Valentine's Day is around the corner, and whoever you're showing your affection for this V-day, a sweet treat is always a great gift.
Whether you want to shower yourself in self-love and get yourself a foodie treat or are you looking for a gift for a friend or partner, we're convinced this is the best all-round crowdpleaser for that all important day.
The Valentines Brownie from the Savvy Baker is essentially a giant slab of chocolatey goodness, but all four come with a heartfelt message, including hilarious quotes like 'cute butt' and 'I heart your d*ck', and the wholesome 'my fave human' and 'happy bestie day'.
Each brownie is priced at £15.50, a bargain given you can usually get four brownies from £12.00.
If your recipient is a cookie monster in the making, there's a cookie box available for the occasion too. Or, if you'd prefer not to send a chocolatey message to your valentines at all, there's always the giant stacks, made from a seemingly unlimited number of Leeds famous brownies.
Incase you haven’t met The Savvy Baker before, the lockdown-success bakery has grown from owner Savanah Roqaa's kitchen into a two cafe and endless pop-up brownie empire, gaining a cult following for its delicious baked goods in the process.
Brownies, blondies, stacks and slabs are just a few of the items available on sale. One of our latest discoveries is the Rolo and Caramel Brownie Pot, a chocolate ganache and gooey caramel with layers brownie chunks and perfect to satisfy that sweet craving.
Both Savvy's stacks and slabs, along with the rest of their bakes, are available for collection from the Roundhay cafe or post Leeds pre-ordered for valentines day or any special occasion.
Valentine's Day Orders close on Wednesday 8 February 2023 to be dispatched on Thursday 9 and Friday 10 February so that you can get your brownie fix in time for Valentines Day.
Collection from Lidgett Lane Cafe in Roundhay will be on Saturday 11 February and Sunday 12 February 2023.
Feature Image- The Savvy Baker
Eats
Salon Madre – a new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Leeds this month
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.
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.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
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".
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.”
Sophie Smith -
16th January 2023 
