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Flavours of the world

All in One City

Leeds is known for being a diverse city in terms of

culture, attracting visitors from all over the county, all in search of something different. With the variety of international food the city has to offer becoming increasingly popular they have come to the right place. The city centre is home to Leeds’ very own China Town which is the third biggest in the UK. The city is home to over 4000 Chinese residents all regularly visiting the main arcade to buy traditional Chinese food from the supermarkets, visit the Chinese barbers and browse a range of stores such as video shops and herbalists. China Town is also popular with people from many other nationalities who visit the restaurants in hope to find some authentic Chinese flavours. The popularity of China Town has led other businesses with similar themes to open. Chaophraya is a Thai restaurant chain that opened its first restaurant in Leeds. With the owners originating from a small village called Maenum Bon, in a remote part of Northern Thailand, they were overwhelmed by the success and popularity of their first restaurant, which offered something different to what was already in the city, such as their Thai curries and rich in flavour stir fries. Their popularity led them to branch out, creating a chain of other Chaophraya restaurants in Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and Glasgow. There are also many independent restaurants in the city

that are becoming increasingly popular. Salvos restaurant in Headingley is an award winning family owned Italian restaurant that has been running for over 35 years, attracting customers from all over the region for its fresh authentic taste. Michael Diguado, who is Italian but lives in Leeds, frequently visits the restaurant stating, “It’s the only Italian restaurant that I’ve been to in Leeds where the food actually tastes like it’s been made in Italy. The chefs know what they’re doing and know how to deliver fresh traditional Italian food.” Headingley is also home to Dare Café, which specialises in Mexican food such as fajitas, enchiladas and burritos. The café has been running since 1993 developing a loyal following in the area. However, nowhere in the city can offer as big a range of international food than Leeds Kirkgate Market, located in the city centre. It is the biggest covered market in Europe, being home to over 800 different shops and stalls offering something for everyone, whether it’s the Indian Spice corner, supplying hundreds of authentic herbs and spices or the Turkish café offering sweet crepes. Malgorna Czerwiec owns a small polish supermarket in the market, which sells fresh produce from cheese and fish to packaged goods, such as sauces and biscuits. Malgorna said “I think people are now more travelled then they used to be, so a lot of the food they may have tried in different countries they now want to be able to find here.” Throughout the year Malgorna’s store attracts a mixture of customers, but in the Winter, her busiest time, she sees a rise in Polish customers. “It is tradition


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