2025 is bringing some pretty big changes to the city and we're feeling very excited indeed.
We're already spoilt for choice for incredible restaurants, shops and things to do here in Leeds.
But our cityscape is about to get even better and it's all thanks to a whole host of new openings cropping up over the next few months.
From Danish homeware shops and bakeries to wine bars and delis, let's take a look at what we've got to look forward to this year.
Sostrene Grene
Image: The Manc Group
The Danish brand, famed for its trinkets, homewares, and craft supplies, announced it was coming to our city for the first time last month.
And now, the affordable homeware brand has announced it will be opening in Trinity Shopping Centre on Friday 24 January.
The brand is often labelled a ‘mini Ikea’, thanks to two things – one that it sells just about everything you can think of for your home, the other that shoppers are taken on a one-way maze through the departments.
In the Scandinavian-inspired shop you’ll find everything from kitchen essentials and soft furnishings to Christmas decorations and craft supplies. It’s also very reasonably priced too, with candles on offer for under a quid and picture frames for as little as a fiver.
Well-known UK bowling activity bar Lane7 is set to open its first-ever location in Leeds in 2025.
The bowling alley and entertainment specialists already have a site in Sheffield, and another site is coming to York very soon, making Leeds the third venue in the region.
Set to pop up in the city centre, they’ll be opening just down the road from popular adult playground and competitor, Roxy Ball Room – more specifically their Roxy Lanes site.
Talk about championing your competitors.
Aesop
Image: Aesop
Aesop, which is well-known for its luxury fragrances and skincare, will open the doors to its new shop in the Victoria Quarter this coming January.
It’s the place to go to if you’re looking for some fancy shmancy hand soap and hand cream that you’ll want to show off when your next guests are round.
BAKE
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Now this is a very exciting one indeed.
From the masterminds behind Doh'hut and Things in Bread, BAKE will complete the ‘All Things Dough’ trilogy acting as a nostalgic British bakery concept serving all the classics with precision and flare.
Think cheese twists, focaccia slices, vanilla slices served alongside great coffee by fantastic people. Opening on the 8 January, you don't want to miss out on this one.
UYARE
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The award-winning South Indian restaurant, Tharavadu, is set to launch a new rooftop restaurant and bar, taking over the old Issho site at Victoria Gate.
The huge new space, UYARE, will be serving up the rich flavours and spirits of Kerala, in an impressive environment spanning 7,000 sq ft.
UYARE’s rooftop restaurant will also be home to a new bar, Agni, with a curated selection of fine wines, champagnes, crafted cocktails and local craft beers.
Green Room 2.0
Image: The Hoot Leeds
One of the city's best rooftop bars is getting a major glow up.
Green Room on Wellington Street is the place to go for great vibes, fabulous drinks and an unbeatable late night atmosphere. And now they're doubling the size of the place which can only mean, double the fun. What a winner.
Rinse Natural Wine
Image: Rinse Natural Wine
It's absolutely no surprise that we are huge fans of Bottle Chop over in Headingley. It's the place to go for lashings of natural wine, great small plates and a wonderful deli for you to buy bits and bobs to take home with you.
So when we heard that the team behind it were opening a spot in the city centre, we nearly fell over with excitement.
Their brand-new site will be called Rinse Natural Wine, bringing natural wine, beers and all things deli to Call Lane - get in. An opening date isn't yet set in stone but great things are pending... we can't ruddy wait.
Cheesy Living Co.
The city’s best cheese and charcuterie specialists, The Cheesy Living Co, are opening their third site and we're genuinely buzzing.
As one of Leeds’ most exciting lockdown success stories, The Cheesy Living Co. has gone from strength-to-strength in the past few years having started in their flat to opening a spot in the Corn Exchange and then a site in Oakwood – and now, they’re expanding again.
Although we don’t have any information yet on the location, we’ll be waiting patiently to find out what area of Leeds is getting its cheesy fix.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant The Empire Cafe has recently unveiled exciting plans to open a brand-new city gastropub.
The Empire Cafe shared a photo of the old pub, The Highland, which stands just west of Leeds city centre.
It had been open for four decades but shut down in 2023 after ‘five price increases in six months’ from various breweries.
But now its about to be saved by an excellent team who run one of the most popular spots in the city, so it's safe to say we're in for a treat...
The Swine That Dines
Image: The Swine That Dines
The much-loved Leeds bistro The Swine Bistro, formerly known as Swine That Dines, recently announced a big move to Headingley.
Run by chef couple Jo and Stu Myers, they’ve been operating out of North Street where it’s all about cooking seasonal produce simply and with an added ‘little bit of sunshine’.
But now Swine Bistro is upping and moving to Headingley, taking up a unit previously occupied by Jam hairdressers on Otley Road.
We don’t have long to wait – they plan to have the doors open in January 2025.
Sweet, savoury, filled or plain: pies are a staple in the British diet.
It's the best week of the year...it's British Pie Week, not that we need much of an excuse to celebrate that flaky, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth pastry, but we're taking all the excuses we can this week to embrace all things pie related.
We've rounded up al our favourite spots to grab a pie, as a lunchtime snack or on the go in the city centre - so take your pick, whatever the occasion.
Dave's Pies and Ales
Kirkstall Road, Burley | Open from 5pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Dave's Pies and Ales is locally known as the smallest pub in Leeds - and whilst the menu and seating area might be teeny, what it does do, it does well.
Choose from a range of pies and peas with classic ales on tap to choose from inside this micropub 12-11pm every day of the week.
Whitelocks Ale House
Turk's Head Yard, just off Briggate | Kitchen open from 12pm
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Whitelocks is known in Leeds for its Sunday Roasts, warm fire and homely pub ambience- but their pies are the unsung heroes on the menu.
The beef and ale pie is made from Yorkshire Meat Co. beef, a Wetherby-based supplier that brings beef from the likes of Tancred Grange Farm in Richmond to Leeds. This one is served with chunky chips and sautéed seasonal veg, seat by the fireplace optional.
Pieminister
Duncan Street, Leeds city centre | Open from 12pm
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Available as a Sunday roast, bottomless brunch or just a plain old (but beautifully presented) pie and mash, Pieminister is famous for its pies for all the right reasons. On the shelves in your local supermarkets and available as a sit-down scran on Boar Lane, Pieminister is a place where pies are guaranteed to make up the majority of the menu options.
Finer Pleasures
Multiple locations
If you don't know about Josh at Finer Pleasures, then you're seriously missing out. Josh is somewhat of a pie-oneer (sorry), and is the master of creating weird and wonderful pie creations from lasagna pies to gammon, egg and pineapple pork pies.
You can find him over in Crossgates most Wednesdays, but you're best bet is to keep an eye on his socials for the best chance on bagging one of his pies. Trust us, they're like gold dust.
Wilsons Butchers
Austhorpe Road, Cross Gates | Open from 7.30am
Image: Wilsons Butchers
Located in Armley, Morley and Pontfract - Wilsons Pies and Pasties is a small indie chain from Wilsons Butchers and crowned champions of the Yorkshire Small Pork Pie Championships.
At lunch time, the shops offer a true Yorkshire delicacy of pie and mushy pies with optional (but essential) mint sauce. All Wilsons pies and pasties are made using locally sourced produce in Garforth, so these a true Leeds pies, and well worth sampling.
Five of the best new openings to come out of Leeds so far this year
Clementine Hall
It's been a very busy start to 2026 so far this year in Leeds, and we're definitely not complaining.
It's safe to say our city is thriving, we've welcomed everything from shops and Italian cafes to tequila bars in just two months.
In case you've missed any of them, allow us to give you the lowdown of what's new in the city.
So, without further ado...
Salon Madre
Wellington Street, Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Leeds welcomed its newest late-night destination last Friday, and it’s going down as smoothly as its tequila. Salon Madre is a Mexican-inspired bar with a dedicated margarita menu, fabulous food, and an atmosphere that’ll make you want to get up dancing almost immediately. And if you fancy unleashing your competitive side, then there’s plenty of pool tables ready and waiting to be played.
A slice of Puglia has landed over in Pudsey with this fabulous Italian cafe. Nodding to his hometown of Puglia, Fabio has created the Italian experience right here in Leeds, inviting people to swing by for Italian coffee, homemade pizza slices, as well as gelato by the cone (or tub) full.
Topshop
John Lewis in Victoria Gate, Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
One for the girlies… because Topshop is officially BACK in Leeds. The iconic high-street favourite has returned, taking over a dedicated space inside John Lewis inside Victoria Gate and yes, we’re already planning the outfit rotations. After Topshop and Topman disappeared from the high street back in 2021, it’s safe to say we’ve all felt the gap in our wardrobes. And of course… Joni jeans, we’ve missed you dearly.
Pollini's Pizza
Lands Lane, Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
These guys are known for dishing out huge New York-style pizza slices for less than £4 in Leeds Kirkgate Market since 2022. And now with a second site in Leeds, the big boy slices are making their way across the city, from classic margaritas to meat feasts.
And you best believe we were the first people down to grab it, because we can’t resist a slice from Pollini's.
Pop Mart
Briggate, Leeds city centre
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Pop Mart officially opened on Briggate in January, and Leeds turned out in full force with queues stretching all the way down Thornton’s Arcade. With endless blind boxes to choose from, there’s something for everyone. Whether you’re a Labubu girlie or obsessed with the Crybaby series, you can now get your favourites right here in Leeds.
Clementine Hall -
3rd January 2025 
