Join Me and Jet2Holidays As We Dine Around Europe With Leeds Food Tours

[AD.PR] At the weekend I got to experience something so truly wholesome, I don't think I'm ever going to be not talking about it. I was invited by Jet2Holidays to join them in Leeds to celebrate some of the wonderful holiday destinations you can fly to from Leeds Bradford Airport in 2024 via Jet2. We did this. in the most unique way as they partnered with Leeds Food Tours who guided us through some of the city's best eateries.

_{[Photo by Ondrej Bocek on Unsplash]}

Jet2Holidays 2024 destinations

Our foodie trip around the world focussed on places you can fly to with Jet2Holidays from Leeds Bradford Airport. With over 50 destinations available you're spoilt for choice when it comes to finding cheap holidays. Just like you are when it comes to finding incredible eateries in Leeds. This is why Jet2Holidays and Leeds Food Tours made for the most perfect collaboration.

During our food tour, we focussed on the following European destinations available from Jet2.

• Germany
• Spain
• Greece
• Italy
• Turkey

Leeds Food Tours were able to take us these destinations through the following eateries:

🇩🇪 Germany: I Am Doner 🇩🇪 

First on the tour was the Berlin inspired I Am Doner. And just FYI, they're very different to the ones you've had after a night out in town. The vibe is causal and cool, very much like what you'd experience in the German capital. I Am Doner offer both dine in and takeout options for you to experience their incredible kebabs.

We ate the following at I Am Doner:

• Chicken and doner mix Berlin

I love a kebab! My kids love kebabs. We all love kebabs! And this offering from I Am Doner was so delicious. The combination of meats mixed with fresh and fried vegetables with garlic mayonnaise was SO good! Even the freshly made flatbread was incredible. I'm so glad I was able to experience I Am Doner through Leeds Food Tours as this was my favourite stop of the lot.

I Am Doner. 14A Infirmary Street, Leeds, LS1 2JP

🇪🇸 Spain: El Gato Negro Tapas 🇪🇸 

El Gato Negro Tapas is an award winning restaurant with sites in both Manchester and Liverpool as well as Leeds. Their Leeds home is a stunning Yorkshire stone clad former bank on the corner of Park Row and Bond Street. It's an elegant premises that offers incredible tapas dining and drinking options across two floors.

Chef patron Simon Shaw and his team has created a simple yet bold and confident menu which changes seasonally. They offer traditional Spanish tapas whilst drawing on inspiration and ingredients that are a little closer to home. The result - An incredible dining experience with exciting food that evokes the magic of Barcelona - Somewhere you can easily get to from Leeds Bradford Airport with Jet2Holidays.

We ate the following tapas at El Gato Negro Tapas:

• Jambon iberico croquetas
• Catalan bread with olive oil, garlic and fresh tomatoes
• Aged manchego

I love tapas and am all for 'picky bits' so for me El Gato Negro Tapas ticks a lot of boxes. I particularly enjoyed the jambon iberico croquetas even though it's not something I would have naturally picked. Which I suppose is one of the great things about doing a food tour! I really enjoyed the decor here and found the multi level atmosphere to be such a cool, but welcoming vibe!

El Gato Negro Tapas. 35 Park Row, Leeds, Ls1 5JL

🇬🇷 Greece: Tavernaki Bistro 🇬🇷

Tavernaki Bistro is a family run Greek/Cypriot restaurant based on Great George Street in the heart of Leeds city centre. It's a small space which is packed full of Greek character. When entering you're instantly greeted by the most fabulous mural which depicts the streets of Greece. On the day we visited, sun flowed through the typically Mediterranean blue windows giving the place even more incredible vibes.

Tavernaki Bistro stocks and prepares their food in the same way they would in a Greek family home, having daily deliveries of fresh ingredients which are cooked fresh everyday on site. They also offer daily specials inspired by the Mediterranean cuisine, weather and culture, taking inspiration from their regular trips to Greece and Cyprus.

We ate the following at Tavernaki Bistro:

• Dolmades stuffed vine leaves
• Fasolada
• Tzatziki
• Greek salad
• Feta saganaki
• Revithia
• Chicken souvlaki
• Pitta bread

I was shocked by the sheer amount of food presented to us by Tavernaki Bistro. It was fabulous being able to sample such a large variation of the menu. I particularly loved the filo wrapped feta. I think it was a lot of our favourites on the day! Everything else was super tasty and flavoursome. The only thing I'd say I wasn't too keen on was the stuffed vine leaves, but that's just my personal taste. The leaves were a little too leafy for me.

Tavernaki Bistro. 18 Great George Street, Leeds, LS1 3DW

🇮🇹 Italy: Stuzzi 🇮🇹

Stuzzi, which is short for stuzzichini translates to savoury, and particularly relates to savoury food served with alcoholic drinks. Winner winner! They serve small plates of Italian cuisine which are best served tapas style between friends, giving you the opportunity to share a variety of dishes in one sitting. Traditional recipes sit alongside modern Italian street food which creates the perfect mix between new and exciting and traditionally comforting.

We ate the following at Stuzzi:

• Pea & mint arancino

I've not had arancini before but by golly has the bar been set high with this offering from Stuzzi Leeds. The aranino was huge and packed full of flavour. I absolutely loved it! It actually makes me a bit wary to try it again from anywhere else as it was just so delicious. The pea and mint risotto was complimented perfectly with a chilli and lemon butter cream. It was *chefs kiss* perfection!

Stuzzi. 7 Merrion Street, Leeds, LS1 6PQ

🇹🇷 Turkey: Mr Mackerel 🇹🇷

Mr Mackerel can be found inside the absolute treasure trove that is Leeds Kirkgate Market, one of the largest indoor markets in Europe! Recent multi-million pound renovations have created the Market Kitchen street food hall which plays host to a whole variety of worldly cuisines. Mr Mackerel being one of them!

Mr Mackerel serves high quality Istanbul street food, with a menu featuring not just mackerel as the name suggests. Here you'll find everything from grilled chicken shish to lamb koftas as everything you'd expect from Turkish cuisine.

We are the following at Mr Mackerel:

• Grilled mackerel fillet sandwich

This was the last trip on the day for us so regrettably I was feeling rather full before trying the sandwich from Mr Mackerel. It was delicious (and surprisingly spicy) however unfortunately I couldn't finish the full thing. I was ready for a hot cocoa and bed by this point. But it was really delicious and I've always favoured the more casual, street food vibe the market holds.

Mr Mackerel, Market Kitchen, Kirkgate Market, Leeds, LS2 7BR

_{[Photo by Oliver Sherwin on Unsplash]}

Who are Leeds Food Tours?

Leeds Food Tours is a women owned business specialising in showcasing the best eateries Leeds has to offer. After taking part in different food tours around the globe, Ellen brought her vision to life in her home town Leeds, West Yorkshire. She set up business in 2019 (which she admits wasn't the best timing, pre-covid) with the aim of showcasing the best independent restaurants, pubs and street food stalls, Leeds city centre has to offer.

What can Leeds Food Tours offer?

Whether you're a tourist coming to Leeds or are local to the area and looking for some foodie inspiration, Leeds Food Tours can scratch that itch with the following options:

• Guided food tours. Here you'll visit six of the best food venues in Leeds, with food included at every stop.
• Private guided food tours. This is more for corporate events, hen dos, birthday celebrations etc.
• Self guided tours. These are designed for two people to be done via an app with digital tokens for food at every stop.
• Gift vouchers. A unique gifting experience for foodies which are available for both guided and self guided tours.

Why choose Leeds Food Tours?

With so much to do already in Leeds, from art galleries to shopping to theatre productions it can be quite overwhelming knowing what to do in the city, especially if you're pushed for time. As someone who once lived in the city who has now moved away it can feel quite daunting going back into Leeds and deciding what to do with my time there. And because of that, I think Leeds Food Tours is the perfect thing to do with your day in Leeds! You'll get to experience not only the incredible food Leeds city centre has to offer, but you'll also be given a guided tour of the city itself. You'll get to hear facts, tales, ghost stories, jokes and personal opinions of what Leeds city centre has to offer. You might even get to find our about the *spoiler alert* Armley hippo.

_{[Photo by Gary Butterfield on Unsplash]}

To conclude

I had the best time with Leeds Food Tours showcasing the incredible European destinations available from Jet2Holidays at Leeds Bradford Airport. It was wonderful meeting and re-meeting a bunch of local bloggers to experience Leeds in such a unique way. I've not done a food tour before, but it was such an incredible experience. I'd recommend Leeds Food Tours to anybody!