The India v England test match is in full swing at Headingley today, as the two teams lock horns at Leeds' home ground for their third test match after more than a week-long wait.
There's been some food-related excitement, too, as Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli was spotted popping into Leeds' street food favourite Bundobust for a late lunch and 'piping hot selfie' with their chef, Rosul, yesterday afternoon.
Clocked dining with Indian actress and Hindi filmmaker extraordinare Anushka Sharma, the pair got stuck into the venue's street food menu - which is known for its popular Indian street food treats like vada pavs (a fried potato burger popular on the streets of Mumbai), okra fries and paneer tikka kebabs.
The vada pavs at Bundno Bust are legendary / Image: Bundobust
Having posed for a selfie with the chef in their masks, the image was then shared to Bundobust's Instagram page last night with the caption:
"Big day at Leeds Bundo. It’s not every day that India Cricket Captain @virat.kohli and Actor and Film Producer supremo @anushkasharma bob into Bundobust for a late lunch. Luckily our chef Rosul was on hand to serve up a piping hot selfie.
The Indian cricket captain was cocked dining with Indian actress and Hindi filmmaker extraordinare Anushka Sharma / Image: Bundobust
"Best of luck to Virat tomorrow in the India v England test match at Headingley tomorrow."
Naturally, there was a lot of excitement in the comments with fans piling in to give their two cents on the visit.
One joked, "Too late to request you lock the door & keep him there for the next 5 days?" whilst another said, "Thanks you lot, he’ll be supercharged by okra fries now!"
The couple has also been spotted at Leeds Michelin-recommended Indian restaurant Theravadu, with Anushka Sharma reportedly wearing at dress worth £10,000 for their dinner.
The Bundobust post has already racked up over a thousand likes on the page, with fans now on the hunt to see where they might dine next in the city.
The Reliance, a much missed North Street site, is being brought back to life as The Smithfield.
The Smithfield is set to be a new social eatery and pub focused on seasonal, produce-led dining.
Set to open its doors to the people of Leeds in early April, The Smithfield will pay homage to the local area through both its produce and people.
The venue will focus on proper plates of seasonal ingredients, pairing a relaxed dining style with a strong sense of community. Sounds pretty brilliant if you ask us.
Building on the legacy of North Street, The Smithfield is a collaborative project between Yorkshire brewery Crooked Brewing and chef James Donovan.
Images: Supplied
Steve Dawson, co-founder of Crooked Brewing, has long admired The Reliance and want to build on its established legacy.
“What The Reliance was doing was cutting edge for its time,” says Donovan. “We want to bring that same vision and energy into Leeds in 2026. Our aim is to pick up the culinary torch that The Reliance left behind and continue its legacy of great food in Leeds,” adds Dawson.
The Smithfield takes its name from Church Street’s historic connection to the Smithfield cattle market of the early 1800s, once located on what is now Lovell Park.
“We really want the people around us to feel that The Smithfield is their space,” says Dawson. “We want to give them a place at our table.”
We'll keep you updated with an opening date as and when we know, but we're very excited indeed.
Jungle are back and have announced a huge Leeds gig for later this year
Daisy Jackson
Modern funk and soul band Jungle are officially heading back to Leeds.
The Mercury Prize-nominated group will be performing at the First Direct Bank Arena this November, following their blistering summer on the festival circuit last year.
They'll be heading to Leeds on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Jungle was formed back in 2013 by producers and friends Josh Lloyd-Watson and Tom McFarland.
While they technically worked as a duo for years (until 2023, when touring member Lydia Kitto became an official member of the band), Jungle are known for their huge live performances.
They always fill stages with musicians and vocalists, for incredible funk n soul live shows.
The bands huge hits include Back on 74, Casio, and Busy Earnin’, from four top-10 albums including 2023’s groundbreaking Volcano.
The upcoming Leeds date forms part of the band’s upcoming world tour, which arrives in the UK in November 2026 following a string of international performances across Europe, North America, and beyond.
Fans can expect a setlist jam packed with standout tracks, including fan favourites such as ‘Volcano’ and ‘Back On 74’ and newer material from their upcoming album ‘Sunshine’, released on 14 August that continues to push the band’s signature sound forward.
With over 3.4 billion streams to their name, Jungle’s Leeds show is set to be one of the hottest tickets of 2026 so we wouldn't mess about if we were you.
Tickets for Jungle in Manchester will go on general sale from 10am on Friday 27 March, with pre-sale from 10am on Thursday 26 March.
Georgina Pellant -
25th August 2021 
