Zoom at Hyatt Hotel, Leeds – Restaurant Review
By Kirsty Reid, May 2025
When it comes to eating out in Leeds, you’re spoilt for choice, with new restaurants popping up regularly. Enter Zoom bar and restaurant – a new addition to the city’s vibrant culinary scene.
Nestled on the ground floor of Hyatt Place in Sovereign Square, Zoom is just a stone’s throw from the train station, making it the perfect pit stop for commuters.
Visiting on a Saturday lunchtime, the bar is bustling, but the restaurant less so. Perhaps the word is still getting out about this sleek new eatery.
While open to all, the restaurant aims to become the go-to destination for business professionals and commuters – think working lunches, client meetings, and after-hours networking.
From the moment you walk in, Zoom offers a warm and welcoming vibe, with attentive staff ready to show you to your table.
“Modern twist”
Pendant lights add a touch of intimacy to the otherwise spacious dining area, and the carefully curated colour scheme of blue, black, white, and yellow gives off a chic city vibe. Bold-framed prints and modern ornaments add to the cool, laid-back atmosphere.
With only a wine and cocktail list available, it wasn’t easy to know what non-alcoholic drinks were on offer. But we order a lemonade (me) and shandy with no problem – ideal refreshments for the balmy weather.
As for the food menu, Zoom offers a modern twist on global cuisine, with a strong Asian influence.
Head chef Angelina Au brings 30 years of experience, having honed her craft in five-star hotels and some of the UK’s top restaurants. So, I had high hopes for the food here.
To start, I ordered the bao bun sliders (£8). The two buns were generously filled with tender beef brisket, lettuce, and tomato. The bun was more brioche-like than bao, but still made for a delicious starter.
“Packed a punch”
Kyle’s chicken wings (£8) were just as good. Coated in a spicy teriyaki glaze, they packed a punch without being too hot.
For my main course, I chose the spicy beef wrap (£13). Light yet filling, the wrap was packed with a crunchy, Asian-style salad. It came with a side of vegetable crisps, something I’d not had the pleasure of trying until now. They were light, crunchy, and surprisingly moreish.
Kyle enjoyed his pan-seared salmon (£17), which was cooked to perfection. Think buttery flakes that crumble at the touch of a fork. The dish was served with a rich, garlicky spinach and lemon sauce, which complemented the fish beautifully.
Kyle’s roasted garlic portobello mushrooms (£6) side was nice, but fell short on the promised garlic flavour.
“Indulgent”
When it came to dessert, we had six mouth-watering options to choose from.
A chocolate lover, I was torn between the popcorn rocky road sundae and the chocolate sizzler brownie. After changing my mind more times than I’d like to admit, I eventually settled on the latter (£8), and had no regrets. Served warm with a drizzle of chocolate sauce and a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, it was as much a treat for the eyes as it was for the taste buds.
Kyle opted for the Baileys cheesecake (£8), which, to our surprise, was a baked version – something the menu failed to mention. It was delicious nonetheless. Creamy and indulgent, it paired well with the salted caramel ice cream.
Whether you’re in Leeds for business or pleasure, Zoom is worth a visit – a stylish, centrally located gem in this foodie-friendly city.
Zoom, 2 Sovereign St, Sovereign Square, Leeds, LS1 4DA
Breakfast: 6:30am–9:00am (weekdays), 7:00am–10:00am (weekends)
All-day menu: 11:30am–9:30pm (Monday–Saturday)
Sunday Roast: 11:00am–5:00pm, then dinner until 9:30pm
Reservations: hyatt.com
Kirsty has spent nearly 20 years grappling words, first in arts and events, then as a sub-editor for national magazines and newspapers. Now working in communications, she crafts messages that cut through the noise. She satisfies her creative appetite by writing about food, theatre and travel, sometimes accompanied by her trusty whippet, Willow.
