Chow Down will host one of Leeds’ most anticipated food pop-ups this spring and summer. Having done a good stint taking over the Boot and Rally in Meanwood, they have become a favourite among local chefs and restaurateurs, and we agree that they serve up some of the best Sunday Roasts in the area. How did it all start? (hoping for a funny story)  Jord and I (Jamie) used to secretly meet up during lockdown to barbecue our hearts out because we missed working together. I must admit now that this was all above board and complied with rules at the time. It was almost like a hidden smoki ..read more

Summer is flying by, and it’s already time for the new (and last) resident kitchens to take over Chow Down this season. Get to know Asado, Argentinan street food vendor bringing BBQ to the Temple Arches for the next 6 weeks. BBQ Watermelon, Feta and Olives Salad. Available at Chow Down. What does ‘asado’ kitchen mean? Asado is an open fire method of cooking loved in Argentina, the pitmaster is an asador. Asado Kitchen is loosely based on this love of BBQing meats. Especially Carne Asada, our fave dish of BBQ flank steak with an incredible tomatillo chimichurri. Where does your inspiration come ..read more

It was with a little tear in our eyes we read the news about Cafe 164’s decision to move their Munro House operation to the suburbs.  After 11 years at Munro house, they are moving their headquarters to Headingley to fully focus all operations from there. A new chapter rather than an ending, but we’ll miss having them nearby.  That building holds so many memories for us at Leeds Indie Food, from the first whispers of a festival back in 2014 when Duke Studios was cardboard offices, to several  meetings in Cafe164 and numerous visits (a day) to Colours May Vary. From seeing the fi ..read more

Following their recent sold-out supper club event, Kino is delighted to reveal that the award-winning Levantine-inspired MorMor will be taking up a kitchen residency at the new restaurant from September 14th until the new year.  MorMor will be the first of longer-term kitchen residencies and guest chefs to take over the impressive kitchen space at Opera North’s brand new city centre restaurant. Kino opened to the public earlier this month showcasing an informal charcuterie and cheese offering.  MorMor’s food offer is inspired by a love of the varied flavours and cultures found in the ..read more

Mid-July can only mean one thing, the Chow Down resident kitchens are changing, one last time before Winter. We decided to send over some questions to the incredible Slice Boro, as Detroit Style Pizza makes a debut at Chow Slice Boro at Chow Down. Photo by Lisa Portinari Describe Slice Boro in three words.  Different, indulgent, cheesy!  What’s special about Detroit style pizza?  Tell us about your menu. Detroit style pizza is a completely different type of pizza to what you are used to. Before taking it a bite it looks heavy and dense, but the base is a light, pillowy focaccia ..read more

The independent music scene has had a rough go of it over the past few years. Unfortunately, many small indies never recovered from Covid’s consequences, and now we’re facing a living crisis/electricity pricing shitstorm. It’s a tough world out there, our heart sinks at the loss of those who couldn’t make it but are hugely grateful for the food and love they provided. The after-effects are still present, as the more recent electricity crisis may take even more great indies away, yet there are some bright spots. Many people have used the last few years to launch brand-new ventures or make long ..read more

As I said in my last post, I was reluctant to become the ‘Food Historian’ because I thought that it would be difficult for the younger end of the readership – i.e. the under 50s – to appreciate the way the world was before things we take for granted nowadays were in existence. This article calls for you to suspend all knowledge of life as it is today and come back with me to a Leeds alien from the ubercool city we know and love. Until the 1960s take-away outlets were extremely limited; no pizza, no curry, no burgers, no Pret A Manger, no KFC not even Chinese take-aways. There were cafes that w ..read more

All ready for Christmas? Don’t worry, we’re not either. If you’re looking for gift inspo, we would (of course) suggest you shop local and support your indies. We’ve put some ideas together to get you started that should suit all palettes and budgets. Rolling Social Events Creators of The Christmas Market at Leeds Corn Exchange and Leeds Rum Festival, Rolling Social Events’ are always something to mark in the diary. Last year they added a Whisky Festival and Tequila Festival to their collection of high quality events that celebrate quality spirits alongside fun and education. For 2023 they are ..read more

Well, well. If you have managed to grab your hands on a slice since they opened a few weeks ago, well done to you. Well Oiled is here and taking the dining scene by storm. Based at the brand new Meanwood Tavern (brought to you by the team from Whitelocks), it’s the hot ticket in Leeds right now. We sent James a few questions over email during the opening week, some big ambitions are coming out in the short Q&A below but we love it. You can find out more about Well Oiled HERE Describe Well Oiled in three words.  Detroit style pizza  What is the inspiration behind the Well Oiled b ..read more

The Northern Superchargers has teamed up with Indian street food sensation, Rola Wala, creating a new dish to mark the return of The Hundred for its second season. The new ‘Supercharger Butter Chicken’ filling will be available at Trinity Kitchen from Friday 5th August to mark the Northern Superchargers first match in this year’s competition, and is free from butter, ghee or heavy oils. This light and creamy ‘butter chicken’ dish was designed with the whole family in mind, coming in at less than 500 calories in a Spice Bowl, offering all of the flavour without any of the fat. This street food ..read more