Leeds is bursting with great restaurants, but Riva Blu really stands out for the authenticity and the feeling you get after a visit.
Right in the middle of Park Row you can’t help but notice the iconic blue interiors when you’re walking past, and we recommend you visit them as we had a fabulous time.
We were seated in a cosy booth at the back of the restaurant, surrounded by stunning images of Italy in big frames on the walls. The music was great and the mood lighting gave us that really intimate dining feel which made us feel at ease from the get go.
Inside Riva Blu. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Our server, Jimmy, came over to introduce himself and to match the authenticity of the restaurant he told us he was from Sicily. He explained the menu and went through all of his recommendations which was really helpful. He told us about the differences and tastes between the dishes, helping to make our choice easier.
The menu itself is huge with seven sections of pizzas, pastas, meats, antipasti and more. We didn’t get a chance to try the pizza this time, but we saw them coming out for other people and they did look really good.
To start we had the Yellow fin tuna tartare, truffle arancini and the crispy aubergine fritters. The stand out here was definitely the fritters, with smoked provola and served with San Marzano sauce, I really could have eaten plates and plates.
Aubergine fritters. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
The tuna was really fresh, it was served with a crispy Sardinian flat bread and a gorgeous olive tapenade which just paired perfectly with it. Truffle and arancini really go hand in hand, so crispy and flavorful, the combination of the three dishes were a great way to start the meal and all recommended by the lovely Jimmy.
Next we tried the pasta and you are absolutely spoilt for choice for again we asked for recommendations. We had the ‘Ravioli Granchio’ which was Devonshire crab, chilli, lemon, basil, shellfish butter & fresh tomato.
Linguine Frutti Di Mare. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
We also had the Linguine Frutti Di Mare’ which had wild red king prawn, mussels, clams and calamari - all accompanied with a white wine, tomato & chilli sauce. As seafood pastas go, there were no complaints with this, so generous with the portion and all the fish tasted like it had jumped straight out of the sea onto the plate.
Crab-filled ravioli pieces. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
I have to say, sat in that cosy corner booth eating pasta with a white wine with a candle on the table, it really felt like we’d hopped on a plane to Siciliy.
Even though by this point we were very full, Jimmy recommended we also try the ‘Orata Al Forna’ which was a whole roasted sea bream, vine-ripened tomatoes, Leccino olives, garlic & rosemary potatoes.
This is dinner and a show, as the fish is filet at the table in front of you, which Jimmy did a marvelous job at. It really had that straight off the BBQ taste, giving you that nostalgic feeling back to sunnier days. The tomatoes we’re just devine, I don’t really know how else to describe them apart from really tomato-ey.
Orata Al Forna. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Throughout all of the food Jimmy was bringing over accompanying wines which was just dreamy. We also tried a couple of the cocktails and they were really tasty too but a bit sweet for me, I’m more of a wine girl.
By this point we thought we couldn’t eat another thing but Gio, the host, said we must try the Baba Napoletano, a traditional dessert from his home town of Naples. The rum soaked sponge cake with Chantilly cream and raspberries was delectable. Not too boozy but enough to pack a punch, the perfect way to finish off our meal.
Baba Napoletano. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
For a special occasion or a date night, this spot on Park Row is a great experience and you won’t leave hungry.
To find out more and to book your table, take a look at their website.
Gail's has finally set its sights on Yorkshire for the first time, with a new bakery set to open this year.
It's one of the UK's most famous bakeries, launching in London in the early 1990s to supply restaurants, before opening its first retail site and cafe in Hampstead in 2005.
Gail's founders set out on a mission to bake bread as it used to be baked: by hand, using quality ingredients and time-worn artisanal methods.
While Gail's has expanded aggressively into the north, opening around a dozen bakeries in Greater Manchester and its surrounds, it hasn't made the journey across to Yorkshire just yet.
All that looks set to change, with job ads now listed for roles within a brand-new Yorkshire branch of Gail's.
Based on the job advert, Gail's is heading straight to the spa town of Harrogate - which is a fairly predictable move.
It looks like Gail's is heading for HarrogateGail's will make its Yorkshire debut
It had previously been reported that Gail's would be going to Knaresborough, but the job posting appears to hint that Harrogate will be the first Yorkshire location.
When it does open, you'll find loaf choices including classic white and brown sourdough, Gail’s ‘wasteless’ loaves (made using a specially-created recipe designed to incorporate unsold bread crumbs), alongside seeded varieties, baguettes and batons.
Must-tries include Gail’s famous cinnamon buns, still-warm cheese and ham croissants, chocolate chip cookies, and – given the weather we’re having this week – iced coffees, all day long preferably please.
But given the number of fantastic local bakeries all over Yorkshire, the question is, does anyone want Gail's?
‘Historic’ moment as UK passes bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking
Emily Sergeant
The UK has now passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from ever buying tobacco products.
It's been a long time coming, but in what is being described as a 'historic' moment, the final draft of the landmark Tobacco and Vapes Bill completed its journey through the Houses of Commons and Lords yesterday (21 April 2026), and is now on its way to receiving royal assent to officially become the law.
For those unfamiliar, the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will stop people who were born on or after 1 January 2009 from ever taking up smoking.
It will also give Government ministers new powers to regulate tobacco, vaping, and nicotine products – including their flavours and packaging, which make them more appealing to younger generations.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has hailed the bill's passing as a 'historic moment for the nation's health' on the road to creating a smoke-free generation.
The UK has passed a bill to ban everyone born after 2008 from smoking / Credit: Pxhere
"Children in the UK will be part of the first smoke-free generation, protected from a lifetime of addiction and harm," Mr Streeting said after the bill was passed this week.
"Prevention is better than cure. This reform will save lives, ease pressure on the NHS, and build a healthier Britain."
The ban on purchasing tobacco products for those born after 2008 was first mooted by Rishi Sunak's Conservative Government a number of years back, but was eventually shelved ahead of the 2024 General Election, and then revived again by Labour when they took power.
The bill's passing parliament has been welcomed by charities and campaign groups - most notably Cancer Research UK.
"This is a historic achievement that will shield our children from the devastating grip of tobacco addiction and help to put an end to cancers caused by smoking," concluded Michelle Mitchell, who is the Chief Executive Officer at Cancer Research.
The Hoot -
5th June 2023 
