Today I want to share something that has been sat in my drafts for a while – purely because I was hoping to turn it into something a bit bigger and share more about my neighbourhood in Leeds, but alas, I haven’t quite managed it and this deserves a post of its own anyway!
Sometimes it’s harder to appreciate the good things where you live than it is in the places that you visit. My adopted home of Leeds is no exception, which is why I find it so important to constantly explore and visit new places within the city. How often do you explore your home town?
Fortunately in Leeds we’re blessed not only with plenty of places to visit, but a wealth of restaurants, cafés, venues, shops and more that are unique to Leeds. Better yet, there are awesome people like Independent Leeds who exist to help both residents and visitors get a bit more out of the city by stepping away from the usual high street fare (that you could find anywhere in the country!) and delving deeper into the scene that makes Leeds special.
As well as their regularly updated website, Independent Leeds have created an indispensable ‘Little Black Book’ with over 70 independent businesses in Leeds listed within. You can have a read of it online here.
For me, the book is filled with some of my absolute favorite spots in the city and a host of places that are now firmly on my ‘to go’ list. It’s taken up residence on my coffee table ever since and everyone who has visited and picked it up has enjoy flicking through. It was especially perfect to leave with our housesitters who stayed whilst we were on holiday last month and were in Leeds for the first time.
One of the things I couldn’t help but spot as I flicked through was just how many independent businesses there are in my neighbourhood, Chapel Allerton. You can spot a few of my favorite local spots on these pages – all of which have lots of fantastic vegetarian food on offer. One of my favorite restaurants in the whole of Leeds, Pinche Pinche, has recently revamped their menu and it now includes a whole range of vegan options (and clearly labelled vegan wines, hurrah!).
I love how much passion for the unique and independent there is in Leeds and the effort Independent Leeds are putting into promoting that and making it more accessible – and that one of these ways is by making it that little bit cheaper to do so via their black card.
Interested in exploring Leeds’ independent businesses for yourself? Independent Leeds’ black card offers discounts at various independent establishments across Leeds, and more are added to the list regularly. To get an Independent Leeds black card membership for yourself for £7 in total instead of the usual £10 plus p+p, all you need to do is go to the register page and use the discount code ‘TOFUDIARIES’.
What do you love about your home town?
