Thom Archer

Taking inspiration from the grand cafes of Europe, Gusto is bringing its spirit of 'making the everyday exquisite' to Leeds' commerce district with a new opening on Greek Street. The latest in its small chain of Italian restaurants – which also includes a venue in Cookridge that has proved very popular with the locals – takes over the site previously occupied by Henry's Bar, albeit after a complete renovation to add art deco touches and fairy light-strewn olive trees.   If you can't spend five minutes in an Italian restaurant without your mind wandering to films about organised crime, Gusto creates a vibe somewhere between a 'Boardwalk Empire' bistro and any of the Sicilian locations from 'The Godfather'.  Truffle verdi pizzaGusto       The menu is large, inclusive, and mostly familiar and has been sorted into antipasti, salad, meat, seafood and pizza. Even so, dishes feature individual touches to impart a bit of decadent character. For example, that old staple fritto misto is livened up with sardine fillets and carrot and parsnip crisps, the salmon tartare conceals a soft-poached quails egg, and the truffle verdi pizza is topped with a light pea base.   There's also a bit of theatre with dinner: the whole salt baked seabass is excavated from its salt crust by the waiting staff at your table, and each baked Alaska receives its final, fiery ritual to an audience before being dished up. Similar attention is paid to their cocktails: spritz and bellinis are all present, along w

When its inaugural event took place in 2008, the Waterfront Festival had ambitions to bring local communities together and stimulate interest in Leeds' then-overlooked South Bank. Eight years on, it's hard to imagine the South Bank being anything but the current hub of bars, restaurants, the hip 'young profesh' crowd, and high-profile showcase events at New Dock Hall, ranging from some of the most fearsome dinosaurs on the planet, to some of the most fearsome tattoo artists. It's fitting then that as the area has developed, so has the Waterfront Festival; last year it had over 10,000 visitors, and this year's event boasts the most ambitious variety of events yet, sprawling between seven locations on both banks of the river. While you can see a full list of events on the programme, here are some of the highlights that you won't want to miss out on and where to find them: Dragon Boat Race Flickr: Lucasz Koziol   This one goes without saying.  The gleaming jewel in the Waterfront Festival's crown; the Dragon Boat Race has been a fixture from the very start.   Gather around the Folk & Ale (say it quickly a few times...) festival on Saturday afternoon to catch teams of locals compete to be the fastest, fanciest-dressed rowers of the weekend.   Steampunk market   A photo posted by Bruce Whistlecraft (@doktor_a) on Oct 6, 2013 at 1:23am PDT     Steampunks were rocking impractical ninteenth-century sartorial flourishes and elaborate moustaches way before it was the compulsory

You may have noticed 'Interactive Cinema Experiences' popping up more and more recently across Leeds; cult classics screened in locations specific to the film's story, costumed performers, and surround-sound provided by hoards of fans in fancy dress shouting out all the best lines. For example, think last year's hot tub screen of 'Jaws' at the Leeds Dock, a 'Harry Potter' marathon in the company of real life wizards at Kirkstall Abbey (LS5's answer to Hogwarts) or being rewarded for escaping an actual zombie onslaught with a forthcoming screening of 'Shaun of the Dead'. However, if that kind of multi-sensory fun sounds like a lot of effort then don't worry - Belgrave Music Hall and Canteen has got you covered.   Following the successful launch of Dawson's Interactive Cinema during Leeds Indie Food 2015 in May, it's planning more interactive screenings which cater to the most important sense of all – taste.   The launch featured a screening of Jon Favreau movie 'Chef', which paired the on-screen action with five perfectly-timed courses, so the audience could smell what they saw being cooked on screen, and then stuff it in their faces in sync with the characters. Way more immersive than any 3D technology! Their next event, on July 8, will be a screening of 'American Psycho', which includes the feature presentation and cocktails, while you dine on a 'Bateman Burger'. There will also be pre- and after-parties with DJs (hopefully playing lots of Phil Collins and Huey Lewis and the