Ipsum Vinoteca: Something of a rare breed

You won’t find any Peroni or Modello at Ipsum Vinoteca on Duke Street. Nor will you find any humdrum wines which populate the lists of more well known restaurants. That’s because owner/chef Andrea D’Ercole has made it his mission in life to seek out the rare and the exceptional.

In some ways, his wine bar-turned-restaurant is something of an oddity. Not that there’s anything wrong with that but given it’s situated at the bottom end of town and relies on a well-informed, discerning clientele who value the kind of bespoke service he offers, it’s a testament to his dedication that it’s still pulling in the customers.

Ipsum Vinoteca opened its doors at the end of 2014 in Munro House, opposite the bus station. Back then that was a veritable wasteland as far as opening a restaurant goes, with practically zero passing trade. But somehow he has made it work and when I meet him to discuss his unique approach to wining and dining, I get the impression he’s more than aware of this.

“We get no passing trade here, we rely on customers who know quality and return time after time. When I started this, it was meant to be as a wine bar, because of my knowledge of wine but when they came, they wanted something to eat, so I began a small menu.”

When he says small, that’s an understatement. The menu, which changes daily, typically contains only two or three dishes for each course but therein lies the beauty of what he has achieved, because as far as he knows, he is the only chef in Leeds - and possibly beyond - who is doing this.

“I set the menu each day,” he explains while sipping what he describes as a ‘big coffee’ but which is in fact, contained in one of those tiny espresso cups. “I go out and source the ingredients and from that I make the menu.”