Federal, one of the most popular brunch spots in Manchester, is set to open its very first Leeds cafe.
Get ready girlies, because canned matchas are coming.
Manchester’s number one brunch spot, and the UK’s most popular independent café, Federal is heading over the Pennines to open its first Yorkshire outlet right here in in Leeds. How lucky are we?
Established in the iconic Northern Quarter in 2014, Federal is inspired by Kiwi and Aussie neighbourhood cafés, and has built a global reputation for serving exceptional coffee, standout brunch dishes and offering a warm, welcoming service.
Image: The Manc Group
The new 1,500 sq ft Leeds venue will seat 70 guests and will be located on Boar Lane, it is due to open this autumn.
Diners can expect an all-day brunch menu including favourites such as French toast, steak and eggs, halloumi and shrooms and regular specials. Drinks will range from expertly crafted coffee and teas to fresh juices, wine, beer and cocktails.
Images: The Manc Group
In a recent study by bookmakers Betway, which measured the popularity of over 300 coffee shops worldwide, Federal was named the UK’s most popular independent café. It was also ranked fourth in the world with more than 1.1 million TikTok views and almost 400,000 annual Google searches, firmly establishing its reputation on the global brunch scene.
Speaking about his decision to expand Federal to Leeds, Ribeiro, said: “Choosing Leeds for our first café outside Manchester felt like the natural next step. Leeds has many similarities to Manchester with the same buzz and a growing independent brunch and coffee scene.
Image: The Manc Group
“We don’t expand for the sake of it; we wait for the right time and the right energy for Federal. Everything we do is fuelled by passion for great brunch and great coffee and creating the perfect space for every occasion and every type of customer. Now feels like the perfect time to bring the Federal experience to Yorkshire and join Leeds’ growing independent food and drink scene.”
If you're a fan of all-things chicken, then this is the spot for you.
Introducing The Rotisserie Club, that's doing exactly what it says on the tin...rotisserie chicken.
Taking over the former Shokupan site at 27 Wellington Street, the new restaurant aims to bring a new go-to lunch spot to that area of town.
And we've got a very strong feeling it's going to go down an absolute storm amongst gym bunnies and office dwellers alike.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Brought to the city by Norman of Spuds n Bros fame and Luigi from Habitum and La Bottega Milanese, you just know you're in good hands.
The idea is to split the day between the two businesses, with Habitum taking care of the morning coffee crowd before The Rotisserie Club takes over from lunchtime. Sounds like a match made in heaven if you ask us.
That means early birds can get their caffeine fix before the focus shifts to a menu centred around rotisserie-cooked chicken.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Expect chicken-filled Caesar wraps, bowls, salads, wings and stuffed pittas, as well as half and whole chickens served with their signature house dripping potatoes.
You can dip or drench your chicken in their range of sauces, and then you’ve got yourself something worth licking your fingers over.
Not only that, but in the future they'll be opening in the evenings so you can have your chicken fix alongside a tipple or two.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
It's great to see two independent businesses team together to create something completely new in the city, and we can't wait to see how well it's received by food lovers in the city centre.
Move over Nando's, The Rotisserie Club is officially in town.
An authentic hand-pulled noodle restaurant is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
If you're a fan of thick, chewy noodles, then you're going to like this one.
And that's because The Merrion Centre in Leeds is set to welcome Lano Noodles, an authentic hand-pulled noodle spot.
Specialising in freshly made noodles, authentic Lanzhou-style beef noodle soup and traditional Chinese snacks, the independent restaurant will be unlike anything you can currently find in Leeds city centre.
The new restaurant will occupy approximately 2,150 sq ft across two floors, and will create between seven and ten jobs.
You'll be able to grab your food to-go as well as eat-in.
Charles Newman, Associate Director of Estates at Town Centre Securities PLC (TCS), owners of the Merrion Centre, commented: "We're delighted to welcome Lano Noodles to the Merrion Centre, particularly as the team has chosen Leeds for its very first restaurant.
"Its location on Merrion Way, directly opposite the first direct bank arena, is perfectly positioned to attract a diverse mix of customers, from students and city centre workers to shoppers and eventgoers.
"The combination of freshly prepared, authentic food, convenient grab-and-go options and relaxed dining is a great fit for this busy part of the city. It's fantastic to see another independent operator investing in Leeds, creating new jobs and adding to our growing international food offering."
A spokesperson for Lano Noodles Ltd added: "We're really excited to be opening our first restaurant at the Merrion Centre and introducing our freshly made hand-pulled noodles to Leeds.
"We chose the location because of its strong footfall and diverse customer base. We want to create a welcoming, informal space where people can enjoy authentic Chinese food, whether they're grabbing a quick lunch or sitting down for a relaxed meal with friends.
"We can't wait to welcome our first customers and share the flavours of Lanzhou with the Leeds community."
Clementine Hall -
27th August 2025 
