“What Bradford people get wrong about Bradford, is the idea that we’re worse than everywhere else – and we’re not”. This is according to Dave, who has lived happily in the West Yorkshire city for nearly 30 years.
And indeed, while Bradford’s more confident Northern counterparts have a certain swagger when it comes to their hometown pride, Bradfordians tend to be a little more self-deprecating.
I caught up with Dave in The Record Cafe, an award winning independent vinyl shop, craft beer bar and charcuterie. It’s a trendy place than wouldn’t look out of place in Manchester’s Northern Quarter or Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle. Afterwards I moved on to North Riding Brewery, enjoying a half of Superdelic for £2 – bemoaned as pricey by some locals, the personable bar owner Keith tells me, but an undeniable snip compared to stylish haunts of the same ilk elsewhere.
All comparisons aside, Bradford has a distinct personality of her own that is finally being appreciated thanks to it recently winning the title of City of Culture 2025. Dave hopes this accolade will give residents “the confidence to shout about the good stuff” in Bradford. As I learned during night away in Yorkshire’s overlooked gem, there’s plenty to shout about.
First of all, the architecture. While pretty York may get all the compliments, Cinderella city Bradford has a quiet grandeur, with enough breathtaking Victorian architecture to please passing history buffs, and blue plaques aplenty.
The 500-year-old Bradford Cathedral and Grade I-listed City Hall are remarkable, but the Wool Exchange will delight book lovers.
Built in the 19th century, this Gothic Revival masterpiece was once a bustling wool-trading centre at the very heart of the city’s historic industries. Nowadays, it’s home to a Waterstones and cafe, proving an oasis of calm. And what a gorgeous oasis it is.
The Wool Exchange is often referred to as the most beautiful bookshop in the world. And, speaking as a professional writer who physically cannot walk past a bookshop while on holiday, I have yet to see a more beautiful one.
Steeped in history and with a gentle hush about the place, the high ceilings and ornate windows give the feel of being inside a cathedral. I could happily stay here and write about it all day, but the hours are ticking on, and so, onto my favourite minibreak activity – lunch.
Spoiled for choice, I settle on Rum-shack-a-lack, a quirky Caribbean street food restaurant nestled on Bradford’s boho North Parade. It’s famed for having the “best rum cocktails” in town, but as I still have a full day’s stomping around to do, I settle for a juicy Very Berry Mocktail (£4.50), which I sip quite happily in between bites of my Tantoni Turkish Steak Wrap (£8.85).
It’s delicious, satisfying, and very generously portioned. If you’re after saving your appetitie, and pennies, for the evening, one could do for two. As I’m flying solo today however, I can’t help but take the excuse to polish off the lot.
Before I head back out on my travels, I chat with Rum-shack-a-lack’s manager Mustafa about Bradford’s City of Culture status. “We see it as our last chance to show everybody how beautiful Bradford is,” he tells me.
“People need to come and see it, see what a beautiful place it is, and hopefully, we can carry on from there. Because there is no reason for Bradford not to be touristy, because it’s more than beautiful enough.”
Reflecting on whether he regards Bradford as a hidden gem, Mustafa, who has lived in the city for 21 years, says: “It really is. Especially the city centre, People seem to think it’s rough and all that, but all you have to do is lift your head as you are walking, look at the buildiings you are walking inbetween, to realise what a beautiful place it is.”
Mustafa, who says he “couldn’t live anywhere else”, reckons the best part of Bradford has to be its diversity, with the city benefiting from so many different cultures living within close proximity. He also heartily recommends the five minute drive to the surrounding moors with a cup of tea and fish and chips takeaway.
I walk off my lunch with a stroll around Bradford’s National Science and Media Museum. Up until May, you can catch David Hockney: Pieced Together, an exhibition which displays the iconic Bradford artist and photographer’s ‘visual collages’.
For those fascinated by the history of photography – a rich seam in Bradford’s creative culture – the Kodak Gallery is a must-see, while little ones will be kept entertained while they learn in the interactive permanent gallery.
By the time dinnertime rolls around, I’m hungry once more, and it’s a good job, too, because a full-blown feast awaits me at The Sweet Centre Restaurant. It has been a Bradford institution since 1964, when it was opened by entrepreneurial brothers Abdul Rehman and Mohammed Bashir, who was later joined by Abdul Aziz.
Originally from Mirpur, Pakistan, the brothers pawned their family jewellery to make a new start in the UK, working in the textile industry and grocery stores before opening what would become an enduring family legacy. Beginning small, the brothers would deliver breakfasts and snacks to the mills for the homesick fellow immigrants working there, and to the cinema where they’d lose themselves in Bollywood films. The food caught on like wildfire during the ‘curry revolution’, and customers from all different backgrounds turned up to give it a try. Dr. Zulficar told me: “We are part and parcel of the heritage of Bradford.”
It wasn’t long before the eatery began attracting a number of famous faces, including Chuck Berry, who “loved the Chicken Masala”, and even the notorious Kray Twins. Mohammed’s son Dr. Zulficar Ali took over the thriving business in 1992, followed by the third generation, Waqar ‘Waxi’ and Israr Ali Mughal. Now it seems as though the fourth generation could be continuing the story, with Waxi’s young daughters having shown off their culinary talents in an episode of CBBC’s All Over The Place.
Even in the so-called ‘Curry Capital of the World’, The Sweet Centre Restaurant stands out, with the family priding themselves on delivering more authentic South Asian cuisine, with plenty of room for innovation.
The love locals have for the restaurant becomes quickly evident as I take my seat. The same families from all different backgrounds have been returning for generations, walking beneath the same Welcome sign their parents and grandparents did, and they speak with members of staff as though they were old friends.
Israr has fond memories of coming into the restaurant as a child with his grandfather. He told the Mirror: ” I used to come here and sit on the counter, and he used to introduce me to all of the lovely customers.” And in recent times the family has noticed changes since the City of Culture title was awarded, with Waxi revealing customers now come from “all over the UK”.
It’s clear The Sweet Centre Restaurant has carved out a place for itself on the map. Nothing however, could have prepared me for just how good the food actually is. I start off with the Kashmiri Masala Fish (£8.75), an extraordinary dish developed by Waxi, who won Chef of the Year at the 2022 Bradford Curry Awards. Think of the most delicious battered fish you’ve ever tried, and times that by ten.
I also make sure to try the restaurant’s signature Kashmiri On The Bone (£14), which featured on the BBC’s Len and Ainsley’s Big Food Adventure. During what was his first curry experience, impressed Len gave the now famous dish a perfect score of 10 – and after just one mouthful it becomes apparent that my own local takeaway sadly won’t scratch the same itch anymore. I send my apologies to the next table for the satisfied sigh I let out as the succulent meat practically melted in my mouth.
I also try the flavoursome Karahi Chicken & Spinach Special (£13.50), regarded by a number of happy customers as the best Karahi dish in Bradford. Now, I sadly don’t have time or belly room to test all the city has to offer, but I struggle to imagine how this dish could be improved. I could have eaten full portions of both.
Food aside, however, it’s the sense of community that makes the restaurant so special. Everyone from politicians to the Bishop of Bradford dines here, and the family prides itself on helping their neighbours. To give just one example, they’ve previously fought to save the local synagogue when it was under threat of closure.
Dr. Zulficar said: “Bradford is a great city. Great cultures, multi-faith comunities here, side by side, respecting each other.” Reflecting on the new City of Culture status, he added: “I think this will help remove any of the negative image.”
After a quick cup of tea, it’s time to continue my evening at Bradford’s Alhambra Theatre. Named after the Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, the Grade II listed Alhambra Theatre first opened its doors in 1914, and has been a cornerstone of Bradford’s cultural life for more than 100 years.
I catch a packed-out performance of the phenomenal Hamilton, with the palatial setting of the Alhambra pulling me out of the 21st century completely. The set design is spectacular and – according to a friendly Bradfordian who helpfully holds my wine for me as I sorted my coat – superior to versions he’s seen in the West End.
The audience is in raptures as the final emotional number – Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story – swells, and I admittedly may have shed a few tears as applause thunders through the venue.
Then it’s time for bed, ahead of another busy day. I spend the night at the historic Midland Hotel in Cheapside, famed for its glittering French ballroom, architecturally intriguing railway passage, and long list of celeb guests. The Rolling Stones and The Beatles have previously rested their heads here, and it’s also known as the death place of acclaimed stage actor, Sir Henry Irving, who suffered a stroke on the grand staircase during a stay with his friend and stage manager, Dracula author Bram Stoker.
It’s said to be haunted – and there’s some very creepy photos out there if you fancy a delve – but the considerate spooks thankfully leave me alone on this occasion to enjoy my bath and bed.
The following morning, I take a bright and early bus to Saltaire Village, a UNESCO World Heritage Site just ten minutes down the road.
If you like quaint Victorian achitecture, then you’ll be quite happy strolling around the picturesque streets of Saltaire. It’s no wonder the village is such a popular filming destination for period dramas, from the BBC’s Gentleman Jack to Agatha Christie adaptation The ABC Murders.
There’s such a serene feel to Saltaire—especially if you venture for a stroll around the pretty Roberts Park—but it’s far too cool to be a simple hop back through time. The place is teaming with stylish brunch restaurants (shout out to The Pepper Mill’s next-level beef hash for £14) and places to grab a brew (Make a stop at Cultures for their great coffee).
There are also plenty of quirky shops, with the colourful Giddy Arts being the place to go for gifts for loved ones, or sweet mementos of your trip. However, the jewel of breezy Saltaire has to be Salt Mill. Once a working mill, it is now a graceful temple of art and shopping, galleries and antiques, with plenty of nods to Bradford’s industrial heritage.
Make sure to check out the current Ian Beesly: Life Goes On exhibition, which offers a fascinating insight into the social photographer’s focus on local working people, and their lives following the dramatic industrial shifts of recent decades.
With a couple of hours to spare before I catch my train, I can’t not walk past Pizza Pieces – a local favourite recommended to me by pretty much everyone I speak to. And it’s not just residents who can’t get enough.
Back in the summer of 2023, RateMyTakeaway’s Danny Malin recommended the family-run basement pizzeria to his YouTube subscribers, declaring: “This is the best pizza I have ever had in the UK.” Danny even went as far as to confirm that his pepperoni pizza rivalled slices he’d enjoyed during his travels in New York.
During my own visit, I spend £3.40 on a mouthwatering slice of margarita pizza. It’s baked to perfection and brings to mind memories of sun kissed Milan squares in the springtime. Sadly, the weather outside remains more than a little chilly.
Don’t let the word ‘slice’ put you off here – this slice is an absolute whopper and enough to fill me up for the rest of the evening. If you do still have room however, the £3.50 tiramisu is said to be excellent.
Relaxed yet comfortable, Pizza Pieces offers a little piece of Italy for less in the heart of Yorkshire, and I love the quaint, rustic decor. The cosy restaurant, which also does pasta dishes, has been keeping pizza lovers of Bradford satisfied for more than 30 years, and a warm welcome awaits.
Bradford still has a little way to go before it becomes a must-see weekend destination – but the potential is absolutely there. This is a creative, vibrant city with plenty of top-tier foodie hotspots – not to mention stunning Brontë-esque scenery mere minutes away. It will be fascinating to see the direction Bradford will now take as City of Culture, and how it will thrive with a little long awaited love.
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