Tucked away on a housing estate in Leeds is an incredible hidden gem Ethiopian restaurant serving up authentic stews and curries with injera bread.
Called Abyssinia, it's become quite a hit over the years with Leeds' vegans for its tasty stews and curries - although there's plenty for meat-eaters on the menu here too.
You eat using the injera flatbread with your hands, scooping up dollops of stew and curry as you go - although there is cutlery on hand for those who want it.
The restaurant is unlicensed so it's a bring your own booze affair, but for those who forget there is an off-license across the road selling a good selection of wine, beer and spirits. This helps to make it a really cheap night out, perfect if you're on a budget but looking for some absolutely delicious food.
Plates like the shiro tegameno (£9), a spiced chickpea stew with injera and salad; and the beyaynetu (£10), a large mixed platter of injera topped with cabbage, spinach, lentil stew, chickpea stew and salad; cater well to vegans and veggies alike, with many commenting that despite there only being two options they've left feeling very happy and full.
As for meat-eaters, they are very much spoilt for choice. A quick glance in the 'non-vegetarians corner' section here starts with the epic Abyssinia special (£27), which combines roughly fifteen of the kitchen's meat and veggie dishes atop a giant injera bread, with extra rolled up on the side.
Beyond that, there are roughly fifteen different meat dishes. Many, but not all, are served with Injera - a traditional, sour-fermented flatbread that has a slightly spongy, 'pancake-like' texture.
These range from Kitfo, a hand minced beef tartar seasoned with organic butter and red pepper, to a dish of crumbed lamb fillet cooked with traditional Ethiopian spices and crumbs of injera.
Thebozena shiro makes an appearance again, this time with added pieces of lamb meat, alongside the yebeg wot firfir - a hearty stew of chopped spring greens and cooked lamb in a rich, spicy sauce.
Other dishes that catch our eye include the doro wot, a tender chicken leg marinated in lemon, ginger, garlic, onion and nutmeg before being stewed in Ethiopian butter and a spiced chilli powder called Berebere, and the dulet, an offal dish of seasoned lamb tripe, liver and lean minced beef mixed with onion and chilli.
Not only is the food incredible, but the service is also so friendly you feel right at home in the busy little restaurant, which starts to feel more and more like a friend's kitchen or living room as your meal goes on.
As well as serving up some brilliantly authentic dishes, Abyssinia also does a traditional Ethiopian coffee ceremony where the coffee is roasted live in front of you.
A real performance, it's a great way to end the meal as you watch your hostess take the green beans, and clean and roast them in front of you.
Drunk from small, handleless cups, the coffee is served with popcorn here and poured from a great height in a single stream allowing you to breathe in the aroma before tasting.
A true hidden gem, not only is Abyssinia great value for money but the team are so friendly you are pretty much guaranteed to leave with a smile on your face (and change in your pocket).
To find out more and book a table, check out Abyssinia's website here.
Norfolk-based jewellery brand Lisa Angel is opening their first Yorkshire site right here in Leeds.
Jewellery and trinket lovers, this one's for you.
Lisa Angel, a female-founded jewellery and gifting brand will open the doors to its new store in Victoria Gate next month.
Shoppers can expect a wonderful range of jewellery, gifts, and accessories that have established a loyal following during more than twenty years of business.
Founded in 2004 by Lisa hand making jewellery which she sold at craft fairs local to her Norfolk home, the business has only gone from strength to strength since.
Image: Supplied
The brand is now a recognised part of the British high street landscape, boasting seven other stores across Norfolk, Suffolk, and the Midlands.
After opening two stores last year and three stores in 2024, Lisa Angel’s founder and Creative Director, Lisa, said: “As an independent retailer, we are thrilled to launch in a destination with such a reputation as Victoria Leeds.
"We believe retail should remain grounded in inspiration and discovery, and we look forward to bringing just that to the vibrant city of Leeds, in our first store in the north.”
Managing Director James Moody explained the significance to the business of opening a new store in a city as influential as Leeds: “We're incredibly excited to be opening our first northern showcase store in such a prestigious location.
"Victoria Leeds represents exactly the kind of vibrant retail destination where we can bring the full Lisa Angel experience to new customers. This is a significant milestone for us as we continue to grow our retail presence."
We'll keep you up to date when we know an opening date, but for now you can check out what to expect here.
Yorkshire residents are being invited to name two new bin lorries
Clementine Hall
Well...this is a new one.
Ever fancied naming a bin lorry? Well today is your lucky day, because now you can.
Yorkshire-based waste management experts Divert are celebrating the arrival of two swanky new tbin rucks by inviting the local community to help name them.
The iconic purple bins, vans and trucks can be seen across the Yorkshire area helping to clean up waste from Bradford to Harrogate.
Two new lorries are set to be joining the fleet in April and May, and of course they need a name.
And who better to ask than the general public? The winning names will be added to the cabs of each of the trucks for all to see, and announced via the Divert website and social media channels.
Absolutely anyone from across the UK is welcome to take part, but the company are especially keen for people from Yorkshire to enter.
You can be as creative as you like, but there are a couple of rules...
No swearing or offensive names. Aside from that, you can let your freak flag fly.
The Divert team are keen to hear the 'best celebrity puns, local namesakes, and downright silly names' the public have to offer.
John Verity, Managing Director of Divert, comments: “Naming our bin trucks is a great way to bring some joy to the local community. We hope to bring a smile to the faces of passing drivers and pedestrians as our fleet passes by.
“Not only that, naming our lorries can help our drivers to take pride and ownership in the vehicles they drive and be a key reminder of our engagement within the community. We’re always keen to employ any initiatives that help the public to engage with us and ensure we’re seen as a friendly face in the area.”
Winners will be voted for by the team internally, and the competition closes at 5 pm on 31 March 2026.
Georgina Pellant -
13th August 2021 
