Given the host of events designed to empower and celebrate all women and girls around the city, it's going to be a truly special week to be a woman in Leeds.
Here are some of our favourite events going on in Leeds this week...
Duke Studios is kicking off their six-day International Women's Week celebrations with an opportunity to switch up your wardrobe in an environmentally-friendly and inclusive setting. The event is pay-as-you-feel and guaranteed to bring some joy to your Monday.
"For our all gender inclusive clothes swap facilitated by feminist activist Bonnie Milnes. Bring down your unwanted clothes and leave with a new preloved wardrobe".
Celebrating social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women, East 59th is hosting a buffet breakfast with live panel Q&A from some of the most influential women in Leeds. In collaboration with Smart Works, hear from magazine owner, Laura Bartlett, who has recently been spotted on Channel 4's Steph's Packed Lunch; as well as the likes of Stephanie Hirst, a BBC and Hits Radio host; Jodie Hill, the Managing Partner and Founder of Thrive Law and Siobhan Murphy, who is best known as a Finalist on BBC’s Interior Design Masters and now as a Presenter of Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch.
Brunch will take place from 8 - 10am with a 90 minute panel discussion in the middle of the event. £5 of all ticket sales will be donated to our chosen charity, with £1 added onto East 59th diners bills throughout the month too.
Tuesday 8 March 2022, 8 - 10am. Find out more here.
The popular brewery pub is hosting a quiz to celebrate International Women's Day this year. Expect an evening full of gorgeous pints cocktails & wines, tunes by our fave female artists (think TLC, Blondie, Spice Girls, you know the drill) followed by an International Womens Day Quiz from 7pm.
The quiz is £3 donation entry per person and the proceeds will go to Leeds Womens Aid, a local charity that provide services to women and children affected by domestic violence and abuse in Leeds. Their services include emergency accommodation, practical and therapeutic support, community services & sanctuary support for those with complex needs.
Speaking about the event, North Brew Taps said: "We're proud of the wonderful women that fill our team here and fill this industry and want to use this day as a chance to celebrate, empower and uplift eachother while raising some money to support vulnerable women who need our support Leeds Womens Aid. This event is inclusive to ALL, let's celebrate the gals."
Tuesday 8 March 2022 from 7pm. Find out more here.
Truman Books- Draw-along wit Kate Pankhurst
Image: Truman Books
Author and illustrator Kate Pankhurt, creator of the series 'Fantastically Great Women' is joining Truman Books in Farsley for a draw-along and celebration of her new book 'Fantastically Great Women Artists and Their Stories'.
During the event, Kate will be drawing some of her best-selling book characters and guiding children to draw along at the same time- this is bound to be a memorable experience for all generations though.
Tuesday 8 March 2022, 3.30 - 4.30pm. Find out more here.
Get the girls down for this one. The collaboration project between Babenation and local singer, Beth Ibbotson is an all-singing, all-dancing night of bingo and sing along, surrounded by likeminded individuals.
Cost-wise, you're looking at a fiver per bingo card and you can buy as many as you’d like- all proceeds go to the worthy cause of Womenkind Worldwide though.
Tuesday 8 March 2022 from 8pm. Find out more here.
Duke Studio is celebrating International Women's Week with a six-day calendar of exciting events. On Wednesday, feeling empowered (and maybe a bit of a sore head) from the celebrations on International Women's Day, Duke is inviting Leeds city goers to join their Drag Life Drawing class.
The event says: "Life drawing with a twist- a two hour session for beginners and the experiences, bring your own materials. oin our Community Assistant Jas as they lead you through a life drawing you’ve never experienced, modelled by our resident Midnight Dancers Donna The Domme and China. Bring your own materials and let's draw some drags in our spacious and colourfully lit event space". Tickets will cost £7 on the door.
Wednesday 9 March 2022 from 7pm. Find out more here.
This event is all about developing your writing skills with supportive company. Empower and create at HEART on this in-person course, where you’ll learn how to push through doubt, reduce fear of the blank page, become disciplined in your practice and enjoy writing so much more as a result.
Hundreds of women and non-binary writers have graduated from Write like a Grrrl, and so if you're looking for a reason to get to the pen and paper once more, this is sure to be a great kickstarter to reignite the joy of writing.
Thursday 10 February - Thursday 17 March 2022. Find out more here.
Feature Image- Headingley HEART
Feature
The best places in Leeds to get pancakes on Pancake Day
One of the best days in the foodie calendar is hereand it's time to decide where you're going for the ultimate stack.
Whilst homemade pancakes hit the spot and attempting to flip them is definitely a laugh, it's always a treat to get out and about to celebrate the momentous occasion.
From thin crepes with lemon and sugar to pillowy, thick buttermilk stacks which are showered with a whole host of delicious toppings - there's a pancake dish for everyone to devour this Shrove Tuesday.
Keep reading for our top picks of cafes, restaurants and bars to visit this Pancake Day.
House of Koko
Chapel Allerton , Oakwood and Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
House of Koko are the absolute bees knees when it comes to brunch.
Their pancakes are fluffy, pillowy, light, perfectly formed and just down right delicious. The list of toppings is almost overwhelming and you can mix and match yours to your heart's content, we're talking bacon, biscoff, kinder bueno, toasted nuts, white choc chips, banana and even ice cream, the list really does go on but you'll be here all day.
Moose Coffee
Bond Court
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Given Canadian pancakes are a worldwide favourite, you'd expect the best pancakes to come from Moose Coffee. Made fresh to order, there's a stack of three dusted with icing sugar, dotted with blueberries and served with Canadian butter on offer as well as a Biscoff Stack made from three pancakes, biscoff sauce, vanilla ice cream, white choc shards, lotus biscuit.
Whatever your preference this Pancake Day, your combination of sweet and savoury is pretty much guaranteed to live up to the famous Canadian combination- maple syrup included.
Farmhouse
Lands Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Farmhouse are basically famous in the city for their epic stacks of pancakes, fluffy and loaded with all the toppings it's just what you want this Pancake Day.
If Up North
Call Lane or York Place
Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you're a regular on the If Up North Instagram page, you'll know that these guys are big fans of pancakes. Given their obsession with posting their beautifully decorated variations online, we're confident that these pancakes will be lip-smacking, mouth-drooling good and packed with flavour.
Expect flavours like berry and Biscoff, fruits and cream, bacon and maple syrup as well as a whole host of different variations at any of their Leeds-based cafes.
North Star Coffee Shop
Leeds Dock
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Locally renowned for its coffee roast, North Star Coffee Shop is also a great contender for the best-looking pancakes around. Open from 8am this Shrove Tuesday, grab some fluffy pancakes topped with all the seasonal favourites they have on offer.
Galleria
Armley Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Running from Monday 16 February until Friday 20 February, you can bag yourself £1 pancakes with a huge range toppings like classic lemon and sugar, maple smoked bacon, fried egg and sausage, or singular toppings such as blueberries, avocado, IPA caramel and more.
You'll need to pre-book to secure your offer and when you arrive, pick up an order form from your server so you can select how many £1 pancakes you want, alongside your chosen toppings. Yeah, it’s really that flipping easy.
Laynes Espresso
New Station Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything Laynes touch turns to gold, and their pancakes are of course no exception.
They of course go perfectly with a heavenly cup of coffee served inside their dazzling bright yellow, life-affirming coffee shop.
10 of the best new openings coming to Leeds in 2026
Clementine Hall
Allow us to get you excited about the next one with a list of new openings coming to the city.
If you're feeling a little bit down in the dumps about 2025 ending then do not fear, because we've got a feeling that the next year is about to be even bigger and better.
There's already a great selection of restaurants, bars and shops gearing up to open up in Leeds during, so let us fill you in.
Salon Madre and Madre
Wellington Street
Image: The Manc Eats
Are you ready for a fresh taste of Mexico Leeds? Well you better be – because Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, is setting up shop on Wellington Street in due course.
Not only that, but their lively sibling Salon Madre will be opening next door on Friday 20 February. Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens. Madre will open one month later.
Trinity Kitchen 2.0
Image: Supplied
Trinity Leeds is embarking on a major transformation with a £15 million expansion, introducing a second food court called ‘Freight Island’ The upgrade will add around 72,000 sq ft of new space, including a stunning rooftop terrace overlooking City Square the perfect spot to enjoy great food with skyline views.
Burgerism
Meanwood
Image: The Manc Eats
You may remember when Burgerism had a delivery kitchen in Leeds, and ever since it closed we’ve had a Burgerism-shaped hole in our hearts. Well not any longer, because the Manchester-based burger chain has been given the go ahead to open a takeaway on Meanwood Road - hallelujah.
Dishoom
Taking over the old Flannels Site on Vicar Lane
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The legendary Indian restaurant group is coming to Leeds, and we’re absolutely buzzing about it. Dishoom is inspired by the Irani cafes of 1960s Bombay, which were meeting places for people from all walks of life.
Famed for their Indian twist on a classic breakfast (seriously, their breakfast naans are out of this world), Dishoom offers an all-day dining approach so you can get your Bombay fix from morning to noon and noon to night.
Planning permission is up for the restaurant to take over the former Flannels site on Vicar Lane, so fingers crossed it won’t be too long until we can all get stuck in.
Just when you thought the wine scene in Headingley couldn’t get any better, Once Upon A Vine is popping the cork on their third site - right in the heart of Headingley.
Expect hundreds of wines, plenty of bottles of fizz, and of course, a carefully curated local beer selection.
Uniqlo
Briggate
Image: Uniqlo
It’s happening…Uniqlo has confirmed it’s opening up right here in Leeds next year and we must say it’s looking very nice indeed. The Leeds store will be 1,100 square metres and will be located on Briggate in the old House of Fraser site. It’s part of a new expansion across the UK alongside new stores in Birmingham and Bristol.
A new Japanese grill and BBQ restaurant is opening up from Fern, the absolute mastermind behind Fern Modern Sushi. Opening up in the heart of the city on Vicar Lane, we can't wait for this one.
Dough Club
Burley Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Dough Club, a Manchester-based Detroit-style pizzeria, is planning to open up in Leeds.
Famed for their chewy, thick, cheesy crusts that are loaded with all the toppings imaginable, they’ll be opening up a spot on Burley Road for all your pizza needs.
MADE Matcha
Lower Briggate
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Introducing MADE Matcha, a matcha and açaí bar that has created waves in the foodie scene over in Sheffield since opening back in September last year. And it's pretty clear they're doing very well indeed, to be opening a second site in another city less than six months after launching is no mean feat.
Made Matcha will be opening on Lower Briggate in the Nice Things site and this pastel green paradise specialise in seasonal matchas that (almost) look too pretty to drink.
Lane 7
Albion Street
Image: The Hoot leeds
The independent bowling brand is set to open at Trinity Leeds in late spring, spanning a whopping 23,000 sq ft.
As well as 12 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, Lane7 will be home to other games including darts, pool tables, beer pong, golf simulators, and even an interactive 'Playground'.
Sophie Smith -
7th March 2022 
