Opening officially on Monday 30 October 2023, Blue Pavilion is set to bring together century-old traditions and combine with modern flavours for a what has been dubbed an 'unforgettable foodie experience'.
Blue Pavilion has been in the works for quite some time. Having first advertised its opening well over twelve months ago, the restaurant is now ready to open to the public, having poured £3 million into the Merrion Centre restaurant space.
From the owners of Japanese dining experience Blue Sakura, Blue Pavilion hopes to build on its raving reviews from foodies across the city and expanding its offering with a menu packed with Chinese culinary favourites.
Images: Supplied
Whilst the menu hasn't yet been released, hints have been dropped that both the A La Carte and set menus will offer a "rich tapestry of flavours, textures, and aromas that reflect the diverse regional cuisines of China".
The drinks menu also includes a range of fine wines, including Chateau Haut-Brion Pessac-Leognan 1996, premium cocktails like the Jiuzhaigou Hu, a combination of Roku, Aperitif Wine, Blue Curacao, Lemon, and Bitters.
There will be three private rooms in addition to the restaurant space, for more formal occasions, all of which adjoins K-CUBE, the latest karaoke bar to open in the city.
Opening back in July, the karaoke bars has space for up to 65 guests with each room able to take on 6, 8, 10 or 20 ‘aspiring rockstars’ at a time.
Image: Supplied
Speaking about the opening of Blue Pavilion, Director, Jack Lin said: "We are excited to announce the official opening date of Blue Pavilion in Leeds. We can't wait to welcome guests to our beautiful venue and provide them with an unmatched experience.”
Chiu Tong Huang, Director at Blue Pavilion, added: "Our team has worked tirelessly to create a truly unique dining and entertainment experience that showcases the rich flavors of Chinese cuisine and the joy of karaoke.”
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Blue Pavilion will open from Monday 30 October 2023, booking are now live and can be made on the Blue Pavilion website here.
Feature Image - Supplied
Eats
‘The pub that refused to die’ – reborn Leeds pub receives glowing national review by Jay Rayner
Food critic Jay Rayner headed to Leeds for his latest restaurant review for The Financial Times, with his sights set on one of the city's newest pubs - The Highland Laddie.
Having only opened in May last year, The Highland Laddie has practically received a stream of praise ever since.
From the team behind the beloved Empire Cafe, it's a pub unlike any you'll find in the city.
Charming interiors and cosy fires matched with stellar food that rivals that of any restaurant in the city, it's no surprise that The Good Food Guide rated the Laddie has the Best Pub in Britain for 2025.
And now Jay Rayner, one of the country's most rated critics, has jumped on the Laddie-loving bandwagon.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
The review is glowing in every aspect, stating that "The Laddie, as it’s now being called, answers all those miserable questions about whether a pub is actually a restaurant in disguise, by making them feel irrelevant."
After making himself comfortable, Rayner continues to order a myriad of delicious things off the menu.
"Some of the food is purely comforting", he remarks before claiming "the must-have is the lyrically described “Sliced ham from the fire, dinner roll, butter & mustard”.
"It starts with the delivery of a laminated mustard menu. There’s Colman’s or Taylors English, Grey Poupon wholegrain and five types of Dijon, among others. More restaurants should have mustard menus. We are pointed at the Händlmaier Sweet Bavarian, a jar of which is delivered to the table.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"It eases the cheek-pink slices of still warm, thick-cut salty ham on their way as I fold them into the sweet springy block of bread with its butter-brushed crust. It is a dish ripped gently from the pages of The Darling Buds of May and made heavenly reality."
High praise indeed from Mr Rayner who finds joy in his experience til the very end, "At the end, the bill comes with a couple of Fruit Salad sweets, a ’70s classic.
"It’s a shameless clapback to an imaginary back-in-the-day, for nothing then was ever as good as this. But let’s not quibble with wonky nostalgia. Let’s just celebrate a present which has found space for the Highland Laddie amid the high-rise clutter."
Beloved Leeds brunch spot Olive & Rye announces major expansion plans
Daisy Jackson
A much-loved Leeds cafe and brunch favourite has announced a major expansion, with bags more seating both inside and out.
Independent cafe Olive & Rye has announced that it's expanding into the unit next door in the beautiful Queens Arcade.
The local brunch spot has already started work on the neighbouring unit and is set to be back up and running in just a few weeks.
It's great news for the arcade, which is already home to businesses like Pop Boutique and Art & Soul, as well as Olive & Rye's sister business, the authentic little Thai cafe, Olive & Thai.
The cafe has a seasonal menu, so there's always a new special to try, as well as a core menu of classic brunch favourites like homemade granola, eggs on sourdough, and pancakes.
They're also famed for their huge full breakfasts, which feature items like crispy pork belly, homemade beans, black pudding, and hash browns.
Announcing the news yesterday, Olive & Rye said: "It’s finally official !!!
"We’re expanding into the unit next door. We so excited for a bigger dining area and kitchen. That means we will have more inside and outside spots for brunch
"We will be closed on February 3rd & 4th for construction, but back up and running on the 5th."
Sophie Smith -
19th October 2023 
