Fika North Otley Road: Leeds coffee shop reopens bar service in Headingley venue with new menu and pop-ups

Fika North, a speciality coffee shop on Otley Road, opened in April 2019 by founder and owner Gemma Williams.

As it celebrates its fifth birthday this week, the coffee shop is set to reopen its much-loved bar and expand the drinks offering in Headingley.

It was compelled to stop this service following pandemic restrictions. The duo behind Fika North then opened wine shop Bottle Chop a short walk away, in 2022.

Gemma said: “I think we're in a different position now and people are in a different headspace. People really want to enjoy good stuff and we want to give it to them. 

“Our local community, Headingley, is just such a lovely place. Far Headingley, especially. We’ve got such a community feel to the place that people really just want to hang out and they want really nice establishments to do it in. “

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Fika North is excited to launch the bar with a new drinks menu featuring revamped cocktails. The coffee shop also pledges to host food pop-ups, starting with tacos by Salma at its launch event this Friday (April 19).

The launch event coincides with Fika North’s fifth anniversary of opening. Gemma said this is an “amazing” milestone to have reached.

She added: “Considering the state of hospitality at the minute, the fact that we've made it this long feels like a massive achievement to have. It's a constant challenge with price increases around us. We are constantly having to work really hard to make sure that we are viable. 

“But, luckily, we have got a great customer base and we've got a really lovely community who just come and eat with us and drink with us a lot. We're lucky but we work hard to make sure that it works all the time. 

“My team are really friendly and welcoming and the tunes are gorgeous, it's just a whole 360 offering [at Fika North] which I think people respond really well to. 

“And the more people respond to it, the more we want to offer, and that's what's exciting. It keeps it fresh.”

Fika North will serve its bar menu every Thursday to Saturday, as it extends its operating hours from 8am to 11pm.