It's the first full week of spring- and there's plenty to do now the sun is back out.
Spring is finally here and there's so many things to do to celebrate the changing of the seasons.
Every week, we're going to be bringing you all our favourite things to do in Leeds, along with some exciting one-off events in our city. Every Monday you'll be able to find our cherry-picked list of things to do, starting this week.
Whether you want to get out and bask in the not-so-sunny outdoors, learn something new or hide away indoors and wait out the cold snap, there's going to be loads of things to do in the city centre and beyond to get stuck in to.
Here's our top picks of things to do in Leeds this week.
Leeds Creatives Ukraine Fundraiser
Monday 28 March 2022 from 6pm.
Image: Hyde Park Book Club
Kicking off Hyde Park and Headingley's fundraising efforts for Ukraine, Hyde Park Book Club is hosting a night celebrating arts of all sorts to raise money for DEC and Leeds Together for Ukraine Appeal, a charity providing assistance for Ukrainian refugees in Leeds.
Pay as your feel from 6pm you can hear a reading of Return to Sender by Olga Braga, and poetry from Joe Williams and Hannah Stone in the snug. In the main room there will be a book sale and a creative writing workshop from Hearing Voices: a creative writing workshop exploring some famous images from past wars and conflicts, the concept of photo journalism and war poetry; as well as musical performances from artist and DJs.
Monday 28 March 2022 from 6pm. Find out more here.
The Fratellis at Leeds O2 Academy
Wednesday 30 March, 7-11pm.
Image: The Fratellis
Long-time Indie favourites The Fratellis will be performing at Leeds' O2 Academy this week. Bringing a new load of upbeat, foot-stomping anthems from their latest album, Half Drunk Under The Full Moon, those lucky enough to grab tickets to this gig will get to witness some of the first to witness the new material live, as well as enjoying plenty of classics from their back catalogue.
Tickets from their Saturday 24 October 2020 and Wednesday 21 April 2021 will be valid at this event- keep hold of your original ticket to gain entry to this long-awaited night of Glaswegian rock tunes.
Japanese sushi and Pan Asian grill restaurant, Sakku is hosting its first ever bottomless brunch experience this week- and it's set to be quite the afternoon.
Having been open for just six months, Sakku has locally made a name for itself by bringing back one of the best ways to eat: using local and imported ingredients to bring unlimited dishes back to the dining table, at their hidden Leeds restaurant. Now, the busy restaurant is adding unlimited tipple to the menu and swapping unlimited food for booze during the one-day-only sitting.
Each seat at the table will cost £28.95 and includes four dishes and bottomless draught beer, Prosecco, Pornstar Martini and other cocktails, mocktails and soft drinks for all sittings between 12.30pm and 3.30pm.
Name a better way to celebrate spring than decorate your home in floral offerings. At Chirpy, one of Chapel Allerton's most-loved independent home stores, visitors can join local Floral Designer, Kelly Stanford from Fox & Flora and make a versatile arrangement that can be adorn your door as a spring wreath or an arrangement for your table.
Experience wonder and beauty of flowers, and find much more than an artistic licence. This on-off events teaches the mindful practise of creating with nature and cultivate awareness, presence and balance.
Sunday 3 April 2022, 10.30am-12.30pm. Find out more here.
Trinity Kitchen New Food Trucks
Monday 28 April - Sunday 3 April 2022.
Image: Bad Boy Bagel Co.
Taking us into the warmer months are five brand-new food trucks with some seriously irresistible springtime menus at Trinity Kitchen. Think multi-coloured bagels, slow-smoked meat tacos, grilled cheese sarnies and fluffy steamed pittas inspired by traditional Middle Eastern dishes.
The food trucks have been taken over by the BadBoy Bagel Co. and their seriously 'grammable rainbow bagels; Shouk, specialising in Middle Eastern cuisine; Jimmy Macks, the brains behind seasonal slow-smoked barbecue treats; Cheese Yard and a full menu of all things (you guessed it) cheese and Alleycats, bringing huge burgers to Trinity Kitchen.
The new food vendours will be in Leeds for the next nine weeks. Find out more here.
French artist Justin Fitzpatrick explores conceptual metaphors, and uses his talents to demonstrate our world views and perspectives through art. In this solo exhibition, artist Justin Fitzpatrick explores ideas around taste, decadence and bodily transformation.
As well as Fitzpatrick’s own painting and sculpture, Alpha Salad includes the artist’s curated selection of works from Leeds University Library Galleries and Special Collections, including work by Wendy Abbott, Duncan Grant and Käthe Kollwitz, in addition to photographs from the Leeds Archive of Vernacular Culture.
The Tetley will be showing Justin Fitzpatrick's work until Sunday 8 May 2022. Find out more here.
Feature Image- Hyde Park Book Club
Eats
Stuzzi team to open brand-new sandwich shop and diner in Farsley
The team behind Stuzzi - one of Leeds’ best-loved Italian restaurants - are set to launch a brand-new concept in Farsley this week.
La Grassa will be a new Italian-American ‘Paninoteca’ and diner concept, where you’ll be able to get your hands on paninos filled with house-made meats, cheeses and sauces.
The new concept comes from Stuzzi Leeds co-founders Jimbob Phillips and Brett Lee, and is set to open in Amity Brew Co.
They’ll be taking over the former brewing area at Sunnybank Mills, after Amity moved their brewery operations over to a new site in Greengates.
This new collaboration between Stuzzy and Amity Brew Co will bring Italian-American flavours to Farsley with quick-service dining - hearty sandwiches and light bites by day, and more substantial plates by night.
Jimbob Phillips of Stuzzi Leeds said, “La Grassa is about bringing people together over food that’s indulgent, fun and full of flavour. Working with Amity gives us the perfect space to explore that in a new way.”
Brett Lee added: “We wanted to create a place that feels lively and approachable, where people can enjoy the quality of Stuzzi Leeds in a quick-service format without compromising on taste.”
Verity Clarke, Director at Amity Brew Co, said: “While we were brewing on-site at Sunny Bank Mills, it did limit the hospitality experience. We could only open four days a week, and there wasn’t a weekday that went by without mill visitors wanting to pop in for a daytime drink or bite to eat.
"Over the past five years, we’ve collaborated with food vendors, and it’s always added another welcome dimension to the experience at Amity. We’re very excited to have such a high-quality team joining us to really fulfil Amity’s potential.”
La Grassa at Amity Brew Co will officially open on Friday 13 February 2026 with new extended opening hours from Tuesday to Sunday every week.
The best places in Leeds to get pancakes on Pancake Day
Clementine Hall
One of the best days in the foodie calendar is hereand it's time to decide where you're going for the ultimate stack.
Whilst homemade pancakes hit the spot and attempting to flip them is definitely a laugh, it's always a treat to get out and about to celebrate the momentous occasion.
From thin crepes with lemon and sugar to pillowy, thick buttermilk stacks which are showered with a whole host of delicious toppings - there's a pancake dish for everyone to devour this Shrove Tuesday.
Keep reading for our top picks of cafes, restaurants and bars to visit this Pancake Day.
House of Koko
Chapel Allerton , Oakwood and Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
House of Koko are the absolute bees knees when it comes to brunch.
Their pancakes are fluffy, pillowy, light, perfectly formed and just down right delicious. The list of toppings is almost overwhelming and you can mix and match yours to your heart's content, we're talking bacon, biscoff, kinder bueno, toasted nuts, white choc chips, banana and even ice cream, the list really does go on but you'll be here all day.
Moose Coffee
Bond Court
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Given Canadian pancakes are a worldwide favourite, you'd expect the best pancakes to come from Moose Coffee. Made fresh to order, there's a stack of three dusted with icing sugar, dotted with blueberries and served with Canadian butter on offer as well as a Biscoff Stack made from three pancakes, biscoff sauce, vanilla ice cream, white choc shards, lotus biscuit.
Whatever your preference this Pancake Day, your combination of sweet and savoury is pretty much guaranteed to live up to the famous Canadian combination- maple syrup included.
Farmhouse
Lands Lane
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Farmhouse are basically famous in the city for their epic stacks of pancakes, fluffy and loaded with all the toppings it's just what you want this Pancake Day.
If Up North
Call Lane or York Place
Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you're a regular on the If Up North Instagram page, you'll know that these guys are big fans of pancakes. Given their obsession with posting their beautifully decorated variations online, we're confident that these pancakes will be lip-smacking, mouth-drooling good and packed with flavour.
Expect flavours like berry and Biscoff, fruits and cream, bacon and maple syrup as well as a whole host of different variations at any of their Leeds-based cafes.
North Star Coffee Shop
Leeds Dock
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Locally renowned for its coffee roast, North Star Coffee Shop is also a great contender for the best-looking pancakes around. Open from 8am this Shrove Tuesday, grab some fluffy pancakes topped with all the seasonal favourites they have on offer.
Galleria
Armley Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Running from Monday 16 February until Friday 20 February, you can bag yourself £1 pancakes with a huge range toppings like classic lemon and sugar, maple smoked bacon, fried egg and sausage, or singular toppings such as blueberries, avocado, IPA caramel and more.
You'll need to pre-book to secure your offer and when you arrive, pick up an order form from your server so you can select how many £1 pancakes you want, alongside your chosen toppings. Yeah, it’s really that flipping easy.
Laynes Espresso
New Station Street
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Everything Laynes touch turns to gold, and their pancakes are of course no exception.
They of course go perfectly with a heavenly cup of coffee served inside their dazzling bright yellow, life-affirming coffee shop.
Sophie Smith -
28th March 2022 
