Eats

From lockdown baking to Roundhay cafe: The Savvy Baker to open its first cafe next week

"I can’t wait to be able to meet all of the customers that have been supporting since that start."

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 24th March 2022

The Savvy Baker is one of Leeds' best lockdown success stories.

Savannah Roqaa became an overnight sensation after sending her friends brownie care packages in the first lockdown two years ago, and has since captured the attention of the entire city with her innovative brownie flavours, charismatic demeanour and pop-up events in and around Leeds.

The baking entrepreneur is now celebrating two years of baking brownies and opening a cafe in Roundhay, where her business first began.

Image: The Savvy Baker

Since churning out 30-40 boxes of brownies per week from her small Roundhay home kitchen, Savannah has grown a cult following of devoted foodies, leaving her with over 50,000 Instagram followers and the likes of Leeds United legend Kalvin Phillips as fans of her delicious treats.

The new cafe is going to stock all of Leeds' favourite baked goods, expect all their usual brownies, brookies, cookies, flapjacks, cakes, tarts, sticky stuff and serving up Leeds' famous North Star coffee.

Read More: All the new openings coming to Leeds in spring 2022

Image: The Savvy Baker

Savannah told The Hoot Leeds: “We’re both so excited to be able to open a customer-facing cafe. I can’t wait to be able to meet all of the customers that have been supporting [us] since that start.

“This is still just the beginning and can’t wait for what’s in the future”.

Be sure to keep an eye out for their new brownie tubs too, which have been consistently selling out online along with their brownie stacks which are loved by Leeds United players on birthdays and other special occasions.

Klavin Phillips visiting The Savvy Baker kitchen. / Image: The Savvy Baker

Having moved into commercial bakery to handle the massive and ever-growing demand, she now regularly hosts pop-ups across the country and small business events in the Savvy Baker HQ, sharing her huge platform with other Yorkshire based small businesses.

Savannah said: “After we’ve been open a couple of months, we will be able to expand our menu, offering breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, shakes, ice cream, and more! We also want to plan events, including doggy days! But we’re taking it one step at a time”.

The cafe is going to run alongside the commercial kitchen that currently produces hundreds of brownies for local businesses and hungry customers around the city and is set to open on Thursday 31 March.

Image: The Savvy Baker

Supporting The Savvy Baker through the cafe opening and taking an active role in renovations, Savannah's partner, Jordan Simms, has come on board to allow the two venues to run in tandem.

“Jordan moved up to Leeds and has always been my biggest supporter. I’m so busy with the bakery and running that side of the business that having someone I trust to help run the cafe was a must…plus not having to make every decision alone is a bonus!

We’re both really excited; it feels like the most natural next step. Initially, we were solely online, but as the world changes, we have to adapt! So that’s what’s happened.”

Savannah Roqaa and Jordan Simms outside the new cafe. / Image: The Savvy Baker

The Savvy Baker cafe will be open every Tuesday - Sunday 8.30am-4pm from their newly-renovated premises on Lidgett Lane, Roundhay. For more information (or just to drool over the brownie selection), visit The Savvy Baker Instagram page.

Feature Image- The Savvy Baker

Eats

Salon Madre – a new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Leeds this month

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.

It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.

Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.

Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.

Food and drink from Salon Madre in Manchester.
Image: The Manc Group

Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.

There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.

If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.

Images: The Manc Group

Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”

Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.

We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.

Read more:

Featured image - The Manc Group

Eats

Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.

Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.

Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.

To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.

But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.

Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".

 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by emba (@embagastrobar)

She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.

"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.

"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."

She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”

Emba will remain open until Saturday 1 March.

Read more:

Featured image - Emba

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