Everything you need to eat, drink, watch and do in Leeds this week.
It’s going to be another busy week in Leeds- and there’s plenty of foodie openings, birthdays and special offers to celebrate.
If you’re looking to eat out in Leeds, this will be the week to do it. We’ve got Aagrah turning 45 with a huge 45% off food offer, Almost Famous turning 10 with a burger extravaganza, new charcuterie relaxed fine dining opening at Opera North and a new SALT venue opening over in Boston Spa.
We’ve also got workshops aplenty, arts and crafts, live comedy shows, including an Edinburgh preview from one of TV’s finest and a music festival to look forward to.
Keep reading to find out more about everything there is to do in Leeds this week.
Aagrah turns 45- with 45% off food
Tuesday 5 July 2022 | Aagrah City, Quarry Hill and other restaurants
Well it’s not everyday you get to celebrate a big birthday, and even rarer for a Leeds-based brand to hit a whopping 45 year milestone. Aagrah, which now has nine restaurants across Yorkshire, including sites in Chapel Allerton, Leeds City, Garforth, Doncaster and Wakefield, is celebrating their huge birthday and thanking their returning customers that have supported them through the past 45 years with an impressive 45% off the bill on their birthday.
The offer will be valid in all Aagrah restaurants on Tuesday 5 July 2022 on food only. To ensure you’re able to grab a seat at the table, make sure to book a table in advance.
Find out more here.
Almost Famous 10th Birthday
Tuesday 5 July 2022 | Almost Famous, Great George Street, Leeds City Centre
Almost Famous is ten years old- and they’re celebrating as you’d imagine with plenty of foodie surprises, piled high with sauces aplenty, cocktails and new specials. On Tuesday 5 June, the Leeds restaurant will be bringing back their 4 OG famous specials for one night only with crazy prizes all night long.
If that’s not enough, you can grab any classic famous burger and fries for a tenner Monday – Thursday anytime plus daytime on Fridays and every burger purchased over their celebratory period will give you the chance to win free burgers for an entire year.
Find out more here.
Pastel Happy Hour
Tuesday 24 May – Friday 27 May 2022 | 95 Kirkgate, Leeds city centre
Far from a generic Happy Hour menu, Pastel has reimagined the hours between 4pm – 7pm four days a week to bring us some of the most exciting cocktails in the city- and all for just £5.
Bandarra and tonic is a house-favourite and for good reason. We were first introduced to Bandarra (similar to an Aperol) at a Pastel cocktail masterclass and haven’t looked back since. This bartender’s choice of tipple is a sophisticated blend that comes in two flavours: Rojo and Al Fresco flavour before being served over ice with artisan skinny London tonic and grapefruit.
If you’re not one for fancy cocktails, you’ll probably surprise yourself with newfound favourites- but there’s still bottles of Becks for £3.50 available during happy hour and shots of Jamesons for £2.50 aplenty. Of course, there’s still all of the usual Pastel favourites during these hours too. We’re talking about the iconic pancetta and Haribo drinks that Pastel has become synonymous with, as well as wine available by the bottle, frothy and fizzy concoctions aplenty.
Tuesday 24 May – Friday 27 May 2022, 4 – 7pm. Find out more here.
Punch Needle Mug Rugs Workshop
Wednesday 6 July 2022 | Waterlane Boat House, Granary Wharf
Set up against the gorgeous brick walls and intimate lighting of Waterlane Boat House, the Wednesday night workshop is the ideal get together for those looking for a unique mates date.
From 6.30pm, ticket holders will be able to make your very own fluffy coaster or wall hanging using the art of the (newly-viral) punch needle mug rugs. All materials and tools are included in the ticket price, so all you need to do is turn up and take on your new arts and crafts- with a post-workshop pizzas and cocktails encouraged but not mandatory.
Tickets cost £17.60 each, including a booking fee, and are available on to purchase on the Dice.fm website.
Find out more here.
Geoff Norcott: I Blame The Parents (Edinburgh Preview)
Wednesday 6 July 2022 | The Wardrobe, Quarry Hill
The only preview performance before the Edinburgh Fringe is taking place right here in Leeds for Have I Got News For You regular Geoff Norcott-so this is a rare opportunity to witness the best of comedy without taking a trip up and across the border.
Often featured on Live at the Apollo and Would I Lie To You, Geoff is no stranger to the stand-up game, and many Loiners are bound to be in hysterics over his latest set ‘I Blame The Parents’, which takes on the passionately held views we all have based on our parent’s experiences and ideals- all in stand-up format.
Find out more here.
Kino Opening
Wednesday 6 July 2022 | Briggate, Leeds City Centre
Located on New Briggate inside the Opera North’s gorgeous Grade II listed space, Kino is set to open its doors from Wednesday 6 July 2022- and they’ll be serving up a range of wholesome Yorkshire foodie faves like George & Joseph, North Star Coffee Roasters, Latitude Wines and Northern Monk.
Inspired by the cinematic experience formerly hosted inside the Grade II listed building, Kino means ‘cinema’ in multiple languages, but also encompasses the minimalist style that the restaurant is set to take on as part of its opening identity.
Inside you’ll see 100 covers across a whopping three floors with clean lines to create a relaxed and welcoming space perfect for pre-show drinks, post-performance bites and everything in between at Opera North’s very own restaurant site.
Find out more here.
Chow Down
Thursday 7 – Sunday 10 May 2022 | Temple Arches, Leeds City Centre
Newly-renovated Chow Down will be hosting a range of incredible events until September, there’s going to be so much to enjoy for 2022 at Temple Arches- and tickets are available four-days a week, every week until then.
Hosting a summer themed haven with a new food village, three-tier sun terrace, DJ huts and crazy golf: Chow Down is the giant beer garden with far more to offer than just drinks. A nine-hole alfresco crazy golf course is making an appearance for the very first time for those looking to make a tee whilst sipping on cocktails and pints in the sunshine.
Of course, Chow Down’s foodie line-up is equally as important to Leeds as its musical headliners, and this year, there’s plenty of new street food to tempt you over to Temple Arches too.
Thursday 19 May – Sunday 22 April 2022. Find out more here.
SALT Boston Spa Opening
Friday 8 July 2022 | High Street, Boston Spa
Award-winning Yorkshire craft brewery SALT Beer Factory has been expanding across the city over the past year and later this month, the brand will be fusing craft beer and a casual dining experience at the former Stew & Oyster venue in Boston Spa.
Jamie Lawson, Founder, has commented on the opening: “We want to continue extending the retail presence of SALT, through our branded taprooms. SALT Boston Spa will be our second rebranded site after the acquisition of the Stew & Oyster Group. Our goal is to brew the best beer and serve it in the best environment, for us that’s beer perfection”.
Find out more here.
Newsam Park Festival
Saturday 9 July 2022 | Temple Newsam, Leeds
On top of the exciting headline acts like: Marco Carola, Jamie Jones, Mall Grab and Jayda G deeper house will come from Dan Shake and Chaos in the CBD, there will be spaced-out sounds from flying Dutchman Chris Stussy and no-frills beats from Djoko as well as plenty of goodness from local residents Annie Errez, Bobby O’Donnell, Foz, Reeshy and Sara Garvey.
Tickets start at £60.50, but if bought as a group, you can buy four and get your fifth free of charge. All tickets can be purchased from the Newsam Park website.
Find out more here.
The Mustard Pot Pub Quiz
Get ready to give the locals a run for their money at The Mustard Pot. The Chapel Allerton pub hosts ‘Kieran’s Quiz’ every Sunday, where teams work through fourty questions themed around sports, entertainment, general knowledge and a picture round.
The winner receives a free crate of beer, not a bad prize given it only costs £1 to enter. Kieran’s quiz starts every Sunday at 8pm.
Find out more here.
Gaucho Sunday Roast
Sunday 10 July 2022 | Gaucho, Park Row, Leeds City Centre
Here’s what our Food and Drink Editor and Senior Writer, Georgina Pellant had to say about Gaucho: “For a truly indulgent Sunday roast, you can’t go wrong with Gaucho. The Argentinian steakhouse is known for its melt-in-the-mouth, wet-aged steaks, but it also serves up a killer Sunday roast with bottomless meat and wine every weekend.”
“If you’re coming here, it makes sense to go for the beef – sourced specially from premium Black-Angus cattle and bred at hand-selected farms in the southern Argentinian province of La Pampa. Cooked in its own dripping, each cut comes topped with crispy roast potatoes, glazed carrots, buttered greens, perfectly stacked Yorkshire puddings and lashings of gravy.”
Find out more here.
Feature Image- Waterlane Boat House
