Sweet, savoury, filled or plain: pies are a staple in the British diet.
It's the best week of the year...it's British Pie Week, not that we need much of an excuse to celebrate that flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastry, but we're taking all the excuses we can this week to embrace all things pie related.
We've rounded up al our favourite spots to grab a pie, as a lunchtime snack or on the go in the city centre - so take your pick, whatever the occasion.
Dave's Pies and Ales
Kirkstall Road, Burley | Open from 5pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Dave's Pies and Ales is locally known as the smallest pub in Leeds - and whilst the menu and seating area might be teeny, what it does do, it does well.
Choose from a range of pies and peas with classic ales on tap to choose from inside this micropub 12-11pm every day of the week.
Whitelocks Ale House
Turk's Head Yard, just off Briggate | Kitchen open from 12pm
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Whitelocks is known in Leeds for its Sunday Roasts, warm fire and homely pub ambience- but their pies are the unsung heroes on the menu.
The beef and ale pie is made from Yorkshire Meat Co. beef, a Wetherby-based supplier that brings beef from the likes of Tancred Grange Farm in Richmond to Leeds. This one is served with chunky chips and sautéed seasonal veg, seat by the fireplace optional.
Pieminister
Duncan Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Available as a Sunday roast, bottomless brunch or just a plain old (but beautifully presented) pie and mash, Pieminister is famous for its pies for all the right reasons. On the shelves in your local supermarkets and available as a sit-down scran on Boar Lane, Pieminister is a place where pies are guaranteed to make up the majority of the menu options.
Finer Pleasures
Multiple locations
If you don't know about Josh at Finer Pleasures, then you're seriously missing out. Josh is somewhat of a pie-oneer (sorry), and is the master of creating weird and wonderful pie creations from lasagna pies to gammon, egg and pineapple pork pies.
You can find him over in Crossgates most Wednesdays, but you're best bet is to keep an eye on his socials for the best chance on bagging one of his pies. Trust us, they're like gold dust.
Wilsons Butchers
Austhorpe Road, Cross Gates | Open from 7.30am
Image: Wilsons Butchers
Located in Armley, Morley and Pontfract - Wilsons Pies and Pasties is a small indie chain from Wilsons Butchers and crowned champions of the Yorkshire Small Pork Pie Championships.
At lunch time, the shops offer a true Yorkshire delicacy of pie and mushy pies with optional (but essential) mint sauce. All Wilsons pies and pasties are made using locally sourced produce in Garforth, so these a true Leeds pies, and well worth sampling.
One of Leeds’ most iconic buildings is set to be brought back to life.
Plans for a brand-new padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse on Wellington Road have been approved by Leeds City Council’s West Plans Panel.
Consent has been granted for Ollo Padel to transform the Grade II* listed Roundhouse into a state-of-the-art sport, fitness, food, drink and community venue subject to conditions and completion of a Section 106 agreement.
Built in 1847 for the Leeds and Thirsk Railway Company, The Roundhouse was once home to the steam locomotives that powered industrial Victorian Leeds. In recent years, the building has stood largely unused.
Image: Supplied
The approved plans will restore and protect the landmark building and give the site a new, long-term future as one of the city’s most distinctive leisure destinations.
The three-acre site, located on the edge of Leeds city centre, will include nine outdoor doubles padel courts under a 10-metre canopy, plus a dedicated indoor coaching court within The Roundhouse itself.
At the heart of the site will be the Ollo Clubhouse; built around an all-day kitchen and bar, it will combine a comfortable lounge and co-working space, meeting rooms and live sport and events spaces.
The kitchen and bar will be run in partnership with Southbank Provisions, the independent Leeds hospitality team behind Headrow House, Belgrave Music Hall and Galleria whilst the gym will be operated by fitness and performance specialists Northbound, who will bring strength and conditioning practice, Hyrox training and pilates classes to The Roundhouse.
Image: Supplied
Construction is expected to begin later this year, with the venue aiming to open in early 2027.
Luke Gidney, Founder & CEO Ollo Padel: "This is a huge day for Leeds, for The Roundhouse and for Ollo. The Roundhouse has been part of the city’s story for nearly 180 years. It’s an incredible building but it needs people, energy and purpose again. Our plan is to bring it back to life as a place where people can play, eat, work, meet friends and feel part of something.
"Padel is growing so quickly because it’s fun, social and easy to pick up. But for us, this is about more than just the courts. We want Ollo to become a proper community destination for Leeds, somewhere welcoming, joyful and full of life.
"We’re incredibly grateful to Leeds City Council’s planning team, our case officer, the wider council team and everyone who has supported the project to this point. This has been a complex project but the sport and engagement throughout has been brilliant. Now the real work starts and we cannot wait to open the doors for you.”
Inside the Leeds factory that makes and supplies classic jukeboxes
Thomas Melia
This Leeds-based family-owned business is famed for supplying pubs, clubs and even ordinary people's homes with classic jukeboxes.
Started up in 1978, Sound Leisure really is a local business like no other, creating and distributing classic jukeboxes to over 40 countries.
This music-machine-making company notes that 75% of the jukeboxes they manufacture and sell throughout the year are bought for everyday homes.
The remaining 25% of orders are for the all-expected hospitality venues like bars, clubs and hotels, with the jukeboxes sometimes bought for company headquarters and retail outlets too.
Although there are other jukebox manufacturers, especially across the pond in the US, Sound Leisure is the only factory in the world that creates jukeboxes to play out across all formats: CD, vinyl and digital.
This jukebox business even runs the world's only 'Custom Shop', which is a design service that offers any music lovers the chance to personalise their pristine player.
So whether you're after a themed jukebox, customisable nameplate or even a bespoke design, this jukebox company's website states: "If you can dream it, we can build it".
One of Sound Leisure's prized products is the music machine inspired Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band-themed jukebox which any fan of The Beatles would dream of being its lucky owner.
And there really isn't anything they can't do, as alongside creating classic jukeboxes, the same team even make pinball machines, football tables, LED signs and more.
With CD and vinyl jukeboxes from £5,000 and digital jukeboxes quoted from upwards of £12,000, we're going to need a fair few rainy days to save up our money.
However, you can still marvel at these magnificent music machines without having to dip into your savings, with guided tours starting from just £15.
If you're up for learning a little bit more about music technology or simply after admiring these classic jukeboxes in all their glory, you can find out more about the factory and book your guided tour ticket HERE.