Nova Bakehouse: 'How we became one of Britain's best bakeries in Leeds Dock from our parents' kitchen'
Flavour-forward, sustainable, and community-oriented.
These are the key values of Nova Bakehouse, a family-run Leeds bakery which was recently named one of the top 50 British bakeries in the prestigious Good Food Guide.
Founded by sisters Sarah Lemanski and Hannah Mather, the neighbourhood bakery first arrived in Leeds Dock in 2019.
However, the story of their business began in their parent’s kitchen.
After graduating university in 2008, Sarah turned to baking while navigating the job market and as her passion grew, the hobby gradually grew into a career.
Sarah said: “I started baking as a little bit of therapy and something to do with my time and it developed from there.
“We bought a vintage Citroën H Van and that’s how we started doing festivals, markets, street food events, things like that.”
Sister Hannah then formally joined the business in 2014, and five years later, the pair opened their first bakery in Leeds Dock. In 2024, they moved to a larger premises still within the Leeds Dock area.
Though Nova Bakehouse has evolved over the years, Hannah believes they have maintained a key brand identity and loyal customer base.
Hannah said: “We’re still making the bakes that we made right in the very beginning and we’ve still got those customers that used to come to us then.
“Although the business feels different, we still have the links back to when we were smaller and that’s really nice.”
Hannah’s personal favourite bake is the morning cake, a sour-cream-based cake with cocoa and tonka bean in the middle and an almond streusel on top.
“The morning cake just has so many memories,” Hannah said.
“It feels sweet and it’s a really unique bake and it's become quite iconic.
“We started making that in 2013 and I’m really proud that we’re still making it over ten years later.”
Whether it’s creating new experimental menu options or collaborating with charities, Nova Bakehouse are enjoying the freedom which comes with running an independent business.
Nova Bakehouse prioritises sustainable baking practices as possible by supporting biodiverse farming and working with small-scale millers.
For Sarah and Hannah, this commitment is “a fundamental part” of the Nova Bakehouse brand because it gives their bakery the chance to have a positive impact and create a unique taste.
“Everything we’ve done we’ve wanted to do using the best ingredients we can,” Sarah said.
“We’ve always been sort of flavour-forward - I’ve always wanted to have the bakes do the talking and the flavours really come through.
“If we’re going to do a business, for us it's important that it adds something to the conversation, that it can be more than just a transactional thing.
“We have the power to spend a certain amount of money on ingredients and for us it's important that money goes to people working sustainably.”
This is the second year that Nova Bakehouse has been named one of Britain’s best bakeries in the Good Food Guide, and it’s an achievement that feels “really exciting” for Sarah and Hannah.
However, the sisters have no plans to slow down.
Growing up in the small town of Roberttown, Sarah and Hannah keenly remember the bakeries they grew up visiting.
Now, their ultimate aim is to create new memories for the curious customers who walk through their doors.
Sarah said: “We’ve seen people come together as a couple and then they get married and they ask us to do their wedding cake, and then they bring their children.
“For them, this is what they know, the familiar, safe, kind of comforting thing. We have that community and it's super nice that you have that place that's special to other people.”