A. J Afro Caribbean (Foods and Veg) in the market is an absolutely delightful place. It epitimises…read moreexactly what is so fantastic about markets such as these. Selling a full array of Caribbean foodstuffs, including seasoning, scotch bonnet peppers, plantain for cheaper than you'd find it anywhere else, and dried fish for £6. As somebody who absolutely loves the firey sweet and sour flavours of the Caribbean, this place is a jewel not to be missed.

Being of Polish descent, with a father who lives out in Warsaw, I have been to many Polish shops,…read morein this country and in Poland in search of ingredents for various traditional meals. I stumbled across the Russian and Polish Delicatessan in the market, and decided to have a peak. Walking in, I truely felt as though I had been transported overseas to do some shoppng. Every jar, tim, packet and sausage had been imported from either Poland or Russia. In such a small space they manage to cram in so much, clearly making i a favourite to the Polish and Russian communities. The staff speak in Polish and Russian and are undoubtedly from either Poland or Russia, making it a truely authentic experience. The only drawback was the display of sausages in the fridge section. It was confusing and messy, looking as though people had rummaged through. If that display had been as good as the others, I could have marked them higher.

Another valuable addition to the vibrant mix of cultures in Leeds Kirkgate Market. As previous…read moreposters have noted, it's not quite what you'd really call a supermarket, but it is definitely a good size for a shop in the market and is well-stocked. They sell a wide range of foodstuffs including tinned foods, condiments, a large range of teas, dried fruit, and many a weird and wonderful desert. For Chinese shoppers in the market, I imagine this would be a regular stop-off but for anyone else who enjoys trying foods from other cultures and would like to search out a new mysterious ingredient or unusual tasty treat, you will definitely be able to find something at Tian Tian.

A much smaller, grubbier version of the big Chinese superstore up the road this shop which is…read moretacked onto the side of Kirkgate market bustles with the activity of Chinese speakers rummaging for native grub. Not so many green groceries are available though you can pick up some lemon grass and other small bits. There is a large range of noodles, spices, sweets, savory good frozen, chilled of freeze dried, lots of teas and some meats and generally all you'd need to knock together a meal of different kind. The range is obviously limited to size of the shop but the prices are very reasonable.

Kostas Olive Bar do sell the delicious fruits in abundance. Marinated in different oils, and…read morestuffed with garlic, almonds, pimento and anchovies, they are all sublime. After seeing the owner of the stall being interviewed on local news earlier last year, I complimented him on his performance and received some olives for my flattery! He is a really friendly guy, who loves all things Greek. The stall offers a wide range of cheeses from manchego to feta, parmesan to mozzarella, cut to your specified weight. The houmous, tzatiki and taramasalata all make delicious dips, sold in pots alongside juicy sun blushed tomatoes and ready prepared Greek salad. One of my favourite lunches is from Kostas Olive Bar, and comes in the form of spinach and feta pie. Beautifully delicate filo pastry wrapped around the moist spinach and feta filling is just exquisite. And, if I'm feeling naughty, I trouble them for some of their finest baklava for dessert. Yum.

This Greek/Mediterranean style olive bar does exactly what you would expect - sell olives. But not…read morejust any olives rather many different kinds and really good ones. The proprietor is a friendly Greek man willing to have a bit of a chat whilst he dishes up olives. He also sells wonderful sun dried tomatoes in olive oil, usually a luxury item not frequently purchased in the regular weekly shop. I have, on occasion, walked by and been slightly put off by the metal music blaring out from behind the counter. I was also slightly amused to see recently a large sign about the barber having moved stalls. Did the barber used to work amongst the olives I wonder, or was he the previous owner?

Wow...this place drew me in with the sheer mass of foods and brightly coloured packages available…read more I visited here the other week when I went to the theatre and was seriously impressed by the amount of foods available to buy. You have to go look around to see what i mean but there are masses upon masses of great things in here. The staff are that lovely that they speak to you about recipes you could try and offer helpful hints and tips. I'll definitely be going back to investigate further when I'm not rushing to the theatre!

This place is a magic wonderland of exciting cuisine. I challenge you to find a more interesting…read moreand inspiring shopping trip - you simply won't find it. As you enter the store the decor is a fascination, with beautiful lanterns hanging overhead and a beautiful silver water globe feature in the entrance. Immediately as you go in on the left there is the fruit and veg section which offers up more exotic fruit and veg than I have ever actually seen. They had enoki mushrooms, star fruit, dragon fruit, bamboo and so much more. They had fruit that I don't even know what it is. The only description I can offer is that they reminded me of Stinky from the Moomins, only more pinkish brown than black! I'm totally going back to try them some day. As well as that they had EVERYTHING to do with traditional chinese, korean and other asian cuisines. With more noodles than you can imagine, cakes, fish, 'mochi' and so much more it is probably the most exciting place to shop for food in Leeds. I can only hope that at some point I will get to live near enough to make it my regular supermarket! My boyfriend and I have made a pact that we will go in there and put together a meal sometime and I'm going to hold him to it! A delight to shop in, but pop in just to see.

After a holiday in Frankfurt last year, I was aware that the presence of Ditsch in the German city…read moreis as frequent as Greggs on our fair shores. But with more appetising fare. I adore the concept of street food, there is something delightfully carefree about enjoying a snack in the sun. Although the food available is perhaps not the healthiest option on the high street, the delicious aromas that emanate from the stall never fail to tempt my taste buds. The same tempted taste buds soon become tickled when indulging in a treat. Established over 90 years ago, the products at Ditsch are cooked on the premises, in ovens visible to the customer. I suspect the items arrive at the stall ready to be baked, as they do taste slightly synthetic. When you can purchase a freshly cooked salami pizza or barbeque chicken bake for a nominal couple of pounds, Ditsch offers a comforting option whilst on the move. Followed up with a cinnamon pretzel, expect to feel refuelled and ready to continue with your day.

This place is so kitsch and is just what Leeds needed. There really is no other place that I know…read moreof, in Leeds. When the German Market is here during Christmas time I get so excited about the pretzel stand, well my savior that is Ditsch means that I can have these delicious Germans treats all year through. Ditsch can be easy to miss, as it's literally just a whole in a wall, there's no shop to walk into, or place to sit. The entirety of their shop is where the baking and magic happens. There is a massive counter displaying pizza breads and pretzels, yum. Walking down the street you can smell it a mile off and trust me it tastes as good as it smells! I highly recommend stopping here for a shopping break as it's certainly worth trying. Their pizza breads are delicious; I always have the barbeque chicken pizza. Its something different, something fun and really tasty too, how bad can that be?

Yum Yum is a useful place to have in the vicinity. I used to frequent it regularly when I lived in…read moreBrewery Wharf. The deli section sells a full menu of sandwiches, soups, cakes and a delicious selection of hot specials. I had a very tasty red Thai curry with jasmine rice just recently. There is a seating area both inside and outdoors to eat at. They serve a lifesaving full English breakfast at a reasonable price, and can be responsible for reactivating your brain, following a night out. The other side of Yum Yum is a convenience store, selling fresh fruit and vegetables, pastries, tinned goods, various snacks and a range of wines and beers. They are significantly overpriced, but that is the cost of convenience. I also think their nearby rival Simpsons stock a far better range of products. All in all, it is a useful place to have around, but there are superior alternatives in the area.

My options for lunch aren't very inspiring; go to the effort of making my own, a generic…read moresupermarket sanger or risk the cafe at work where I wonder wether the staff have ever seen a sandwich (No, judging by some of the efforts produced...). The saviour of so many lunchtimes has been Yum's. They never fail to have something interesting on offer. There are usually several hot options such as pasta bake, burritos and a roast pork baguettes and a couple of really good sandwich specials. Highlights for me have included pulled pork with salad and chipotle mayo and ham, smoked cheese and onion marmalade both on sourdough baguettes. The footling hotdog was also a touch. You can also have your own sandwich made, they have loads of filling options and the cakes look awesome- its like subway if subway sold proper food! They do a large range of American sweets and drinks although every other shop in Leeds seems to offer these now. Yum's also have a massive selection of beers and I believe they open for dinner in the evenings doing pizza etc, if I lived at brewery wharf I wouldn't need to go anywhere else! They are a little expensive when you consider a meal deal at Sainsbury's is three quid but what you get is vastly superior. One of their daily special sandwiches and a can of coke will set you back about a fiver which is pretty good as you'll get something really tasty you will actually enjoy!

I was feeling a bit lost and lonely in town the other day, mostly since I was feeling hungry, and…read morefound myself exiting the Grand Arcade and passing by Millies. Somehow I'd never actuallly been in here, and the promise of freshly made soup drew me in from the cold. As you enter you'll find an almost supermarket style presence, with freshly fridged produce, all manner of rice, pasta, nuts, dried fruit and a host of other healthy looking delights. When you reach the coconut you'll know about it, it smelled divine! It also maintains a country house kitchen vibe, as you move further back, with rustic wooden furniture arranged at the very back. Next to that you'll find the deli counter where all sorts of freshly made treats await you, from cakes to breads to this home made soup which enticed me in. The chap who served me was lovely, I was a little concerned about the cheese in it as I'm a blue cheese wimp, but he assured me it was no that strong. Though I only purchased a small cup to take put I couldn't finish it ad it was so filling! The cheese was still a touch overpowering, as I really am a total wimp for the strong flavours (I'd never venture to a vindaloo either, to give you some context on my tastebuds!) but I happily filled up on it before I was full. Although I didn't check out their beauty product range or spa upstairs I'm aware that they cater to those aspects too, making this sweet little store a one-stop-shop for most goods. Being a health-orientated store, the pricing reflects this in their range, but as they say you get what you pay for and the higher quality is evident. Nonetheless, it's certainly worth taking a nosy and checking it out for yourself!

Until the middle of last year, I'd only walked past Millies and never actually noticed it, despite…read morethe multitudes of chalkboards outside - I didn't realise I was just walking past a genuinely good shop. As someone who works in the city centre, Millies has become a regular haunt at lunchtimes for it's great range of sandwiches and hot meals at the deli-counter down at the end of the shop. If it's sunny, sit outside. Raining? Seating inside too, where you can chat to the lovely staff. The cheeses and meats at the large deli counter in the middle are great too! Go for the Stinking Bishop if you like Brie and are brave ;) Before long, I was doing a fair bit of shopping here. Their fresh produce (as you walk in) is taste, really good value and as far as I know is all locally sourced, which is a huge plus for me! I've even ventured into the hand-mixed bags of cereals, dried friuts and general "I'm pretending this is healthy" snacks! Some things are a teensy but more than your average supermarket, but it's fresher, nicer and local! I've not used the beauty salon, but if you're into fitness and working out, the supplements upstairs are great value and the staff that I talked to know their stuff. Give it a shot, and if you do use the deli in the back, promise me this - go off the menu at least once. Pick a combination you want, rather than sticking to the (really great) stuff on the board. Sausage & chilli jam for me, please!