A number of eateries in Leeds and West Yorkshire have been named as some of the best in the world right nowby the Observer in its esteemed Top 50 list.
The prestigious foodie guide, which lays out the national paper’s favourite food highlights for 2022, names Leeds-born vegan and veggie Indian street food heroes Bundobust, alongside Yakumama, the meat-free Latin American-inspired cantina in Todmorden, West Yorkshire.
Excitingly, Leeds is also named as the city of natural wine - with critic Simon Naylor speaking to a number of operators in the city and praising the informal, relaxed attitude that accompanies it here as a world away from stuffy sommeliers and gastronomic restaurants.
Image: Eat Your Greens
Leeds as the city of natural wine
Describing Leeds as "fashion conscious and happy to spend a few quid enjoying itself", Naylor goes on to add "trends often flourish [here]" before name-checking the likes of Sarto, owned by Dave Olejnik, alongside 'pioneering' Eat Your Greens, Owt, Ox Club, Home, Steve Nuttal's influential shop Way of Life, The Reliance and Friends of Ham.
Commenting that "the number of local bar-restaurants that have embraced natural wine [...] reflects something deeper: the way the city’s tight-knit food scene fosters", he goes on to speak with Olejnik about the city's scene as a whole.
Image: Owt
According to Olejnik, here in Leeds, the hospitality industry is, “full of people happy to exchange ideas and put in the legwork to present good things to the public – who are open to new takes. The city’s geography lets people bounce between places easily, too. New ideas are never far away.”
Naylor surmises: "The informal culture around natural wine, how it is served and talked about, suits the city’s many ambitious, casual independents: " We can't argue with that.
Bundobust Brewery
Leeds' vegetarian and vegan street food favourites Bundobust feature prominently in the guide, except this time the focus is on its new brewery restaurant over in Manchester.
Housed in a 100-year-old Grade II-listed building on Oxford Road, it boasts a custom-built 10-hectolitre facility capable of producing 20,000 pints a month – not to mention a talented head brewer in Dan Hocking, formerly of Uiltje.
Image: Bundobust
Naylor writes: “Good beer is essential to Bundobust: Bradford-born owners Marko Husak and Mayur Patel first bonded over the emerging craft beer scene of the early 2010s.
“Its IPAs and sours became the ideal foil for Patel’s food – meat-free Gujarati family recipes updated for the street-food generation”.
Yakumama
Billed as “offering respite from the restaurant industry’s frothiest excesses”, this Manchester food truck turned restaurant in West Yorkshire is showered in praise.
Operated by Hannah Lovett and Marcelo Sandova, the Latin American-inspired cantina serves a short menu of colourful, meat-free small plates – all designed to share.
Image: Yakumama
Naylor is just as enthusiastic about the space (a 19th-century former Co-Op building in Todmorden, situatedon the border of West Yorkshire and Manchester) as he is the menu, writing:
“Beyond its ornate 19th-century frontage the airy dining room is fairly plain. There are plants. Art. Nothing showy.”
He continues: “The Andean-style crisp potatoes with kalamata olive sauce, smoked paprika oil and pickled peppers, topped with a boiled egg, embodies Yakumama’s imaginative use of vibrant sauces and pickles to create astonishing food.
“An example of what is possible without meat or lots of money.”
Feature image - Bundobust
News
Sheffield’s beloved Baker’s Yard is expanding its Kelham Island site
Tried and trusted Sheffield indie spot Baker's Yard is expanding its Kelham Island site and potentially dropping its "micro-bakery" title.
Opening just three years ago, Baker's Yard has become a sweet-treat staple in its Sheffield neighbourhood, Kelham Island, so much so, the owners have taken to social media to announce some very big plans.
Known for keeping Kelham Island visitors satisfied with their key lime pie and cheesecakes to loaves of bread and freshly baked pastries, now Baker's Yard is expected to continue doing so on a larger scale.
After putting out a call-out post earlier this month to recruit more front of house team members, the bakery waited just one more week before sharing its latest news.
What was once a "micro-bakery" is now about to undergo a particularly large transformation, as revealed in a new announcement via social media by the Baker's Yard team: "Our bakery is growing, into next door!"
Explaining this decision in further detail, the Kelham Island hotspot has said: "You can expect a greater variety of bakes, breads, pastries and cakes, including bespoke celebration and wedding cakes".
Already known for their bakery and coffee shop-hybrid, as well as the bespoke cake services they offer too, now Baker's Yard are covering all bases with an all-new venture.
Life just got a whole lot sweeter, as you'll be able to get your Baker's Yard fix all-day-long with the arrival of a restaurant, with the team promising, "Baker's Yard Bistro, a French inspired neighbourhood eatery" later down the line.
This year has been nothing but positive for this independent Sheffield business, as back in March Baker's Yard found itself included in The Good Food Guide's Top 50 Bakeries in the UK - Huge congrats.
Sheffield's beloved Baker's Yard is expanding its Kelham Island site / Credit: The Sheff
Anyone up for sampling some sweet treats or savoury selections that Baker's Yard has to offer can currently find them at 1 Baker's Yard, Sheffield (and very soon 2 Baker's Yard too) or online HERE - Good luck guys.
Featured Images - The Sheff (supplied)
News
The popular Manchester brunch spot serving all things viral is coming to Leeds
Clementine Hall
A brunch spot made famous across the pond is opening a site in Leeds.
If you're a fiend for all things brunch, then this news is going to get you a little bit excited.
Bruncho is known for its brunch dishes that have a real knack for going viral on social media, including New York-style breakfast rolls in croissant bread; fresh coconut water and matcha served in the coconut; and its innovative watermelon sandwiches.
Oh, and they also went viral for serving a Labubu French Toast...but we'll let the photos do the talking on that one.
Images: The Manc Group
They've currently got one site in Manchester city centre with one more almost ready to open its doors, and now they're making their way across the Pennines and opening their first Yorkshire cafe right here in Leeds. Aren't we lucky.
Announcing the exciting news to Instagram, Bruncho said: "We’ve been keeping a HUGE SECRET, but now it’s finally time to share… LEEDS CITY CENTRE WE’RE COMING FOR YOU!!
"Keep your eyes peeled on our socials, we’ll be announcing our opening date SOON!!"
Images: The Manc Group
With queues constantly forming at their cafe in Deansgate, Manchester - we're sure that their weird and wonderful creations will go down just as well here in Leeds.
It's not the first brunch spot to make their way over, with Federal opening on Boar Lane earlier this year that has been packed out ever since.
We'll of course keep you in the loop with opening dates as and when we find out but for now, Bruncho we can't wait to welcome you to our city.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd February 2022 
