Eats

Beloved local bakery set to expand with a new Chapel Allerton cafe

'Chapel A - we’re comin’ for ya!'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 21st April 2026

Bluebird Bakery, a firm favourite for freshly-baked loaves and cakes in Leeds, has announced it's opening a brand new cafe.

The much-loved local business has been trading out of Kirkgate Market for almost a decade, selling hand-crafted loaves and loads of other beautiful bakes.

Bluebird Bakery already has locations dotted all around Yorkshire, including in York (where founders Al and Nicky Kippax launched the business from their kitchen table), Beverley, and Holmfirth.

And now they've announced big plans for a second location here in Leeds, setting their sights on Chapel Allerton.

The Bluebird Bakery team said they hope the 'West Yorkshire appetite for our loaves and cakes will continue into this vibrant suburb'.

They're taking over a site on Stainbeck Lane, where we'll all be able to tuck into bread, cakes and pastries, plus coffees from Roost Coffee.

And there'll even be outside seating at the new Bluebird Cafe too.

Bluebird Bakery is expanding with another Leeds cafe
Bluebird Bakery is expanding with another Leeds cafe
Bluebird Bakery currently operates from Kirkgate Market in Leeds
Bluebird Bakery currently operates from Kirkgate Market in Leeds

Sharing the news on Instagram, they wrote: "Big news. We are thrilled to announce that we are opening a shop and cafe in Chapel Allerton this summer.

"We love our Leeds Kirkgate Market shop and we hope the West Yorkshire appetite for our loaves and cakes will continue into this vibrant suburb, which is full of independent businesses like ours.

"We’ll be based on Stainbeck Lane where there’ll be both inside & outside seating, brilliant @roost_coffee and all the bread, cakes and pastries Chapel Allerton can eat!

"We’re recruiting soon - so do keep an eye on our socials if you’re a brilliant barista, an experienced cafe assistant or a hands-on supervisor.

"Chapel A - we’re comin’ for ya!"

Read more: Ilkley Food and Drink Festival drops full line-up, including big tribute acts and… banana jousting?

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

Eats

A Leeds icon has been reborn as The Smithfield opens in former The Reliance site

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Smithfield has painted this iconic unit red again

The Smithfield is finally here - and we're pleased to report that it's every bit as special as you were hoping.

This newcomer to Leeds has taken over the site that was home to The Reliance for more than two decades.

The team's transformation of the site started with a paint job - probably the most-talked-about paint job in the city - taking the site's exterior back to its memorable dark red.

That move immediately won over fans of The Reliance, with one person writing: "Seems the team here held the Relly in high regard and rightly so! Hopefully they can recapture some of its magic."

But the efforts to recapture the essence of the iconic old venue go way beyond that.

The Smithfield, a collaboration between Crooked Brewing and Chef James Donovan, is setting out to mix up relaxed hospitality with simple dining.

It's all about connection - to seasonal food, to the heritage of the building, and to the community that will make connections here.

Co-founder Steve Dawson outside The Smithfield
Co-founder Steve Dawson outside The Smithfield
The Reliance has been reborn as The Smithfield
The Reliance has been reborn as The Smithfield
Wayward Wines
Wayward Wines
The dining room
The dining room

If you're wondering what sort of things will be on the table, allow us to enlighten you.

There are sharing plates like grilled leeks on romesco, pigs head croquettes (a must-order), and whipped cods roe with radishes, all served on charming mismatched plates.

The bigger dishes include a comically massive pie for sharing, packed with chicken, leek, and tarragon. It's a mighty thing, especially paired with their crispy-edged chips.

You can also order a whole wild Cornish seabass for a real feast, or a fantastic beef sirloin with wild garlic butter.

There's a fantastic selection of natural wines from Wayward Wines, as well as (unsurprisingly) great beers.

Steak, pie, and charred leeks
Steak, pie, and charred leeks
A spread of the plates at The Smithfield
A spread of the plates at The Smithfield
Sticky toffee pudding
Sticky toffee pudding
The Smithfield has taken over the old The Reliance
The Smithfield has taken over the old The Reliance
Pigs head croquettes with gribiche
Pigs head croquettes with gribiche
The chicken and tarragon sharing pie
The chicken and tarragon sharing pie
A sharing pie and chips at The Smithfield
A sharing pie and chips at The Smithfield
Beef sirloin with wild garlic butter, and purple sprouting broccoli with ricotta and mint
Beef sirloin with wild garlic butter, and purple sprouting broccoli with ricotta and mint
Wild Cornish seabass with kohlrabi, fennel, and chervil - plus an orange wine from Wayward Wines
Wild Cornish seabass with kohlrabi, fennel, and chervil - plus an orange wine from Wayward Wines
The Smithfield is now open
The Smithfield is now open

Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, and his business partner chef James Donovan, were drawn to the old The Reliance site and are seizing the opportunity to contribute to the area's dining legacy.

While Steve's focus is on creating a social meeting point, James will focus on the casual, social dining, taking inspiration from the building's reputation as a cutting-edge gastro pub.

They'll be sourcing seasonally and locally, with menus that will change with the seasons.

The space itself inside is still familiar - those huge windows are the stars of the show, with the bar still standing centrally, while the dining room at the back is stripped-back and simple overlooking the open kitchen.

It's very early days for The Smithfield - they're just out of their soft launch period and gearing up for their first 'proper' weekend.

On their soft launch period, they wrote: "We were so grateful to welcome friends, neighbours, and the Leeds hospitality community to The Smithfield. Seeing the bar and dining room full after weeks of cleaning, painting, and graft has truly made it all worth it.

"A huge thank you to everyone who came along, showed their support, and has made this journey possible. Not least the Kitchen and bar teams, whose incredible service has kept the plates coming and the drinks flowing."

We feel pretty confident in saying Leeds will be very proud to have The Smithfield in our city.

Read more

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

Eats

In pictures – Mexican restaurant Madre opens up in Leeds at last

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Madre is one of those few restaurants that has been making us jealous of Manchester for years - but finally, it’s Leeds’ turn. 

A couple of months after the launch of Salon Madre, a colourful pool hall and taqueria, it’s time for Leeds to welcome its sister restaurant. 

Madre will open its doors on Wellington Place this week, promising to educate us all in the art of ‘sobremesa’, which means to linger at the table long after the meal is over. 

And trust us, after popping in for a sneak peek today, you won’t be in a rush to leave this place. 

The unit has been totally transformed by the Madre team - it’s all jagged angles on the tables and soft curves on the walls, with a colour palette that goes all the way from deep terracotta to neon green. 

From an open kitchen you can see the team constructing tacos and piling oysters with jalapeño mignonette and salsa brava. 

The menu is split neatly into four sections - snacks (elote, wings, Caesar salad and guac); raw (oysters, tuna tostadas, and aguachile); tacos (including birria); and parilla (wood-fired dishes like BBQ octopus and slow cooked lamb breast).

Click through the gallery below to see inside Madre Leeds

Madre Leeds
Madre Leeds
A selection of the Madre Leeds menu
A selection of the Madre Leeds menu
Dishes at Madre in Leeds
Dishes at Madre in Leeds
Margaritas
Margaritas are a must
Madre will open on Wellington Place
Beef birria tacos
Beef birria tacos
Fire-roasted mushrooms with egg yolk
Fire-roasted mushrooms with egg yolk
Madre opens in Leeds this week
Madre opens in Leeds this week
Bone marrow
Bone marrow
Madre on Wellington Place
Madre on Wellington Place
Oysters with salsa
Oysters with salsa

Pull up a seat at a tile-topped table and you can expect to dig into everything from rich Oaxacan-inspired moles and salsas to Baja-style mariscos and Sonoran grilled meats.

Pop down on a Tuesday and you can take advantage of Madre’s two-for-one taco deal - we can’t really think of a better evening than tucking into dinner at Madre before heading across the road for happy hour margs and a game of pool at Salon Madre. 

Madre is brought to the city by the teams behind London’s famous Breddos Tacos and esteemed Liverpudlian eatery Belzan.

Madre is officially open from Friday 17 April. 

Read more: The best record shops in and around Leeds for vinyl shopping and more

Featured image: The Hoot Leeds

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