The Victoria & Commercial, Leeds: 'I ate at the landmark Leeds pub which has been brought back to life - it gladdened my heart'

They both produced great feats of engineering – where would we be without aqueducts or telephones – but when it comes to building pubs those canny Victorians are in a league of their own.

Which brings me to The Victoria & Commercial, a grand old Leeds pub dating back to 1865, that recently reopened after being restored by Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock’s Ale House.

Originally called The Victoria Family & Commercial Hotel, it was built to accommodate people attending the nearby courts and Town Hall (apparently there was a tunnel from the hotel under the road, presumably so the judges could leave the courts without having to face the angry relatives of miscreants who had been sent down – those clever Victorians again).

‘The Vic’, as it was known to locals, became one of the city’s most popular pubs, but after closing in 2020 it faced an uncertain future.

Its Grade II-listed status ensured it couldn’t be pulled down and replaced by some bland glass edifice, but it still needed a saviour.

Enter Kirkstall Brewery and Whitelock’s who reopened the pub as The Victoria & Commercial last December, after a painstaking restoration and refurbishment.

It’s been well worth the effort for inside this palatial pub is something to behold. The main bar is a treasure trove of intricately detailed carved wood and original features and a feast for the eyes.

If you’re coming for a drink then there’s no shortage of choice with eight cask ales and beers from the likes of Kirkstall Brewery, Five Points Brewer and Allsopp’s on keg.

Whitelock’s former head chef, Nick Robertson, heads up the new kitchen serving up some British pub classics with a modern twist in the historic Albert’s Room, off the main hallway, where the craftsmanship is equally impressive.

The food menu is concise, which is no bad thing as it tells me the kitchen team knows what it’s doing, reinforcing the old adage that sometimes less is more.

We started with generous slices of cider cured sea trout, which came with samphire, crab mayo and sourdough.

Though the cider cure was on the subtle side, it allowed the distinctive crab flavour to come through and combined nicely with slabs of warm sourdough.

The mere mention of croquettes is enough to make me weak at the knees, throw the words ‘ham hock’ into the equation and I’m in hog heaven.

You might think it’s hard to go wrong with croquettes, but I’ve had plenty in my time, including in some well-respected tapas joints in Spain, that have been a gloopy, under-seasoned disappointment.

Thankfully, these crispy parcels were bursting with tender meat, accompanied by a wonderfully moreish apricot mustard jam.

For the main courses, there’s a grill section and a choice of six other dishes, including kohlrabi tarte tatin with miso caramel and ratatouille, and confit duck leg and chorizo cassoulet, with a shallot and cassis sauce. Both sounded tempting, but on a chilly winter’s evening we went down the comfort food route.

The beef burger and fries, which came with cheese, ‘burger’ sauce, baby gem and slaw, got nods of approval, the expertly chargrilled burger the star of the show as you would hope.

What I was really looking forward to, though, was the Guinness and beef shin steamed suet pudding with minted peas and mash, which piqued my interest the minute I clocked it on the menu.

The first time I had a steamed suet pudding was in a Preston chippie more than 30 years ago when I was a student.

These days you don’t find them in too many pubs or restaurants, and while it’s not something you would want to eat every day (or probably every week for that matter), it’s a bona fide British classic.

And this one hit the spot, in a belt loosening kind of way. The beef was meltingly soft, the mash faultless, with the sharpness of the minted peas cutting through everything.

The crust was a little firmer than I might have liked but I can’t fault the flavour. My only advice if you have this is to come hungry, because you won’t be afterwards.

For dessert, I went for the lemon posset and shortbread from a choice that included Yorkshire Parkin and apple and plum crumble.

You might think that possets are the kind of thing contestants who don’t really like desserts do on TV cookery shows, but I think they’re a good barometer of a kitchen’s prowess, in the same way a decent omelette is.

And this one, I’m pleased to say, was very good indeed, with the right balance of tart lemon offsetting the sweet, crumbly shortbread - proof that you don’t need 101 ingredients and a dizzying array of culinary techniques to produce something delicious.

The total bill for two, including two glasses of wine and a couple of pints of Kirkstall Brewery’s pilsner, came in at £98.78.

We could have done with a bit more of a gap between the starters and the main courses coming out, but the service was efficient and friendly despite it being a busy and boisterous Friday evening, so it’s a minor point. Especially after being so royally well fed.

It gladdens my heart to see The Vic back on its feet and seemingly thriving.

Nobody builds pubs like this anymore – the costs would be prohibitive. Which is all the more reason to cherish those we have.

So whether you want something hearty and delicious, or just fancy supping a quiet pint or two, I’d encourage you to pay a visit to The Vic and luxuriate in its Victorian splendour.

Welcome 5/5

Food 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Prices 4/5

The Victoria & Commercial, 28 Great George Street, Leeds. LS1 3DL. https://thevictorialeeds.co.uk