Leeds open air food and drink space returns

As we all prepare for lockdown to end, Leeds is all set for a summer to remember with its much-loved drink and dining space, Chow Down, opening its doors to the public again on 12th April.

The outdoor destination, hailed for its incredible selection of food, drink, and music is returning bigger and better with the addition of street art, new seating areas and huge collaborations, with confirmed dates throughout the summer till September.

Located at Temple Arches on Globe Road, a 5 minute walk from Leeds train station, this year’s Chow Down brings you everything you know and love about the iconic experience, with the new al fresco seating area. It’s Leeds’ biggest open space, the venue is also one of the city’s safest spaces, with social distancing measures and table service remaining in place until further notice.

The food and drink offering at the venue, which is curated with Leeds Indie Food, includes traders from all across the UK alongside local food heroes Bastards Bistro, Holy Mountain Kitchen, Little Red Food Truck, MorMor and Homeboy Pizza Co, alongside brand new taco slingers Crunched, Wallace and Son, and Bomba Paella to name just a few. Alongside this will be a massive music line-up.

The venue will also be launching its own beer collaboration – an orange and mandarin pale ale – with North Brew Co which recently moved to their new brewery. With other special brews are in the pipeline with neighbour brewery, Northern Monk, as the beer menu looks to rotate each week, providing the freshest beer possible.

Speaking about Chow Down, Simon Fogal, one of the founders, said: “We managed to have a couple of really great Chow Down sessions in the window between lockdown 1 and 2 and it gave us a good insight into how best to run them in a more socially distanced way until everyone gets their vaccine. The Leeds indie scene has been massively impacted by the pandemic so we’re determined to make 2021 better than ever and give these businesses a boost and we encourage all customers that book with us to visit the local area, as their are some great indies like The Cross Keys and Northern Monk Refectory.

“We have seen a record amount of ticket sales this time round which shows that people have an appetite for getting out and about, supporting the indies they know and love, as well as discovering new ones. We wanted to expand on what we offered last year which is why
we’ve included traders from further afield than Leeds and Yorkshire, plus the music lineup is the best we’ve ever had.”

Stu Butterworth, part of the Chow Down founding team and New Citizens, added: “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Chow Down, refreshing Leeds city centre as lockdown eases.”

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