Oranaise Café

Delicious food a good atmosphere — a place to take your parents to show them you’re an adult now! Ideal location in Hyde Park for hungry students. Great desserts and great prices. There is a shish bar upstairs, the restaurant is authentic with themed décor and traditional dishes.

Every Friday we try to eat out to reward ourselves for surviving another week of toil. last night we had supper here for the first time and very good value it was too!
The interior was cosy on a dark blustery evening and the staff were friendly and welcoming. When we arrived at around 8pm it was busy and we got the last free table. All the Moroccan mirrors, lanterns etc used to decorate the interior are for sale. Shop come café, I liked that!
We had a mezze starter, 2 main courses and a side, 2 mint teas and the bill was a little over £40. They don’t serve alcohol.
We had one tagine and a plate of mixed brochettes served with salad, couscous and pitta.
The portions were so generous that we were unable to fit in a pudding. It was all tasty but I can’t say I was blown away, can’t quite put my finger on why. That said we will definitely return and work my way through the extensive menu!

OK, for the purposes of how I felt last night, I’m writing this review as a letter. Please see below.
Dear Oranaise,
I’d firstly like to say that I’ve been a long-​time fan, if an infrequent customer. When I lived in Hyde Park I’d visit occasionally, and have always adored your moody interior and gorgeous décor. You had me at first sight, with your tagines, and your authentic tables, and your glass cabinet of treats.
And then I slowly moved further away from you — edging ever more into Headingley, and more distant from your excellent coffees, delectable snacks, and relaxing interior. It wasn’t you — it was me. Tides changed, and I was swept into the heady heights of Headingley town. (Mostly, the house I found was further away.)
And so, my last visit was bitter sweet; I enjoyed such wonderful lamb kebabs, and yet I knew I’d barely get a chance to indulge in person all that often, much less on a regular basis. Well, I guess I was wrong. You didn’t tell me you were on Just Eat!
The game has changed, my friend. And I want to personally thank you for being the sole saviour in a take away frequenter’s life. I’ve long scoured those pages, yearning for something tasty and healthy in times of need, and there you were! Offering hummus, falafel, coucous, and tabbouleh.
I don’t suppose you remember last night. Well, I do. It was a feast of fresh foodie joy, my only sadness being that tabbouleh was a no-​show (although listed on the attendees in the falafel meze box). Stood up by that parsley salad or not, the rest of us had quite a party. The falafel (enough for the morning after) the tzatziki, the couscous, the utterly delicious sautéed mushrooms, the undeniably delectable chicken wrap. Of course, you’re not a cheap date, but you’re 100% worth it and you know it.
And so, I thought I’d write you a letter and let you know. We’ll do this again soon, I know it.
Very best, Rowena H.

Looked on Unilocal for a new place to try!
I’ve passed this place many times and not actually been in!
I’ll certainly be going back! A huge choice on the menu… I can’t actually remember what I
ordered but it was really nice !

I have loved this place since moving to Leeds in 2002. It was always my favourite stop off along the Otley run. Nowhere else would do! It is a Moroccan dream of a café with tagines and silverware hanging up everywhere. I adore the authenticity of it and that is even before I’ve talked about the food. I’ve tried a huge selection from the menu and never been disappointed. Their mezzes are varied and filling and the homemade lemonade is AMAZING! I absolutely love the homemade hummus and tzatziki. Very fresh and so tasty. I sit in and takeaway at least twice a month and love it with a passion. Even tonight, when they forgot part of my takeaway order, they came back with the rest of it AND cake and lemonade to make up for the mistake. So adorable and definitely a way to keep customers coming back time and again. I cannot rate this place highly enough and think everyone should give it a go, if you haven’t already. L’oranaise is perfect for a mint tea and some cake with a friend during the day, or a lovely candlelit dinner on an evening. Simple, authentic and delicious.

I’d been wanting to come here for so long that there was a real danger of inflated expectations. Luckily this place didn’t disappoint in the slightest!
I came here with a group of about 10, but it seems like daytimes are pretty quiet here so there was plenty of room. It’s a great atmosphere, like a cave of wonders with ornate tagines and teapots displayed everywhere, and baskets of herbs and wooden cooking implements dotted about the place. I had the falafel mezze, and it was some of the best falafel I’ve had, possibly ever. Fresh, tasty, and the perfect balance between crispy and soft. The rest of the mezze was delicious too, and HUGE — fantastic value for the price. My friends had various wraps, mezzes and shawarmas and everyone was really happy with their food.
I was way too full for dessert, but their selection of cakes was amazing so I took one away. They drizzled it liberally with honey before boxing it which, as I discovered later, made an already delicious cake even better. The service was friendly too — what more could we ask for? I’ve got to get back here soon, I just can’t believe it took me so long to try in the first place!

This gorgeous, student-​y café has a blend of Tunisian and Moroccan influences and has the market of great service and gorgeous décor. Decent prices and a wonderful atmosphere that while not exactly transporting you away to Marrakech, is definitely a comfy little spot to while away an afternoon people watching.
P. S. The staff is very friendly and accomodating — I was at a barbecue at Hyde Park and had to use the facilities. The staff let me use them without paying for anything and were very sweet and understanding.

The amount of good things iv heard about this place times by the amount of times iv walked past and wondered one night led to me finally committing and trying this famed cuisine.
Iv travelled widely across the middle east (i know not exactly the right region but there is alot of cross over) so i have longed to find authentic food that has the abiity to transport me back and have that nostalgic feeling.
Upon arrival we were welcomed the floor manager, who explained the card machine wasnt working, not a problem as we had cash. I liked this approach of being upfront rather than landing it after the meal and potentially being put in a very awkward situation.
We ordered the Mezze platter for the starter to share, and oh my lord the thing is massive, truth be told we were so full after eating it all we had to force ourselves to eat the main. The mezze had pitta that were divine! Also hummus sprinkled with cumin, tzastziki, falafel a little bit of salad and some sort of amazing garlic, chilli and tomato dip which i could have swam in had the pot been big enough!
For the main we ordered a lamb and asparagus tagine and cous cous with flame grilled beef, chicken and mergeuz. Both of these dishes where superb, however i felt the lamb in the tagine could have been a little more generously portioned. But the grilled meats where sooooooo good! The cous cous came with a side sauce which really brought the lightest, fluffiest cous cous to life.
The pricing is also extremely reasonable for what you get, this teamed along with welcoming staff and a very relaxed general atmosphere lit by candle light makes for a really enjoyable night. I would recommend to anyone with taste buds!

Went in for the first time last night after a couple people had recommended it. I called and made a reservation for an early dinner, but was surprised that we were the only people in the place. We figured maybe it was because it was only 6 pm, but we stayed chatting and munching until almost 8 pm and NO ONE else came in. Which was definitely a shame because the food was delicious!
We started off with their specialty Algerian coffees. Since there were three coffees and three of us we each got a different one and shared. My personal favorite was the one with steamed milk and honey. And although it was tasty, the cloves in one of the coffees made it difficult to drink.
For mains, I ordered the Kefta Tagine and my husband ordered the merguez sausages with rice. They were both delicious. The couscous was finely ground, which was different than most of the couscous I’ve had. The Kefta was full of flavour. The meatballs were tender and spicy, sitting in a tomato sauce and there were two eggs baked on top. The eggs made a kind of layer on top of the meatballs and yolks were still kind of runny. I tried the merguez sausages and they were lovely, too. In general I was extremely pleased with my food and with the experience in general. I will DEFINITELY go back and would recommend it to anyone who wanted a delicious meal.

I’ve only ever had their tajines when I’ve gone there because for under a tenner I think they may be the best value in the whole city. They’re not quite as gourmet as Moorish up the road but I go home full every time, and all the sides are reasonably priced. Everything I’ve seen from the rest of the menu looked fresh and reasonably portioned.
Friendly staff, who are always very patient when helping customers interpret the menu, and perhaps the most cushioned dining area upstairs that I have ever seen, mean you’ll often stay longer than you originally planned.
No booze, but probably the Best in Show of the Hyde Park eateries.

Pretty legit cous-​cous and lamb PLUS some genuine moroccan mint tea. I’m definitely a fan… but would be an even bigger fan if the cous-​cous was a bit moister. Other than that no complaints.
AND the staff people were really nice considering I kept asking them what things were/​meant… what can I say… Moroccan food is definitely good, but not my alley. at least not until now. Thanks L’Oranaise!

I am a huge, huge fan of L’oranaise café! As a lover of anything French, the name drew me in on my first visit to Hyde Park and I have been a regular customer ever since.
My pick-​me-​up treat in the week is to take my boyfriend and my tiny dog here for an hour or so! The prices are very very reasonable. For a cup of green tea, a coffee (both of which come with caramelised biscuits… yummmmmyy) and a HUGE slab of the nicest carrot cake I have ever tasted come to under a fiver! To me this is just brilliant.
The staff are very friendly and always up a chat and the other customers are always quite bohemian, young and smiley! The interior is like that of Moroccan café in a European city which is a lovely change from takeaway venues and pubs dotted around the area.
Very tasty Moroccan munch, very relaxing vibe, vibrant staff and gorgeous décor! You have to visit! The location is also great with retro boutiques on your right and the park right in front of you, you can wonder around after your slab of cake and start to work off the calories!

It pains me to say it, but I’ve only ever taken away from L’Oranaise. There was no where for the big group of us to sit, we were hungry, it was half-​price to takeaway. Need I go on?
The takeaway I had involved one of the best pizzas I have ever enjoyed. Sat across the way from L’Oranaise, on the sprawling greenery of Hyde Park, we tucked into our sizeable pizzas with glee. Cheap. And very cheerful.
I went for the USA — which involved lots of pepperoni, peppers and a hefty amount of spices. Perfect. The base had that consistency that breaks away in your hand, frustrating, but once it’s in your mouth — most enjoyable.
I will go sit in one day. Soon. They deliver now though too. Oh, my settee is so comfortable…

A real gem of a café that develops a more restaurant-​like feel at night, L’Oranaise is one of my favourite places to eat in Hyde Park. A low-​lit den of deep reds and purples that makes you feel like an extra from Arabian nights, the North African cuisine at L’Oranaise is even better than the décor. During the day, grab a window seat and enjoy a spot of people watching alongside your lunch — I recommend the grilled aubergine sandwich — or relax in the obscenely comfortable ‘khaima’ upstairs. At night the setting feels even more magical and would be perfect for a date — though bear in mind they don’t serve alcohol.

This charming little slice of Northern Africa next to Hyde Park is perhaps the best of the cafes clumped together around the crossroads.
Inside, you’ll find Moroccan rugs and Algerian furnishings creating a unique atmosphere in which students and working folk on their lunch breaks enjoy the large but selective menu. It is not just the décor which gives this place its unique sense of authenticity — the food itself echoes North Africa, from kebabs and tapas to spicy meat and humous sandwiches (try the kofta kebab), and it’s all served quickly and cheaply.
L’Oranaise provides a refreshing change from the usual in an area in which the eateries are increasingly becoming all too familiar, and more importantly, it gives you a real feel for North African culture and cuisine.

I’ve only eaten here once, and I haven’t been back simply because the delights of the LS6 Café always tempt me more and I end up in there instead.
I had an omelette, which was fluffy and light and tasty, without being rich and stodgy like my own. I also had the most delicious tea. It was some kind of lemon and honey and mint infusion, in a dead fancy teapot. Very refreshing, it was. There were other cous-​cous based delights on the menu, along with tagines, paninis, pizzas, and shisha pipes if that’s your bag.
The décor at l’Oranaise is sort of moroccan and I think the word might be ‘bijou’. Price wise, typical of this sort of place. About £6 for my omelette, couple of quid for the fancy tea infusion.

L’Oranaise is a small café situated on the bustling Hyde Park corner. It overlooks the park and busy student area and has ver comfy window seats (excellent for people watching!)
The fresh fruit juices are always really nice and cold and the hot drinks are good quality. There is a menu selling small dishes, tapas and light bites. A really nice place that’s small and has nice décor!

Love love love it! Consistently great carry out/​delivery. Brochettes and merguez are my personal favourite but you really can’t go wrong.