The Queens Hotel in central Leeds has recently undergone a huge £16 million refurbishment, ushering in a grand new era for the 84-year-old property.
As part of the overhaul, the hotel has welcomed an opulent new Raffles-inspired restaurant, Grand Pacific.
Grand Pacific is part of the Living Venture's group, which also has brands like The Alchemist and The Botanist in Leeds. There is already a site in Manchester, but this is the first to open in West Yorkshire.
Grand Pacific Leeds serves a fusion menu bringing together flavours from around the world
The new luxurious all-day drinking and dining destination is styled on the old colonial hotels of south-east Asia and can seat up to 100 guests in the main restaurant.
Here, staff aim to recreate the golden age of high society "with a sumptuous yet relaxed charm accompanied by great service”.
In the dining area, quintessential British classics are fused with flavours from further afield. Dishes like Asian-spiced duck cottage pie and tempura Szechuan sea bass sit next to a teriyaki steak sandwich and classic club on the all-day menu.
Its indulgent afternoon or 'high' teas are also very popular, offering a selection of miniature sandwiches and sweet treats with a choice of loose leaf tea or bubbles.
The afternoon teas at Grand Pacific are some of the most indulgent in the city
On a Sunday, guests can also enjoy a roast with a difference - accompanied by a set of contemporary classical music from the Grand Pacific Palm Court Orchestra.
From the bar, there are plenty of indulgent cocktails to try ranging from Grand Pacific's yuzu negroni and pomegranate mojito to salted caramel espresso and grand pornstar martinis.
One of the most iconic drinks here, though, has to be their 'golden pineapple' which is both a cocktail in its own right and a symbol of hospitality in general. Made with several different types of rum, pineapple, guava and lime and then topped with crushed ice it's pretty to look at and wonderfully refreshing too.
The 'Golden Pineapple' cocktail at Grand Pacific is one of their signatures
As if this wasn't enough, the hotel is also now home to Café Pacific - an all-day social hub offering coffees, superfood smoothies and healthy snacks. A perfect spot to set up on your laptop for the day if you're working away from home.
Grand Pacific's restaurant and bar is open now inside The Queen's Hotel. As part of their soft launch, which runs until 27th June, diners can get 50% off their meal when they book a table using this link.
To find out more and keep up to date, follow them on Instagram.
Eats
Award-winning Sardinian restaurant Domo announces Leeds opening date
Domo will officially open the doors to its Leeds venue this summer.
Get ready for Domo Leeds, a Sardinian independent born in Sheffield that is loved by many for its delicious food, inviting atmosphere and stellar service.
Run by Raffaele Busceddu and Sarah May Elliott, Domo serves a range of traditional Sardinian specialities from homemade pasta dishes to show-stopping grills.
They've also got a banging cocktail menu full of signature serves and refreshing spritz, perfect for enjoying with friends over some delicious sharing plates.
Images: The Sheff
Domo has confirmed it will officially open the doors to its first Leeds venue on Friday June 5, so we really don't have long to wait.
Located at the iconic Tower Works development, Domo Leeds will offer a vibrant new canal-side destination, perfect for the summer months.
Alongside the main restaurant menu, there’ll be a dedicated bar food menu designed around relaxed dining and carefully crafted small plates designed to pair with the drinks offering creating a more informal way for guests to experience Sardinian flavours.
Domo co-founder, Sarah Elliott-Busceddu, said: “We’re incredibly excited to finally open the doors and welcome people into Domo Leeds. From day one, our vision has been to create a space where everyone feels welcome and somewhere that brings people together in the true spirit of Sardinian hospitality.
“Whether it’s an evening out with friends, a relaxed catch-up over drinks after work, or a big family celebration, we’ve designed Domo to feel warm, inclusive and full of life. We can’t wait for people in Leeds to experience not just the food and drinks, but the atmosphere and sense of community that sits at the heart of everything we do.”
The Sheffield institution serving the city’s favourite sandwich for over 60 years
Clementine Hall
Of course, it's the one and only Béres.
It all started back in 1961 when Hungarian butcher Sandor Béres left his home city of Budapest during the 1956 uprising against the Stalinist government.
After the government took control of his father's butchers shops, Sandor set out to establish the chain once more and so, Béres was born.
And thank god it was, as for over 60 years now their iconic pork sandwich has been fuelling the hungry people of Sheffield, and we'd go as far to say it's one of the best sarnies in the city.
Images: The Sheff
Hot roast pork, herby stuffing, crispy crackling and fruity apple sauce all crammed into a soft bap - it really doesn’t get much better than that.
But, what makes it so special? Béres claims it's all in the preparation and quality control.
Being a traditional butchers, their pork joints are traditionally roasted and cured in house to give that succulent texture and crispy crackling every single time.
They use around seven tonnes of pork and four tonnes of flour per week to feed us hungry lot, and it's no surprise when you see the queues forming outside your local Béres every lunch time.
Images: The Sheff
The very first shop was born at Wadsley Bridge where they quickly built a reputation for their sandwiches, this then allowed them to become a proper Sheffield household name after expanding rapidly through the 2000s.
They now have 14 sites across Sheffield, and each site is as good as the next. Not only are the pork sandwiches class but if you're ever faced with a hangover no matter how severe, their stacked breakfast baps are always there to save the day.
But why we love Béres most of all is the lovely staff who are always there to offer a smile and a chinwag, but what else do you expect from the people of Sheffield hey?
Georgina Pellant -
18th June 2021 
