And it's all thanks to the stops on our Blue Plaque Trail.
Leeds holds a wealth of history, you don't need to tell us that twice. From building the first steam locomotive to bringing the world inventions like Cluedo, housing the UK's last remaining gas-lit cinema and not to mention founding major UK supermarkets...
Thanks to new research from the UK’s largest delivery service, Evri, Leeds has been recognised as one of the most 'heritage rich cities' in England.
The research analysed the amount of heritage plaques in each city across the UK, and naturally with 180 blue plaques around the city, Leeds has been revealed as one of the places with the most.
Placing a respectable fourth place, Leeds only lost out to the likes of Norwich, Liverpool and (unsurprisingly) London, who held the top spot with an incomparable 987 blue plaques.
The top ten cities, according to the study, were as follows:
CITY
NO. OF HERITAGE PLAQUES
London (Incl. Westminster)
987
Liverpool
295
Norwich
260
Leeds
180
Brighton + Hove
151
Coventry
142
York
135
Newcastle Upon Tyne
125
Wolverhampton
98
Birmingham
96
To decipher these numbers, the study counted the number of heritage plaques from official sources of every city across the UK, such as civic society websites and city council websites. Where these sources weren’t available, plaques were taken from the website, Open Plaques, which lists every heritage plaque within the city postcode. Duplicates were then emitted and cities were ranked highest to lowest to reveal the ranking.
The study from Evri noted that the original blue plaque scheme started in the capital by English Heritage, placing plaques honouring the likes of actor, Charlie Chaplain, novelist, Charles Dickens and prime minister, Sir Winston Churchill but since then, heritage plaques have been dotted across the country. They're known to highlight historical landmarks and give passersby an insight to the famous faces and historical moments that happened in the same spot they're standing, years ago.
Leeds has a grand total of 180 heritage plaques, honouring the likes of Sir Charles Wilson MP, J R R Tolkien CBE and Leeds Corn Exchange, many of which feature in The Hoot's series Short Stuff, where we uncover some of the best hidden gems in the city, or pay homage to important bulidings, faces and inventions that have made Leeds the cultural city it is today.
To find out more about Leeds blue plaques and see for yourself why Leeds has been named as such a heritage rich city, visit the Leeds Civic Trust website.
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.
Sophie Smith -
15th September 2022 
