakes, potato hashes, and half a dozen variations on Eggs Benedict. It’s hard to go too far wrong, but hard to impress much either!
Read more: Moose Coffee Leeds: Affordable, Enjoyable, A Little UnderwhelmingDisclaimer: I can only review what I experience! I don’t know if I picked the best things on the menu or the worst – if this was a perfect service or on an understaffed nightmare. All I can do is talk about what I saw.
Moose Coffee is a small chain with half a dozen locations across Northern England, they’ve been bringing their take on US/Canadian breakfast culture to Leeds since 2019. Their branding is heavy-handed but manages to stay on the side of cute rather than cloying. The antler light fittings and random scattering of “Moose” through the menu are balanced out by an otherwise practical and welcoming layout and the rather charming mugs with an embossed antler design.
My stack of buttermilk pancakes were decent without being remarkable, fluffy and generously proportioned but a little lacking on the butter. The spiced apple was a delightful tease, half a dozen slices fragrant with cinnamon which melted away on the tongue all too quickly – leaving me with the bulk of my portion to get through without their accompaniment. Their was little sign of the promised caramel sauce but the jug of maple syrup on the side meant it was little missed.
My boyfriend’s side of grilled halloumi was under-seasoned and a little undercooked on one side, but certainly not unenjoyable.
The first mocha I ordered was either a mix up or so stingy with chocolate that I mistook it for a cappuccino. The replacement was at least recognisable as a mocha but lacked either the richness or the punch of bitterness which makes a good mocha such a joy.
At £15 per head it’s hard to feel disappointed. As is so often the case with brunch places the food sticks to comfort foods and crowd-pleasing classics without trying to venture outside the box. Don’t expect to have your mind blown or palate broadened – but if you’re looking for a reliable American-style brunch spot you won’t be disappointed.
Accessibility
The Good
- The café has no steps (either inside or to get to the front door)
- Based in the city centre it’s easily accessible by public transport or taxi
- The light level is decent, bright enough to easily see without being overstimulating
The Bad
- Due to the layout of the room the background noise was on the high side, the restaurant was near capacity so I was probably hearing this at its worst
- While it was gender neutral, the bathroom wasn’t accessible
The Frustrating
- This restaurant could so easily be fully wheelchair accessible, but the crowded floorplan means that some areas would need chairs moving out of the way to get larger wheelchairs through.
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