A new burger restaurant is opening in Leeds early next year, bringing some of Newcastle's favourite stacked burgers to Yorkshire for the very first time.
Called Meat Stack, the indie burger chain specialises in oozing, saucy smashed patty burgers piled high with naughty, indulgent ingredients - served from breakfast right up through to dinner.
Think crispy chicken tenders, double bacon, hash brown, jalapenos, American cheese and baconnaise; or layers of smashed patties slathered in smoky mountain mayo, American cheese, jalapeno, onion and cilantro salsa and served with a hamburger chilli dip.
Image: Meat Stack
With ten different burger combos to choose from, including a pork and beef patty breakfast burger, vegan fried 'chicken' burger and a regularly changing monthly special, we have to say the menu really does look immense. It's a cheat day treat if ever we saw one.
It also has a breakfast muffin menu to rival MacDonalds where, alongside the breakfast burger, you'll find four different stacked muffin choices before 11 am - filled with various combinations of egg, cheese, sausage, hash browns, bacon, hot sauce and breakfast relish.
Meat Stack has a serious breakfast menu to rival MacDonalds / Image: Meat Stack Image: Meat Stack
Simpler combinations on the afternoon menu, meanwhile, include the West Coast classic, a basic smashed patty hamburger with lettuce, stack sauce and 'fixings'; and the Quarter Pounder with smoked streaky bacon and extra fixings.
It's not all burgers, though, there are some really naughty sides too - like chilli cheese loaded fries, chicken tenders, or 'filthy fries' loaded with crispy onions, blue cheese, Nashville hot sauce and Stack's homemade burger sauce.
As for sweet treats, think milkshakes in flavours like pumpkin spice, peanut butter, chocolate custard and everyone's favourite, Biscoff. There's also soft serve ice cream on the dessert menu, or the option of a Pet Lamb salted caramel brownie.
Image: Meat Stack
Tom Westman, partner and director of Meat:Stack said: “We love Leeds. It is one of the finest cities in the world and we felt it was the ideal place to open our second restaurant.
“We know Leeds is big on community – and that’s crucial for us. We will be using local suppliers for the majority of our food and we want to build strong and long-standing relationships with these suppliers and, of course, with our customers. If all goes well, we are hoping to open a second branch in the city.”
Meat Stack will move into 34 Boar Lane in early 2022 and is currently recruiting new staff to fill 15 open positions.
Feature image - Meat Stack
To keep up with developments ahead of the new opening, follow them on social media.
News
Prime Minister Andy Burnham is opening Health and Social Care North in Leeds
Newly-appointed Prime Minister Andy Burnham has shared plans for a brand-new Health and Social Care 'North' in Leeds as one of his first big plans as leader.
Set to be based right here in the city centre, the new Yorkshire base for the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) will serve as a Northern hub for the crucial cog in the public sector.
This comes not long after Andy Burnham announced and opened 'No. 10 North' at his previous base over in Greater Manchester, which took barely a week to get up and running.
Headed up by current Health Secretary Yvette Cooper, the initiative will be building on the vision outlined not only by Burnham but on the groundwork laid by her predecessor and now Defence Minister, Wes Streeting.
The new Defence Minister, Wes Streeting, says that social care has been ignored for too long and needs a clear long-term plan.
Mr Streeting, who was Health and Social Care Secretary until earlier this year, reflected on new Prime Minister, Andy Burnham's, first few days in… pic.twitter.com/Udnd1EwcsE
As per a report by LBC, an insider close to Cooper - the Labour MP for Pontefract, Castleford and Knottingley - told the outlet that this big step for the North "will help bring decision-making closer to the communities we serve and strengthen our ability to improve health outcomes across the country."
"She has asked the Department to draw up plans that would complement the plans for Number 10 North on the other side of the Pennines", they continued, "allowing Ministers to work from Quarry House [in LS2] in the North, and strengthening DHSC operations in other parts of the country."
With confirmation now coming that the old 'Quarry on the Hill' has been chosen as the satellite station for the soon-to-be-overhauled Department, the selection makes sense given its current government operations.
As well as being a major headquarters for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), it also has offices reporting to DHSC, NHS staff and other parts of the civil service.
In addition, it's also worth noting that the PM has just announced another big change to the education sector, too, essentially trying to redress the balance between "academic and technical" training.
Great news for everyone looking to seek out solid and hopefully more stable careers across the nation.
Building on Leeds' existing offices, the idea is that this will ensure more considered development across more regions and specific communities, West Yorkshire being just one of them.
Many localities still understandably feel like they fall foul of being somewhat overlooked, especially up in this part of the country.
But, as alluded to above, the hope is that this continued sense of devolution and efforts to work more directly with local governments should help bridge the gap between Whitehall, Westminster and the rest.
As the PM said in his first speech at his new Northern premises, he said a big part of his ethos is about "putting power in every postcode" and making a change from things just feeling "like an argument with people in the centre of government and people having a to and from all of the time."
While official opening dates etc for Health and Social Care North are still yet to be revealed, the former Mayor of Greater Manchester has insisted that he will be working from No.10 North at least once a week. What do you make of it all, Leeds?
The Government has announced ‘fundamental’ changes to the UK’s education system
Emily Sergeant
The Government will unveil a fundamental change to the education system today with the launch of new prestigious technical educational routes.
Andy Burnham says he is 'determined' to put technical education on an equal footing with the traditional academic path to ensure there are no so-called 'dead ends' for young people coming out of the education system by providing them high-quality alternative routes that are valued and respected by students, parents, and employers alike.
The new pathways will provide 14-year-olds with 'valuable' early access to technical skills, work experience, and connections with local employers.
Building on successful local initiatives - such as the MBacc, launched by Andy Burnham in Greater Manchester when he was Mayor - the new technical routes will mean young people can develop the technical knowledge and skills needed to progress in areas like engineering, healthcare, and digital technology.
It will aim to 'skill them up' with the specific knowledge and capabilities that local employers need.
The Government has announced 'fundamental' changes to the UK's education system / Credit: MChe Lee (via Unsplash) | Wikimedia Commons
So, how will it all work then? Well, when students enter Year 10, they will have the chance to combine core academic subjects - including English, Maths, and Science - with a high-quality technical education that’s linked to the jobs available in their area.
During these courses, students will be able to spend time with employers and gain valuable real-world experience.
Regional mayors, local leaders, schools, colleges, and employers will work together to shape these new technical education pathways, rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all system.
To support this, the Government says it will prioritise funding towards high-quality technical education and practical routes into work, and will also change the way school performance is measured so that inspectors recognise the schools support young people to develop the skills, experience, and confidence employers want.
This way, no matter whether young people choose university, an apprenticeship, further education, or direct entry into a skilled profession, they will able to see a clear route from education into employment.
"For too long in this country, students have been told that you must take the academic path to do well and to be respected," explained Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
"The whole school system has been built around it and that has let down young people seeking technical qualifications.
"I want an education system based on parity between academic and technical which gives all young people a clear path in life.
"From today, Britain will value the hard hat every bit as much as the graduation cap."
Georgina Pellant -
11th November 2021 
