It's that time of the year again where we see the top floor of Trinity change about to make way for some brand new talent.
And let us tell you we're in for a right treat.
From warming poutine to specialty hash browns, there's going to be something to everyone's fancy to get us through the winter months (well until 9 March 2024 at least).
Little Red Eats
Images: The Hoot Leeds
Hoot recommends: There’s a range of gluten free options available here, just ask the vendor for all the information you need.
Little Red Eats has become a Trinity Kitchen staple - and so its return for 2024 is no surprise - and nonetheless welcomed by locals waiting on their next burger or fried chicken fix. Expect Cheesy, Smoky, Blue and Veggie options here alongside fries drenched in sauces, jalapeño poppers and much more.
Spuds & Bros
Hoot recommends: Cluck Norris Poutine, it’s traditional poutine packed with creamy cheese curds and potatoes before being topped with chicken, bacon, halloumi, crispy onions, chives and baconnaise.
Hot off the back of the Leeds Christmas Markets, Spuds & Bros are back for 2024.
Spuds & Bros Poutine needs no introduction if you’re a regular eater in the city centre. Serving up a concoction of cheesy, chippy, gravy filled bowls of winter warmer food, Spuds & Bros have poutine to serve the masses. Inspired by the taste of Canadian poutine, we recommend the halloumi serving, but any of their flavours are lip-smacking good.
Shouk!
Images: The Hoot Leeds
What’s the deal? Shouk! pita, fries and a drink for £12.50 or swap for a beer for £14
Those that have been visiting Trinity Kitchen over the past few years will recognise the return of Middle Eastern foodie favourite, Shouk!
The menu here includes refreshing vegan and vegetarian friendly meals, with vegan chicken shawarma, falafel pieces and halloumi available in wrap or salad-style bowls- each of which make the perfect light summertime lunch.
You might have spotted the black dog logo at Chow Down previously, or at a pop-up around the city, but now Nicko's Comfort Kitchen is settling into Trinity Kitchen for the next eight weeks.
Expect smash burgers, gourmet hash browns and shroom burgers aplenty, these guys do exactly what it says on the tin: proper good old fashioned comfort food.
New to Trinity Kitchen for 2024 is Hoi Sin City. The street food truck plans to open up a permanent location right here in Leeds, but for the time being is operating from the shopping centre's top floor from the recycled cars we all know and love.
On the menu, there's salt and pepper or hoisin baos, loaded fries, spring rolls - and even a nostalgic childhood option of potato smileys, with a twist.
Eats
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.”
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!”
Sophie Smith -
16th January 2024 
