It feels as if Leeds is experiencing a wealth of growth at the moment, with innovative spaces popping up seemingly by the week.
Whilst many are bringing something new and exciting to the city centre, Delirium and Revelry is offering the rare opportunity to find your new favourite spot for a night out.
We're talking about a brand new bar space with inventive cocktails, eclectic music, and vintage-inspired interiors, all with a modern spin.
Located at the Grand Arcade next door to Brotherhood, the new independent comes with generous opening times (until 3 or 4am), and a bespoke collection of spirits for some one-a-kind-cocktail concoctions.
We're talking about blends of tequila and Midori liqueur, lime and Ting called Don't be a Pr*ck, served in a cactus-shaped glass, whilst the Ruby Revival, served in a lightbulb-esque glass and mixes rhubarb and grapefruit gin with Italicus, Campari and rhubarb bitters.
Image: PGHL
The selection here is vast and eclectic as the music offered inside, with a selection of crowdpleasing hip hop during the day, before upping the BPM for some disco house, garage, and techno as dusk falls.
Taking over the former space of Hardy's, think Edison bulbs, suede booths and upcycled furniture with animal light fittings and an overall jungle theme.
There's also a small private VIP room upstairs for those looking to book for on the first up to 10 guests, and featuring a secret sliding bookshelf- and this promises to be extremely popular with anyone looking for a unique way to start the party.
The bar also has comes with a large second floor, which hopes to follow the unique trends inside Delirium & Revelry, but as a speakeasy bar complete with retro arcade machines, which the owners hope to complete at a later date.
The new bar is the brainchild of Lydia Phillips and Andy Hedley, owners with over 15 years in the hospitality industry, spanning as far as Newcastle and Durham, as well as right here in Leeds.
Co-founder and manager Lydia Phillips said:
‘’I first fell in love with Leeds about 7 years ago when I came here for university and was blown away by the nightlife. There’s a decent bar on almost every corner of the city, with a warm Northern vibe and a host of familiar and friendly faces.’
‘’Having worked both behind the bar and later behind the scenes, I feel I’ve got a good eye for what works and what doesn’t. My business partner and friend Andy is a local lad who’s had similar experiences to myself, and we just decided the time had come to give it a shot ourselves.’’
Image: PGHL
‘’Delirium & Revelry has been a real passion project for both of us, and we’re confident we’ve created a space that’s truly unique, whilst at the same time complementing the existing bars in the Merrion Street area.’’
‘’As small independent ourselves, it’s important that we support each other, as well as other local breweries and businesses. Sustainability is also high on our agenda, and we’ve tried to integrate this into building the brand, by using upcycled furniture and recyclable bar accessories wherever we can. We’ve had a lot of late nights getting ready for launch and can’t wait to welcome our first guests to the bar’’
You can find Delirium & Revelry at 52 New Briggate in Leeds city centre, LS1 6NU.
Eats
New Sheffield pizzeria named one of the world’s best
A Sheffield pizzeria has been named one of the world’s best in a prestigious global ranking.
Forbici, the restaurant where all pizzas are served with a pair of scissors, is the only northern pizzeria to be recognised at last week's Best Pizza Awards 2026.
The awards took place in Milan, and are said to be the Michelin equivalent of the pizza world.
Forbici was named as creating one of the world’s best pizzas, with its master chef recognised as one of the top pizza chefs in the world.
It’s one of just two UK pizzerias listed in the coveted top 100 this year.
Images: The Sheff
Forbici opened in Manchester back in 2024, and has since expanded across to lovely Sheffield on Millennium Square back in March.
It was also once named by Marco Pierre White as ‘the best pizza’ he’d ever had - quite an accolade.
Biga pizza dough at Forbici is slow-fermented to create a light, risen crust, before being topped with quality ingredients like San Marzano tomatoes and Italian produce.
It also has a lot of northern flavour, thanks to local specials like the Lancashire Hotpot – a pizza topped with crisps.
And all pizzas are served with scissors, inspired by the pizzerias of Naples, to be cut into quarters.
Master baker Davide Argentino is a fifth-generation baker from Napoli. While his family runs two bakeries on his behalf back home, Davide brings a true taste of authentic Neapolitan pizza to the UK.
Commenting on the recognition, Davide said: “It is a huge honour for Forbici to be recognised as one of the best pizzerias in the world.
“Baking has been in my family for five generations, so this is a really proud moment. In crafting Forbici’s signature dough we challenged convention pushing the fermentation process to the limit. Every bite reflects the patience, precision and expertise behind our approach.
“This recognition belongs to our entire team, whose passion, skill and commitment to the craft of pizza-making make Forbici what it is every day.”
An intimate Japanese katsu bar with only 15 seats is coming to Leeds city centre
Clementine Hall
Chef Fern is taking on another venture, and this time it's all about Katsu.
If you know anything about the Leeds food scene, then you'll know the absolute legend that is Chef Fern.
Her first restaurant, Fern Modern Sushi, is a firm favourite amongst locals and visitors alike. Known for their expertly crafted sushi made with only the freshest fish on offer.
Nestled in the Central Arcade, this hole-in-the-wall restaurant captured the hearts of many foodies since opening in 2024.
This year, Chef Fern set her sights on another restaurant on Vicar Lane.
Image: O Katsu
Tori Nori opened just a couple of months ago, a modern Japanese grill centred around the fiery robata where guests can watch the chefs cook everything from grilled fish to delicious yakitori skewers right in front of their very eyes.
Unsurprisingly, Tori Nori has also been a huge hit.
But there's just no stopping Fern as she goes on to open yet another restaurant in the city centre.
Introducing O Katsu, an intimate restaurant with only 15 covers serving premium katsu.
Katsu is basically a breaded, deep-fried piece of meat, seafood or vegetables. Served with steaming hot rice, shredded cabbage, miso soup and dipping sauces, it's nothing short of delicious and a popular meal enjoyed in Japan.
We don't know much abut the opening just yet, but what we do know is that it'll be located just opposite her first restaurant in the Central Arcade.
There will be no bookings, and the space will feature an open kitchen so guests can watch the magic happen.
One things for sure, if Chef Fern is involved you just know it's going to be brilliant. We'll keep you updated on the opening of O Katsu as and when we find out.
Sophie Smith -
31st August 2022 
