The Owl has taken flight for a new chapter in Leeds.
One of the city's most celebrated restaurants, The Owl, is shaking things up and going back to its roots.
With a revised approach to service and collection of new menus, a brunch service will now be added, as well as a range of more affordable dining options and children will be welcomed into the restaurant for the very first time.
The Owl opened back in 2019 inside Kirkgate Market, as a hidden gastro pub that captured the hearts and attention on a national level before moving to Mustard Wharf in 2022.
The new restaurant is roughly twice the size of its previous market home, including an outdoor terrace, and has allowed more opportunity for diners to taste the outstanding menu options.
The new concept from The Owl will see still specialise in modern British cuisine, crafted using the finest Yorkshire sourced ingredients, and"care has been taken to bring back the accessibility of its Kirkstall Market incarnation, whilst ensuring the new menu is creative enough to satisfy its most discerning customers- as well as appealing to a wider audience".
The relaxed Michelin guide listed gastropub will hve new opening hours, with a brunch menu served from 11am on weekends.
Expect a classic Full English served to the highest degree with home cured treacle bacon, rare breed pork sausage, herbie mushrooms, scrambled eggs, butter fried, scrambled eggs, homemade brown sauce and crispy potato terrine.
Other highlights include Duck Waffle with crispy confit duck leg from Levin Farm with a malt waffle, maple and chilli sauce and fried duck egg.
Meanwhile, the lunch and dinner menus have ben revised to introduce a range of small and large plates with different price points.
Led by Co-Founder and Chef Mark Owens, the menu will feature everything from Baked Native Oyster with seasonal garnish, and Buttered Sourdough Crumpet with Whitby crab and apple, to unusual options such as the Beef and Oyster Sausage with onion marmalade and turnip puree.
And there's also a roast option served at the end of each week too with an 'elevated' menu including braised blade of beef, Rump of Yorkshire lamb and Roasted Roscoff onions.
Elizabeth Cottam and Mark Owens. / Image: Supplied
Award winning chef and founder Elizabeth Cottam said: “We're reclaiming our Kirkgate Market vibes with a brand-new menu that is both creative to keep our loyal customers entertained and accessible to allow everyone to spend more time with us enjoying our food. Our opening times are changing too to allow people to enjoy our brightly lit Canalside gastrobar for brunch as well as lunch and dinner. Also, due to demand, we’re opening brunches and lunches to small children too, a first for us, which offers families that are either out for an autumnal walk down by the canal, for gorgeous sunday lunch, we're the perfect place to start or finish a big day out."
You can find all new menus now available at The Owl.
Where to find The Owl: Lockside, Mustard approach, Mustard Wharf, Leeds LS1 4EY
Feature Image -
Eats
Cult favourite burger chain Burgerism given green light to open in Leeds suburb
An award-winning burger chain can now open a new branch in a Leeds suburb after plans have been agreed.
If you don't know Burgerism, then get to know.
The Manchester-based burger chain is known by many for its incredible smash patties and quick, reliable service.
Their concept is simple: good burgers made with quality ingredients and cooked fresh to order.
The chain used to have a dark kitchen on the outskirts of the city where people could order via Deliveroo, however this closed down and since then there's been a Burgerism-shaped hole left in our foodie scene.
Images: The Manc Group
Burgerism recently applied to move into a vacant shop unit in Meandwood at 605 Meanwood Road, seeking change-of-use planning permission for the former Papa Johns site which was previously only allowed to serve...well, pizzas.
Burgerism's new takeaway will be near the famed Zucco restaurant and The Meanwood Tavern, perfect for those looking for some post-pint burgers.
The planning officer's report stated that the applicant must give sufficient details of extraction equipment to prevent the odour for people living above.
It read: “The application site relates to a vacant ground floor premises within a parade of three commercial units in a local town centre. Above the premises are three floors of purpose-built self-contained flats.”
A design report by Burgerism read: “The proposal will ensure the continued use of a vacant hot food takeaway and will support the continued viability of the town centre of Meanwood, with an exciting new operator in the market.”
The brand-new Burgerism would employ 15 people from the local area and would serve food between 11am and 11pm.
We'll keep you up to date as and when we find out more, so you can get your Burgerism fix.
The UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs have been revealed – and six are in Yorkshire
Clementine Hall
The Top 50 gastropubs in the UK have been revealed, and it’s safe to say we’re well and truly spoilt here in Yorkshire.
This year’s prestigious Estrella Damn Gastropubs awards, also known as the ‘pub Oscars’, took place this week - and a whopping six Yorkshire pubs have made it onto the list.
Coming in at number 5 is The Star Inn (Harome, North Yorkshire), a critically acclaimed Michelin-star pub that has had a turbulent few years after burning down in 2020 and reopening only in late 2021.
This certainly hasn't stopped the pub winning numerous accolades since, and it's not hard to see why with when it's described as "the perfect country pub" by the prestigious awards.
Coming in just behind at number six is The Angel (Hetton, Skipton), praised for its "pub food reimagined in a cosy environment that looks out across stunning landscapes."
At number 12 is The Abbey Inn (Byland, North York Moors), the third venue from The Great British Menu' winner and Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks.
This spot also won Sustainable Pub of the Year for 2025, so it's safe to say its scooping up the accolades left, right and centre.
Coming in at number 30 is the one we're most excited about it has to be said, The Highland Laddie is our very own city centre pub that has taken the foodie world by storm since it opened back in May last year.
Having just received a glowing review from Jay Rayner and bagging the Good Food Guide's Best Pub in Britain for 2025, this is a spot we're very proud to have in our city.
The Pipe and Glass (South Dalton, Yorkshire) has been placed at number 31 where guests can dine on "hearty and moreish dishes only, cooked from the heart."
And finally for our delicious county, at number 49 is The Shibden Mill Inn (Halifax, Yorkshire), which has held a spot on the list since 2020 and also snapped the title of Best Pub for Food at the 2022 Great British Pub Awards.
Sophie Smith -
30th November 2023 
