Bookstores on boats, arcade gaming in cocktail bars, bakeries for dogs – they’re all coming soon to Leeds!
It doesn’t feel like more than five minutes since our last batch of new openings, but we’ve already got another set and this septtet truly is an eclectic bunch. You’ll soon be able to pick up secondhand books on a boat down on Leeds Dock, explore cool exhibitions with a coffee in hand and take your pooches to their very own bakery. So grab your own cuppa, take five and check out the places you’ll soon be visiting in Leeds.
The Barkery
Dog lovers, rejoice! Leeds Station will soon be home to a bakery especially for your perfect pooches! Arran and Liam Giles already have a series of kiosks in shopping centres across the UK, but this will be their first permanent shop. So what can you treat your pal to? They specialise in doggy doughnuts, ranging from bacon to peach to Sunday roast. They also make ‘wuffles’, waffles topped with dog-friendly chocolate, as well as stocking all manner of dog toys and accessories.
The Barkery opens at Leeds Station on Friday 16th September 2022.
Hold Fast Books
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You may have seen the Water Taxis sailing from Granary Wharf to Leeds Dock and back, but the captain is branching out with a different water-based offering. Chris and his partner Vic are opening Hold Fast Books on a colourful mid-18th-century boat down at Leeds Dock later this year. This will be the city’s newest and most unusual secondhand book shop, but that’s not all – it will also act as a community hub and a plant shop.
Hold Fast Books is opening at Leeds Dock in October 2023.
Gong Cha
One of the former Costa Coffees at the Merrion Centre is set to become the city’s newest bubble tea cafe. Gong Cha opened in Taiwan in 2006 and is now in countries around the world. They specialise in the finest quality teas from the standard black, green, Oolong and Earl Grey, to more adventurous tipples, like the watermelon milk tea. It’s all customisable too, from whether you have it hot or cold, to size, ice level, sugar level and additional toppings.
Gong Cha is opening on Merrion Street in autumn 2023.
Pretty Green
It’s been a decade since the first Pretty Green opened in Leeds, but a few years after that original shop closed, the Liam Gallagher-founded clothing brand is making its comeback, with a huge new three-storey unit at the Victoria Quarter. Their Leeds home will showcase the full Pretty Green range, from core collections to exciting new collaborations and limited edition releases. But that’s not all – it will also be home to a music and events space.
Pretty Green is opening at Victoria Quarter in September 2023.
KTA Cafe & Bar
Cafe 164 only closed its Munro House venue in August, but it will soon be replaced. It’s currently being transformed into KTA Cafe & Bar by the same folks behind Rollette Cafe in Meanwood, and it will be the perfect successor. You can look forward to barista-made coffee, which will pair perfectly with their offering of freshly-made sandwiches, sweet treats and snacks. It will also offer beer, wine and cocktails, with a new gallery space to follow.
KTA Cafe & Bar is opening at Munro House in autumn 2023.
NQ64
It’s been a resounding success in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and more, now NQ64 is focusing its UK expansion on Leeds, with plans for a new venue in the city centre over the next year. This is a grown-up playground full of retro arcade games – your very-own nostalgia paradise will be built around classics like Mortal Combat, Pac-Man and GoldenEye. Throw in a host of gaming-themed cocktails and cool craft beers, we can’t wait for this to arrive in Leeds.
NQ64 is opening in Leeds in 2023.
The Pantry
The former Oscada in Oakwood won’t be empty for long. It’s been taken over by the family-run Blue Pepper Catering and they’re transforming it into something much more than a cafe. The Pantry will be a veritable haven for all things local – we’re talking fruit and veg alongside a whole host of other cool Yorkshire-made and grown products. Of course, you’ll still be able to grab a cuppa, as well as a bite to eat inside or to takeaway.
The Pantry will open at 478 Roundhay Road, Oakwood in autumn 2023.
