New head chef appointed to switch things up with towering burgers, sharing starters and a quick bite

Local hangout nestled on Leeds Dock, The Canary, has switched up its food offering with a new head chef and a “no fuss, just the good stuff” menu – with sticky chicken wings, stacked-to-the-max burgers, and super-saucy mac ‘n’ cheese bites on the menu.

The dock’s bright yellow container, stroke bar & kitchen, which opened in 2021, has appointed new head chef, Joe Kamsose, formerly of Dock 29 and All Work and Social, to put his own tasty twist on classic grub.

Flipping the former Mexican offering on its head, The Canary, has announced a new “good stuff” menu direction which encourages casual dining, last mac ‘n’ cheese ball grabbing, sticky BBQ finger licking, great times with friends, without the fuss.

On the sharing eats menu, The Canary is servin’ up the likes of fiery jalapeño poppers, mac ‘n’ cheese bites, and crispy chicken tenders with spicy mayo, chipotle mayo or house sauce - perfect for dipping! Or choose from 6, 8, or 12 chicken wings served with sticky BBQ or tangy buffalo sauce – straight up, good stuff.

AND six new burgers, sandwiched between soft brioche buns, dripping in homemade sauce, topped with Swiss cheese and served with house or spicy fries. Veggie option, the mushroom burger, is served with a juicy portobello mushroom, loaded between a pretzel bun and topped with vegan cheese and a delicious mayo alternative.

Looking for something lighter? Now on the menu is a selection of BIG bowl salads, including the spicy beef salad and the halloumi and avocado salad. PLUS everyone’s favourite quick lunch bite, the filled panini (and wraps) served from 11:30-15:00 everyday of the week.

Paired perfectly with picturesque waterside views and locally brewed beers including Northern Monk and Kirkstall, The Canary, is split over two floors and offers a seated outdoor terrace area, perfect for soaking up the sunshine. Plus signature cocktails lovingly created with local spirits including Leeds Gin and Libations Rum, as well as coffee from North Star Coffee.

The Canary also hosts a new interactive quiz night every Wednesday from 19:30 with prizes to be won, plus Sunday Sessions featuring live acoustic sets with local musicians.

Available for private hire, The Canary’s terrace space is bookable with two set menu options for either £22.50 or £28 per person, with lots of sharing options.

Alice Hendrys, General Manager at The Canary Bar said: "Over the past year, The Canary has become the go-to spot for Leeds Dock locals and beyond, offering a space for lunchtime bites, after-work drinks and laid-back weekend socialising.

“Our live music performances and weekly quizzes are now staple nights on the dock; this year we aim to create an even better experience and events schedule for the local community.

“We've just launched a brand-new food menu, an after-work drinks social, and are very excited to welcome new and familiar faces back to the bar."

The new menu is now available at The Canary, bookings can be made here

New creative workspace concept will turn convention on its head

A new managed workspace concept is opening its doors, this February, to Leeds’ most exciting creative, media, tech and digital businesses, promising to redefine the way we view work.

Department Leeds Dock, situated in the former waterside casino has been transformed into a community for modern businesses that need more flexibility, amenity and experiences from their working environment. The design-led workspace is a place for work, wellbeing and social to coexist under one roof, and rewrites preconceptions of what a workspace is.

The four-floor location offers individual professionals, start-ups, and SMEs up to 200 people, space where people feel fulfilled from their working environment and businesses have the means to success. 

Department Leeds Dock will offer hot desks, resident desks, private studios, premium suites, and a bespoke enterprise floor, as well as meeting rooms, breakout areas, content studios, a podcasting suite and space to host events for business and leisure.

The inventory of Department has been carefully considered to extend beyond the parameters of work, ensuring members’ wellbeing and work life balance are not just valued, but encouraged. On the ground floor, Department Store is an experiential social space with a bar, kitchen and lifestyle pop-ups, open to members and the public.

A destination to dine, drink, work, meet and connect with the creative community, which sets the workspace apart from any other. The first resident retailers are announced as Commonsense clothing and 2 Many Wines. Department Store will be celebrating its launch on Saturday 18th February with a day of brunch, lunch, dinner, DJs and masterclasses.

Department also offers members access to Condition, a premium fitness and wellbeing concept based in the Leeds Dock district, offering training studios, multidisciplined classes and personal training for individuals and groups. Members can fit workouts around their work commitments, while businesses can support their teams by offering membership as an added perk.

Those wishing to see inside the brand-new space and experience all that Department Leeds Dock has to offer are invited to come along to the open day on Thursday 16th February for complimentary hot desking, creative workshops and the opportunity to meet the team or tour around the available workspaces. Visitors can reserve a space via the Eventbrite listing.

Anthony Powell, managing director at Department, commented: “The way we work has changed considerably over recent years and that means our workspaces should too. Life is too short to be unfulfilled by what we spend the majority of our waking hours doing. So, we have created a destination for people to feel enjoyment from their place of work and where businesses can thrive.

“We bring human nature to business and with that an understanding of how modern businesses and their teams work. Leeds is home to many exciting businesses in the creative, media and tech industries, and we want to welcome them to Department Leeds Dock to join the likes of We Love This, Bobble Digital, Living Walls and Glean who we’re delighted to have join our community already. Our hospitality-led approach is at the heart of our workspace experience, with exceptional service, dedicated Community teams and member events to connect and inspire.”

The new workspace concept will also be home to Exchange, the tech scale-up support programme which is supporting the next generation of Yorkshire tech businesses, after three years of success in Manchester.

Applications are now open for the first Exchange cohort set to launch in April 2023. It will be based amongst hot desking members in Department Leeds Dock. The scheme has supported more than 450 people from over 102 tech businesses, creating over 140 jobs and raising more than £11m in funding in its three years and four cohorts. It is now setting its sights on achieving the same successes on the other side of the Pennines.

Alice Pickersgill, Exchange programme lead will also be in attendance at the Department Leeds Dock open day on Thursday 16th February, where she will host a Q&A and drop-in session for entrepreneurs interested in joining the scheme.

Leeds Dock’s district is already home to leading creative, media and digital companies, including Sky Digital, Channel 4 and Journey Further, and allows businesses to tap into the talent, infrastructure, and amenities the area offers.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a member of Department Leeds Dock or apply for the first Exchange cohort based in Leeds, please visit:www.departmentuk.com. To book a place on the Department Leeds Dock launch opening weekend, visit:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/department-leeds-dock-launch-tickets-520398063617.

Residence 74: Restaurant and cocktail bar set to launch in the heart of Headingley!

Popular Leeds-based Cafe bar, Residence 74 is set to expand with a third venue due to land in Headingleynext month.

Residence 74 has fast become a favourite in the LS16 suburb of the city, known for its tasty breakfast and brunch, inventive cocktails, and stylish New York-inspired décor, backed up by a string of glowing press and TripAdvisor reviews.

Their latest project is considerably larger, set over two floors and sees the winning brand formula repurposed for the city’s thriving student area. With a strong focus on best-in-class cocktails, a brand new small and large plate menu to accompany the breakfast, brunch and indulgent dessert offering.

Residence 74 will channel a fresh and modish interior design with exposed brick, moody lighting, neon signage and lush plants. The venue's floor-to-ceiling windows create a bright and airy space with plenty of natural light, with space for 45 covers in the restaurant and 16 in the bar. The first floor has been designed to cater to private parties and on weekends, it will play host to the brand-new Bottomless Brunch, which is destined to be a must for Headingley regulars. 

New breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner hotspot for Headingley!

If you have yet to visit the original Residence 74, expect high quality, yet simple food in a lively environment. Their Full English receives rave reviews, with a veggie, vegan and gluten free options also available, catering for all dietary requirements. Other dishes like spruced up Avo on Toast with roasted veggies, pesto and feta! Or their signature dish, the must try Eggs Residence. An Eggs Benny twist with the usual hollandaise and Englishmuffin but with crispy bacon and hash browns. 

Fancy something sweeter? Pancakes stacked high with Nutella, banana and biscoff crumb are always a winner. Our favourite, the French Brioche Toast with bacon and maple syrup. On the lunch menu they have a wide selection of delicious lunch time burgers, sandwichesincluding the bestselling Steak and Cheese.

When day turns to night, guests can enjoy a range of creative small plates, from pulled pork croquettes, prawn saganaki to Korean fried cauliflower, along with larger plates including open Greek kebabs, a Chicken Parmiand a Sweet potato curry. The new menu will bring a variety of cuisines catering for all in the area.

Residence libations 

Cocktail lovers can look forward to a new intimate cocktail bar with an exciting ‘around the world’ menu. Expect a diverse range with plenty of different spirits and flavours. Including the tiki inspired cocktails from South America, laced with delicious rum and fruit flavours. British inspired cocktails with plenty of gin. You will see your favourite classics as well a wide spirit selection, perfect serve spirit mixer options and non-alcoholic cocktails. Two for £12 cocktail deals will help end your day or start your evening. 

Next chapter

Speaking ahead of the launch, Owner Salar Eftekharysaid:

‘’We’ve been overwhelmed with the amount of support from so many loyal customers since opening Residence 74 back in 2018 and can’t wait to begin the next chapter of our story. Our Headingley venue will feel familiar to regulars, but with enough twists to make it fresh at the same time.’’

‘’We wanted to create a space that could effortlessly transition from daytime breakfast and brunch to a lively cocktail and evening light bites venue. I’m confident we’ve achieved this - it’s a beautiful venue and our new menus are our tastiest to date. Team Residence 74 is prepped for what we hope will be our busiest and best year to date.’’