A daily changing menu showcasing the best produce of Leeds' Kirkgate Market, The Empire Cafe is going to be an exciting new opening from the chefs behind the transformation of The Bear at Carriages in Knaresborough.
Promising a blend of old school hospitality and new-wave gastronomy, No. 6 Fish Street, in Leeds old Shambles spot is going to truly bring a culinary feast to the city centre.
Just a stone's throw from Leeds Victoria Quarter and the markets, owner Sam Pullen and his partner Nicole Deighton plan to elevate local ingredients with barbecue flavours, right in the heart of Leeds.
The menu focuses on local produce brought to life by a 'wall of flame' rotisserie. Rotisserie chickens will be spinning around the clock, available to sit in, or takeaway, dredged in house made butters and aioli’s.
Market breakfasts will ease early birds, Council workers, and businesspeople into their weekday, whilst shoppers can enjoy a glass of natural wine to indulge a Saturday afternoon’s retail therapy.
And the venue itself comes with bags of history - some of which has only just come to light as the owners began their renovation journey.
Extensive renovations began in Spring 2023, un site’s unique heritage has been uncovered. "As we started taking off the old cladding covering the front of the building, we discovered this ‘ghost sign’ for the Empire Café,” Sam commented. “The former owner of Cafe Strega, who bought it in the 1970s, didn’t realise the sign was even there.”
During a successful decade directing The Bears Pantry, catering for high-profile clients from the world of fashion and media, the team behind the transformation clearly know how to bring venues to life. Having also helped transform The Bear at Carriages where the menu quickly became known for its rare breed steaks and sharing plates, chargrilled over their purpose-built solid fuel ‘bear-pit’, housed in gastropub’s panoramic beer garden - this is certainly a new opening to keep your eye on.
Sam added: “In developing and transforming this once very popular and characterful Leeds institution, we want to give a little bit of Leeds back to Leeds. This type of service is almost unheard of these days and there certainly aren’t many independent places that are like that in existence anymore.”
Silver's Bakehouse is finally here, and it's just as fabulous as we'd hoped.
Just when you thought Leeds’ favourite sandwich spot couldn't get any better, they go and open a bakery.
Silver's Bakehouse has opened its beautiful pastel green doors today over in Farsley to queues of excited fans eager to get their first taste.
So, what's on offer at Silver's Bakehouse?
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Well, as masterminds of the almighty sandwich you'll be happy to know you can still get one here. However, their iconic sub sarnies have had an Italian makeover and are now served in fresh, springy sourdough which is baked onsite.
Elsewhere on the menu you'll find brown butter buttermilk brownies (try saying that three times), a range of delicious cookies, sausage rolls, soft amaretti biscuits and Dark Arts tiramisu.
There's also a fab selection of Italian drinks on offer in a swanky new fridge, as well as a coffee menu so you can pick a brew to go hand in hand with your chosen baked good.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The interior is just as gorgeous, complete with yellow walls, red tiles and a mirror hanging above the baker's table so you can really see all the magic happen.
And trust us, it is magic.
There's a couple of benches outside so you can plonk yourself in the sunshine to enjoy your sarnie, which is what we'll be doing in this glorious bank holiday sunshine.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
You can really tell this is a proper labour of love, and Chris and the team have done a cracking job of keeping that Silver's spirit in there.
Go and say hello to congratulate them on this fabulous new opening, it's a great addition to Farsley and the Leeds foodie scene.
The Script announce HUGE arena gig in Leeds this year
Thomas Melia
Boyband and radio hitmakers The Script are coming to Leeds and are playing out alongside an equally big support act.
'For the First Time' in almost a year, The Script are playing a run of live shows across the UK including Leeds' First Direct Arena.
This Irish-based band have soundtracked generations with their hits spanning two decades including 'Hall of Fame', 'Breakeven', 'Superheroes' and more.
Consisting of lead vocalist Danny O'Donoghue with Benjamin Seargent on bass, guitarist Ben Weaver and drummer Adam Marcello, their music fuses pop and rock.
The Script has released three albums that have topped both UK and Ireland charts as well as four Top 10 singles and they're hoping to reign supreme on the charts once more with upcoming LP The User's Guide to Being Human.
Although the full album doesn't drop until August, Danny and the rest of the lads have dropped a single titled 'Man In The Arena'.
There's even a nod to the Northern music scene on the tracklist as one of the upcoming releases is labelled 'The Crowd Was Singing Wonderwall'.
Other tracks on this LP include 'Living Our Life Without Me', 'I'm 100 Different People' and a song that's sure to get a few tears out of all of us - 'Grow Old with Grace'.
As well as announcing this new run of shows set for Winter 2026, The Script are joining Take That on a stadium tour titled The Circus Live across June and July.
Joining The Script on their latest UK tour this Winter is James Morrison known for similar ballad-like hits including 'Broken Strings' and 'Wonderful World'.
The Script UK tour dates
Mon 2 November - Belfast, UK - SSE Arena
Thu 5 November - Newcastle, UK - Utilita Arena
Fri 6 November - Birmingham, UK - Utilita Arena
Sat 7 November - Manchester, UK - Co-op Live
Mon 9 November - Nottingham, UK - Motorpoint Arena
Tue 10 November - Leeds, UK - First Direct Bank Arena
Thu 12 November - Aberdeen, UK - P&J Live
Fri 13 November - Glasgow, UK - OVO Hydro
Sat 14 November - Sheffield, UK - Utilita Arena
Mon 16 November - Bournemouth, UK - Bournemouth International Centre
Thu 19 November - Liverpool, UK - M&S Bank Arena
Sat 21 November - London, UK - The O2
The Script are visiting First Direct Arena on Tuesday 10 November 2026 for their The Man In The Arena Tour with tickets and more info HERE.
Sophie Smith -
1st March 2023 
