Afternoon tea at its finest is the only way to spend an afternoon with friends.
Afternoon tea: usually a rather formal affair, complete with British scones (however you choose to pronounce them), clotted cream and some good old Yorkshire tea. The China is expensive and so are the tickets for a spot at the table- or so we thought.
Leeds is full of restaurants that took afternoon tea and threw the idea so far outside of the box that the only thing that remains is the three-tiered stand, replacing all the fancy nibbles with treats like sushi or fried chicken. Others have remained traditional, but took their high tea to the next level with aesthetic crockery and instagrammable decor.
Whatever your preference, there's plenty to choose from and here are our top spots for afternoon in Leeds.
Chinese Afternoon Chi at Mans Market
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Mans Market have replaced those boring finger sandwiches and petit fours with all your favourite dishes to create the ultimate afternoon experience- with plenty of booze included. Guests are invited to choose a bao bun- with crispy roast duck or Panko tofu, before selecting from four different dim sum options including handfuls of Chicken Gyoza, Pork War Tip Dumplings, Mushroom Corn and vegan-friendly Bamboo Dumplings, each swirled and dunked into sweet chilli or soy sauce before making your way onto vegan spring rolls and snack on Lotus Crisps with chilli and spring onions.
This really is the epitome of a unique afternoon tea, perfect for all Chinese food connoisseurs and those that love a bit of dim sum after a few drinks with respective interest. It's also an absolute bargain at £16.50 per person, available Wednesday - Friday at 2 - 5pm (but you'll get 30% off if you quote JAN30 upon booking on Wednesdays and Thursdays throughout January)
Putting an Asian twist on the classic English afternoon pastime, the contemporary rooftop restaurant in Victoria Gate elevates the typical cucumber sandwiches and scone offering – switching in sushi, gyoza and delicate sandos in their place.
Offering ninety minutes of free-flowing prosecco alongside its Japanese-style afternoon tea, swanky Leeds restaurant Issho’s offer is up there with some of the best bottomless deals we’ve seen in the city. For £47.50, you’ll enjoy unlimited prosecco as you tuck into a host of delicate Japanese finger-food treats. The selection here is split into three: spanning sushi, savoury and sweet, and also includes a selection of fine Japanese and English teas.
Italian afternoon tea with Aperol Spritz at Livin' Italy
Image: Livin' Italy
Down on the waterfront at Granary Wharf is a gorgeous Italian restaurant tucked into an archway serving up its own Mediterranean twist on the classic English afternoon tea.
Priced at £20 per person with prosecco (or £25 if you want to enjoy it with an Aperol spritz in hand), the new afternoon tea switches out the typical crustless cheese sandwiches and scones for Italian delicacies like miniature tiramisu and stuffed arancini balls. Comprised of a selection of classic Italian favourites and small plates, further treats on offer here include fried polenta with friarielli and frollino biscuits loaded with strawberry jam.
Over in Boston Spa, CORA have taken afternoon tea to a whole new level with a delicately decorated menu. Encompassing everything it means to present fine-dining to the public, the bakehouse offers an array of pastries, designed to be enjoyed alongside a carefully selected drink pairing. non-alcoholic pairings and cocktails.
The bakehouse come restaurant, headed up by chef Elizabeth Cottam (head chef and founder of lauded Leeds restaurants HOME and The Owl), also offers eight small tasting plates on Friday and Saturday evenings for those looking for something a little more substantial than afternoon tea.
At the newly renovated Grand Pacific inside the Queens Hotel, staff aim to recreate the golden age of high society “with a sumptuous yet relaxed charm accompanied by great service”.
Its indulgent afternoon or ‘high’ teas are also very popular, offering a selection of miniature sandwiches and sweet treats with a choice of loose leaf tea or bubbles. One of the most iconic drinks here, though, has to be their ‘golden pineapple’ which is both a cocktail in its own right and a symbol of hospitality in general. Made with several different types of rum, pineapple, guava and lime and then topped with crushed ice it’s pretty to look at and wonderfully refreshing too.
A popular package holiday company has launched a new ‘Beckham Clause’ to help protect feuding families.
It's official… family fallouts are now holiday-proof, thanks to a new ‘Beckham Clause’ that’s been launched by a Manchester-based travel company On The Beach in the wake of the ongoing – and at this point, inescapable – Beckham family feud.
In case you need bringing up to speed, then allow us to (briefly) sum up the Beckham family drama for you as best as possible.
Basically, at the centre of this discourse the eldest Beckham child, Brooklyn, his wife Nicola Peltz, and primarily his mum Victoria, although as the months have gone on, it appears there’s no member of the Beckham family that isn’t somewhat involved (okay, maybe not Harper… well at least not publicly, anyway).
Image: Natalya Zaritskaya (via Unsplash)
Earlier this month, it was reported that Brooklyn had become estranged from his family, and had told his parents to contact him only through lawyers.
And then yesterday, of course, Brooklyn publicly spoke out about the accusations on his Instagram Stories for the first time ever… and all hell broke loose in the celebrity news world.
On the Beach’s new clause – officially titled the Family Fallout Refund, and already nicknamed the ‘Beckham Clause’ by bosses – aims to give holidaymakers peace of mind that no matter how messy things get at home, their getaway won’t suffer, as it applies to family holidays where one member suddenly drops out due to a feud, argument, or full-blown emotional meltdown.
Under the new policy, if a family member pulls out before departure, their share of the hotel booking will be refunded rather than leaving the rest of the group to foot the bill.
Family fallouts aren’t just limited to celebrities, every year hundreds of holiday bookings need amending due to feuds, On The Beach said, which is why it’s chosen to launch the new refund scheme.
“We love family holidays, but we’re also very aware that family fallouts cam hamper plans,” explained Zoe Harris, who is the Chief Customer Officer at On the Beach.
“The ‘Beckham Clause’ is there for those moments when someone decides they’d rather cool off at home than by the pool.
“Our new perk means that if a family feud takes place and one person drops out, the rest of the group can still head off, relax, and enjoy the holiday they were looking forward to.”
The Family Fallout Refund is available on family holidays with five or more people, and needs to be claimed at least 60 days before departure.
It applies to new and existing bookings departing on or before 31 August 2026.
Three-acre padel court development set to move into historic Leeds landmark
Clementine Hall
Leeds-based Ollo Padel have revealed plans for a new three-acre padel and leisure destination at The Roundhouse.
It seems like padel is taking over the world at the moment, and it's about to take over Leeds.
Three years after the plans were first put forward, Ollo Padel is set to bring a state-of-the-art padel and leisure centre to the outskirts of the city centre.
The Roundhouse is a Grade II listed Victorian landmark that first opened in 1847 and will be brought back to everyday use as a community-led space before the end of 2026.
Image: Supplied
The new space will feature five covered and four open courts, alongside hospitality and social spaces, retail space, fitness studios, gyms and more.
Being a Leeds-based company, Ollo Padel are working to put Leeds’ communities at the heart of the new centre, with plans for free school coaching lessons, school partnerships, inclusive programmes for women and juniors and focusing on providing a non-intimidating environment for all-ages and abilities.
The development is expected to create 14 permanent on-site roles, spanning coaching, front-of-house, hospitality and operations, with a strong commitment to local recruitment.
Image: Supplied
Will Linley, Co-Founder (Founder of Linley & Simpson) said: “These proposals focus on sensitively bringing one of Leeds’ most iconic buildings back to life — restoring the Roundhouse and creating a place people can enjoy, feel proud of and use as part of everyday city life.
“Padel is a brilliant way to bring people together. We’re designing Ollo around the social side of the sport — creating a place that supports both physical and mental wellbeing through movement, play and connection”
Luke Gidney, Founder, Ollo Padel said: “We are so excited about the opportunity to create this centre for Leeds. We’re still at an early stage, and that really matters to us, because it means local residents, businesses and community groups can help shape the plans. We want to listen, learn and make sure the Roundhouse works day to day for the people around it.”
Sophie Smith -
6th January 2022 
