There's a new Scandi-style restaurant in Leeds that we've got our eye for brunch, lunch and probably dinner too.
From the team behind Fettle comes a new opening, Fint. Housed in the same space as its predecessor on Leeds' leafy Great George street, the owners have rebranded following a period of closure - and we're really excited to see them back, albeit in a new guise.
Inside Flint, formerly known as Fettle, which has reopened following a period of closure / Image: Fint
Fettle was known and loved for its understated, laid-back cafe-meets-restaurant vibe, and whilst the space has reemerged with a new name it seems that its overall aesthetic still holds up. The difference? There's now more of a restaurant focus.
That said, the owners have tried to keep everything their customers loved about Fettle - meaning brunch is very much still a thing here, in a nod to the space's old cafe credentials.
On the brunch menu there's plenty for vegans as well as carnivores, with dishes like the vegan benedict sitting proudly alongside a braised duck benedict and pain perdu - a pan-fried dish of spiced maple custard-dipped sourdough, strawberry compote and vegan vanilla ice cream.
The vegan benedict at Fint, comprised of a crumpet topped with crushed peas, roasted golden beetroot, smoked tofu and vegan hollandaise / Image: Fint
As for lunch, dishes like 'strangle the priest' (a nod to the hand-twisted Italian pasta, strozzapreti) promise the ultimate light summer plate of pasta, combining charred broccoli, courgette and lemon with mint, mace and hazelnuts.
Elsewhere, other tempting midday options on the brunch menu include their warm cannellini bean salad and sweet potato gnocchi, which comes served with seed cream, crushed peas, rocket oil and garden pesto. If you ask the team, they'll be more than happy to recommend a good wine to pair with it from their list too.
An ever-popular choice in the day, Fint also serves an evening menu from Thursday to Saturday starting from 4.30 pm - offering up some gorgeous-looking dishes, like their beurre noisette haddock, that use the very best locally sourced produce the owners can get their hands on.
Priced at two courses for £25, with additional courses just £5 more, the evening menu offers brilliant value for the quality of food on offer.
With starters like oak roasted salmon with cauliflower cream and broad beans, and miso aubergine served with almonds and a cherry tomato marmalade, anyone heading down is in for a real treat.
Mains, meanwhile, include a vegan-friendly portobello mushroom kiev and a braised duck leg dish served with preserved blackberries, celeriac gratin and crushed peas for the ultimate indulgence.
As for dessert? Think passion fruit tart with praline and iced vanilla, affogato, or the house tiramisu - listed as a "Ms Sue with Mr Blacks coffee liqueur.' Yum.
Fint's passion fruit tart with praline and iced vanilla / Image: Fint
Sharing the news of the change on their website prior to their reopening last month, owners Simon and Kamil wrote:
"After a long consideration, the last 17 months left us with only one option and that was to close Fettle and create something new."We’re sure you’ll love what we’ve created in Fettle’s place. You can still find us at 73 Great George Street," they added.
Fint is now open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am. Go down and show them some love - you won't be disappointed.
The beloved Domino Club is receiving its flowers, and rightly so.
Rapidly becoming one of the industry’s most respected accolade of excellence, The Pinnacle Guide is a worldwide ranking of the best bars across the globe.
Based on a thorough self-application process, rigorous assessment modules, followed by a series of spot check interviews and anonymous in-bar reviews, it's no easy feat to get a spot on this list.
Which is why it makes The Domino Club's achievement all that more impressive.
Known amongst locals and visitors alike as basically one of the coolest bars in town, the hidden speakeasy invites you through a barbershop in the Grand Arcade where downstairs you'll find a dimly lit jazz and cocktail bar oozing sex appeal.
Not only are the cocktails exceptional, but their live music listings is something to behold playing everything from jazz and funk to cabaret and disco every Wednesday - Sunday.
Announcing the news to Instagram, The Domino said: "Listed by The Pinnacle Guide. The Domino Club has been recognised on the global list of the world’s best bars.
"What began as a hidden basement bar in Leeds, built around live music, cocktails and atmosphere, is now being recognised alongside some of the finest bars in the world.
"A huge thank you to our team, musicians, suppliers and every single guest who has supported us over the years. This means a lot. Leeds belongs on the world cocktail map."
We absolutely could not agree more and if you haven't ventured behind the barbershop and discovered the magical Domino Club, then we very much recommend you do.
2:22 A Ghost Story at Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House: When silence becomes the scare
Declan Kelly
The supernatural thriller 2:22 A Ghost Story arrived at Leeds Grand Theatre as part of its UK tour, bringing Danny Robins’s hit production to a packed audience.
Since its West End debut in 2021, the play has become known less as a straight horror and more as a gripping psychological debate wrapped in a ghost story.
At the centre of the story is one key question: do ghosts actually exist? Set during a dinner party between two couples, the drama unfolds as Jenny becomes increasingly convinced their home is haunted, claiming she hears strange noises every night at exactly 2:22am.
Her husband Sam dismisses her fears as irrational, while friends Lauren and Ben challenge both sides, turning the evening into a lively clash of belief and scepticism. What begins as a conversation gradually becomes something far more tense, as personal fears and buried tensions rise to the surface.
Image: Supplied
Rather than relying on traditional horror, the production focuses on atmosphere and psychological tension. The script builds unease through sharp dialogue, awkward silences and shifting power dynamics between the characters. Instead of delivering constant shocks, it keeps the audience questioning what is real and what might simply be a coincidence or imagination.
That said, the play does use theatrical jump scares effectively. Sudden loud noises, abrupt lighting changes and eerie sound cues interrupt the dialogue at key moments, creating jolts of tension without ever fully tipping into outright horror. These moments are brief but impactful, designed more to unsettle than to terrify.
Image: Supplied
The cast works strongly together to maintain this balance. Shvorne Marks brings emotional intensity to Jenny’s growing fear, while James Bye plays Sam with grounded scepticism that slowly begins to crack. Natalie Casey adds sharp humour and bite as Lauren, and Grant Kilburn provides openness and curiosity as Ben, keeping the debate lively and unpredictable.
The production design is another standout element. The modern, stylish home feels realistic and lived-in, but subtly shifts in tone as the story progresses. Careful lighting and precise sound design ensure the space never feels entirely safe, even in silence, reinforcing the idea that something might be just out of sight.
Image: Supplied
As the final moments unfold, the play returns to its central idea: the waiting. The quiet anticipation of night, the smallest unexplained sounds, and the creeping awareness of time passing.
Ultimately, 2:22 A Ghost Story succeeds because it is not really trying to scare its audience traditionally. Instead, it plays with uncertainty, asking viewers to decide what they believe and how far they trust their own senses. And let’s be honest, you might find yourself thinking what might happen if you were still awake when the clock strikes 2:22.
Running until 16 May at the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House - tickets available here.
Georgina Pellant -
26th August 2021 
