The 13th Oliver Awards, hosted by the Yorkshire Evening Post took place last night at the Queens Hotel.
It was the biggest event in the Oliver Awards history, with over 400 guests joining in on the celebrations. The awards celebrate the brilliance of the food and drink sector in Leeds and after two years of resilience throughout the pandemic, there was certainly a lot to celebrate last night.
From the city's best late night bars, fine-dining restaurants and trendy brunch spots; there were awards to commemorate all the outstanding talent in the hospitality sector from in and around Leeds.
BBC's legendary Harry Gration hosted the glitzy and glamorous awards, which was then followed by a night of live entertainment.
Image: Below Stairs Bar
Noticeable wins include Below Stairs, an underground cocktail haven on South Parade taking home the award for Best Bar. Best cafe went to Grön who have locations in both Leeds and Harrogate and serve up healthy, nourishing dishes all day long. Lamb and Flag on Church Row took Best Pub and Overall Restaurant of the Year went to Chef Jono at V&V.
Image: The Lamb and Flag
Here is the full list of winners at the glamorous Oliver awards this year:
Best Cafe/Deli - Grön Kafe
Best Pub or Brewery: Lamb & Flag
Best Brunch: Grand Pacific
Best Use of Local Produce: The Beehive Thorner
Best Bar: Below Stairs
Best Speciality: Tharavadu
Best Family Friendly: Grumpy's
Best Use of Outdoor Space: Chow Down
Sustainability Award: The Alchemist
Best Customer Service: Kuala Lumpur Cafe
Newcomer of the Year: CORA
Best Takeaway Offering: Bomba Paella & Tapas
Best Fine Dining Experience: HOME
Chef of the Year: Jono Hawthorne of Chef Jono at V&V
The North’s favourite Mexican restaurant is arriving in Leeds.
You've met Salon Madre, but have you met her older sister Madre?
This fabulous new restaurant is bringing a taste of Mexico to Leeds, and after making a name for themselves over in Manchester you already know it's going to be good.
By day, Madre is a laid-back space designed for relaxed lunches and by night, it transforms into a lively restaurant serving a menu that celebrates the breadth of Mexican cuisine.
Expect everything from rich Oaxacan-inspired moles and salsas to Baja-style mariscos and Sonoran grilled meats.
Images: The Manc Group
At the heart of Madre is the Mexican tradition of sobremesa - the art of lingering at the table long after the meal is over. It’s all about good food, great drinks and even better company.
Madre’s famous Taco Tuesday will also be heading to Leeds, launching on Cinco de Mayo and running every Tuesday thereafter, guests can enjoy two-for-one tacos all day, every Tuesday.
Madre joins its sister venue, Salon Madre - the lively tequila bar and taqueria- which opened just a few weeks ago. Just a few minutes walk apart, the two spots are perfectly paired for a full day or night out.
We're talking dinner at Madre followed by a few margaritas and a couple games of pool at Salon Madre - class.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by extensive travels across Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve, and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of Madre.”
Madre Leeds will be located on Wellington Place and will officially open its doors next Friday 17 April, you can book your table here.
Take a look inside the huge Tulip Festival that’s just opened in Yorkshire with over one million tulips
Clementine Hall
Farmer Copley's Tulip Festival is back and it's just as beautiful as we remember.
Spring has officially sprung and with it, so does Farmer Copley's iconic Tulip Festival that officially opened last Sunday.
Based in West Yorkshire, nestled between Pontefract and Featherstone, the Copley family really know how to get you feeling ready for the season ahead.
Just moments after entering the festival, we can assure you that winter will feel like a distant memory.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Spanning over 8 acres, Jack and the team have planted over 600,00 tulip bulbs consisting of 100+ different varieties of all shapes and colours that arrived directly from the Netherlands.
In addition to the 500,000 planted last year, that means there's over one million tulips to enjoy - now that is pretty impressive if you ask us.
Varieties include Carnaval de Rio, Tom Pouce, Gavota, Lily Flowering Mix, Blushing Appledorn, Wedding Dress and Rodolfo.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The festival includes five sections that have been split by 5 metre walkways enabling the best customer interaction in the field.
There's two dedicated pick your own areas where a mix of bulbs have been planted to ensure that visitors have a wide range of tulips to explore, pick from and create the perfect bunch of tulips. How lovely is that?
Of course there's plenty of photo opportunities, fairground rides and a bar to enjoy the view with a tipple or two.
This really is the perfect family-friendly day out and with the weather looking gorgeous (for now), we'd take the opportunity to see the tulips looking their best whilst you can.
The festival is on until Sunday 3 May 2026, with tickets starting from just £9.
To find out more and to book your ticket, take a look at Farmer Copleys website. We'll see you in the tulip fields.
Clementine Hall -
29th March 2022 
