The Leeds Deli has certainly been providing the city with more than just a kid-friendly hangout spot.
The popular deli hosts monthly Mum Club with different themes each week for little ones and grown ups to socialise with likeminded individuals with plenty of soft play and treats involved.
Not only this but they ensure that family-friendly activities are at the forefront of everything they do.
Over half term, The Leeds Deli is offering £5 pizzas for kids and even have a whole page on their website dedicated to local suppliers that offer movie nights and movable soft play activities.
But now the owners are taking one step further in supplying the city with child-friendly spaces and will be opening a brand new space called Little Leeds.
"This isn't your ordinary soft play" we've been told... "It's going to be a modern and chic cafe with a beautiful, design led and purpose built space for grown ups to enjoy whilst little ones play."
Announcing the news, The Leeds Deli explained that there's going to be plenty for all ages to be excited about...
"We've been keeping a HUGE secret from you guys and we just can't do it anymore.. we are ready to burst! We've been working so hard behind the scenes to bring you something really special and we're finally able to tell you that The Leeds Deli is expanding but perhaps... not as you'd expect!
"Roll back the clock a few years to February 2021, in the midst of a global pandemic we picked up the keys to a little commercial unit that we now know and love as The Leeds Deli. With five year old Harper and nine month old Freddie in tow we knew we had to create a little space for them to play whilst they were at The Deli. So with our own children in mind we gave up some table space to allow for a tiny little play area in the corner; little did we know that our play corner was about to be so well received by our local neighbourhood.
"Fast forward two years and whilst the world has somewhat overcome the global pandemic we're now facing the challenges of a cost of living crisis.. and boy do we love a challenge! As the saying goes ''great things never came from comfort zones'' so we're feeling the fear and doing it anyway.. and we've decided to pick up our second set of keys and you'll be pleased to know it's only a stones throw away.
"Without further a do we're introducing our soon to be next door neighbour and new business baby... @littleleeds. The clue is in the name, our play corner is getting an upgrade. This isn't your ordinary soft play, it's going to be a modern and chic cafe with a beautiful, design led and purpose built space for grown ups to enjoy whilst little ones play.
"There's a long way to go and lots to do but we're hoping for an Autumn launch. It's not going to be an easy ride but it's definitely going to be an exciting one.. and we hope you join us for the journey and for those of you that have avoided us in recent months due to the sea of highchairs, we see you, we've got you.. and we're now able to upgrade your offering too.
"With more space comes more events; there's a tonne in the pipeline; more supper clubs, taster evenings, workshops and classes.
"As ever, we're so grateful for you, our little deli family, thank you for being a part of our story! Keep your eyes peeled for updates!"
The Wombats aren’t just still going strong - they’re getting better. And honestly? Long may they reign.
The Wombats absolutely tore the roof off the First Direct Arena in Leeds last night, Wednesday 26 March and what a night it was.
From the second they hit the stage it wasn’t just a gig, it was a full-blown indie-pop spectacle, packed with infectious energy, nostalgia, and a whole lot of dancing.
They kicked things off with “Moving to New York,” and honestly? The crowd was in from the first note.
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Matthew Murphy’s unmistakable vocals rang through the arena and suddenly, thousands of people were screaming every lyric like it was 2007 all over again. It was one of those moments where you could just feel how much this band still means to people.
Despite the massive venue, The Wombats somehow made it feel intimate. The lights? Pure chaos in the best way - vibrant, colourful, and totally in sync with the band’s wild, bouncy sound.
Murphy’s cheeky banter between songs made it feel less like a polished arena show and more like a jam session with a few thousand of your closest mates.
Setlist-wise, they nailed it. “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” and “Greek Tragedy” had the whole place losing it, while the stripped-down version of “Techno Fan” gave everyone a minute to breathe (and maybe get a little emotional).
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Those quieter moments just made the high-energy choruses hit even harder. It was a rollercoaster - in the best way possible.
Then came the encore. If you thought the crowd was loud before, “Kill the Director” took things to another level. Pure, chaotic indie bliss. The kind of moment you don’t want to end.
Here’s the thing about The Wombats: some might say their older songs hit harder than their newer stuff, but is that just nostalgia talking? Or maybe it’s a generational thing?
Either way, they proved they’re still one of the most exciting live bands out there. They’ve still got the hooks, the humour, and the ability to turn a massive arena into a sweaty, euphoric singalong.
Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
Danny Jones
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.”
Sophie Smith -
1st June 2023 
