House of Koko has opened a second site in Oakwood, and you can be the first to dine in if you head down this weekend.
Bringing fine-dining to a laid back setting is a winning combination that House of Koko have got down to a tee in Chapel Allerton and now Oakwood locals can understand the hype from Saturday 4 March as the company opens its second site in the leafy suburb.
Image: House of Koko
Their menu comprises beautifully presented dishes like pancakes drenched in syrup and even their scrambled tofu is good enough to photograph for the ‘gram (who knew?).
The overwhelming success of the cafe is well-known about Leeds- and it comes with a whole host of raving reviews.
At the new site, the HOK Oakwood will be serving up all of their bestselling brunch dishes, as well as some classy cocktails and a selection of wines to be paired with small dining plates.
Inside the former Hessian building, House of Koko will continue to deliver on the brand’s infamously tasty and all-encompassing brunch offering. Hessian’s staff will remain, keeping local knowledge and friendly faces for the Hessian regulars as the venue evolves into House of Koko.
By April, House of Koko intends to channel a little of Owner Rosita’s other venue, too - Distrikt bar in the city centre. They will open in the evenings, offering a supper menu of small plates alongside wine and cocktails - and perhaps even DJs.
Image: PGHL
Owner Rosita Roger stated: “We‘re so excited to expand into another exciting Leeds foodie suburb. This up-and-coming area already has some fab foodie offerings, and we’re so happy to be joining the club.
Establishing ourselves as a regular evening venue is also an exciting new step for us, and a challenge we are ready to meet head-on!”
The idea is that the Oakwood cafe will open in March and then in April, the nighttime menu will be added to the concept, along with the occasional DJ, fingers crossed.
In addition to these exciting additions, House of Koko will continue their commitment to sourcing fantastic local produce in their Oakwood venue, from the coffee to the cakes to the vegetables.
Image: PGHL
Think Moreish cakes from The Savvy Baker, Glazed & Confused and coffee is sourced from local roastery North Star, who source their coffee beans ethically, directly from the farmers.
House of Koko will continue to serve up plenty of vegan options alongside both healthy and indulgent brunch dishes, from the likes of Turkish eggs to maple syrup-smothered banana and pecan pancakes.
Image: PGHL
House of Koko will continue to host their famous eclectic food events and pop-ups with other chefs and suppliers in their new Oakwood venue, which is looking forward to welcoming locals and HOK regulars alike, throughout the day - and now into the evening.
There's another new opening in Farsley - this time an incredibly cool listening bar and cocktail bar.
Tucked away in Sunny Bank Mills, Pardon Me is a bar built around 'music, atmosphere, and detail'.
Bartenders here create well-made cocktails and pour natural wines in front of a wall of vinyl records, while a playlist of hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, deep house, and disco soundtracks your evening.
The stylish space features a considered sound system that's been built around Danley speakers.
Pardon Me has opened with the intention of creating a space where 'sound sits at the centre, and everything else supports it'.
It's been launched by Scott Rapson, who grew up in the Scottish Highlands and fell in love with music around the time of the arrival of hip hop in the early 80s.
He then spent time travelling for raves, and visiting venues like Glasgow’s Sub Club and London’s Plastic People, giving Scott an appreciation for how 'music can shape a room, not just fill it'.
Scott and his partner Laurie have then spent the past three years travelling Europe, visiting listening bars across the continent to shape the foundations of Pardon Me.
Inside Pardon Me in FarsleyCocktails at Pardon Me
They say that sound, look, atmosphere, service and style are treated with equal importance.
Whether it's for coffee during the day, or drinks into the evening, they want Pardon Me to be a place to spend time, looking out across Sunny Bank Mills.
Scott says he's built the bar with the support of family and friends, plus Laurie helping to bring the idea to life, already finding a warm welcome within the Farsley community.
Pardon Me is open now at Sunny Bank Mills in Farsley.
Posh bakery chain Gail’s is finally coming to Yorkshire
Daisy Jackson
Gail's has finally set its sights on Yorkshire for the first time, with a new bakery set to open this year.
It's one of the UK's most famous bakeries, launching in London in the early 1990s to supply restaurants, before opening its first retail site and cafe in Hampstead in 2005.
Gail's founders set out on a mission to bake bread as it used to be baked: by hand, using quality ingredients and time-worn artisanal methods.
While Gail's has expanded aggressively into the north, opening around a dozen bakeries in Greater Manchester and its surrounds, it hasn't made the journey across to Yorkshire just yet.
All that looks set to change, with job ads now listed for roles within a brand-new Yorkshire branch of Gail's.
Based on the job advert, Gail's is heading straight to the spa town of Harrogate - which is a fairly predictable move.
It looks like Gail's is heading for HarrogateGail's will make its Yorkshire debut
When it does open, you'll find loaf choices including classic white and brown sourdough, Gail’s ‘wasteless’ loaves (made using a specially-created recipe designed to incorporate unsold bread crumbs), alongside seeded varieties, baguettes and batons.
Must-tries include Gail’s famous cinnamon buns, still-warm cheese and ham croissants, chocolate chip cookies, and – given the weather we’re having this week – iced coffees, all day long preferably please.
Gail's has now confirmed the opening, with a spokesperson saying: "GAIL’s is excited to confirm it is opening a new bakery in Harrogate later this year. The opening will bring GAIL’s craft baking to the community, including creating a number of craft baking, barista, and management roles.
"We will also be donating surplus baked goods through our Neighbourly partnerships. This is part of our ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities we serve and improving access to quality food and drink on the high-street."
But given the number of fantastic local bakeries all over Yorkshire, the question is, does anyone want Gail's?
Sophie Smith -
3rd March 2022 
