From beer festivals to foodie specials and a whole host of new openings, our vibrant city is overflowing with exciting things to get up to this week.
Hello autumn, it's nice to meet you.
Although it seems bitter sweet to wave goodbye to summer, we have to say that September in Leeds is leaving our diaries full to the brim.
And this week is no exception, we've got two major drink festivals taking place at the weekend which are not to be missed as well as some great new openings as we welcome new students in the city for Fresher's week.
Oh, and we're topping it all of with a seriously good Sunday roast launch at Green Room, be there or be jealous you're not eating it. So keep reading, and get excited for the week ahead...
Yes, it's that time again...Fresher's week. And if you're a new student to the city then first of all, lucky you, and secondly we understand it can feel daunting but we're here to help. We have rounded up a short guide of ten places which we think should be put to the top of your priority list when you touch down in Leeds (after studying of course), so take a look and enjoy exploring.
Bundobar! Everyone's favourite Indian street food spot are back with their limited-edition Oktoberfest specials, adding a spicy twist to German classics in celebration of the festival.
Expect pretzels, a Bundo take on currywurst and loads more - the specials are only available for one month so head down there this week to be one of the first people to taste them.
Monday 18 - Friday 22 September 2023 | Albion Street
Image: Bill's
It's your last chance to grab unlimited pancakes at Bill's for just a fiver...yes, you read that correctly. Between 3-5pm from Monday-Friday, you can tuck into as many pancakes as you like for 90 minutes.
With both sweet and savoury toppings, you can mix and match these buttermilk beauties as much as you like. But be quick, as this flash pancake sale isn't sticking around for long!
Game, set and match - it’s time to get competitive at the brand new Beyond Board bar which is opening this Monday. Student scrabble-lovers assemble because you can now play board games to your heart’s content in this new bar located at The Hive inside the Student’s Union. Beyond Board will be open to everyone: students and non-students alike, and the list of board games available will rival your local Toys ‘R’ Us.
Springwell Sessions
Friday 22 September – Sunday 24 September 2023 | Springwell Brewery and Taproom
Images: The Hoot Leeds
To say farewell to the summer season, North Brewing Co’s biggest beer festival Springwell Sessions will return for one last hurrah. Expect three days of craft beer from local favourites and international breweries, as well as cocktails, street food and live music.
Saturday 23 September 2023 | Royal Armouries Museum
Image: Chapter 81
Drawing a crowd of rum lovers across the city, Leeds Rum Festival is exactly what it says on the tin. Expect over 100 brands, pop-up shops, spirit masterclasses and of course, plenty of rum to sample.
Sunday 24 September 2023 | Green Room, Wellington Street
Image: Supplied
Following on from the success of a winter residency at Boot and Rally in Meanwood, Braizin’ Squad is bringing back it’s Sunday roast – but this time it’s slap bang in the city centre at Green Room.
Taking over the kitchen every Sunday from 24 September, Green Room will be hosting some of the best roasts around (yes, we mean it). Taking a very respectable 14th place, Braizin’ Squad at Boot and Rally was officially crowned as one of the UK’s best roast earlier this year.
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.”
Clementine Hall -
15th September 2023 
