I love discovering great new places in areas of Leeds that I wouldn’t normally go to. It would never occur to me to turn left out of the train station, along Whitehall Road, to enjoy an evening out with friends but there are plenty of lovely restaurants and bars in this area, many of them having only popped up in the last couple of years or so.

In the same way that I could now easily spend an afternoon or night out in Granary Wharf, Wellington Place and the surrounding area has become a vibrant hub and I expect it will continue to grow and become a more popular location for eating and drinking.

I found myself in Wellington Place last week after receiving an invitation to eat at The Good Luck Club. Owned by the same people who run Sociable Folk, a coffee shop also located within Wellington Place, The Good Luck Club offers food throughout the day, from breakfast to early evening.

With New York inspired interiors (I had to resist the urge to run my hands against the wall – you look odd if you do that) the restaurant and bar manages both a friendly lunch and a cool after work drinks vibe. Apparently ingredients are sourced from local suppliers and are cooked fresh on a charcoal grill in the open plan kitchen.

We were treated to a sample of some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes, meaning I got to try their beef and chicken burgers (served on a brioche bun and both delicious), juicy butter and lemon salmon fillet, chargrilled halloumi and vegetable skewers, tender steak and very naughty fries.

The bar serves wine, draught beers, ciders, bottled beers and spirits, as well as Maude coffee and tea from the Brew Tea co.

The surrounding area outside The Good Luck Club is surprisingly nice, with plenty of grassy spaces and places to sit. The mixed-use park (offices, residential, retail and leisure) is being pushed as a place for good lifestyle, health and wellbeing.

It’s funny to think that Wellington Place wasn’t always there. I visited the music shop PMT (ridiculous name for a shop) in this area often, but am already beginning to forget what’s new and what’s been around forever.

At Wellington Place there’s also Veeno, the wine cafe that I visited recently, which is a lovely bar for date night or catching up with friends. A little further along the road back towards the train station there’s Buca di Pizza – their “all you can eat” plus prosecco deal, which I’ve previously blogged about, is brilliant. I’ve also heard good things about Mans Market and the Soap Factory looks like a rather snazzy place for cocktails.

With more and more additions popping up this side of the train station, I’m sure it will become an increasingly popular leisure destination.

Thanks to Glenn Cooper and Stacey Needham, owners of The Good Luck Club, and Only Beattie for inviting me to this event.