Leeds is one of the best cities in the UK for independent restaurants

Ayyy we even beat London


Leeds has seen a recent increase of 12.8% in independent restaurants in the last three years, and now Leeds has just be crowned top place in the UK for growth in this sector.

In the latest research polls, London only came ninth and many northern cities also fell behind. Sheffield had a 8.5% increase and Manchester only 3.1%.

The research was commissioned by hospitality trade show Northern Restaurant & Bar, and the results indicate that Leeds is being overtaken by restaurant and bar chains. 

Thom Hetherington, CEO of the Northern Restaurant & Bar show, stated that: “Despite high streets having a torrid time, figures show consumers are hungry to support smaller local operators, with Leeds performing particularly well.

London still stands apart in terms of the scale and depth of its restaurant scene, but escalating costs mean places like Leeds offer genuine opportunity for ambitious operators.”

The results have been celebrated by the Leeds Independent Food and Drink Academy who will be hosting the Leeds Indie Food festival this May.
The director, Matt Dix, declared that: “Leeds has always had a strong independent food and drink scene, and we started Leeds Indie Food because we thought that needed celebrating. We’re seeing diverse openings all the time, and we get a buzz from being able to show off new independent talent.”