Fika North, Headingley, Leeds

Gemma and Ellis opened Fika North in Headingley in 2019. Fika is a Swedish word meaning “a break from activity during which people drink coffee, eat cakes or other light snacks, and relax with others.” They sell the best coffee and all manner of pastries, brownies, bagels and donut mashups, as well as delicious lunches. The queues are constant but move swiftly, which is always a good sign that you’re somewhere special. They operate as a cafe and speciality coffee shop by day and a cosy bar serving local craft beers and excellent cocktails by night. If you’re in the area it’s well worth checking out their sister venture, Bottle Chop, just around the corner—a bottle shop/deli combo stocking classy wines, beers from some of the most adventurous breweries in the UK, plus lovely bits and bobs for your fridge and larder, and more of the best coffee from speciality roasters from across the country.