Picture the scene. It's early 2021 and we're just about to reopen hospitality for the first time this year.
At that point, we never imagined so many wonderful foodie cafes, bars and restaurants would emerge from a world gone quiet- but to our pleasant surprise, 2021 has been a year of opening after opening.
This is especially true for pizza places: here are our top picks of new places to grab a slice this year.
Known for its 48-hour double-fermented sourdough pizzas, with toppings that include the likes of full English breakfast and cheeseburgers. They also offer some solid veggie and vegan options, for those who don’t eat meat at the new pizza place on Bond Street.
New to the White Rose Shopping Centre this year, Mozza is a true Neapolitan Italian Pizzeria specialising in all things mozzarella. Mozza Leeds is the first English first venue for the Scottish chain and it’s already very popular. This new Leeds spot has brought an unusual Italian delicacy, serving Panozza pizza sandwiches. Using Neapolitan Sourdough and traditional Italian fillings, these are really putting Mozza on the map.
Yes, a calzone in a burger is now officially on the menu in Leeds thanks to Burgamore, which opened in Trinity Shopping Centre back in August. Classic Italian street food favourites include their ‘pavarotti’; a mini nduja calzone served with homemade tomato and oregano sauce, the ‘caponata’; a classic, tangy and sweet Sicilian dish of aubergine, carrots, celery, white onion, tomatoes, olives, raisins, pinenuts and red wine vinegar.
& Company already has a well established site in Liverpool, this new opening will be its first in Leeds. The ‘from noon’ features some lovely-looking sourdough pizzas, topped with the likes of sausage and fennel, nduja and pimento peppers, or squash and vegan mozzarella. Other tempting plates include beef burgers, teriyaki tofu, chicken Milanese and sea bream with dill, fennel, lemon and tomato.
To end the year, Luigis pizza have taken over the food truck at Trinity Leeds with an incredible menu of traditional Italian dishes with a twist. To put Luigi’s deep fried calzone to the test, make sure to get over to Trinity Kitchen before the end of January 2022, or find their speciality menu at the likes of Northern Refectory, Chow Down and other bestselling foodie hotspots around the city.
Leeds Festival 2026 is officially underway and we've rounded up drinks prices at the bars on the festival site.
While many of us will be sipping on warm cans of cider and boxes of wine at the camp sites, you can't take any of your own alcohol into the arena (where all the stages are) itself.
So you'll need to budget for drinks over the course of the weekend if you want to watch the headliners with a pint in hand.
And with headline performances from the likes of Fontaines D.C., Raye, Florence and the Machine and Dave, there's masses of amazing live music on the horizon at Leeds Festival 2026.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
We're already on site at Leeds Festival ready to bring you all the action and updates from this massive weekend - staring with, importantly, drinks prices.
So, let's get into it...
This year you're looking at paying around £7 of beer and £7.50 £7.50 for a pint of cider.
Different for this year, is you'll get 10% off if paying with a Paypal debit card which you can get for free - which we think is pretty class and well worth your time.
You can take your own empty water bottles in to refill at water stations around the festival site.
You're also allowed to bring in sealed water/soft drinks which are 500ml or less.
And if you're taking your own booze into the campsites, remember that there's no glass allowed, so you'll need to decant anything into plastic bottles.
Here are all your drinks prices for Leeds Festival 2026
Beer and cider
Budweiser - £7 (£6.30 with Paypal discount)
Corona Extra - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Crisp Apple - £7.50 (£6.75 with Paypal discount)
Kopparberg Strawberry and Lime - £7.70 (£6.93 with Paypal discount)
Rose - 175ml £10 / btl £35 (£9/£31.5 with Paypal discount)
Italian sparkling - 200ml £10 (£9 with Paypal discount)
No and Low
Budweiser Zero - £5.80 (£5.22 with Paypal discount)
Water - £2.50 (£2.25 with Paypal discount)
And that should just about do you in terms of booze - as always, please drink responsibly and look after each other.
For all the other important information, you can consult our complete 2026 Leeds Festival guide down below.
Featured image - The Hoot Leeds
Leeds
Leeds Festival warning issued as police announce speed cameras and traffic restrictions
Clementine Hall
Leeds Fest is almost here, but festival-goers heading to Bramham Park by car have been warned to take extra care on the roads.
Driving to Leeds Festival has never been particularly easy, but West Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to those driving by car in an attempt to make it somewhat easier.
Ahead of Leeds Festival 2026, temporary traffic management measures will be in place from Wednesday 26 August until Monday 31 August.
The measures are designed to improve road safety, reduce congestion, and help ensure the safe movement of the tens of thousands of people expected to attend the event.
Speed camera enforcement vans will be operating throughout the festival period alongside clearways surrounding the festival site.
Police have warned that drivers caught breaking the temporary restrictions could face prosecution, so it's definitely worth keeping an eye out for the signage as you approach the festival.
Superintendent Dan Wood said: “Leeds Festival is one of the largest events in West Yorkshire and attracts a significant increase in traffic to the local road network.
"The temporary speed restrictions and clearways are being introduced to help keep everyone safe, including festival-goers, local residents and road users.
"We would ask all motorists to pay close attention to the temporary signage in place and allow extra time for their journeys. Speed enforcement will be carried out during the event, and we encourage drivers to comply with all restrictions for their own safety and that of others."
Festival attendees are also being urged to follow the event signage rather than relying solely on their sat nav. Dedicated routes will direct different categories of visitors to the correct locations, including:
Camping entrances
Day / Non-camping ticket parking areas
Drop-off and pick-up points
Staff and authorised vehicle access routes
Motorists who follow sat nav directions alone may be directed to unsuitable routes, causing unnecessary delays for themselves and other road users.
Sophie Smith -
27th December 2021 
