Naturally, when you're looking for a winter warmer, The Botanist, next to Trinity, is a go-to move, but have you seen their new menu yet?
The award-winning restaurant chain has unveiled their winter food offering, and there's some gorgeous options on the menu.
It wouldn't be a menu at the Botanist without their iconic hanging kebabs and for the festive season they've introduced (you guessed it) orange and turkey glazed hanging kebabs with all the trimmings.
And not only that, hanging kebabs enthusiasts can now also make it a group experience, with a new sharing option which includes a chicken, a crispy halloumi and a lamb kofta kebab on a triple-skewer rack. Served with properly seasoned fries, coleslaw, houmous and flatbread, it's the perfect option for three diners to tuck into.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Another delicious new addition is the turkey and camembert burger with maple glazed bacon and cranberry sauce. The best bit? It comes with a giant pig in blanket sat right on top of it.
There's also a great selection of new starters and side dishes on the menu, including straight up bowls of pigs in blankets glazed with orange and cranberry, a sharing baked truffle camembert fondue and a three-cheese baked mac ‘n’ cheese.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Can't decide between all these festive goodies? Don't worry because you don't have to. The Botanist's hot sharing board now comes with tater tot poutine, turkey koftas, Cumberland scotch egg, mussels in fragrant curry sauce and mac ‘n’ cheese.
The vegan option includes bang bang cauliflower, superfood salad, sweet potato houmous, crispy porcini gnocchi with truffle mustard mayo and roasted tomato soup. It's the perfect food to nibble on whilst enjoying a few festive drinks between friends.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
The sweet toothed out there can tuck into The Botanist's signature warm cookie dough dessert that has had a seasonal makeover and now comes with After Eights or Celebrations.
Speaking bout the launch of the new seasonal dishes, James Scott, Executive Chef at The Botanist said: “This time of year is all about celebration and enjoying good food with loved ones and that feels even more so the case this winter after our get-togethers have been restricted for the past couple of Christmases.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
“With this menu we wanted to showcase a modern take on comfort food with festive flavours that taste luxurious and indulgent, offering our diners a seasonal update to the signature dishes they’ve come to know and love when visiting our restaurants.”
Authentic Turkish street food is coming to Kirkgate.
Leeds city centre is gearing up to welcome yet another new food spot, and this one is all about homemade lahmacun, shawarma wraps and plenty of signature tahini sauce.
Tahin will open its doors at 10 Kirkgate, next to The Cat Cafe, and with signs already up we don't think it'll be long until they welcome their first customers.
The restaurant is listed as a Turkish restaurant that specialise in their homemade tahini sauce, hence the name.
According to the restaurant's Instagram profile which has been going for a few years, Tahin also specialises in home-made lahmacun wraps alongside shawarma wraps.
For anyone unfamiliar with lahmacun, the Turkish staple is often described as a thin, crispy flatbread topped with a richly seasoned mixture of minced meat, herbs and vegetables.
Wrapped up with fresh salad and sauces, it makes for a satisfying and flavourful lunch to enjoy on-the-go.
Their Instagram suggests that Tahin once existed before back in 2022, so although this may not be a completely new venture, we're nevertheless very glad to see them back.
Its location puts it right in the middle of one of Leeds' busiest areas, making it the perfect mid-shopping pit stop for those wandering around Briggate or stopping for a bite to eat before heading out on the town.
The new opening comes at a time when Leeds' food scene is continuing to expand, with a string of independent restaurants and street-food concepts opening across the city centre throughout 2026.
This Leeds bistro has been named one of the best restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around
Clementine Hall
A much-loved neighbourhood Leeds restaurant has been given another major accolade.
There’s no shortage of brilliant places to eat in Leeds, but one Horsforth bistro has just been given a pretty huge seal of approval - and it might be worth planning your next staycation around.
The brilliant Bavette has been named one of the best neighbourhood restaurants in the UK to plan a staycation around by Condé Nast Traveller, appearing alongside a handpicked list of restaurants from across the country.
The list celebrates neighbourhood restaurants that are worth travelling for, with the magazine highlighting the growing appeal of venturing outside of busy city centres in search of smaller, more intimate places to eat.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
And Leeds has bagged itself a spot thanks to Bavette, and we can't say we're surprised.
The French-inspired neighbourhood bistro is run by chef Sandy Jarvis and his husband Clément Cousin.
Since opening in 2024, Bavette has quickly become one of the city's most talked-about restaurants, attracting diners far beyond its Horsforth home and scooping up accolades such as the 2024 Good Food Guide's Best UK Local Restaurant, a 2025 and 2026 Michelin Bib Gourmand, and a place in the 2026 National Restaurant Awards Top 100.
Condé Nast Traveller hails Bavette as "a true neighbourhood gem", saying: "The restaurant takes its cues from the couple’s London bistro roots, serving hearty yet elegant dishes made with seasonal ingredients.”
They finish by saying: "Reservations are hard to come by - but so worth it once you get your foot in the door."
We really couldn't agree more.
And while a trip to Horsforth might not technically count as a staycation for us Leeds locals, Bavette is certainly one restaurant worth crossing the city for.
Clementine Hall -
18th November 2022 
