Nam Song Caphe will open this Friday, 28th June, bringing a splash of (mostly orange) colour to Merrion Street.
Taking over what was formerly Rum and Reason on Merrion Street, the new cafe and restaurant will serve up authentic Vietnamese coffees, bahn mi baguettes, bowls of pho and more.
Its founders already have two successful sites in Sheffield, but this new opening will be the first in Leeds.
A classic bahn mi from Nam Song / Image: Nam Song Instagram
From Friday, customers can enjoy a good range of teas and homemade cakes from the day menu, which also features breakfast items and a variety of Bahn mi.
Bahn mi filling choices include lemongrass chicken, nam song pork or garlic and sesame/sriracha/ginger tofu; with noodle salads and omelettes also on the cards at lunchtime.
Come the evening, the menu changes to feature Vietnam's national dish, Pho, as well as spring and summer rolls and a selection of tasty small plates like pickled pak choi and Bahn mi bread, which is griddled with chilli oil, salt and herbs.
Inside one of Nam Song's cafes in Sheffield / Image: Nam Song Instagram
On the drinks front, there's some proper Vietnamese coffee to be enjoyed here. Ca phe trung - a Hanoi speciality made with condensed milk and egg yolk mix - is a house favourite, but can also be taken without for those who don't like the sound of egg in their coffee.
If you fancy something a little stronger, there's also a good selection of cocktails (think coconut daiquiris and pineapple margaritas), plus wines, beers and spirits on offer in the evening.
One of the cafe's aims is to raise money for Vietnamese victims of the USA Agent Orange chemical warfare attacks, which took place from 1961 to 1971.
They work with the Kianh foundation (a UK/ Vietnamese charity) which runs a purpose-built center for children in Dien Ban, offering education and physical support for young people affected.
Nam Song cover the costs of a child's support therapy and care at the center every month and also has a collection on the bar for its customers to donate if they feel moved to.
It's been a long time in the making, but the cafe will finally open at the end of the week - just in time for the Bank Holiday weekend.
For this weekend, it's strictly walk-ins only with opening hours 12-11pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After that, they'll be opening Wednesday-Sunday.
Leeds health nuts assemble, because acai bowls and superfood smoothies are coming to a city near you.
Incase you've been living under a rock for the past year or so, you may not be clued up on the whole acai bowl trend that has been sweeping up the nation.
Acai is a super berry grown and harvested in the Amazon rainforest, and not only is it absolutely delicious but it has a myriad of health benefits.
Acai and the Tribe first opened four years ago in Manchester, and ever since then it's only gone from strength to strength opening up three other locations across the country.
Images: The Manc Group
Next stop? Leeds. And we couldn't be happier about it.
So, what can we expect from this aesthetically-pleasing and ultra trendy female-owned business? Well, loaded acai bowls that look almost too good to eat, superfood smoothies, coffees, matcha and savoury options like avocado toast.
Announcing the very exciting news to Instagram, Acai and the Tribe said: "You asked, we listened. LEEDS… your new lifestyle arrives soon."
They will be opening on 88 Vicar Lane as part of the Vicar Lane regeneration scheme, which has already scene some great new restaurants being announced such as Sticks'n'Sushi and Dishoom.
It seems like this part of town is suddenly going to be the place to be, and we're very happy to see it.
We'll keep you updated with opening dates as and when we know more but for now, you can find out more about Acai and the Tribe here.
Leeds has been crowned the best city in the UK for foodies outside of London
Clementine Hall
It's fantastic news for our city as Leeds has been crowned one of the best cities in the UK for foodies.
It's news that we've been pretty certain of for some time, but it's still nice to be recognised isn't it?
It comes from a new study carried out by credit card brand Aqua who analysed 30 major UK cities across a range of dining and social media metrics, including cuisine variety, restaurant availability, meal affordability, Michelin recognition and TikTok hashtag volumes.
Coming in at number on was, of course, London.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
With 47 cuisines, 22.5 restaurants per 10,000 residents and 81 Michelin-starred establishments, the capital unsurprisingly continues to dominate the UK’s culinary scene.
But in at number two was our glorious city of Leeds, supported by the highest restaurant density in the study, with 38.5 establishments per 10,000 people, and strong affordability compared with cities in the south.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
We will absolutely take that.
Other northern spots to feature on the list include Sheffield and Bradford in sixth and eighth place.
The top ten UK cities for foodies are:
London
Leeds
Nottingham
Edinburgh
Wolverhampton / Leicester
Sheffield
Birmingham / Glasgow
Bradford / Swansea
Preston
Milton Keynes
Here in Leeds we've got so many fabulous food spots, with new openings cropping up every month it's hard to keep track.
From the multi award-winning Bavette Bistro in Horsforth to the highly acclaimed indie Bundobust that started off in Leeds - you certainly won't find yourself hungry or at a loss for somewhere to eat here.
Georgina Pellant -
26th May 2021 
