The Botanist in Leeds have introduced a new budget friendly menu with all items priced below £10, with the aim to encourage socialising during the cost-of-living crisis.
The menu comes during rising concerns surrounding the ongoing cost of living crisis across the UK which sees the price of everyday essentials like energy bills and groceries rising faster than average household incomes.
The Botanist's new fixed-price lunch menu is aimed at encouraging people to continue to socialise in restaurants and bars without worrying about spending too much money.
The menu will consist of warming, comfort-food dishes as well as signature Botanist dishes all priced at £9.95 each.
Diners can expect lovingly crafted dishes made from scratch upon order by the talented in-house chefs, think home-cooked comfort food classics but reimagined with a modern, innovative twist.
Image: Wikimedia Commons
Dishes include a Philly steak sandwich with peppers, onion, melted cheese and onions served with lashings of peppercorn sauce, the British staple of fish and chips with mushy peas and tartar sauce, and a lighter dish consisting of crispy panko chicken served with Katsu sauce and noodle salad.
The Botanist's famous hanging kebabs will also feature on the menu, guests can opt for Chicken, Lamb Kofta, or Vegan Meatball, all served on a board with a grilled flatbread, hummus and salad with a sauce of your choice on the side.
If you can't decide what to choose then do not fear, go for the lunch board and select three of your favourite small plates which include salt and pepper chicken, super green hummus and tater tot poutine.
Image: Supplied
Everything on the menu will cost you less than a tenner and fries can be added for an extra £2.95.
The menu is available Monday to Friday from 12pm to 4pm.
James Scott, Executive Chef at The Botanist said, “People see our venues as their sanctuary, and we want them to feel they still have somewhere to come for respite, to forget about their day-to-day worries for a few hours, especially during this extremely tough time.
"Our new lunch menu offers the same home-cooked comfort food that diners have come to know and love when visiting our restaurants, at a fraction of the cost of our main menu items – giving them value for money but the same fresh, quality, seasonal ingredients."
To find out more and to book your table, take a look at The Botanist's website.
Popular pizza pop-up Edges Pizza has opened a permanent home in Leeds city centre.
Last summer you may have had the privilege to enjoy a slice of Edges Pizza at one of their many pop-up residencies across the city.
Their longest stint was at the sun-drenched roof terrace of Green Room, and it's safe to say their pizza went down an absolute treat.
Since then they've been a little quiet, but all for good reason. Edges Pizza has just opened a permanent new takeaway under the arches in Holbeck, and it's absolutely class.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Owners Grace and Edge who are from Harrogate opened Edges two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.
They've completely transformed the space into a proper love letter to the big apple. It will operate mainly as a takeaway, but there is a small seating area where you can perch and tuck into your pie.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The menu is perfectly curated, consisting of eight pizzas and three dips. And trust us, they are absolutely massive.
We opted for the American Hot with spicy pepperoni, banana peppers and parmesan as well as the mushroom pie topped with garlic creme fraiche and chestnut mushrooms.
Drizzled and dunked into moreish hot honey, it's rivalling some of the best pizza in the city.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
For now, grabbing a pizza from Edges operates through a pre-order system. Pre-orders open at 12pm the day before via their website, you can pick your collection time and then you simply have to rock up and get your pizza.
There's loads of parking available nearby and if there are any remaining slots available you can pre-order up to an hour before collection.
We've got a feeling they're going to very busy indeed.
Dishoom announces official opening date for new Leeds restaurant
Clementine Hall
It's the moment we've all been waiting for, Dishoom is coming to Leeds.
The whispers of Dishoom's arrival in Leeds city centre have been going on for a while now, but over the past few weeks it has started to feel very real.
Taking over the beautiful old Flannel's site on the coveted Vicar Lane, signs started to pop up for Dishoom and work was cracking on fast.
Well now, we have an opening date - and we don't have long to wait.
Dishoom Leeds will open on Monday 3 August, with guests being able to enjoy 50% off food during an initial soft-opening period, ahead of the official opening on Friday 14 August.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
As with every Dishoom café, the Leeds restaurant begins with a story. This one takes inspiration from the extraordinary true events surrounding the explosion of the SS Fort Stikine in Bombay Dock in April 1944, a wartime disaster that sent gold bars flying across the city.
Legend has it that some of the missing gold was never recovered. Some was discovered embedded in walls and rooftops across Bombay. Other pieces quietly disappeared into the hands of lucky citizens, melted into bangles or hidden away in drawers.
Dishoom Leeds reimagines the fortune made from the gold bars and guests will discover subtle references to the glamorous mid-century details through the interiors and artwork, giving playful nods to Bombay’s golden age.
With all day dining available, guests can dine on the beloved breakfast right through to late evening feasting, with the café will serve a lovingly curated menu of Bombay comfort food inspired by the city’s cafés, grills, street stalls and family kitchens.
Shamil Thakrar, co-founder, also known as Head Babu, at Dishoom, said: “Leeds is a city with tremendous warmth, creativity and character, full of people who know the value of gathering together over good food and drinks. Bringing Dishoom here has long been a dream for us.”
"The story behind this café is rooted in one of Bombay’s most extraordinary moments – the day gold bars fell from the sky after the explosion of Fort Stikine in 1944. Amidst the tragedy and chaos, there were also tales of unexpected fortune, human resilience and hopeful reinvention. We were captivated by this, and we cannot wait to welcome Leeds into the café that pays homage to the heritage of Bombay.”
Clementine Hall -
6th October 2022 
