It's time tuck into some haggis and knock back a few drams of whisky in Leeds for Burns Night.
Come on then, let's party like the Scottish do for Burn's Night because what's not to love when it comes to hearty suppers, haggis, whiskey and poetry?
Held on 25 January every year, Burns Night celebrates the life and works of the Scottish national poet and writer of Auld Lang Syne who was born on this date back in 1759.
The tradition sees many Scots raise a glass to the late poet, whilst tucking into some traditional neeps and tatties and other really Scottish stuff.
So here's a roundup of some five fantastic Burns Night celebrations taking place in Leeds this year for all you foodies out there to get involved.
Whitelock's Ale House
Thursday 25 January 2024 | Turks Head Yard
Image: The Hoot Leeds
Where better to celebrate a historical event than the oldest pub in Leeds? They'll be hosting a Burns Night themed supper club which combines Scottish seafood, innovative takes on Scottish classics and of course, the mighty haggis.
Five courses of fantastic food in a lovely setting, you can't go wrong. Book here.
Empire Cafe Leeds
Thursday 25 January 2024 | Fish Street
Image: The Hoot Leeds
If you're a fan of whiskey then you definitely don't want to miss out on this one. A beautiful 3 course menu paired with 3 cocktails showcasing whiskeys from the Ardbeg Distillery, you'll be transported to whiskey paradise in no time.
Friday 26 and Saturday 27 January 2024 | Harewood Yard, Harewood
Image: Harewood Food and Drink Project
Venture out of the city centre to Harewood and prepare to embark on a journey through a tasting menu exploring the flavours that Scotland has become famous for.
Expect incredible produce, poetry, haggis, a wee dram and bucket loads of tradition. Find out more here.
The Cheesy Living Co.
Thursday 25 January 2024 | 478 Roundhay Rd, Oakwood
If you haven't visited The Cheesy Living Co.'s new site in Oakwood then first of all, why not? And second of all, this is your perfect opportunity.
Get ready for sharing boards, whiskey flights and so much more to get you in the spirit. For just £35 per person, you certainly can't go wrong. Book your table here.
The Ox Club's annual Burn's Night celebrations return and it's set to be one of the best in the city. Four courses featuring some of Scotland's finest flavours, all for just £50 per person? Count us in. Book your table here.
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Get Baked’s viral ‘Bertha’ cake has a sister on the way – and she sounds just as cheeky
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.”
Leeds Tattoo Expo to return to the First Direct Arena for 10th anniversary
Clementine Hall
The tenth annual Leeds Tattoo Expo will showcase some of the best in tattooing both local and internationally.
If you fancy getting yourself a fancy new bit of ink, then look no further than the iconic Leeds Tattoo Expo that will be returning to the First Direct Arena this June.
Taking place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June 2025, over 200 tattooists and 70 traders will be flocking to the city to show off their skills.
And not only that, but there’ll also be a whole host of market traders for you to browse as well as live music to have a boogie to.
The artists will be tattooing with options for both pre-booked appointments and walk ups available throughout the weekend.
Image: Leeds Tattoo Expo
There will also be a piercer, tooth gems and a henna artist ready to adorn your body.
Alongside getting tattooed, there’s plenty to do and to see over the whole weekend; there'll be an alternative drawing class, an illustrators market with kids’ workshops provided by Art Gecko, an art fusion event on the main stage, burlesque performances and competitions, a small vintage clothing pop-up, fire breathing and break dancing demonstrations in the square outside the arena.
The annual tattoo competitions will also be taking place each evening, where tattooists showcase their work to a panel of judges, sponsored by Killer Ink!
To celebrate Leeds Tattoo Expo's tenth anniversary, they'll be hosting a Pre-Party at Belgrave Music Hall on Thursday 5 June which is a completely free entry event complete with live music and free pizza.
You can find out more about the event and book your tickets here via the First Direct Arena's website.
Clementine Hall -
24th January 2024 
