The Queens Hotel in central Leeds has recently undergone a huge £16 million refurbishment, ushering in a grand new era for the 84-year-old property.
As part of the overhaul, the hotel has welcomed an opulent new Raffles-inspired restaurant, Grand Pacific.
Grand Pacific is part of the Living Venture's group, which also has brands like The Alchemist and The Botanist in Leeds. There is already a site in Manchester, but this is the first to open in West Yorkshire.
Grand Pacific Leeds serves a fusion menu bringing together flavours from around the world
The new luxurious all-day drinking and dining destination is styled on the old colonial hotels of south-east Asia and can seat up to 100 guests in the main restaurant.
Here, staff aim to recreate the golden age of high society "with a sumptuous yet relaxed charm accompanied by great service”.
In the dining area, quintessential British classics are fused with flavours from further afield. Dishes like Asian-spiced duck cottage pie and tempura Szechuan sea bass sit next to a teriyaki steak sandwich and classic club on the all-day menu.
Its indulgent afternoon or 'high' teas are also very popular, offering a selection of miniature sandwiches and sweet treats with a choice of loose leaf tea or bubbles.
The afternoon teas at Grand Pacific are some of the most indulgent in the city
On a Sunday, guests can also enjoy a roast with a difference - accompanied by a set of contemporary classical music from the Grand Pacific Palm Court Orchestra.
From the bar, there are plenty of indulgent cocktails to try ranging from Grand Pacific's yuzu negroni and pomegranate mojito to salted caramel espresso and grand pornstar martinis.
One of the most iconic drinks here, though, has to be their 'golden pineapple' which is both a cocktail in its own right and a symbol of hospitality in general. Made with several different types of rum, pineapple, guava and lime and then topped with crushed ice it's pretty to look at and wonderfully refreshing too.
The 'Golden Pineapple' cocktail at Grand Pacific is one of their signatures
As if this wasn't enough, the hotel is also now home to Café Pacific - an all-day social hub offering coffees, superfood smoothies and healthy snacks. A perfect spot to set up on your laptop for the day if you're working away from home.
Grand Pacific's restaurant and bar is open now inside The Queen's Hotel. As part of their soft launch, which runs until 27th June, diners can get 50% off their meal when they book a table using this link.
To find out more and keep up to date, follow them on Instagram.
Eats
New Sheffield pizzeria named one of the world’s best
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.
Georgina Pellant -
18th June 2021 
