Treat yourself to a dining experience with a difference as these Leeds supper clubs and pop-ups revolutionise eating out.
There are plenty of places to eat out in Leeds, but sometimes, you just want to try something new. That’s where the city’s supper clubs come in. They get creative with food, giving you a dining experience like no other. From secret events to big-name chefs coming to Leeds for one night only, it’s the perfect opportunity to try something new.
Hidden Harewood
Hidden Harewood is a seasonal pop-up restaurant with a difference. The Harewood Food and Drink Project invites you into the grounds of Harewood House for a one-off tour and meal.
It’s an immersive dining experience that sees renowned chef Josh Whitehead turn produce grown and foraged on the Harewood Estate into a tempting seasonal tasting menu. This isn’t just another sit-down meal though. You’ll be taken on a tour of the estate, to parts of the grounds people don’t normally get to see, and you’ll devour another course at each stop.
Afsaneh’s Persian Kitchen
Since wowing the judges on MasterChef in 2012, Afsaneh Kaviani has brought her vibrant take on Middle Eastern cuisine to the hungry folk of Leeds.
She hosts her supper club intermittently throughout the year, but the venue is only revealed once you’ve booked. You’ll get to experience authentic Persian flavours, like Ghormeh Sabri (lamb and herb stew), Kazoo (stuffed courgettes), and Persian sharing platters, and all for around £45, depending on the event.
Spice It Up
Freda Shafi is a renowned food blogger and cook who’s been making waves with her vibrant South Indian supper clubs since moving back to Yorkshire from Melbourne.
She holds regular events across Leeds at venues like The Boundary House in Methley and Hessian in Oakwood. Whichever you visit, you can tuck into a three or four-course dinner, with tasty treats like Achari Chicken, Vegetable Biryani and Tandoori-spiced Sea Bass. Prices start from around £25 per person.
Dinner at the Manor
Dan Barnett and Susie Barker have turned their passion for food into one of the most popular supper clubs in Leeds. Dinner at the Manor usually takes place in an Edwardian villa in West Leeds, but they also do pop-ups elsewhere from time to time.
They run monthly events and the theme changes each time. Previous menus have taken inspiration from Latin America, Eastern Europe and South Asia – they even did a pub grub pop-up. It costs £25 to £35 depending on the event and you can expect a laid back affair that will see you making friends while you eat.
Fine at Fettle
Fettle is a popular Scandinavian-inspired cafe by day, but transforms into a fine dining destination on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Fine at Fettle is a chance for you to try their 3-course supper club in a pretension-free venue.
You can experience their Scandinavian fusion cooking through a series of creative dishes. Why not start with Swedish meatballs before tucking into salt beef on a matcha and pesto waffle with buraczki and a poached egg? It’s great value too – their starters are all under £7 and mains are no more than £17.
The Swine That Dines
Credit: Thom Archer
Everyone knows The Greedy Pig – it’s famed for its hefty breakfasts and filling lunches, but they’ve spread their wings to show off their culinary talents as The Swine That Dines.
It’s an informal small plates dining club that’s held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening. For three weekends a month, they have a ‘nose to tail’ ethos, which means you can try meat and offal that you won’t usually come across in dishes like ox heart with potato and pickled walnut. On the final weekend of the month, their menu is completely meat-free, or ‘roots to shoots’ as they like to call it. You’ll get seven inventive small plates designed for two to share, and it will set you back £49.50 for both of you.
XO Supper Club
Jonathan Hawthorne is the brains behind XO. He’s worked in some of the world’s best restaurants, including Noma, Quay and The Man Behind the Curtain, but XO is his own fine dining restaurant, but with no fixed abode.
Hawthorne takes his creative Asian-inspired dishes across Leeds for pop-ups in venues like Oporto and The Brunswick. His small plates tasting menu is designed for sharing and changes for every residency. In the past, he’s served up cod with miso and roasted seaweed and tuna with burnt watermelon and togarashi, all for £45 per person.
House of Koko
House of Koko isn’t content with just being a quality independent coffee shop – they also use their contacts to bring some of the finest chefs around to Leeds for special supper clubs which usually take place once a month.
They’ve already seen the likes of Alex Bond, Ben Spalding, Chris Hale and Ben Tesh bring their wonderfully refined dishes to the city, and their house chef Josh Whitehead has also flexed his culinary muscles for an evening. This is chilled out fine dining, at its best. You can guarantee your seat for around £45 per person, or £60 with a wine flight, although the price is subject to change with each event.
King Street Social
King Street Social is a pop-up social club from Andy King, one of the founders of The Noise of Strangers. It’s different from others, because you have to become a member to get access to their events.
Since its launch in August 2017, King Street Social has worked with some of the best chefs in the business – Anton Piotrowski and Jonathan Hawthorne have each cooked up special one-off tasting menus for two-night stints at venues like Oporto and Laynes Espresso. Prices start at around £45, depending on the event.
The Union Coffee House
The Union Coffee House is a cool little cafe in Leeds city centre, known for its coffee, food and quirky interior – anything you see inside the venue, you can take home, from the artwork to the furniture. And for one Saturday every month, they host a monthly supper club.
In the past, they’ve welcomed Cath Kane, also known as The Messy Cook, with menus inspired by her travels around the world. There have also been evenings with Kachumber Kitchen, a veggie Indian affair, and The Sharing Plate, which promises seasonal sharing menus. Prices start from £20 depending on the event.
Alter-Ego at Salvo’s Salumeria
Salvo’s has created its own special supper club, which sees them get creative with Italian ingredients. It takes place in their Salumeria, just a few doors down from the restaurant, every Friday and Saturday night.
They have two menus, one meat-centric and one vegetarian, both of which have six courses. Meat-eaters can enjoy dishes like pig cheek with agrodolce apple and shallot or mackerel with zucchini and Sicilian lemon. Going veggie? Tuck into ravioli with parmesan and green gold or portobello mushroom with porcini and spinach. It’s £38 per person on Friday nights and £45 per person on Saturday nights.
The Noise of Strangers
By bringing together quality food and unique spaces, The Noise of Strangers have put their supper clubs firmly on the map. They’ve taken over a host of venues, ranging from Temple Works to Canal Mills and it’s an experience like no other.
The chefs change each time, and so does the menu, but you can expect intriguing combinations like mackerel with apple and celery, beef with creamed cabbage and sprout leaves, and even strawberries with balsamic, black pepper and meringue. Prices change depending on when and where the event is held.
Global Tribe Vegan Supper Club
After a year-long break, Global Tribe are back in Leeds with their vegan supper clubs. They take place every 4 to 6 weeks and see their chefs getting creative with vegan ingredients to create special themed menus.
In the past they’ve done nights inspired by French, Italian, and even Dirty American cuisine, so expect to get a taste of their travels with every event. You can expect dishes like Beetroot Carpaccio, Chinese Fried Rice with Vegan Prawn Toast and Wild Mushroom Tortellini Broth. They’re £25 per person, and you’ll get a glass of free non-alcoholic fizz on arrival.
Homage2Fromage
If you love cheese, you’ll adore Homage2Fromage. They’ve brought quality cheeses to Leeds for nearly a decade now, and they continue to put on special evenings every month at The Adelphi.
From British to French, cheddars to blues, all their events are themed, so you can try something new every time. They’ll talk you through each of the cheeses as you eat, explaining how it’s made and giving you handy tasting notes. This is a chance to try loads of different cheeses in one night and all for £15 per person.
Tanalan’s Table
This one’s a little bit different, because you can book it whenever you want. As well as hosting their own events, Tanalan’s Table offer a private party option, so you can have your own personal tasting experience.
You’ll be invited into their home, where they’ll serve up a 3-course Colombian spread. You can tuck into empanadas with aji pique, chorizo & frijoles stew and banana cake – all for £25 per person. They’ve also got a full vegetarian menu too and a ‘bring your own bottle’ policy, so you can have a surprisingly affordable night out.
Elemental Bistro
Credit: Tom Joy
Elemental Bistro works with The Real Junk Food Project to put on a sustainable supper club at All Hallows Church in Hyde Park every other month.
They get local chefs to prepare a dish using ingredients that would otherwise go unused, to create a 3-course vegan menu in the process. It’s pay-as-you-feel, and open to everybody, so you can enjoy a night of good food, live music, DJs and art exhibitions for a tasty price. Any money made goes back to local causes like the Community Kitchen Garden, Bedford Fields Community Forest Garden and The Real Junk Food Project.
Header image credit: Thom Archer.
