The best things to do in and around Leeds this week | 13 – 19 February 2023
Happy Valentine’s, Galentine’s, half term and Monday Leeds!
It’s Feb half term and Valentine’s Day this week – but regardless of whether you’ve got kids to entertain, friends or partners you want to share the love with; or just fancy something new to do in Leeds we’ve got you covered.
Choose from bottomless steak or sushi this Valentine’s, head over to the fairground in the city centre and finish the week off with a roast in the suburbs. Or how about grabbing a DIY pizza kit from The Leeds Deli before heading over to the new Thackray Museum of Medicine exhibition and spending the evenings at live concerts from some of the most exciting up-and-coming artists.
Whatever combination you’re looking for, here’s some of our top picks to help you plan out the week ahead…
Valentine’s dinner with unlimited sushi
Monday 13 February – Wednesday 15 February | SAKKU, St Peter’s Square
SAKKU Leeds is known for their impeccable, all-you-can-eat dining concept where guests can tuck into as much food as they want in the given time frame. And this Valentine’s is no exception, in fact if you pick SAKKU as your romantic haunt of choice then you’ll also receive a free glass of bubbles on arrival as well as a special sharing dessert to top the night off, what a winner.
We’re talking absolutely mouthwatering skewers of Yakitori chicken, chilli king prawns, Sakku spicy mussels and more, all cooked on a specialist Japanese grill.
Find out more here.
Valentine’s Fair
Monday 13 February – Sunday 19 February 2023 | Millennium Square, Victoria Gardens and Cookridge Street
Returning for its 30th anniversary, the Valentine’s Fair is set to take over Leeds city centre once more. Find a huge range of rides, attractions and games that are fun for the whole family, including the 360° spinning ride The Superstar, the 40m-high Booster Ride, huge swinging pendulum The Devil Rock, dodgems, and, of course, Leeds Wheel of Light.
The games will take over the spaces at Millennium Square, Victoria Gardens and Cookridge Street besides food and drink stalls aplenty.
Find out more here.
Hoist House Bottomless Brunch
Monday 13 February – Saturday 18 February 2022 | Hoist House, Wellington Place
Revolutionising bottomless brunches with an offering of unlimited food and drink, Hoist House is serving up a huge selection of pizzas with a whopping FIFTEEN different drinks- adding up to 180 different combos to test out.
Everything about this bottomless is supersized, and no one is complaining. It’s a rare opportunity to each and drink as much as you can squeeze in without compromising on quality- the pizzas here are packed with flavour, as are the cocktails.
Lasting ninety minutes with sittings available Monday – Saturday, this is a bottomless experience that will leave you stuffed.
Find out more here.
All-you-can-eat steak for Valentine’s Day
Monday 13 February – Wednesday 15 February | Estabulo, inside The Light
Whether you’re celebrating the special occasion with your partner, friends or just looking for a night of self-love, there’s every reason to celebrate with Estábulo Rodizio Bar and Grill’s Valentine’s Menu this month.
Once you arrive and grab your glass of Prosecco, you have an endless selection of meats, salads and tasty treats to sample. And if all of this isn’t enough to give you that wonderful full-belly feeling after stacking your plate, those opting for the Valentine’s Menu will also get a dessert to share – because nothing says v-day without a sweet treat between two.
Find out more here.
Easy Life Live
Thursday 14 February 2023 | O2 Academy
The band’s most notable song for us in Leeds, LS6, might be about homesickness, but no doubt after Easy Life’s appearance in the city they’ll be feeling the love. With two albums and plenty of mixtapes to bring to the stage, alt-indie band will be putting on quite a show this Valentine’s Day.
Find out more here.
This is an interactive pub quiz where all you need is a charged phone and a drink in hand to while the night away. Set in one of the cosiest waterside pubs around, the shipping container bar will put you right at home with nooks to hide in and calming views of the Leeds-Liverpool canal as the sun sets.
There’s no need to reserve a table, just make sure you get to Canary Bar ahead of the 7.30pm kickoff.
Archive
Thursday 16 February from 7pm | Kirkstall Road, Leeds
A brand new quiz is coming to Leeds in a few weeks – and it’s going to be a whole lot of fun. A short walk from the city centre, Archive is launching an interactive quiz evening on Thursday 16 February (and this will then continue every other Thursday). There’s bar tabs to be won, and buy one get one for £1 pizzas to keep you going all evening.
The new quiz night launches next week and will be starting from 7pm.
Inhaler Live
Thursday 16 February 2023 | O2 Academy
The Irish rock band have been together for over a decade, but have gained popularity in the last few years after coming fifth in the BBC’s Sound Of… poll, an annual survey that asks critics and industry figures who is the most promising new talent – and they weren’t wrong. Fronted by Elijah Hewson, son of Bono, the four piece indie-rock band is bringing the feel-good tunes to Leeds this month, with hits from two studio albums and ten singles to bring to life at the Academy.
Find out more here.
The Cunning Little Vixen with Opera North
Friday 17 February 2023 | Leeds Grand Theatre, New Briggate
This bittersweet fairy tale will transport you to the depths of the forest and take you on an emotional yet life-affirming journey. Expect energising, folk-infused melodies sung by a flurry of mischievous creatures who join our protagonist, Vixen Sharp Ears, as she embarks on an adventure to take on the world.
First timers at the opera will absolutely love this option. This production is sung in English (with subtitles too!) so it allows just about everyone to follow the storyline through the heartfelt vocals, as well as the actual performance itself.
Find out more here.
Ariadne auf Naxos
Saturday 18 February 2023 | Leeds Grand Theatre
Directed by multi-award nominated Rodula Gaitanou and performed with Opera North, this humorous, romantic, and drama-filled production will tell the tale of a bustling 1950s Italian studio where two films are about to be made. One’s a heartbreaking myth, the other a light-hearted comedy – imagine the mischief that unfolds when disaster strikes and the films suddenly become one…
Tickets are available on the Opera North website and span from free to £78, there’s also two additional dates in February on Tuesday 21 February and Friday 24 February.
Find out more here.
Sunday Roast at The Mustard Pot
Sunday 19 February 2023 | The Mustard Pot, Chapel Allerton
This Chapel Allerton eatery has one of the most popular roasts in the city – and for good reason. Every weekend, you’ll find a choice of 12-hour Yorkshire beef rump, Yorkshire rare breed pork loin with crackling, or a Mustard Pot nut roast served with giant Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes, mixed seasonal veg, creamy leeks and gravy.
The menu’s pretty big, too, so if you don’t fancy a roast you can tuck into other pub favourites like fish and chips, lentil shepherdess pie, beef burger or steak.
Things to do during February half term every day of the week
DIY pizza kits from The Leeds Deli
Available every day | The Leeds Deli, Chelwood Drive, Moortown
Teaching the little ones about cooking needn’t mean covering the worktops with clouds of flour and mess everywhere (okay, maybe it’s a little messier than when you cook, but it’s all part of the learning. From the family-run kitchen, The Leeds Deli, you can grab a DIY kit that takes out all of the complications and most of the mess. Included is two dough balls, tomato pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and a choice of toppings like chicken, non-spicy pepperoni, ham, olives, sweetcorn and cheese. As well as this, you’ll get all the instructions you need, as well as a kids-sized chefs hat and an activity sheet.
The DIY Pizza Kits from The Leeds Deli cost £10 each and should be reserved online in advance as the packages are made-to-order.
Visit Thackray Museum of Medicine’s latest exhibition
Throughout February 2023 | Thackray Museum of Medicine, Harehills
A new exhibition has arrived at Leeds Thackray Museum of Medicine, and it’s all about tackling the taboo and stigma surrounding ‘private parts’. The idea is that the exhibition brings “a safe space for visitors to learn, discuss, and explore the nuances of these often-shrouded topics, with the goal of fostering a deeper understanding and acceptance of the diversity of human bodies and experiences.”
Whilst this exhibition will be around until May 2023 to check out, February will be the first full month to check it out.
Find out more here.
Visit the animals at None Go Bye Farm
Open Tuesday – Sunday | Otley Old Road, Horsforth
Nothing says quaint urban-country village like a trip to the farm. None Go Bye Farm have got you covered for locally-sourced meat and groceries. This family-friendly spot is perfect for all ages as in true farm-to-table style, you can visit the animals in the barns.Think scratching the belly of a pig, whilst rabbit hop towards your feet: you’ll be ready for a day on the farm in no time.
There are also donkeys, goats, geese, rhea and prairie dogs that can be fed using the special animal feed available from inside the farm shop.
Eat for £1 at Bella Italia
Every Monday – Thursday, 4-6pm | Bella Italia, 145 Briggate, Leeds
Craving a big bowl of comforting spaghetti or fancy a slice of margarita pizza? Then head to Bella Italia this Easter where you can feed your little ones for just £1 with every main meal purchased.
The offer includes three courses and one pressed juice for just £1 and is valid every Monday – Thursday, 4-6pm The menu has options for even the pickiest of kids. There’s cheesy garlic bread, crudités with houmous, pasta with a selection of sauces and the classic margarita and pepperoni pizzas. There’s also a warm gooey chocolate brownie on the menu which you’ll definitely want to be pinching a spoonful of.
Paint-a-pot at Jackrabbits Pottery
Open everyday from 10am | Roundhay Road, Roundhay
Located on Roudhay Road, this rainy day spot is beautiful pottery studio is the perfect rainy-day activity for children and adults alike. Specialising in sentimental baby print items, Jackrabbits Pottery offers light food and drink so you can spend all day long relaxing with a paintbrush in their studio.
The way it works at this paint-your-own pottery studio is you pick a piece from one of their creations – be that a jug, a plate, piggy banks, animals, plaques, baubles, coasters – to paint, then one of their team members will guide you through the process to ensure you leave with something you’ll be proud to display at home.
Feature Image- Inhaler / Leeds City Council / The Hoot Leeds