Share the love this February and support your locals in the process.
There's plenty to love about Valentine's Day: regardless of your relationship status. Whether you're celebrating with friends, partners or showing yourself some love this month, you can bet there's plenty of food-based gifts that are perfect for the occassion.
This year, replace the age old box of chocolates with a unique Valentine's Day gift that supports local businesses too. This way, you're sharing the love with small businesses too.
The Savvy Baker- Valentines Brownie
Image: The Savvy Baker
The Valentines Brownie from the Savvy Baker is essentially a giant slab of chocolatey goodness, but all four come with a heartfelt message, including hilarious quotes like ‘cute butt’ and ‘I heart your d*ck’, and the wholesome ‘my fave human’ and ‘happy bestie day’.
Each brownie is priced at £15, a bargain given you can usually get four brownies from £11.00.
What's more romantic than sharing a dessert together? Not a sharer- jus neither. Luckily with this Valentine's Day selection from Oh So Bakes, there's a date night box that offers lots of individual sweet treats. Each delicious box includes 15 Triple Chocolate Brownie Pieces, 15 Kinder Cookie Pieces, white hazelnut dipping sauce, nutella dipping sauce, cookies and cream dipping box, as well as strawberries, Ferrero Rocher, foiled heart chocolates and marshmallows.
Each box costs £25, a 50% deposit must be given to sure the booking.
Packed full of delicious treats, this date night essential is probably one of the sweetest hampers we've seen and it's perfect for a night in on Valentines. Each set comes with half a bottle of wine or Prosecco per person, homemade fresh focaccia bread, olive oil, olives, a selection of meat & cheeses & antipasti, a large bag of crisps, a sweet treat platter and chocolate covered strawberries.
The Date Night hamper costs £50 and should be booked 24 hours hours in advance of collection.
The Gift Box Leeds- Valentine's Collection Cookies
Image: The Gift Box Leeds
If you want to say something heartfelt but don't quite have the words: you can find them pre-written on a giant cookie. These are seriously some of the most beautiful cookies we've ever seen and they come as a pair in a cute Valentine's Day box: all for a tenner too. You can collect from store from Friday 11th February or order online for national delivery.
Each box comes as a set of two cookies and are priced at £10 each.
As well as a selection of regular and gluten free Valentine's Day themed cupcakes, the chef behind Baking Creations is whipping up batches of giant heart brownie and blondie dessert topped with buttercream and a sweet 'Happy Valentine's Day' message on top. Priced at a tenner, this ones a sweet reminder to your loved one that comes without the pricetag.
All orders are available for collection on Sunday 13 February and cost £10 each.
If you're looking for some seriously beautiful gifts for Galentines or Valentines, the talented baker behind Amber's Baked Goods will have you covered. Expect gift boxes filled high the decadently-decorated cupcakes, dipping boxes with Love Heart sweets, homemade brownies and blondies, as well as a choice of Kinder, Bueno, Nutella or caramel dipping sauces.
Each box contains 12 sticks of blondies and brownies and 2 dips and will cost £16 each.
The sweet treats at Cinnammmm come with a date night activity: the DYO (that's decorate your own) boxes are perfect if you're looking for something to do this Valentine's Day- and it leaves you with a tasty dessert for afterwards too. If you'd rather receive a pre-made box, there's Plus Berry Kisses flavours available, as well as a range of heart-shaped cinnammmm's too.
Boxes cost depend on the variation chosen. Make sure to order online before postage on Wednesday 9 February for UK and Friday 11 February for local delivery.
Allow us to get you excited about the next one with a list of new openings coming to the city.
If you're feeling a little bit down in the dumps about 2025 ending then do not fear, because we've got a feeling that the next year is about to be even bigger and better.
There's already a great selection of restaurants, bars and shops gearing up to open up in Leeds during, so let us fill you in.
Salon Madre and Madre
Wellington Street
Image: The Manc Eats
Are you ready for a fresh taste of Mexico Leeds? Well you better be – because Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, is setting up shop on Wellington Street in due course.
Not only that, but their lively sibling Salon Madre will be opening next door on Friday 20 February. Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens. Madre will open one month later.
Trinity Kitchen 2.0
Image: Supplied
Trinity Leeds is embarking on a major transformation with a £15 million expansion, introducing a second food court called ‘Freight Island’ The upgrade will add around 72,000 sq ft of new space, including a stunning rooftop terrace overlooking City Square the perfect spot to enjoy great food with skyline views.
Burgerism
Meanwood
Image: The Manc Eats
You may remember when Burgerism had a delivery kitchen in Leeds, and ever since it closed we’ve had a Burgerism-shaped hole in our hearts. Well not any longer, because the Manchester-based burger chain has been given the go ahead to open a takeaway on Meanwood Road - hallelujah.
Dishoom
Taking over the old Flannels Site on Vicar Lane
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The legendary Indian restaurant group is coming to Leeds, and we’re absolutely buzzing about it. Dishoom is inspired by the Irani cafes of 1960s Bombay, which were meeting places for people from all walks of life.
Famed for their Indian twist on a classic breakfast (seriously, their breakfast naans are out of this world), Dishoom offers an all-day dining approach so you can get your Bombay fix from morning to noon and noon to night.
Planning permission is up for the restaurant to take over the former Flannels site on Vicar Lane, so fingers crossed it won’t be too long until we can all get stuck in.
Just when you thought the wine scene in Headingley couldn’t get any better, Once Upon A Vine is popping the cork on their third site - right in the heart of Headingley.
Expect hundreds of wines, plenty of bottles of fizz, and of course, a carefully curated local beer selection.
Uniqlo
Briggate
Image: Uniqlo
It’s happening…Uniqlo has confirmed it’s opening up right here in Leeds next year and we must say it’s looking very nice indeed. The Leeds store will be 1,100 square metres and will be located on Briggate in the old House of Fraser site. It’s part of a new expansion across the UK alongside new stores in Birmingham and Bristol.
A new Japanese grill and BBQ restaurant is opening up from Fern, the absolute mastermind behind Fern Modern Sushi. Opening up in the heart of the city on Vicar Lane, we can't wait for this one.
Dough Club
Burley Road
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Dough Club, a Manchester-based Detroit-style pizzeria, is planning to open up in Leeds.
Famed for their chewy, thick, cheesy crusts that are loaded with all the toppings imaginable, they’ll be opening up a spot on Burley Road for all your pizza needs.
MADE Matcha
Lower Briggate
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Introducing MADE Matcha, a matcha and açaí bar that has created waves in the foodie scene over in Sheffield since opening back in September last year. And it's pretty clear they're doing very well indeed, to be opening a second site in another city less than six months after launching is no mean feat.
Made Matcha will be opening on Lower Briggate in the Nice Things site and this pastel green paradise specialise in seasonal matchas that (almost) look too pretty to drink.
Lane 7
Albion Street
Image: The Hoot leeds
The independent bowling brand is set to open at Trinity Leeds in late spring, spanning a whopping 23,000 sq ft.
As well as 12 state-of-the-art bowling lanes, Lane7 will be home to other games including darts, pool tables, beer pong, golf simulators, and even an interactive 'Playground'.
Featured images - The Hoot Leeds
News
Leeds Pride 2026 announces dates and first wave of acts for 20th anniversary celebration this summer
Clementine Hall
Leeds Pride has confirmed the dates for its 2026 festival, which will mark the event’s 20th anniversary this summer.
And you bet that organisers are pulling out all the stops.
The city-wide celebration champions local LGBTQ+ talent alongside world-class headline acts, and this year for the first time ever, celebrations will be held across two days on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July 2026.
The festival’s first performer has been announced as Strictly Come Dancing Icon & RuPaul’s Drag Race Star La Voix, who will be taking to the main stage.
Image: Supplied
And it doesn't stop there, Leeds Pride will feature a full weekend of diverse events, including the Leeds Pride Drag Brunch Fest, street parties across the city and of course the iconic Pride parade, which is set to be even bigger and better than ever before.
A Leeds Pride spokesperson said: "We're incredibly excited to celebrate 20 years of Leeds Pride. This milestone anniversary represents two decades of bringing our community together, championing LGBTQ+ voices and creating unforgettable moments.
Images: Supplied
“Leeds Pride is growing and stronger than ever and we're committed to giving Northern LGBTQ+ performers a platform to shine. This 20th anniversary festival will be our biggest and best yet, but as we expand, we need public and sponsor support more than ever to make our vision a reality. We're calling on businesses and individuals to get behind Leeds Pride and help us deliver an incredible celebration that our community deserves.
“Expanding to two days for the first time shows just how far we've come, and we can't wait to welcome everyone back to Leeds this summer for what will be our most spectacular Pride yet."
More details will be announced soon and you can find out more here on the Leeds Pride website.
Sophie Smith -
3rd February 2022 
