During my visit to Leon, a company that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I was quite impressed by their sustainable credentials and their bright and bold branding. It was refreshingly unique.
I learnt that Leon was founded back in 2004 by John Vincent, Henry Dimbleby and Allegra McEvedy. They'll always hold a special place in London as that's where they opened their first Leon restaurant, named after John Vincent's father - I found that quite endearing. What's amazing is that within six months, they earned the title of Best New Restaurant in Great Britain - that's impressive! It comes as no surprise that they started growing rapidly and now have over 60 locations across 6 countries. If you want to know more, their website is a treasure trove of information: https://leon.co/.
Where Did I Find a Leon Restaurant?
Leon has a large presence in the United Kingdom. During my visit, I noticed well-established locations across many major towns and cities including:
- London
- Bath
- Birmingham
- Chelmsford
- Leeds
- Manchester
- Milton Keynes
- Northampton
- Oxford
London is teeming with Leon restaurants, and they can be easily found in airports and large shopping centres like Cheshire Oaks and Bluewater. It's worth mentioning that they've gone global with restaurants in the Republic of Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, India, and the United States.
Does Leon Deliver?
Yes! And isn't it great when you can have delish food delivered right at home? Almost all Leon outlets offer delivery, upping the convenience and comfort game!
Drive-thrus at Leon
A small selection of Leon stores has a drive-thru service - the ultimate convenience when in a rush. It's worth mentioning that these aren't all that common as most of them are located in city centres, train stations, airports, or shopping centres, where drive-thrus aren't always feasible. But it appears that they're planning to expand this service - something to look forward to.
Leon's Opening hours
Typically, Leon is open from 6:30am to 10pm Monday to Saturday, and 9am to 9pm on Sundays but this can vary so it's best to check beforehand. The hours can vary based on the location of the restaurant, especially if they're inside shopping centres, train stations or airports.
Vegetarians at Leon
Being a vegetarian myself, I loved how inclusive the menu at Leon was. I specifically enjoyed the Green Shakshuka & Halloumi from the breakfast menu and the Grilled Halloumi Wrap from the all day menu. Well, I did overindulge!
Vegan Options at Leon
They've got quite an impressive range of vegan food options too. And the Autumn Mezze Salad? Absolutely delightful! They've got a great variety of vegan meats and cheeses as well. And their website makes it all the more easy to filter food options as per dietary requirements.
Is Leon Gluten-Free?
There is a good range of gluten-free items for breakfast and during the day. I was impressed by how seriously they took their gluten-free preparations. The dishes are made in a separate kitchen and stored in separate fridges and freezers, minimising cross-contamination.
How Healthy is Leon?
Compared to many restaurant chains, Leon is a healthier option. Gotta admit, their Harissa Falafel Wrap really was tasty and low on the calories.
Is Leon Halal?
Unfortunately, the meat used isn't halal but they have plenty of vegetarian and vegan options.
Can You Cook Leon at Home?
Imagine cooking their delicious offerings at home! Leon sells a selection of items in grocery stores and online so feel free to get creative.
| Pros |
Cons |
| Great food quality |
Drive-thrus aren't common |
| Bright and bold branding |
.Menu can be high in fat, calories, and sodium |
| Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options |
Meat is not Halal |
| Delivery services available |
Opening hours vary |