Down on the waterfront at Granary Wharf is a gorgeous Italian restaurant tucked into an archway serving up its own Mediterranean twist on the classic English afternoon tea.
A staple in the city for nearly a decade now, foodies will be well au-fait with LIVIN'Italy - but for those who haven't yet made it down for a visit, their brilliant afternoon tea is as good an excuse as any.
Priced at £20 per person with prosecco (or £25 if you want to enjoy it with an Aperol spritz in hand), the new afternoon tea switches out the typical crustless cheese sandwiches and scones for Italian delicacies like miniature tiramisu and stuffed arancini balls.
Image: LIVIN'Italy
Comprised of a selection of classic Italian favourites and small plates, further treats on offer here include fried polenta with friarielli and frollino biscuits loaded with strawberry jam.
It seems from the reviews that you might get a little surprise when you visit, too, with one customer who visited in June saying they also enjoyed mini margarita pizzas, slow-cook short rib beef slider and roast potatoes with BBQ sauce as part of their afternoon tea experience.
The sweet selection on their visit, meanwhile, included portions of miniature tiramisu, strawberry jam Italian cake and indulgent, moist Italian chocolate cake with salted caramel and orange running throughout.
The glamorous restaurant and bar runs a host of delicious-looking menus alongside the afternoon tea, opening for breakfast and stretching through lunch and dinner into cocktail hour and beyond.
Whether you're after a spot of antipasto with wine or want to sample some proper Italian street food dishes, there's much more than just your typical pizza and pasta offering here (although they do that very well too).
Just like any good Italian, the focus here is on using quality ingredients and LIVIN'Italy works closer with Italian food producers and importers to cultivate the very best. As they say themselves, "without a great product you can’t create a great dish!"
To find out more about the Italian afternoon tea and make a reservation, head over to their website here.
Temple Newsam will be transformed into a brand-new immersive festive story event.
Following a second successful winter, Leeds’ spectacular immersive light show Northern Lights is returning with a brand-new journey.
The Lost Light of Christmas is a narrative driven adventure that will lead visitors around the iconic grounds of Temple Newsam this winter, running from Friday 20 November to Thursday 31 December 2026.
With over 100,000 visitors each year, Northern Lights Leeds has been completely reimagined this winter with a showcase of exclusive art installations from some of the UK’s leading light artists.
Image: Supplied
There'll be special effects, interactive elements and bespoke audio compositions all tied together with an illuminating new narrative theme.
Visitors will follow a glowing trail through enchanted forests, along sparkling pathways and around shimmering lagoons with plenty of hidden surprises along the way as you help the fairies on their quest restore the Lost Light of Christmas before it goes out forever.
Approximately one mile in length, the light trail will host over a dozen illuminations with a curated selection of vintage fairground rides and a variety of classic festive treats, including mulled wine, hot chocolate and toasted marshmallows.
Images: Supplied
Ben Robinson - Director, From The Fields said: “After two incredible years at Temple Newsam we’re thrilled to be reinventing Northern Lights Leeds. The team have excelled themselves with a truly immersive narrative experience unlike anything we’ve ever done before and we think Leeds is going to love The Lost Light of Christmas.
"Having worked with Temple Newsam closely over the past few years, we’re constantly improving the Northern Lights experience in order to make it as inclusive and accessible as we can."
Tickets for The Lost Light of Christmas will go on sale Thursday 2 July with prices starting at £12.00 for children and £17.00 for adults. Get yours here.
A ‘Mini Mall’ full of independent food traders and local brands is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
The Merrion Centre is set to become the home of an exciting new retail and food destination this summer.
Introducing The Mini Mall, an innovative retail concept designed to create a flagship city-centre destination for local brands, artisan producers and independent food traders.
The new 4,885 sq ft ground-floor space will be completely dedicated entirely to independent Yorkshire brands, artisan producers, and local food creators.
Operating as a premium 'satellite department store', The Mini Mall provides established independent businesses with fully staffed, centrally managed retail bays.
Image: Supplied
Shoppers can expect a carefully curated selection of Yorkshire-based homeware designers, fashion labels, craft producers, and street food vendors under one roof.
The Mini Mall will open on Saturday 25July with an official public grand opening featuring a ribbon-cutting ceremony, live brand showcases, and the full launch of the Mini Food Hall.to meet the makers behind the brands.
Shaz Westfield, founder of Eventszo, said: "The Mini Mall was created to give independent businesses the opportunity to trade in a prime city-centre location without the barriers that often come with traditional retail.
“Yorkshire is home to an incredible community of makers, creators and food businesses, and our goal is to provide a platform where they can grow, connect with new customers and thrive. We're delighted to be launching our flagship venue at the Merrion Centre and look forward to building a destination that champions local talent and entrepreneurship."
Charles Newman, asset management director at Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), owners of The Merrion Centre, said: "What makes the Merrion Centre different is the breadth and character of our occupier mix. We've always championed businesses that bring something unique to the city centre, creating a destination that offers visitors experiences they won't find elsewhere on the high street."
You can find out more about Leeds' new Mini Mall here.
Georgina Pellant -
10th September 2021 
