Leeds Kirkgate Market will be home to the great Yorkshire Vegan Festival this summer.
Taking place in June, there'll be over 80 stall owners in attendance on the day - with products spanning skincare, homeware, food, clothing, toiletries and world food.
The likes of VDogs, Greek Vegan Deli, House of Habesha, There’s No Catch (vegan fish and chips) and Those Vegan Pizza Guys are all confirmed to visit with tasty vegan treats.
There'll be a new event taking place this year, too - providing guests with the ultimate vegan food and camping experience. Titled VFest UK, the occasion will feature some huge headline acts, a club night, circus skills workshops, an assault course, and a zip wire experience.
Naturally, there will be a big focus on food - with plenty of food stalls and caterers on hand, plus appearances from TV Chef Matt Pritchard and Guinness World Record Holder Fiona Oakes.
Vegan doughnuts from Doughnotts laden with plant-based toppings / Image: Doughnotts
But there'll also be opportunities to go boating on the lake, take part in group entertainment, watch fun shows and hear international speakers giving talks on their areas of expertise.
The event is working with a number of organisations including Cats Protection, Four Paws UK, Greenpeace, Plantlife, Ramblers, Viva!, We The Free, Woodland Trust and WWF. All money raised on the day will go to support these organisations.
Non-profit UK animal welfare charity Miracle's Mission is also involved and will attend in the capacity of an organisation that works with sick, injured and difficult animals.
More food stalls confirmed to take part in the festival include Bonnie Yau's Food, Dalton Moor Farm, Doughnotts, Ella’s Instant Vegan Yorky Puds and Pancakes, Just Deserts Yarm, KO-CO Brownies, MKS Food, Telltale Tea, The May Bakery, Tyne Chease, and Vegan Sweet Tooth London.
Skincare, make-up, toiletry, candle and crafts stalls will include Devaiya Oils, Earth's Garden, Lavender and Lilac and Tropic Skincare.
Bo's Book, Jewellery Star, Olive and Hope, Vegan recipes and information, Pet Respect and Trad Collective, and Vegum are also down to attend.
Taking place on Sunday, 20 June from 10am to 4pm, 100% of ticket sales go towards helping the event's partner charities.
Get tickets and find out more information on their website.
Feature image - Geograph.
News
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.
Georgina Pellant -
7th June 2021 
