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.
A staple in the city for nearly a decade now, foodies will be well au-fait with LIVIN'Italy - but for those who haven't yet made it down for a visit, their brilliant afternoon tea is as good an excuse as any.
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.
Image: LIVIN'Italy
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.
It seems from the reviews that you might get a little surprise when you visit, too, with one customer who visited in June saying they also enjoyed mini margarita pizzas, slow-cook short rib beef slider and roast potatoes with BBQ sauce as part of their afternoon tea experience.
The sweet selection on their visit, meanwhile, included portions of miniature tiramisu, strawberry jam Italian cake and indulgent, moist Italian chocolate cake with salted caramel and orange running throughout.
The glamorous restaurant and bar runs a host of delicious-looking menus alongside the afternoon tea, opening for breakfast and stretching through lunch and dinner into cocktail hour and beyond.
Whether you're after a spot of antipasto with wine or want to sample some proper Italian street food dishes, there's much more than just your typical pizza and pasta offering here (although they do that very well too).
Just like any good Italian, the focus here is on using quality ingredients and LIVIN'Italy works closer with Italian food producers and importers to cultivate the very best. As they say themselves, "without a great product you can’t create a great dish!"
To find out more about the Italian afternoon tea and make a reservation, head over to their website here.
The world's biggest podcast festival, Crossed Wires, continues its magnificent rise in just its third year.
It's safe to say that the festival has had its landmark year, with this year's independent economic assessment confirming the 2026 festival generated £6.65 million in total economic impact.
After doubling footfall to a whopping 50,000 attendees in 2026, the festival has further cemented its position as one of the world’s fastest-growing cultural festivals.
Alongside its strong local community roots, it may come as a surprise that just over half (52%) of festivalgoers travelled from outside of South Yorkshire, with 40% outside the UK North and Midlands.
Image: Supplied
It's amazing news for the festival which launched just three years ago and has rapidly evolved from an ambitious start-up festival into a nationally significant event.
South Yorkshire's Mayor, Oliver Coppard said: "When we backed Crossed Wires in its early days, we knew South Yorkshire had the talent, creativity and ambition to make something truly special. What's happened since has been incredible.
"Tens of thousands of people have come to our region, filling venues, supporting local businesses and bringing millions of pounds into our economy. That's good news for Sheffield and for our communities right across South Yorkshire."
Images: Supplied
Co-Founder Dino Sofos, said: “We’re delighted to see Crossed Wires become one of South Yorkshire’s biggest cultural events in just three years. There’s a real buzz around the festival, and reaching 50,000 attendees while generating over £6million for the local economy this year shows the scale of what we’ve created - and its potential to grow even further."
We can't wait to see the future of Crossed Wires festival, and we're already looking forward to the next instalment taking place from 1 - 4 July 2027. We'll see you there.
Cult burger brand Burgerism opens takeaway outside of Manchester in a Leeds suburb
Clementine Hall
The North West’s most ordered burger has landed in Leeds, and it’s easy to see why it’s loved by so many.
If you don't know about Burgerism, then get to know.
The iconic burger brand, which started life as a dark kitchen off an industrial estate in Salford, is now almost ready to welcome fans into its first Leeds location.
Set to open tomorrow – Wednesday 23 September – Burgerism will be serving up their signature smash burgers from a new site over in Meanwood.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The site sits right next to The Meadwood Tavern on Meanwood Road, the perfect location for if you're out and about and looking for a bit of grub after a few pints.
The interior is sporting the bright Burgerism orange, and although it is mainly a takeaway restaurant there are a few seats for sit-in.
You’ll be able to order your food at the counter, via self-service kiosks, or through click-and-collect on the Burgerism website.
Images: The Hoot leeds
Highlights on the menu will, as always, include the fan-favourite Cheesed (two smashed patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle, onion and the brand’s signature sauce, served in a seeded brioche bun), as well as a range of chicken burgers, fries, and wings.
Everything is made fresh to order, and even their sauces and dips are made entirely in-house.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And the good stuff doesn't stop there, as to celebrate the grand opening they'll be giving away the first 100 customers from 5pm a 'Comeback Card' where you'll eat on them during your next visit. So get there early if you don't want to miss out
The Meanwood site will be the sixth Burgerism site following its five openings elsewhere in Greater Manchester.
Georgina Pellant -
10th September 2021 
