This year the Good Food Guide received over 37,000 public nominations for its 'Britain's 100 Best Local Restaurants'.
Good Food Guide says "All of the restaurants in the list have been inspected by Good Food Guide inspectors, travelling the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales, to compile the final list" - and with plenty of eyes and ears on the hunt for the best food in the UK for well over half a decade - when these guys say they've founds somewhere to shout about, it's well worth listening to.
And lucky for us in Leeds we've not got far to travel to try out some of the guide's latest additions.
Hern is one of those 'if you know, you know' restaurants. Set in the leafy inner city suburbs of Chapel Allerton, the small bar and kitchen operates with an ever changing menu using seasonal produce.
Highlights on the menu can include king oyster mushrooms; Cauliflower stem fritters; mutton with king cabbage, celeriac and anchovy, as well as home cooked favourites like pumpkin soup and baked apple.
And there's no shortage of different menu alternatives the Set Menu is available from Thursday - Saturday whilst the bar menu takes centre stage on Wednesdays and a set lunch on Saturdays fills the weekend with treats that keep locals coming back every week.
Now, The Good Food Guide has recognised the foodie hotspot as one of the best in Britain, adding them to its list of 'Britain's 100 Best Local Restaurants'.
Joined by the likes of Manchester's Higher Ground and Sheffield's The Orange Bird, Hern is the only restaurant in Leeds to make the prestigious list.
And it makes up one of just three in West Yorkshire chosen, only accompanied by Coin in Hebden Bridge and Brooks over in Brighouse.
Hern announced the news on Instagram over the weekend, sharing: "We’ve been included in the @goodfoodguideuk 100 best local restaurants along with a very nice write up"
You can find out why Hern has been listed as one of the best spots in Leeds by taking a seat at the Stainbeck Corner restaurant and checking out the menu for yourself.
Feature Image - Hern via Instagram
Eats
Salon Madre – a new tequila bar and pool hall is opening in Leeds this month
Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.
It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.
Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.
Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.
Image: The Manc Group
Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.
There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.
If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”
Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.
We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Sophie Smith -
10th July 2023 
