Paying a respectful homage to the building's wealth of history, Kino effortlessly fuses new and old, indie and popular, and wine with charcuterie.
Kino, meaning cinema, has been lovingly built from the rubble of a former-derelict cinema space.
The space within the Grade II-listed Opera North has opened its doors this week, revealing a space with soft greys and blues, terrazzo table-tops, and a stunning tiled bar.
The gist of the food offering is a simple one - boards loaded with cheese, charcuterie, and other nibbles, sourced as regionally as possible.
Inside Kino. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Suppliers include Leeds’ George & Joseph, North Star Coffee Roasters, Latitude Wines and Northern Monk in addition to Darlington’s Acorn Dairy, Lishman’s of Ilkley and Bluebird Bakery.
Everything will be evolving constantly to showcase seasonal favourites as well as guest chefs and kitchen residencies.
From September, one of Leeds' most exciting pop-up brands will take over the full food offer, with plenty of exciting names to add to the menu come autumn.
Kino is now opening in Leeds. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Inspired by the cinematic experience formerly hosted inside the Grade II listed building, Kino means 'cinema' in multiple languages, but also encompasses the minimalist style that the restaurant has taken on as part of its opening identity.
Inside you'll see 100 covers across a whopping three floors with clean lines to create a relaxed and welcoming space perfect for pre-show drinks, post-performance bites and everything in between.
This exciting new opening will be far more than a foodie option for theatre-goers, it'll be a game-changing restaurant championing independents near and far, all whilst keeping its carbon footprint to a minimum.
Menus at Kino. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Running on renewable energy created from solar panels and from the grid, Kino promises to put sustainability in everything it does- and we can't wait to see the restaurant in action later this summer.
Richard Mantle, general director at Opera North says: “Opening Kino is the final piece in the puzzle following our transformative £18 million redevelopment programme, Music Works.
"Located next to Leeds Grand Theatre, where Opera North is a resident company, and below the Howard Assembly Room, the most eclectic music venue in the north of England, Kino will be the perfect spot to enjoy drinks and a bite to eat before a performance, or as a destination in its own right.
"With Kino, we continue to do what we do best – entertaining through memorable experiences – adding seriously delicious food and drink to our repertoire."
Kino will initially open on Wednesday and Thursday evenings 5pm - 11pm, and all day on Fridays and Saturdays over the summer before moving into its September menu and full restaurant opening.
A Sheffield pizzeria has been named one of the world’s best in a prestigious global ranking.
Forbici, the restaurant where all pizzas are served with a pair of scissors, is the only northern pizzeria to be recognised at last week's Best Pizza Awards 2026.
The awards took place in Milan, and are said to be the Michelin equivalent of the pizza world.
Forbici was named as creating one of the world’s best pizzas, with its master chef recognised as one of the top pizza chefs in the world.
It’s one of just two UK pizzerias listed in the coveted top 100 this year.
Images: The Sheff
Forbici opened in Manchester back in 2024, and has since expanded across to lovely Sheffield on Millennium Square back in March.
It was also once named by Marco Pierre White as ‘the best pizza’ he’d ever had - quite an accolade.
Biga pizza dough at Forbici is slow-fermented to create a light, risen crust, before being topped with quality ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and Italian produce.
It also has a lot of northern flavour, thanks to local specials like the Lancashire Hotpot – a pizza topped with crisps.
And all pizzas are served with scissors, inspired by the pizzerias of Naples, to be cut into quarters.
Master baker Davide Argentino is a fifth-generation baker from Napoli. While his family runs two bakeries on his behalf back home, Davide brings a true taste of authentic Neapolitan pizza to the UK.
Commenting on the recognition, Davide said: “It is a huge honour for Forbici to be recognised as one of the best pizzerias in the world.
“Baking has been in my family for five generations, so this is a really proud moment. In crafting Forbici’s signature dough we challenged convention pushing the fermentation process to the limit. Every bite reflects the patience, precision and expertise behind our approach.
“This recognition belongs to our entire team, whose passion, skill and commitment to the craft of pizza-making make Forbici what it is every day.”
An intimate Japanese katsu bar with only 15 seats is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Chef Fern is taking on another venture, and this time it's all about Katsu.
If you know anything about the Leeds food scene, then you'll know the absolute legend that is Chef Fern.
Her first restaurant, Fern Modern Sushi, is a firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike. Known for their expertly crafted sushi made with only the freshest fish on offer.
Nestled in the Central Arcade, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant captured the hearts of many foodies since opening in 2024.
This year, Chef Fern set her sights on another restaurant on Vicar Lane.
Image: O Katsu
Tori Nori opened just a couple of months ago, a modern Japanese grill centred around the fiery robata where guests can watch the chefs cook everything from grilled fish to delicious yakitori skewers right in front of their very eyes.
Unsurprisingly, Tori Nori has also been a huge hit.
But there's just no stopping Fern as she goes on to open yet another restaurant in the city centre.
Introducing O Katsu, an intimate restaurant with only 15 covers serving premium katsu.
Katsu is basically a breaded, deep-fried piece of meat, seafood or vegetables. Served with steaming hot rice, shredded cabbage, miso soup and dipping sauces, it's nothing short of delicious and a popular meal enjoyed in Japan.
We don't know much abut the opening just yet, but what we do know is that it'll be located just opposite her first restaurant in the Central Arcade.
There will be no bookings, and the space will feature an open kitchen so guests can watch the magic happen.
One things for sure, if Chef Fern is involved you just know it's going to be brilliant. We'll keep you updated on the opening of O Katsu as and when we find out.
Sophie Smith -
7th July 2022 
