News

A new restaurant with European-inspired small plates and Sunday roasts is opening by Leeds Dock

Sophie Smith Sophie Smith - 10th May 2023

A new restaurant is opening inside the newly-opened social and co-working space Department by Leeds Docks.

Called Fearns, the new social dining concept got its name from the small parcel of land, known locally as Fearns Island, nearby to its home in Department. The land will house an allotment for the kitchen team to grow seasonal produce, herbs, and flora in the coming months.

Headed up by Jade Crawley, former Head Chef at The Tetley Bar and Kitchen and Eat Your Greens, the new foodie spot promises a brand new sustainable hospitality process that centres around local produce.

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, Fearns will be a new destination for every meal. The menu comes has been strewn together using Yorkshire ingredients, taking creative influence from kitchens across Europe.

Image: Supplied / Fearns

Think Yorkshire squeaky cheese and Longley Farm butter to create dishes like crispy oyster mushrooms with sage, polenta and a confit garlic sauce, and pulled lamb flatbread, pomegranate, celeriac, pea and marinated summer vegetables, made with a family recipe from Jade’s childhood.

Dinner here is designed around socialising so it's a real chance to explore the menu and order a range of small and larger plates to share amongst friends.

Wash it all down with a pint of Kirkstall Brewery, on draught of course, or choose from a range of organic wines, cocktails and premium soft drinks.

Weekends here will see a rotating selection of local DJs from Released Records, and ending the week with a lazy Sunday roast and board game with room for the whole family (and the dog) to sprawl out and take the last day of the week in their stride.

Image: Supplied / Fearns

Food wise, Sundays are all about the Yorkshire puds with a twist. Served with a choice of roast beef, pulled lamb shoulder with mint sauce, sausage roast, lemon pepper chicken thighs, seitan roast with mint sauce, or veggies with miso gravy. Add in the hasselback potatoes, spice roasted beetroot and squash, hispi cabbage and house gravy - sounds like we're in for a real treat.

Jade Crawley, Head Chef of Fearns said, “When developing the menus, I wanted to ensure sustainable processes and local produce were at the forefront. The menus are a celebration of all things Yorkshire, with nods to Leeds specifically throughout. It was important that the menus create talking points, from the interesting suppliers we use to the personal recipes I’ve incorporated from family cooking. We are a region with fruitful produce and amazing small businesses on our doorstep, and I am proud to showcase them at Fearns.”

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Fearns will also be home to space for two ever-changing retail stores, for local talent to showcase their products through pop-ups. First up is independent wine retailer 2 Many Wines and sustainable clothing brand Commonsense Clothing.

Fearns opens on Friday 19 May 2023 from 7pm, with a launch party with drinks and DJ set from Release Records.

You can find out more, including how to join the launch party on the Fearns website here.

Feature Image - Supplied / Fearns

News

Leeds pizza shop hailed ‘exceptional’ and ‘best in the UK’ by major reviewer

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A Leeds pizza takeaway has received a glowing review from popular review duo.

Edges Pizza opened up their first permanent spot in Leeds back in June this year, after making a name for themselves slinging out pizzas at multiple pop-ups across the city.

Owners Grace and Edge from Harrogate opened Edges Pizza two years ago, taking inspiration from trips to New York over the years.

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Their pizzas are a love letter to the class New York slice, think thin and crispy rather than chewy and floppy. But above all else, think absolutely delicious.

And now, they've caught the attention of a major review page, with Bite Twice Food Reviews (a page with almost 300k followers) paying Edges a visit.

The food review duo of Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany popped up in Holbeck beneath the arches to get their hands on a pizza, and the outcome is brilliant.

In the video, Bite Twice said that the pizza is 'f**cking exceptional' and up there with 'one of the best pizzas in the UK'.

Before even taking a bite, they said: "On aesthetic, I don't think anywhere in the UK is doing pizza like this".

Images: The Hoot Leeds

Then after the first bite, they go on to say: "There are very few pizzas in the UK that create this, I’m a little bit blown away".

As Londoners themselves, they go on to say that Edges is 'easily hitting with the best that we’ve got down south'.

And if that's not high praise enough, they sign off the video saying: "Leeds has got an absolute gem. I give this a stamp so hard my foot went through the pizza. Edges. Don Level."

We will absolutely take that.

Read more: A slice of New York has arrived in Leeds – and the pizzas are 18 inches wide

Featured image - The Hoot Leeds

News

Yorkshire-set Christmas film by Leeds director starring Richard E. Grant set to hit UK cinemas next month

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

A brand-new Christmas film is hitting cinemas nationwide next month - and it’s a proper Leeds success story.

Jack Spring directed his first feature film at just 19 years old and has spent the last decade carving out a career in independent film, as well as co-founding Leeds-based production company Shush Films.

His first movie, Destination: Dewsbury, was shot just down the road in - you guessed it - Dewsbury. And after moving to Leeds from Grimsby, Jack became determined to build his business from the city, putting down roots and growing his production company here.

Image: Supplied

Now, after years of working on independent projects, Jack has taken his biggest leap yet with a brand-new Christmas film, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint.

Set in Yorkshire, Merry Christmas Aubrey Flint follows Aubrey Flint, a reclusive model soldier painter with a lifelong hatred of Christmas, who is sentenced to community service at Willow Lodge - a retirement home on the brink of closure.

Roped into helping with a chaotic production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, Aubrey clashes with its interesting set of residents...

And the cast is about as star-studded as it gets, featuring Richard E. Grant, John Bradley, Celia Imrie, Adjoa Andoh, Sophia Di Martino, Adrian Rawlins and Kiell Smith-Bynoe.

Image: Supplied

The heartwarming festive comedy will hit cinemas nationwide on Friday 6 November - a huge milestone for a Leeds-based director and production company, taking a homegrown Yorkshire story to audiences across the country.

You just can't beat a proper wholesome British Christmas film, so you can best believe we'll be watching in the cinema, popcorn in hand.

Read more from The Hoot Leeds:

Featured images - Supplied


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