If you're using Valentine's Day as an excuse to celebrate your friendship, then there's plenty to get stuck into: bottomless brunches, themed event nights, and that's before you've sampled the Valentine's Day menus at Leeds' best restaurants.
Here's our favourite spots to hang out with the girls (or guys) this weekend...
There's a Galentine's Day cocktail masterclass that's not to be missed- and it;s happening this Friday night. Round up the girl gang and join The Gift Box Leeds and Harbour and Coupe for an evening of cocktail making and an exclusive shopping experience. Tickets cost £30 but includes a £5 voucher to shop with. To grab yourself a ticket, DM either host on Instagram
Available Friday 11 February from 7pm. Find out more here.
If you're looking for a long-overdue catchup with the girls over cocktails, there is no substitute to a bottomless brunch. Manahatta is hosting a Galentines bottomless experience this weekend where you can enjoy a Valentine's Day themed cocktail in addition to the usual options.
Available Saturday 12 February. Find out more here.
Neighbourhood Bottomless Brunch
Image: Neighbourhood Restaurants
Expect main courses that truly embody ‘a bottomless with the girls’: they’re very Instagrammable and sound as equally delicious. Think pink pancakes with mixed berry compote and other treats all served to the beat of a live DJ with bottomless Prosecco rose, gin, vodka or beer- a dreamy list of drinks that’s certain to have a tipple for everyone. If you needed any more excuses, tickets are just £40 per person and you can add a dessert for just £3.50.
Available on Sunday 13 February. Find out more here.
To make Valentine’s Day weekend a celebration you and your loved one won’t forget anytime soon, Grön Kafe in Oakwood is offering up a two hour session of bottomless booze and Instagrammable brunch options- and it’s beautifully designed. Drinkswise, the bottomless experience includes the likes of mimosas, beers, sparkling wine and Aperol Spritz, so no doubt there will be a beverage for any palate to taste.
Available Saturday 12 February and Sunday 13 February, 3.00 – 4.30pm. Find out more here.
Celebrating all things single this Valentine's Day is Neon Cactus. On their Instagram page, the bar stated "Let’s talk Valentines Day. 1. What a crock of absolute s***. 2. See point 1. Instead, come and celebrate being the queen/prince/bit of both that you are. F*** expensive set menus and pink balloons, our hearts belongs to TACOS & TEQUILA. So gather your girl squad/the lads/your bestie/your dog and let’s GET ON IT."
Available Monday 14 February, 5pm - 4am. Find out more here.
Harvey Nichols are giving you the chance to get the makeover of your dreams this Valentine's Day. You'll be joining Team Tilbury for one night only for their 'Galentines Masterclass' to discover how to create the perfect day to night makeup. Tickets cost £35 each and are fully redeemable against products as well as a glass of fizz and luxury goodie bag.
Available Monday 14 February, 6 - 8pm. Find out more here.
Feature Image- Manhatta
Leeds
A new Turkish-inspired street food spot serving homemade shawarma is coming to Leeds city centre
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.
This Leeds bistro has been named one of the best restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around
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.
Sophie Smith -
11th February 2022 
