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.
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
In pictures – Mexican restaurant Madre opens up in Leeds at last
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 LeedsA selection of the Madre Leeds menuDishes at Madre in LeedsMargaritas are a mustBeef birria tacosFire-roasted mushrooms with egg yolkMadre opens in Leeds this weekBone marrowMadre on Wellington PlaceOysters 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.
Leeds’ first frozen yoghurt bar is opening in Headingley this weekend
Clementine Hall
The frozen yoghurt craze is on its way to Leeds as Kefiyo is set to open in Headingley in just a few days.
It's a phenomenon that has caught the attention of the TikTok and Instagram girlies as of late, with frozen yoghurt bars popping up in Manchester and going viral online.
The ice cold sweet treat is supposedly 'healthy' and with a slogan of 'eat Clean. feel Light. live Better.' - this new spot in Leeds seems to be going down that route too.
Kefiyo will be opening in the old Sixes site on Ash Road in Headingley, and they've just announced that they'll be soft launching this Sunday 19 April 2026.
The space is already sporting a super cute pastel green and pink exterior, and it's exactly matching the aesthetic that you'd expect with froyo.
Kefiyo will offer a range of frozen yoghurt flavours with a whole bunch of toppings for you to customise to your tastebuds, as well as fresh acai bowls.
Situated slap bang in the centre of Headingley, we've got a feeling it'll be very busy with students on their way to their morning lecture or at night for those looking for a sweet treat that doesn't feel too naughty.
We'll keep you updated on more Kefiyo updates as and when we find out.
But in the meantime, you can keep an eye on their socials here. We'll see you soon for a scoop Leeds.
Sophie Smith -
24th March 2022 
