Pickles & Potter; a potted history

Lorna is a chef by training - self taught over 15 years working around London and Leeds - and passionate about fresh food and good cooking. Though a southerner by birth, on a weekend trip to Leeds she fell in love with a Yorkshire man (and therefore Yorkshire!) and has been smitten with Leeds, its people and the wonderful bounty of its fresh food ever since.

It didn’t take Lorna long to realise that what the good people of Leeds lacked was an independent Deli/Café slap bang in the middle of the action where they could feed their bellies, nourish their souls and chew the (proverbial!) fat – so in 2004 Pickles & Potter was born.

Aiming to offer a wide range of homemade goodies from cakes to salads to amazing sandwiches in a homely, friendly atmosphere with good banter and much laughter, Pickles & Potter soon became the place to stock up on healthy grub. The word spread fast and the Deli won best sandwich shop in Leeds at The Metro Awards in 2008 and the Beef Favourite sandwich was voted best sandwich in Leeds by readers of the Leeds Guide in the same year.Lorna and her team expanded the shop in the Queens Arcade in 2007 by moving to a bigger unit so we could fit in more seats and people could sit in for a proper lunch, afternoon snack or even breakfast. 

Going forward- From 2012 we are getting together our franchise package, so watch this space.................

Pickles & Potter’s suppliers

Lorna loves fresh food that has travelled as little as possible so she works with a wide variety of Yorkshire suppliers to deliver her and her team the best raw materials she can find. However, even she admits defeat sometimes and if she can’t make something in-house she’ll find the best local crafts-person to help her out.

Some of our suppliers include:

• Fruit and veg from Keith Harris at his long established family firm RK Harris in Headingley www.rkharrisandsons.co.uk
• More fruit and veg from and from “Dave from t’ market” who has a stall at fabulous Kirkgate.
• Even more from D.A.D Ltd fruit and veg at Kirkgate.
• Our wonderful baked breads are oh so very local & baked by Anthony's at teh corne exchange www.anthonysrestaurant.co.uk
• Meats and sausages from traditional butcher Richard Setchfield in Roundhay www.rpsetchfield.com
• Luscious red onion marmalade for our award winning beef favourite sandwich from Elizabeth Smedley in Melmerby (we use too much to make it ourselves!) www.elizabethsmedley.co.uk
• Great cheeses from the family cheesemongers Cryer & Stott in Castleford www.cryerandstott.co.uk
• Free-range eggs from Sue and her “Happy Hens” at Southwood Farm in Thirlby.
• Milk and other dairy things from David Madely’s family diary in Yorkshire www.madeleydairies.co.uk