Independent cafe, 'Bruschetta' is supporting local businesses and serving up the freshest and most innovative brunch dishes in the city.
The Corn Exchange on Call Lane is home to some brilliant independent cafes and boutiques which showcase the creativity and fantastic community spirit of Leeds. Cosy coffee shop and cafe 'Bruschetta' are no exception.
Nestled in the magnificence of the Corn Exchange's gothic interior, the atmosphere is light and airy, making it the perfect spot for a brunch with friends or mid-week meeting.
Image: Bruschetta
Opening just 15 months ago, the small team at Bruschetta have found the winning formula for success. The menu is small but the flavours are not, each item is carefully thought through and brunch classics are given an exciting twist with their homemade sauces and spices.
But first, let's talk about the coffee. The beans are sourced and roasted from a local company in Sheffield and are then left to breathe for 14 days before serving. The magic formula for the perfect cup of joe is then decided on each morning, depending on the specific conditions and climate on that day. Seems like a lot of work for a cup of coffee but my god, I can confirm it was worth it. I'll be going back again and again for my daily oat milk flat white fix.
Image: The Hoot
Now for the food. Each morning the ingredients are sourced from Leeds market and you can definitely tell; the dishes are fresh, vibrant and flavoursome whilst also being great value for money. I opted for the Full Algerian breakfast which consisted of harissa spiced cannellini beans on toasted bruschetta, topped off with an oozing poached egg and spiced merguez sausage. The final touch is a house-made roasted pine nut and za'atar oil which I now need a bottle of. The flavours were punchy but perfectly balanced and left me wanting to sample all the other savoury options on the menu.
Image: The Hoot
But of course I had to leave room for something sweet and the french toast with caramelised apricots and mango certainly did not disappoint. Lacquered apricots lay on a healthy hunk of toasted brioche, topped off with a dollop of Cornish clotted cream and a sprinkling of saffron. This wasn't overly sweet and the tartness of the apricots really shone through whilst the mango coulis swirled with the clotted cream to create an indulgent sauce for the pillowy brioche to mop up.
In an attempt to offset all that naughtiness, I went for a freshly squeezed orange, carrot and ginger juice. They have a juice menu which changes depending on the fresh fruit available at the market or you can make your own by picking your fruits from the market style set-up at the counter.
Image: Bruschetta
With a seasonal menu which changes regularly, I'll certainly be going back time and time again. Not only to taste the delicious food and drink but to see the lovely staff whom gave me the warmest welcome and shared their vast knowledge and passion for local business with me.
Leeds legend Kevin Sinfield is set to take on his seventh and final 7 in 7 challenge this month.
The former Leeds Rhinos captain will begin 7 in 7: The Grand Finale next Sunday 27 September.
Wondering what on earth that is? Allow us to fill you in.
Sinfield will be running an ultra-marathon every day for seven days, and this time it's across the north of England including a special stop off right here in Leeds.
Not only that, but the challenge will bring Sinfield back to some of the places that have played a huge part in his rugby league career.
The route will visit all 12 English Betfred Super League grounds, starting at Hull KR before travelling through Yorkshire and eventually crossing the Pennines towards Manchester where Sinfield is from.
Here in Leeds, we can expect Sinfield to arrive at Headingley Stadium on Wednesday 30 September at 11:14am, before leaving towards Pudsey Civic Hall at 11:40am.
The challenge will then finish at Old Trafford on Saturday 3 October, where Sinfield will arrive ahead of the Super League Grand Final.
Since the first annual challenge back in 2020, Kevin Sinfield and his team have raised over £11 million for the MND community with six charities set to benefit once again from this years fundraising.
It's an amazing challenge for an amazing cause, and you can donate and find out more about the challenge here.
Good luck Kevin and the team, we know you'll smash it.
Channel 4 needs people from Yorkshire who think they can survive the apocalypse for a new TV series
Lydia Mastrolonardo
Have you always wondered how long you’d last in an apocalypse?
Well now's your chance, as Apocalypse is potentially coming back to Channel 4 for a second series, with producers having put out a nationwide casting call for contestants willing to take part.Â
The casting call simply reads: "Do you think you have what it takes to survive the end of the world?"
Described as a dystopian series designed to test the creativity, resourcefulness, and resilience of our nation, Apocalypse sees players are pushed out of their comfort zones and put to the ultimate test.
In the series, ordinary people are tasked with surviving for 28 days in an abandoned city - used previously only for the military to practice urban warfare - with no food, running water, electricity or heat.Â
Produced by The Garden - which is part of ITV Studios - for Channel 4, the show’s creators are now calling on people from Yorkshire with the 'courage and ingenuity' to compete, to get in touch and apply for the potential second series.
Does your mate always bang on after watching a post-apocalyptic film that they would’ve done things differently? Or is the news at the moment freaking you out and you want to give the end of the world a bit of a practice run? Either way, sign up, test that plan you’ve built in your head, and see if you’ve really got what it takes.
Applications are now open, and all you need to do is fill in a short application form and one of the production team will get back to you if they would like to proceed. Come on, let's prove what we're made of.
Applications close on Sunday 4 October 2026 at midnight, and you must be 18 or above, with a valid UK or ROI passport, to enter.Â
Clementine Hall -
24th March 2022 
