Eats

Federal confirms opening date for Leeds location with 1,000 FREE drinks up for grabs

One of the most exciting new arrivals in the city.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 2nd December 2025

Manchester's famous Antipodean cafe and brunch spot, Federal, has finally confirmed its opening date here in Leeds.

Better still, they're giving away a whopping 1,000 completely FREE drinks to celebrate.

For anyone unfamiliar with the favourite Anzac brand, which already has three different and equally busy branches in Manchester - not to mention a pop-up in Altrincham Market - it brings Australian and New Zealand cuisine to the bustling city centre.

Some of you might not know much about Aussie and Kiwi food (many of us didn't before we first visited this place, to tell the truth), but with unreal eggs, bagels, bakes, coffees and more, there's plenty of 'tucker' to tuck into.

Credit: The Hoot

Confirming their first-ever Leeds location back in the summer, the brand wrote on social media: "Choosing Leeds as our first cafe outside of Manchester felt like the natural next step...

"Leeds has the same buzz and a growing independent brunch scene similar to Manchester. We don’t expand for the sake of it; we wait for the right time and the right energy for Federal!

"Everything we do is fuelled by passion for great brunch, great coffee and crafting the perfect space to ensure every one of our guests leaves brighter."

They said it themselves: they've been waiting for the right time to set the date, and giving Yorkshire an early Christmas present sounds as good a time as any to us.

Now 11 years on from their first site opening in Manchester city centre, Federal lands in Leeds on Monday, 15 December.

Better still, they'll be celebrating their first weekend in the region with the aforementioned free drinks.

They're even promising some exclusive Leeds-centric merch and a special new martini inspired by the city, too...

Opening doors to their new venue at 34 Boar Lane on Saturday and Sunday from 8am, there'll be a total of 1,000 free coffees available to the public.

Speaking ahead of the Leeds launch, Ribeiro said: “We’re incredibly excited to officially
announce 15 December as our opening date. There’s a real buzz around Federal coming to Leeds, and we can’t wait to welcome everyone in.

“Leeds shares so much of the energy we love about Manchester, a thriving independent scene and a genuine passion for great food and coffee.

"Bringing Federal to Yorkshire feels like the perfect next chapter, and we’re gearing up for an amazing launch."

See you in the queues - which, by the way, you can soon expect to line up almost every weekend for the foreseeable future.

@the.manc Canned iced drinks including matcha, Milo and lattes just dropped in Manchester 😱 📍 @Federal Cafe & Bar on Deansgate #themanc #manc #manchester #federalcafe #matcha #matchalover #icedlatte #milo #mcr ♬ Sauti - Francis Mercier & Faul & Wad & African Children's Choir

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

A new Turkish-inspired street food spot serving homemade shawarma is coming to Leeds city centre

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Authentic Turkish street food is coming to Kirkgate.

Leeds city centre is gearing up to welcome yet another new food spot, and this one is all about homemade lahmacun, shawarma wraps and plenty of signature tahini sauce.

Tahin will open its doors at 10 Kirkgate, next to The Cat Cafe, and with signs already up we don't think it'll be long until they welcome their first customers.

The restaurant is listed as a Turkish restaurant that specialise in their homemade tahini sauce, hence the name.

According to the restaurant's Instagram profile which has been going for a few years, Tahin also specialises in home-made lahmacun wraps alongside shawarma wraps.

For anyone unfamiliar with lahmacun, the Turkish staple is often described as a thin, crispy flatbread topped with a richly seasoned mixture of minced meat, herbs and vegetables.

Wrapped up with fresh salad and sauces, it makes for a satisfying and flavourful lunch to enjoy on-the-go.

Their Instagram suggests that Tahin once existed before back in 2022, so although this may not be a completely new venture, we're nevertheless very glad to see them back.

Its location puts it right in the middle of one of Leeds' busiest areas, making it the perfect mid-shopping pit stop for those wandering around Briggate or stopping for a bite to eat before heading out on the town.

The new opening comes at a time when Leeds' food scene is continuing to expand, with a string of independent restaurants and street-food concepts opening across the city centre throughout 2026.

Read more from The Hoot Leeds:

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

Eats

This Leeds bistro has been named one of the best restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A much-loved neighbourhood Leeds restaurant has been given another major accolade.

There’s no shortage of brilliant places to eat in Leeds, but one Horsforth bistro has just been given a pretty huge seal of approval - and it might be worth planning your next staycation around.

The brilliant Bavette has been named one of the best neighbourhood restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around by Condé Nast Traveller, appearing alongside a handpicked list of restaurants from across the country.

The list celebrates neighbourhood restaurants that are worth travelling for, with the magazine highlighting the growing appeal of venturing outside of busy city centres in search of smaller, more intimate places to eat.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

And Leeds has bagged itself a spot thanks to Bavette, and we can't say we're surprised.

The French-inspired neighbourhood bistro is run by chef Sandy Jarvis and his husband Clément Cousin.

Since opening in 2024, Bavette has quickly become one of the city's most talked-about restaurants, attracting diners far beyond its Horsforth home and scooping up accolades such as the 2024 Good Food Guide's Best UK Local Restaurant, a 2025 and 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a place in the 2026 National Restaurant Awards Top 100.

Condé Nast Traveller hails Bavette as "a true neighbourhood gem", saying: "The restaurant takes its cues from the couple’s London bistro roots, serving hearty yet elegant dishes made with seasonal ingredients.”

They finish by saying: "Reservations are hard to come by - but so worth it once you get your foot in the door."

We really couldn't agree more.

And while a trip to Horsforth might not technically count as a staycation for us Leeds locals, Bavette is certainly one restaurant worth crossing the city for.

Read more: Leeds restaurant crowned one of the best local restaurants in Britain just three months after opening

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds


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