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.
An independent matcha stand in Leeds has been forced to closed due to council concerns.
You may remember back in August when the whole of Leeds rallied to save Sips Matcha over in Headingley.
The front garden matcha spot has become a firm favourite for students and locals alike over the past year, gaining more than 12,000 followers on Instagram.
The self-proclaimed 'tiniest matcha stand in Leeds' is located in the residential area of Little Woodhouse and is run by the lovely Matt and Julia.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
However, in August their retroactive planning application was rejected by the council and they were given 28 days to remove the shed.
In a published document via Leeds City Council website, multiple reasons were listed for the decision to refuse planning permission for the bright-green matcha shed.
The electronic letter signed by Martin Elliot, Chief Planning Officer, listed spoiling the property's character, increased footfall, and a failure to comply with numerous development and design policies.
In response, Matt and Julia launched a petition urging people to save Sips Matcha, labelling the painted wooden shed-turned-coffee shop as a 'Community Stand'.
Despite over 3,000 signatures, Sips Matcha have announced on their social media today that the shed must be removed by the end of November.
The statement reads: "our retrospective planning was declined, we appealed, and the appeal was dismissed. then the dreaded email arrived: the shed has to come down by the end of november.
"we don’t have all the answers yet, but we’re working out what happens next. over 3,000 of you signed the petition and it meant the world. thank you for every sip, share and signature. come say hi while we’re still here."
We're absolutely gutted for them, so make sure you pop by for a matcha before the end of November to give them a proper farewell.
Here are six of the most exciting new restaurants and cafes coming to Leeds this year
Clementine Hall
The year is almost coming to an end, but Leeds is still bursting at the seams with plenty of new openings.
We love talking about food here at The Hoot, so allow us to indulge and let you know what foodie spots are opening in the city over the next couple of months.
Recently we've had everything from rotisserie chicken shops to Miami-inspired bodegas open up, and it seems like 2026 is the gift that keeps on giving...
It's been a long time coming but we hope you haven’t forgotten that viral matcha and acai spot Acai and the Tribe is coming to Vicar Lane very soon.
Known for its colourful acai bowls, smoothies and coffee, the brand already has locations across the UK, and now its setting up shop in Leeds.
Joe & the Juice
1 Trinity St, LS1 6AP
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Girlies grab your Stanley cups and book that pilates class, because Joe and the Juice is finally coming to Leeds. It's been open across the pond in Manchester for just over a year now, and we've been waiting with bated breath to see when they'd make the triumphant step to LS1. Well, the time has come…get ready for all the matcha, juices, coffees and, of course, their iconic Tunacado sandwich.
This much loved breakfast spot do one thing and one thing very well...egg sandwiches.
And it may be a familiar name to some of you lot, as Egg & Co recently opened up on bustling Deansgate in Manchester as well as inside Cambridge Street Collective in Sheffield.
This will be their first site in Leeds, though, and we're very 'egg-cited' about it...sorry.
The Manchester-based burger chain is known by many for its incredible smash patties, funky branding, and quick, reliable service. Their concept is simple: good burgers made with quality ingredients and cooked fresh to order.
After opening in Meanwood just a few weeks ago they're now coming to the city centre, get in.
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 the city.
Sophie Smith -
6th January 2022 
