Nestled in the Corn Exchange you will find Bruschetta - a delightful coffee shop and eatery serving up the 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’ is 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.
French and Algerian roots run through their menu at Bruschetta, so you'd be challenged to find anything like it in the city.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Their new summer menu is jam-packed with affordable plates that are perfect for any time of day and the cake cabinet is filled with delicious sweet treats from local bakeries.
Complete with speciality coffee and freshly squeezed juices - Bruschetta do it all and they do it well.
All of the dishes are made with local ingredients and you can really tell. We started with two freshly pressed juices from their daily juice menu - the Turmeric, Orange and Carrot juice was a definite highlight, it was perfectly balanced with sweet and tangy flavours and was exceptionally fresh.
The juices can also be served as a takeaway making it the perfect healthy breakfast on-the-go (obviously alongside one of their delicious croissants), but of course we do recommend you enjoy it whilst taking in the breathtaking views of the Corn Exchange.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Of course the coffee was exceptional but Bruschetta are known for their wonderful caffeinated offering.
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.
Now onto the food. We were told the Margherita Toastie was a firm menu favourite and we can easily see why - gooey cheddar cheese, fresh rocket, homemade margherita sauce and a balsamic glaze sandwiched between two brioche slices and grilled to perfection. We don't want to eat a normal cheese toastie ever again.
The La Rue Des Rosiers featured a toasted brioche bagel filled with delicious pastrami, gherkins and a glorious mustard and harissa aioli. Served with a seasonal side salad, this is the perfect lunch option.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
And finally we tried The Breakfast Croissant - a glistening buttery croissant filled with homemade scrambled eggs, lime-infused smashed avocado and chilli flakes.
This was extremely tasty, the croissant was flakey and perfectly toasted and the zingy lime really cut through the richness of the pastry.
If you haven't been to Bruschetta then we urge you to do so, they're open seven days a week and do not take bookings.
To find out more, take a look at their social media page.
She's big, she's green and she's ready to ruin your figure.
A lot of you will have seen the viral ‘Bertha’ cake by Leeds born beloved sweet treat specialists Get Baked.
They recently opened another site in Manchester's Northern Quarter, where queues literally formed round the block of hungry punters wanting to get their hands on the infamous sugary treats.
And now it's going to happen all over again, as they've recently unveiled their newest flavour which is sure to go down a storm.
We’ll give you a hint: it’s a current food and drink trend that’s about as big as Bertha herself – it’s not matcha, it’s not hot honey (duh), and it’s not Guinness…
Images: Get Baked
Yes—scratch that; HELL YES!Get Baked is set to welcome Bertha’s equally beautiful twin sister, and she’s officially a pistachio girlie.
Having started out life simply as ‘Bruce’, after taking inspiration from the iconic scene from Matilda, this thing has become a phenomenon in its own right, and who doesn’t like more flavours of a good thing?
Probably one of the biggest foodie crazes going at the minute, thanks to the popularity of pistachio cream, cookies, lattes and the similar social media sensation that is the ‘Dubai Pistachio Bar' people are rather fittingly going nuts for this particular flavour of almost absolutely anything.
With that in mind, the Leeds-born bakery and dessert shop – founded by Rich Myers over in Headingley back in 2011 – have shown no hesitation in hopping on the bandwagon and creating a new twist on their own viral menu item.
Teasing the full details in a post on their Instagram this week, they wrote: “What’s big, green, and is going to destroy your life in a couple of weeks’ time? Pistachio Bertha. Strictly limited to 5,000 slices. Coming oh so soon. GB.”
In case you were wondering just how mad those with a sweet tooth could possibly go for a slice of cake, just look at the recent queues when they finally launched in Manchester city centre:
Speaking on the grand opening here on our turf and his partner Amy’s hometown, Myers said simply: “Manchester, what a launch. Thanks for much for the warm welcome. Stay baked.”
The Swine That Dines announces the official opening date of its brand new restaurant
Clementine Hall
Much-loved Leeds Bistro The Swine Bistro, formerly known as The Swine That Dines, has moved to a bigger space in Headingley.
Although it’s gone through a few name changes over the years since launching as The Greedy Pig cafe in 2012, this independent spot has long been a firm favourite for Leeds locals for some time now.
Run by chef couple Jo and Stu Myers, they’ve been operating out of North Street where it’s all about cooking seasonal produce simply and with an added ‘little bit of sunshine’.
But now Swine Bistro has moved up over to Headingley, taking up a unit previously occupied by Jam hairdressers on Otley Road.
Image: Supplied
And the time has finally come for them to open their doors, as they announce their first service will take place on Friday 4 April with bookings open from today, Thursday 20 March.
The Myers will be welcoming head chef Kirsty Cheetham, who won Observer Food Monthly’s Best Sunday Lunch award in 2018 and 2022 when she ran The Queen o’t owd Thatch in South Milford, Leeds.
The expanded space in the restaurant has allowed the team to curate a bigger wine list which will include natural wines from Wayward Wines and Latitude Wines as well as local beers from Ilkley Brewery and Horsforth Brewery.
Image: Supplied
The team remains passionate about locally sourced ingredients and has partnered with a variety of Yorkshire suppliers including R&J Yorkshire for its fresh meat, Tarbetts fishmonger, cheese from George & Joseph cheesemongers and beans from micro roaster, Chipp Coffee Co.
Jo Myers, co-owner of the Swine Bistro said: “It’s taken a huge amount of time and effort to realise our dream to revamp what was previously a hairdresser into a fully functioning kitchen and restaurant. It’s been a wild ride but we’re excited, and slightly nervous, to finally open our doors.
“We love the vibe in Headingley and the time out has allowed us to have fun with our menu as well as take part in lots of essential taste testing of ingredients and drinks from our brilliant local suppliers. We can’t wait to welcome guests into our new restaurant!”
Clementine Hall -
19th May 2023 
