From desk until dawn: Leeds street food scene is thriving with new these tasty new additions - YEP Opinion

We’re lucky to have a thriving culinary scene on our doorsteps, from high-end restaurants to quirky street food vendors and hearty pub grub.

As venues get back into the swing of trading, it’s fantastic to see new eateries opening up across the city.

This week, I got to try tasty food from the new vendors at Trinity Kitchen - which offers cuisine from around the world in an industrial corner of the shopping centre.

The new line-up includes poutine specialists Spuds n Bros, Thai street food kitchen Sri Non and Wagyu Lookin’ At? which serves up Yorkshire Wagyu burgers.

James Mackenzie who features in this weekend’s magazine, is the first chef to take over Trinity Kitchen’s permanent street food van. He’s launched his new street food venture Jimmy Mack’s, serving up ‘slow and low’ smoked BBQ meats.

Trinity Kitchen was buzzing with customers tucking into street food. I joined them as I tried crispy spring rolls from Sri Non Kitchen, a pulled oyster mushroom wrap from Jimmy Mack’s and a gooey brownie from Spuds n Bros.

Without the promise of holidays this year, it’s the perfect spot to sample cuisine from different corners of the world.

After another evening catching up with friends in Merrion Street, I stumbled across a new Vietnamese coffee shop, bar and kitchen which has opened on the corner of New Briggate.

Năm Sông’s founders fell in love with Vietnam while travelling and opened two award-winning restaurants in Sheffield.

It’s a vibrant new addition to the Leeds street food scene; the colourful rugs and low tables make a cosy spot to try traditional Vietnamese Phin Filter coffees.

But it was the food menu that caught my eye - I tucked into the cà ri chay curry, a butternut squash, sweet potato and kaffir lime leaf coconut curry served over cơm tấm broken rice with a sesame rice cracker.

I was a few cocktails into my evening, so my judgement may have been skewed, but it was one of the most delicious bowls of food I’ve tasted in Leeds.

My friends devoured almost every other dish on the menu, thanks to the kind staff who got our order in just before closing.

Leeds’ thriving independent food scene makes it one of the best places to eat in the country and it’s no surprise that new businesses are setting up here.

It’s an encouraging sign that the city is beginning to recover from the grip of the pandemic - and now it’s up to us to do all we can to support them. Tuck in!

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