If watching Great British Menu has made you curious about the chefs and restaurants behind the programme, there is a Leeds restaurant worth discovering: Kerala Canteen.
Led by chef Bobby Geetha, Kerala Canteen brings the flavours of Kerala together with contemporary cooking, sharing-style dining and ingredients associated with Yorkshire and the wider UK food scene.
Bobby Geetha appeared on Great British Menu in 2022, representing the North East and Yorkshire region. His culinary career also includes an appearance on MasterChef: The Professionals and experience working in prestigious kitchens internationally.
Today, his culinary vision continues at Kerala Canteen, where traditional Kerala flavours meet a modern Leeds dining experience.
Kerala Canteen is now featured in the British Indian Good Food Guide’s Top 100 Indian Restaurants 2025 and is listed as one of the leading Indian restaurants in the West Yorkshire and Leeds region.
Who Is Bobby Geetha from Great British Menu?
Bobby Geetha is a Kerala-born chef, consultant and restaurateur who has built a career around modern interpretations of Indian cuisine.
He gained national attention through MasterChef: The Professionals before appearing on Great British Menu in 2022. During the North East and Yorkshire heat, Bobby competed alongside other chefs from the region.
His cooking career has also included experience in internationally recognised kitchens, helping shape an approach that combines Indian culinary traditions with modern restaurant techniques.
At Kerala Canteen, that experience is channelled into a menu that remains rooted in Kerala while offering something different from a conventional Indian restaurant.
The focus is not on removing the identity of Indian food.
Instead, it is about showcasing the depth and variety of Kerala cuisine in a contemporary format.
What Makes Kerala Canteen Different from Other Indian Restaurants in Leeds?
Leeds has a diverse Indian dining scene, but Kerala Canteen takes a distinctly regional approach.
Rather than offering a broad pan-Indian menu, the restaurant focuses on flavours inspired by Kerala, a coastal state in southern India known for ingredients and cooking traditions involving coconut, curry leaves, black pepper, tamarind, seafood and aromatic spices.
The restaurant combines these flavours with contemporary presentation and a sharing-led dining format.
Its modern South Indian menu includes small plates, curry bowls, biryanis, sides and desserts, giving diners the opportunity to try several dishes during one meal.
For visitors searching for an Indian restaurant in Leeds, this makes Kerala Canteen particularly appealing if they want to explore something beyond the familiar curry-house menu.
From Great British Menu to Modern Kerala Dining in Leeds
Bobby Geetha’s appearance on Great British Menu helped introduce his cooking to a wider audience, but his culinary philosophy extends beyond television.
At Kerala Canteen, the emphasis is on celebrating Kerala’s food culture while creating dishes that work for a contemporary Leeds audience.
The menu includes familiar ingredients and techniques from Kerala alongside modern interpretations and locally relevant influences.
The result is a dining experience that is distinctly Kerala without feeling restricted by tradition.
For anyone searching for a Great British Menu chef restaurant in Leeds, this connection provides an interesting reason to visit — but the food itself is the main attraction.
A Kerala Tapas-Style Experience
One of Kerala Canteen’s defining features is its approach to sharing.
Instead of ordering one large starter and one main course, diners can explore several smaller dishes before moving on to curry bowls, biryanis and sides.
This makes the restaurant particularly well suited to groups, date nights and diners who want to try several flavours in one sitting.
The current Kerala Canteen menu includes a selection of small plates and signature dishes inspired by Kerala cuisine.
The restaurant also offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free choices, with dietary information provided across the menu.
What Should You Order at Kerala Canteen?
If it is your first visit, ordering several dishes to share is a good way to experience the menu.
Here are some of the dishes worth looking out for.
Trivandrum Fried Chicken
Inspired by Trivandrum, the capital city of Kerala, this crispy fried chicken brings together the restaurant’s focus on bold seasoning and shareable dining.
It is a good starting point for diners who are new to Kerala cuisine but enjoy familiar ingredients with a different flavour profile.
Crispy Curry Leaf Calamari
Curry leaves are closely associated with South Indian cooking, and this dish combines them with lightly coated calamari and curry mayonnaise.
It is a seafood-focused small plate that reflects Kerala’s coastal culinary identity.
Gunpowder Potatoes
The restaurant’s gunpowder potatoes are triple-cooked hasselback potatoes tossed with gunpowder spice.
They work particularly well as a side to curry bowls or as part of a sharing-style meal.
Beef & Bone Marrow Curry
The Beef & Bone Marrow Curry is one of Kerala Canteen’s signature dishes.
Rich, slow-cooked and deeply spiced, it showcases the restaurant’s approach to bold Kerala flavours.
Pair it with Canteen Porotta, the restaurant’s flaky layered flatbread, for a combination that highlights the richness of the curry.
Chilli & Tamarind Cauliflower
For a vegetarian option, the Chilli & Tamarind Cauliflower combines crisp cauliflower with chilli and tamarind.
The sweet, sour and spicy combination makes it a useful addition to a table ordering several dishes to share.
Kerala Meets Yorkshire: The Sunday Ultra Roast
Kerala Canteen has also put its own spin on one of Britain’s best-known meals.
The Sunday Ultra Roast combines South Indian flavours with the traditional Yorkshire pudding.
The current version features slow-braised and roasted T-bone steak, beef and bone marrow curry, chilli and tamarind cauliflower and gunpowder hasselback potatoes, all served inside a large Yorkshire pudding.
It is a particularly good example of the restaurant’s wider approach: take a familiar British dining tradition and reinterpret it through Kerala flavours.
The Sunday Ultra Roast is currently available on Sundays, with the restaurant recommending advance booking because portions are limited.
What About Drinks at Kerala Canteen?
The Kerala-inspired approach continues beyond the food.
Kerala Canteen’s drinks programme includes cocktails and other drinks influenced by ingredients commonly associated with Indian and Kerala cooking, including spices, ginger, turmeric, coconut and jaggery.
This gives diners another way to experience familiar Kerala ingredients in a contemporary format.
For visitors looking for a modern Indian restaurant in Leeds rather than a traditional curry house, the combination of food and drinks makes the overall experience particularly distinctive.
Is Kerala Canteen One of the UK’s Top Indian Restaurants?
Kerala Canteen is featured in the British Indian Good Food Guide’s Top 100 Indian Restaurants 2025.
The guide describes the restaurant as a contemporary South Indian dining destination, highlighting its small plates, coastal influences and informal character.
Kerala Canteen also states that it is ranked #3 in Yorkshire and Leeds.
These recognitions add credibility, but they are not the only reason to visit.
The restaurant’s main point of difference is its focus on Kerala cuisine and its modern, sharing-led approach to Indian dining.
Why Visit Kerala Canteen in Leeds?
There are plenty of reasons to add Kerala Canteen to your Leeds food itinerary.
You might visit because you have watched Bobby Geetha on Great British Menu.
You might be looking for a Kerala restaurant in Leeds and want to experience South Indian cuisine.
You might simply want to try something different from the standard curry-and-naan format.
Or you might be looking for a restaurant where several people can share a variety of dishes.
Kerala Canteen brings all of these elements together in a modern restaurant setting in Leeds city centre.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bobby Geetha a Great British Menu chef?
Yes. Bobby Geetha competed on Great British Menu in 2022, representing the North East and Yorkshire region.
Is Kerala Canteen owned or led by Bobby Geetha?
Bobby Geetha is closely associated with the culinary direction of Kerala Canteen and works alongside the restaurant’s wider kitchen team. The restaurant’s current website identifies Chef Abdulla Khader Allingal Siddique as its Executive Head Chef, working with Bobby Geetha on the modern interpretation of Kerala cuisine.
What type of food does Kerala Canteen serve?
Kerala Canteen serves modern South Indian and Kerala-inspired food, including sharing plates, curry bowls, biryanis, sides and desserts.
Is Kerala Canteen a tapas restaurant?
Kerala Canteen uses a tapas-style, sharing-led approach to dining. Guests can order several smaller Kerala-inspired dishes to share before moving on to curry bowls and other larger dishes.
What are the best dishes to try at Kerala Canteen?
Popular dishes and current menu highlights include Trivandrum Fried Chicken, Crispy Curry Leaf Calamari, Gunpowder Potatoes, Beef & Bone Marrow Curry and Canteen Porotta. The menu changes, so it is worth checking the latest Kerala Canteen menu before visiting.
Does Kerala Canteen offer vegetarian and vegan options?
Yes. The restaurant offers vegetarian and vegan dishes, with dietary information shown on its menu. Guests with allergies or specific dietary requirements should speak to the restaurant before ordering.
Does Kerala Canteen serve a Sunday roast?
Yes. Kerala Canteen currently serves its Sunday Ultra Roast, which combines a Yorkshire pudding with T-bone steak, beef and bone marrow curry and South Indian-inspired sides.
Where is Kerala Canteen in Leeds?
Kerala Canteen is located at 5 St Peter’s Street, Leeds, LS9 8AQ, close to BBC Leeds, Leeds Playhouse and First Direct Arena.
Should I book Kerala Canteen in advance?
Advance booking is recommended, particularly for weekends, Sunday dining, theatre nights and larger groups.
Visit Kerala Canteen in Leeds
If you have discovered Bobby Geetha through Great British Menu and want to experience his culinary work in Leeds, Kerala Canteen is a natural place to start.
But you do not need to be a Great British Menu viewer to enjoy it.
With Kerala-inspired flavours, modern South Indian cooking, sharing plates and Yorkshire influences, the restaurant offers a different way to experience Indian food in Leeds.
Explore the Kerala Canteen menu, choose several dishes to share and discover the flavours of Kerala for yourself.
