Eats

Yorkshire pub ‘delighted’ to be crowned the best in the region for 2026

What an accolade.

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall - 16th June 2026

There's no denying that Yorkshire does pubs properly, but one in particular has been crowned the very best.

This year's National Pub and Bar Awards have been announced, where each year a team of experts pick the very best pub in the 94 counties across the UK.

Taking the number one spot for Yorkshire and the Humber is a fabulous little pub nestled in the bustling market town of Skipton.

The Woolly Sheep Inn is an award-winning, dog-friendly pub that is known for its huge selection of Timothy Taylor's cask ales and hearty pub grub.

Not only can you eat and drink here, but they've also got a few cosy rooms for you to stay in if you're planing on a quick staycation in North Yorkshire.

But don't just take our word for how brilliant it is, here's what the National Pub and Bar Awards had to say about it: "The Woolly Sheep Inn is a vibrant town-centre pub in the heart of Skipton, offering an exceptional combination of high-quality food, outstanding drinks and comfortable accommodation – all delivered with genuine Yorkshire hospitality.

"The team prides itself on creating a warm, welcoming environment where guests can enjoy everything from a relaxed drink at the bar to a celebratory meal or overnight stay. The offer blends traditional pub values with a progressive approach to quality and service, ensuring the site appeals to both loyal locals and visitors to the area."

Announcing the exciting news, The Woolly Sheep Inn said: "We're delighted to share that The Woolly Sheep Inn has been named Yorkshire and the Humber regional winner at the National Pub and Bar Awards 2026.

"This award is a proud moment for everyone at the pub and reflects the years of hard work, care, and commitment that Andy, Drea, and the team have put into making The Woolly Sheep such a special place to eat, drink, and stay in Skipton."

You can have a look at all of the pubs that won in the awards here.

Read more: The Leeds bakery serving up fresh pastries straight from their backyard

Featured image - The Woolly Sheep Inn

Eats

A cafe dedicated entirely to matcha gelato has just opened in Leeds

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Matcha is well and truly taking Leeds (and the country) by storm.

You're probably bored of hearing us talk about matcha, and to be honest we're getting a little bit bored writing about it.

But, this time it's different.

This is M Plus Matcha, a brand-new matcha store that's just opened near Leeds University who not only serve your classic matcha lattes but also bucket loads of freshly-churned gelato.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

And to make things even better, they've got four on offer all at different percentages to suit your taste.

Soft and grassy, smooth and creamy, full and velvety…or deep and bold (they said it, not us) - this spot is truly a matcha lover’s summer paradise. 

Images: The Hoot Leeds

If you're not sure what flavour you fancy, the lovely staff are on hand to help and can offer tasters of each percentage before you commit to a cone or a tub so you're not left disappointed.

The space is gorgeously light and airy, complete with matcha-coloured walls and plenty of matcha-coloured seating for you to perch and enjoy your treats.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Right opposite the Parkinson Building, we can see M Plus Matcha becoming a fantastic hub for students to whack their laptops out for a couple of hours whilst getting their caffeine fix.

The drinks menu includes iced matcha lattes, hot matcha, matcha lemonades and loads more. Basically, if you're of the opinion that matcha tastes like grass then we do not recommend you going.

But if you love it like us, then you're in for a treat.

Read more The Hoot Leeds:

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

Eats

The Leeds bakery serving up fresh pastries straight from their backyard

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

In case you missed it, a bakery in Bramley has received lots of attention recently after people have sampled some of its impressive bread and pastries before raving about it online.

Since then, Ruth, the mastermind behind it all, has generated queues from her summer house-turned bakehouse with people coming from far and wide to sample her flaky favourites and doughy delights.

Baking for more than 10 years and opening The Fat Pigeon just outside of Leeds city centre three years ago, there's no denying that the pastries and more produced here are some of the best.

This micro-bakery has a mighty menu and although Ruth's personal tastes might lean more savoury, the menu heavily favours sugary baked goods.

Anyone who loves a good sweet treat will be glad to know there's croissants, traybakes, cinnamon buns and the star-studded kouign-amann, a French-originating buttery pastry that covers all bases as it's sugary, sweet and slightly salty - heaven in baked form.

Ruth posing with a pigeon statue alongside some of her delicious golden creations / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
Ruth posing with a pigeon statue alongside some of her delicious golden creations / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
Ruth posing with a pigeon statue alongside some of her delicious golden creations / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon

There's plenty more dough-based delights that cater to the savoury palate too. Think sourdough loaves, baguettes and focaccia that's oozing with perfectly paired herbs and generous amounts of oil.

What makes this place even more special is the fact that not only the products being created and consumed made by a Leeds local, most if not all of the offerings are made using Yorkshire produce.

Ruth has made sure to keep local produce at the heart of all her bakes with Met's in Farsley who providing cheese, Whiteley's contributing fresh vegetables like parsley and rhubarb, flour from East Yorkshire's own Stringers and The Organic Dales for any dairy items - it really doesn't get more Yorkshire than this.

Enough from us, social media user's are singing this bakery's praises too as one commented "Delicious. Delicious. Delicious" and another going as far to say, "Beats every pastry I had in Copenhagen".

The sourdough loaves and bloomers at The Fat Pigeon are homemade and look as good as they taste / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
The sourdough loaves and bloomers at The Fat Pigeon are homemade and look as good as they taste / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon
The sourdough loaves and bloomers at The Fat Pigeon are homemade and look as good as they taste / Image Credits: The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon

Hopefully you're reading this on a Friday or early Saturday morning, otherwise all I can do is apologise for tempting you with all this bakery's homemade golden goodness so far in advance.

The Fat Pigeon is open from 9am to 12pm every Saturday meaning you can stock up on some of Leeds' best bread and pastries to tie you over until the next weekend, depending on your will power.

Read more: Inside Leeds’ very first sauna and ice bath cafe hidden behind a railway arch

Featured Images - The Hoot Leeds / The Fat Pigeon

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