North Leeds Food Festival has revealed it will be returning to the city this summer, filling Roundhay Park with a host of food stalls featuring some of the best eats in West Yorkshire.
Whilst full details of the 2021 food lineup are yet to be fully revealed, based on 2019's roster - which welcomed top Yorkshire chefs from venues like The Foundry, Harewood Food & Drink Project, Rudding Park, Theravadu - this is not an event to be missed.
Some information about traders has been teased out online, with pictures of delicious gooey brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, flapjacks, sweets, cinnamon buns beginning to surface.
There have also been mentions of special sweet traders serving freshly made crepes, traditional Mexican churros and authentic Hong Kong desserts like bubble waffles with ice cream.
An authentic Hong Kong dessert, bubble waffles with ice cream / Image: North Leeds Food Festival
This year, the festival will be held across two weekends in August (7-8th) and September (11-12th). There'll be hot street food stalls for you to grab a tasty bite, and retail stalls to pick up hard-to-get local ingredients to use in your cooking at home.
There'll be live chef demos, hosted in association with Zest Charity & Leeds Cookery School, and plenty of independent bars serving up some of the freshest beers, wines, and cocktails Leeds has to offer.
Attendees in Roundhay Park sitting around enjoying the food festival / Image: North Leeds Food Festival
On top of all this, there'll be a traditional fun fair and inflatables for the little ones to play on, live entertainment and music from jazz and soul artist Malaika.
Artwork from Leeds Art University students will be displayed throughout the festival, and there'll also be a dedicated 'wellness' section with wellbeing stalls, independent cosmetic brands and yoga talks.
Further entertainment across the weekend will come from magicians Matthew J and Magic Matt, plus a free kids quiz and 'fact hunt'.
A bartender pours a glass of prosecco behind the bar at the food festival / Image: North Leeds Food Festival http://Attendees in Roundhay Park sitting around enjoying the food festival
Day tickets are priced at £4.98 for adults, and those bought for 2020's event are still valid for this year's North Leeds Food Festival. Tickets for under 16s are just £1.50 and under 5s go free.
To grab yours and find out more, visit the website here.
Eats
Luxury Leeds steakhouse to undergo huge £1.2 million renovation
Leeds restaurant The Cut & Craft has announced further expansion plans for the spring.
Swanky all-day dining restaurant and bar, The Cut & Craft, is expanding its popular Leeds site, investing a whopping £1.2 million to create a new adjoining elegant bar, lounge and private spaces.
Located within the former historic Collinson’s Cafe, the renovation will transform the former neighbouring Paul Smith store, to extend the existing brand offering.
The extension will celebrate the original beauty of the space, whilst acknowledging the legacy of Wallace Hartley - a talented musician who played at Collinson’s Cafe in the early 1900s before his role as bandleader on Titanic during its maiden voyage.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The Grade II-listed building’s features including its iconic glass dome, stained glass and circular central bar will remain, with the addition of two beautifully designed private dining rooms.
The extension is due for competition this spring and will transform the existing venue into a space with seating for an impressive 370 covers.
Oscar Akgul, CEO at The Cut & Craft said: “Planning for this new chapter began within the first year of opening. By year two, it was clear that we required additional space to serve the city’s appetite for The Cut & Craft’s signature hospitality.
Image: Supplied
“The brand’s deep affinity with the Victoria Quarter and the heritage of the building played an essential role in the decision to grow here.
“We want to thank our regular guests and everyone who has joined us at The Cut & Craft Leeds since opening and we look forward to entering this exciting new chapter with you all.”
This iconic Leeds pub is selling 25p pints for the weekend alongside a 70’s-inspired menu
Clementine Hall
Whitelock's Ale House in Leeds are turning back the clocks for four days only.
Ever fancied giving time travel a go? Well now's your chance, as a historic Leeds pub are looking back to time gone by for the weekend.
Whitelock's Ale House are collaborating with Double Diamond beer, an iconic British pale ale made popular in the 70's and now somewhat having a resurgence.
From this Thursday 26 February until Sunday 1 March 2026, pints of Double Diamond will be available for just 25p.
Yep, you can't even get a Freddo for 25p these days let alone a cold, refreshing pint.
Guests will be able to grab their first pint of Double Diamond for 25p along with a nostalgic specials menu from the Whitelock's kitchen.
And if you know anything about their food, it's always class so this specials menu will be absolutely no exception.
The specials menu includes a french onion quiche, a coronation chicken sandwich, gammon, pineapple, egg and chips and to top it all off, a raspberry Swiss roll with custard.
You can get three courses for just £30 and you can either pre-order or order individually when you're there.
This is set to be a real blast from the past, so rally your mates together and prepare for a trip down memory lane and for what could be the cheapest pint of your life.
You can find out more and book your table at Whitelock's Ale House here.
Georgina Pellant -
2nd July 2021 
