Halifax: Markets, Makers & Local Flavours
If your ideal break involves great food, unique experiences and discovering independent businesses, Halifax is the perfect foodie getaway. Visit during the Calderdale Festival of Food on the 7th – 20th September and choose from over 30 exclusive events and offers serving up the very best of local food and drink. Read on for our recommendations when visiting Halifax during the Festival.
Week One (7th – 13th September)
Arrive on Friday 11th September and immerse yourself in an Eritrean Coffee Experience, where you’ll discover the traditions behind one of the world’s favourite drinks. Watch green coffee beans roasted over charcoal, freshly ground and brewed in a traditional jebena clay pot, before enjoying three ceremonial rounds of coffee, each with its own significance.
Later that day, visit Darkland Indie Brewery’s Open Day, Halifax’s only microbrewery, for behind-the-scenes tours and freshly brewed local beer in the taproom.
Beer lovers can also enjoy the Calderdale Brewery Takeover at the award-winning Big Six Inn (11th to 13th September). Recently named one of The Telegraph’s Best 500 Pubs in the UK 2026, this characterful multi-room pub is one of Halifax’s hidden gems. While you’re there, take a short walk to the dramatic Wainhouse Tower, thought to be the tallest folly in the world.
Week Two (14th – 20th September)
If you’re visiting on a Wednesday, celebrate Yorkshire flavours at Five Food in the historic Smith Bulmer Mill. Their popular Yorkshire Pudding Wednesdays (9th and 16th September) feature giant homemade Yorkshire puddings filled with roast beef or Yorkshire pork sausages.
Continue the Yorkshire theme at Holdsworth House Hotel & Restaurant, where you can enjoy afternoon tea in elegant surroundings. Festival visitors will receive a free Yorkshire distillery gin & tonic with every afternoon tea booked.
During the festival’s second week, don’t miss the Calderdale Food Gathering at the historic Halifax Borough Market on Thursday 17th September, showcasing local producers, food businesses and community connections. That afternoon, join the Taste of Halifax Market Food Tour, sampling dishes from independent traders while discovering the stories behind Halifax’s food heritage.
Extend your stay into the weekend with Chocolate Has A Name’s Taste of Rebellion Cocoa Ceremony on Saturday 19th September. This guided tasting experience offers a completely new way to experience and appreciate chocolate.
While you’re here, be sure to explore Halifax’s fantastic markets, restaurants, cafés and bars. The compact town centre makes it easy to eat, drink and explore at your own pace.
Top Tip
Don’t miss out on Magnetic North Coffee’s exclusive edition Coffee which you can pick up from the Handmade Gift Shop at The Piece Hall! Created especially for the Calderdale Festival of Food, their limited-edition blend brings together SanCoffee from Sul de Minas, Brazil, and Attia from Tolima, Colombia. With tasting notes of chocolate, brown sugar and orange, it’s a rich, approachable coffee designed to be enjoyed with or without milk, and a celebration of great coffee from right here in Calderdale.
Events Round-up:
- Eritrean Coffee Experience
- Darkland Brewery Open Day
- Big Six Inn Calderdale Brewery Takeover
- Yorkshire Pudding Wednesdays at Five Food
- Afternoon Tea at Holdsworth House
- Calderdale Food Gathering
- Taste of Halifax Market Food Tour
- A Taste of Rebellion Cocoa Ceremony with Chocolate Has A Name
Best for: Foodies, couples and weekend visitors.
