The Good Food Guide has released its list of the top bakeries across the UK – and one in Leeds has made the cut.
The prestigious guide has been travelling across the nation testing out the joy of British bakeries, from pastries to loaves to croissants to biscuits.
50 bakeries around the UK have been selected, ‘from a makeshift industrial unit in Devon to a radically remote destination in the Scottish Highlands and a must-visit spot in Mid Wales’.
The Good Food Guide has said that the nation is going through something of a ‘modern baking boom’ and selected one spot locally that are doing it better than anyone else.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
And that bakery is Nova Bakehouse. Located on Leeds Dock, Nova Bakehouse is a beautiful sun drenched spot that serve up irresistible morning buns, chewy cookies and speciality loaves.
Don't believe us? Don't just take our word for it, here's what The Good Food Guide said: "Leeds Dock was once a stew of 19th-century warehouses, where barges would offload coal to supply the heavy industries of nearby Hunslet.
Images: The Hoot Leeds
"Its transformation came in the mid 1990s with the arrival of the Royal Armouries Museum and later a mix of residential and business premises, of which Sarah Lemanski's bakery, opened in 2019, is a major standout.
"There’s no seating but you can watch the dough being kneaded while waiting to pick up one of their long-proved sourdough loaves, brown butter madeleines, almond croissants, or a bag of chewy chocolate-chip cookies.
"The counter and shelves are also stacked with all manner of on-trend provisions from esoteric homemade marmalades to Leeds honey, pasta and pulses. Eight-week 'bread subscriptions' available."
All of a sudden we're feeling pretty peckish for a croissant...what's your favourite bakery in Leeds?
Manchester's favourite Mexican bar is about to become your newest nightlife destination in Leeds.
It's been a long time coming, but Salon Madre is officially ready to open in Leeds.
Although we may have to wait a little bit longer for Madre, the day-to-night eatery that has made waves over in Manchester and Liverpool, Salon Madre, its lively tequila bar and pool hall sibling, is officially opening on Friday 20 February.
Salon Madre, which will be located just around the corner from Madre at 114 Wellington Street, is where the party really gets started.
Image: The Manc Group
Expect tequila-fuelled nights, pool tables, lively DJs and Lucha Libre on the big screens.
There will also be plenty of tacos being flung out the kitchen to keep you going until the early hours.
If you’ve ever visited one of their venues in Manchester or Liverpool, you’ll know it’s an absolute riot and we can’t wait to welcome them to the city.
Images: The Manc Group
Co-founder Sam Grainger, inspired by countless trips to Mexico, says: “Mexico is alive with passionate artisans and cooks, mastering everything from street tacos to regional delicacies. It’s a world where traditions blend and evolve and we’ve built that ethos into the heart of both Madre and Salon Madre.”
Madre Leeds will open soon and you can even grab yourself a free margarita by signing up to their newsletter here.
We’ll keep you up to date with their opening times but for now, we'll see you at Salon Madre for a boogie, margarita and game of pool next week.
Award-winning Leeds restaurant announces shock closure just months after opening
Clementine Hall
Emba in Leeds will be closing its doors with the owner blaming rising costs and pressure on the hospitality sector.
Back in April last year, one of Leeds' top restaurants The Owl closed its doors.
Run by renowned Chef Liz Cottam, The Owl was reimagine into Emba - a trendy restaurant tat bridged 'the gap between cosy bar and vibrant dining room'.
To open Emba, Cottam opened a Crowdfunder where supporters would be awarded with prizes such as VIP dinners and merch depending on how much they donated.
But sadly just months after opening, Emba is to close permanently.
Cottam confirmed the sad news with a statement shared with customers over the weekend, saying she was completely "heartbroken".
She said: “This is no longer the right time to own independent restaurants like Emba,” she said. “Under the current conditions they cannot survive and the recent budget confirmed what so many of us already knew: no meaningful help is coming for hospitality.
"The experience of being here and the harsh financial reality of running a business here no longer stack up.
"Being award winning, popular, admired and loved no longer means profitable and as an industry if we’re honest most of us have not truly been okay since Covid."
She signed off the statement promising to return to the restaurant world, she said: “What I do know is this, I am not done. I will keep cooking, keep creating and keep finding ways to do the thing I love.”
Clementine Hall -
28th March 2025 
