Summer weekends are soon to be jam-packed with some of the very best street food, drink, music and entertainment.
Does anything scream summer more than a street food festival? We don't think so.
And luckily for us, the Tower Works Street Fest is returning from Friday 6 to Sunday 8 of June.
From the talented team behind the award-winning North Leeds, Harrogate, Ilkley and Ripley Castle Food & Drink Festivals, the Tower Works Street Fest at Mustard Wharf was a huge success last year and this event will be no different.
Image: Supplied
The market will be in Verona Square, just off Globe Road and surrounded by Tower Works and its three iconic Venetian towers which dominate the skyline.
The towers are home to popular attractions like BAKE, Midnight Bell, Cross Keys, 92 Degrees Coffee and Barrecore – as well as been situated beside the scenic canal and just a stone’s throw from Leeds Train Station.
Festival guests can “expect a jam-packed lineup of some of the best street food and drink vendors, artisan markets, independent bars, groovy tunes as well as plenty of furniture to lounge on”.
Tower Works Street Fest Production Manager Michael Johnston, said: “The vibe was incredible last year and we can’t wait to bring back this event at the picturesque Tower Works, making it even better than the last. With top-notch international food and drink vendors from across the north to host the festival each month, it’s shaping up to be another belter.
Image: Supplied
“With the warmer, lighter days and the calibre of shops around the area, it has soon become a buzzing hotspot.”
They’ll be welcoming some tempting vendors this year, such as Wagyu Lookin’ At?, Punjabi Heaven, Eyup Thai, HAO BAO, Kurdish Kitchen and Dappa Desserts.
The festival will run every first weekend of the month for the rest of the year, including June, July, August and September.
Paul Winterburn, of Mustard Wharf, added: “We’re so excited to see Tower Works Street Fest become a venue for community events. This is how we designed it to be used, and it always felt like the right decision to share this iconic location for events with the wider community."
For more details, including more information on vendors and stalls, take a look at the Tower Works Street Fest event page.
Because one Fern Modern Sushi wasn't enough, we've now got two.
And guess what? It's even better than the first.
Fern Modern Sushi located in the unassuming Central Arcade has become a firm foodie favourite after opening just a couple years ago.
Run by the wonderful Chef Fern, who you could say is somewhat of a local celebrity at this point, the restaurant is known for serving delicious sushi with the freshest fish possible and traditional Japanese dishes with modern flair.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Full with hungry punters no matter the time of day, it's no surprise that Chef Fern has just opened Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 on Park Row.
This beautiful new space is serving up all the classic Fern dishes, from stacked donburi bowls and perfectly rolled sushi to miso glazed cod and hearty bowls of ramen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Different for this location, though, is their exclusive cocktail menu - so you can wine and dine to your heart's content.
The interior has also levelled up, complete with a huge open kitchen so you can pull up a chair and eat whilst watching the magic happen.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And this isn't all that Chef Fern is up to, after opening Tori Nori on Vicar Lane a few months ago this will be her third restaurant in the city centre, and that is no easy feat.
She's even got another restaurant imminently opening in the Central Arcade which will be focused on traditional katsu dishes, and we wouldn't be at all surprised if she had something else lined up in the pipeline.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Fern Modern Sushi 2.0 officially opens on 19 November, but is open now for soft launch with limited bookings.
A pub in Leeds has been crowned the third best in Britain by The Good Food Guide
Clementine Hall
A Leeds pub has been crowned one of the very best in the country by The Good Food Guide.
The trusted guide has just released its 100 Best Pubs in Britain list, and we're very chuffed with the results indeed.
Taking the coveted number three spot is our very own The Highland Laddie, a 100-year-old city centre institution that reopened in April 2025 in the hands of new owners Sam Pullan and Nicole Deighton.
These guys also run the Empire Cafe, so you just know it's going to be good.
Last year they soared straight to the top of the list and were crowned the best pub in the whole of Britain by the guide.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
This time, the Queen's Arms over in Eccles came number one followed by The Cow in Notting Hill.
We still think bagging third place is quite the achievement, and if you've visited The Highland Laddie yourself you'll know just how much of a special place it is.
Don't just take our word for it, The Good Food Guide labelled the Laddie as 'a true pub with a genuine community vibe'.
They also said: "Reenergised by the team behind the Empire Cafe in 2025, this is everything that a proper English pub should be – 'oh, and they have a mustard menu!'
"Inside, the Laddie ticks all the boxes, preserving the essentials of a traditional old-school boozer and maintaining a genuine sense of community while letting the good times roll. As for the food, it’s ‘both high-end and accessible’, pulling in ideas from all over, whether you fancy a freshly shucked Lindisfarne oyster, a keema toastie or an elevated ham roll with bread cooked over the coals.
"Dig deeper and you might find a lobster madeleine with Yorkshire chorizo butter, a treacle onion tart or pork schnitzel with two fried eggs. Club steaks are served by the inch, there’s no creative let-up when it comes to sides, and the nostalgia is ramped up with the likes of strawberry and Champagne trifle with ‘sprinkles’.
"But never forget that this is a self-proclaimed ‘drinkers’ pub’ dispensing everything from ‘properly served’ British brews and ’the best Guinness in Leeds’ to a staggering line-up of whisky optics."
Clementine Hall -
28th May 2025 
