The green cafes and restaurants in Leeds doing their bit for the planet

Whether you’re vegan, veggie or just want a meal that you know won’t have a negative impact on the environment, here’s the best sustainable cafes in Leeds.

When half a million tonnes of food goes to waste every single year in hospitality eateries alone, we know there’s a serious problem.

In the wake of COP meeting promises and an out-of-control carbon crisis, the UK is clearly still getting to grips with the way that our current lifestyle choices affect the planet’s long-term health.

It might seem impossible – but in the ongoing war on global warming and unnecessary waste, choosing an ethical or sustainable cafe is one way that you can help to reduce your own carbon footprint and live a greener lifestyle.

Whether it’s switching to greener fuels, preventing food waste, or investing in plant-based menus, some of our favourite cafes and restaurants in Leeds are well ahead of the curb on this.

We’ve chosen our favourite places for a sustainable meal so that you can feel good about your environmental contribution next time you choose to dine out and about in the city.

Honest Burgers

Cloth Hall Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 11.30am

Smash burgers. / Image: The Hoot Leeds

Honest Burgers has been working with Yorkshire-based farmer Alistair to revolutionise its entire beef supply chain to regeneratively-farmed. At present, there’s six of their 41 restaurants serving been from regenerative farms but by the beginning of 2024, all restaurants will be serving this type of beef. If you’re looking for a foodie recommendation, the new smash burgers are our go-to.

Find out more here.

FINT

Great George Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 11am

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Using seasonal produce to make up the ever-changing menu, expect dishes like eggs benedict cooked to perfection with unusual earthy combinations that put the usual sourdough and hollandaise to shame. The ingredients here used taste fresh and by using seasonal ingredients, food milage will be limited, as well as bringing an authentic flavour to the Leeds leafy corner.

Find out more here.

Bundobust

Mill Hill, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm

According to B&M Waste Services, Bundobust sites divert over 9500kg of waste from landfill each week, and two thirds of food waste is used to generate renewable energy and organic fertiliser- and that’s just the beginning. The company only sells vegetarian items, with a sizeable vegan portion and despite expanding since opening in 2014, the brand continues to work with smaller businesses or partnering with brands like Meatless Farm to show how alternative products can be tasty.

Find out more here.

Bottle Chop

Weetwood Lane, Far Headingley | Open from 11am / 12pm

Image: Bottle Chop

The guys at Bottle Chop are paving the way in sustainable, ethical booze by reducing their carbon footprint with less packaging and waste. With rotating wines and beer on tap, you can pay for your bottle the first time you go and refill it time and time again with the tipple of your choice. You can also pop by and enjoy a delicious charcuterie board alongside your drinks, or perhaps delve into some tinned fish which they will lovingly serve up alongside some freshly baked crusty bread and other perfect pairings. After all, it would be rude not to.

Find out more here.

Leeds Kirkgate Market

Vicar Lane, Leeds city centre | Open from 8am

Image: Leeds City Council

Kirkgate Market has partnered with the online shopping platform Good Sixty, so that LS1-9, 13,16,17, and 28 postcodes can now shop online and have their market goodies delivered right to their doorstep. Essentially, it’s the same as ordering from any other website: you place an order with Good Sixty, then the market traders organise their individual packages before passing them on for delivery.

Find out more here.

Kino

New Briggate, Leeds city centre | Open from 5pm

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Kino has been one of the most exciting new openings in Leeds. The bar and restaurant has been championing independents near and far, all whilst keeping its carbon footprint to a minimum. 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.

Find out more here.

Brewdog North Street

North Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Brewdog loves to shout about being a carbon negative pub chain (it’s even their wifi password), but the sustainability pledge goes far further than the beer that’s brewed offsite. There’s eco-friendly dog biscuits made from leftover beer in every bar ( the biscuits contain no hops or alcohol, so they’re perfectly safe for your dog to eat, plus they’re full of nutrition) and you can even take their leftover drinks at a lower price to reduce waste- all you need to do is grab one of their TooGoodToGo bags.

Find out more here.

Green Room

Wellington Street, Leeds City Centre | Open from 10am

Image: The Hoot Leeds

Founders Will Habergham and Kirk Allen have ensured the venue is championing existing Leeds businesses that focus on recycling, sustainability, and a healthier lifestyle.  As such, food by day here is provided by award-winning vegan cafe Grön, who have made waves across the city with their feel-good plant-based food and Scandi-inspired Oakwood venue.

Find out more here.

Fat Annie’s

Leeds Kirkgate Market | Open from 9am

Vegan fries next to sign.
Image: Fat Annie’s

Whether you want to go fully vegan or just dip into the occasional meat-free dish, cutting down on meat and meat products can positively benefit the environment. Producing some of the finest vegan food around, Fat Annie’s knows a thing or two about creating flavour without animals.

The Kirkgate Market stall is currently one year into its meat-free journey. The owner gave up meat in 2019 after reading the UN Climate Report and made the decision to risk ‘financial suicide’ to back their beliefs and switch to meat-free dishes.

Find out more here.

Rainbow Junktion

24 Regent Terrace, Burley | Open from 11.30am

chalkboard with sign.
The menu at Rainbow Junktion changes daily based on the ingredients saved from being wasted. / Image: Rainbow Junktion, TripAdvisor

This independent pay-as-you-feel cafe is the epitome of an ethical eatery. The cafe intercepts food from other supermarkets and restaurants that would have otherwise gone to waste and they turn it into healthy, nutritional meals.

Accessible to everyone, Rainbow Junktion asks people to pay-as-they-feel and run through a combination of donations and volunteers. Grab a meal from 12 – 2.30 pm every Monday and Thursday from their setup at All Hallows’ Church in Headingley.

Out of this World

New Market Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 9am

Image: Out of this World Leeds

If you’re in need of an ethical on-the-go treat, Out of this World is your one-stop-shop. Locally known as ‘Yorkshire’s favourite health food shop’, they stock all things eco-friendly. They are one of the few shops in Leeds that offer reusable zero-waste packaging on some products: instead, you bring your own containers to refill.

Not everything can be packaging-free, but the Out of this World staff go out of their way to make sure they’re keeping up with the latest sustainable ingredients and recipes so you can get an ethical version of whatever food or drink you desire.

Cha Lounge

Dock Street, The Calls | Open from 8am

Flatlay of curry night.
Image: Cha Lounge

Zero-waste, independent, and sustainable are the only three words we need to convince you at Cha Lounge are serious about going green. They have the largest range of ethical lead teas in Leeds too if you needed any more proof.

From an incredible zero-waste brunch menu to their weekly Indian curry night using family recipes and fairtrade wines. Cha Lounge can cater to any guests ready to take food waste seriously. They also cater for events, sell fresh grocery boxes and dine-at-home curry boxes so you never run out of their delicious cuisine.

Find out more here.

Feature Image- Leeds City Council / The Hoot Leeds (FINT / Brewdog)

Total
64
Shares
Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Posts