Bab Tooma Leeds

Muhammara is the cold mezze to start with. Roasted red peppers blended with almonds, breadcrumbs, and warm spices — bright, nutty, with a gentle heat that builds as you tear through the accompanying bread. It captures the kitchen’s lighter side before the charcoal takes over.

Karen Yarek anchors the house specialties: whole aubergine stuffed with minced lamb, slow-baked in tomato sauce, and served over vermicelli rice scattered with toasted almonds. The Aleppo Style Kabab takes a different route — lamb mince over bread soaked in cherry sauce, sweet and smoky in equal measure. Sharing platters bring the full grill programme to the table for groups. Vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options run across every section of the menu, with separate plant-based and gluten-free menus available on request.

Bab Tooma does not serve alcohol. BYOB is welcomed without corkage, a detail regulars know well. The mocktail list fills the gap with real character — the Lemon and Mint arrives in a mason jar garnished with fresh herbs, crisp and cooling, available as a sharing pitcher for the table. The Strawberry Mojito offers a sweeter, fruitier alternative in the same format.

Hot drinks lean into tradition. The Arabic Tea Pot steeps cardamom and mint for a fragrant close to a meal, while the Saudi White Coffee Dallah — a light-bodied, spiced brew served from a traditional pot — is a genuine rarity in Leeds. Espresso-based coffee and signature milkshakes are available from the separate cafe menu. Soft drinks include the Kinza range, freshly squeezed juices, and free water refills.

The ceiling dominates. A dense canopy of artificial grapevine and ivy covers the entire room, threaded with Edison string lights and amber pendant lanterns hanging at different heights — closer to a Damascene courtyard than a suburban high street restaurant. Below, high-back carved wooden chairs in bold red-and-white kilim upholstery line dark polished wood tables. Mosaic artwork and traditional Arabic lanterns punctuate the walls, while a barrel-vaulted alcove with ochre-yellow and dark-grey striped archwork adds a Levantine flourish to one corner.

A red neon “Bab Tooma” sign glows against a lush foliage wall — the room’s most photographed feature. Outside, a full-width covered terrace spans the frontage beneath a dark awning, with marble-look stone balustrades along the pavement edge and Edison lights strung between wooden pergola posts.

Oakwood sits three miles north-east of Leeds city centre along Roundhay Road. Bab Tooma occupies a double-width shopfront near the Oakwood Clock, its dark teal fascia and cream-gold retro lettering hard to miss. Directly opposite lies Roundhay Park, one of Europe’s largest urban parks. Bus connections along Roundhay Road link Oakwood to the city centre in around fifteen minutes.

Oakwood Clock car park is a short walk away. Street parking is available on Roundhay Road and directly behind the restaurant.

Step-free entrance, wheelchair-accessible seating, and accessible toilets are all confirmed. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout. Gender-neutral toilets are also provided.

Monday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
Tuesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
Wednesday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
Thursday: 4:00 – 10:00 PM
Friday: 3:00 – 11:00 PM
Saturday: 12:00 – 11:00 PM
Sunday: 12:00 – 10:00 PM

Roundhay Park is the obvious next move. Cross Roundhay Road from the restaurant and you are at the edge of one of Europe’s largest urban parks — over 700 acres of formal gardens, woodland trails, and two large lakes. The Tropical World greenhouse complex sits within the park grounds and makes a strong family outing paired with an early dinner at Bab Tooma, which opens from midday on weekends. The Oakwood Clock area itself has a growing cluster of independent restaurants along the Roundhay Road corridor, making it easy to wander and explore before or after your meal. For a change of pace, the short bus ride back toward the city centre passes through Chapel Allerton, another of north Leeds’ popular neighbourhood dining strips worth a stop.