A restaurant that only serves viral food inspired by trends seen on TikTok is opening in Manchester this summer, it has been revealed.
From nibbles like fluffy cloud bread and corn ribs to trendy pasta dishes like spicy vodka penne and whole baked feta fusilli, Mancs can expect to see all of their favourite TikTok recipes on the menu when PlateTok opens its doors in the Northern Quarter this summer.
It’s tipped to be taking over the old Nexus Art Cafe unit, a once-iconic basement cafe that has stood empty for the past two years after being hit hard in the early days of the Covid pandemic.
The new restaurant is the brainchild of Pete Stake – a former social media manager who decided to venture into the world of restaurants after seeing just how popular some of these viral food trends had become online in the last few years.
‘Ribs’ made out of sweetcorn took the world by storm – now they’re coming to PlateTok’s menu. / Image: Twitter
Pete spent a lot of lockdown eating TikTok recipes his partner would cook for him and, after being made redundant from his position at the end of last year, decided to delve into hospitality instead – taking his years of social media marketing experience with him.
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Now, he’s gearing up to open PlateTok this summer with a launch date set for the start of June.
Speaking on the new opening, Mr P Stake said: “I’m so excited to bring PlateTok to Manchester, I just can’t believe that no one has thought to do this before. Gimmicky restaurants seem to be all the rage right now.
“I came up with the idea in part thanks to my partner, who’ll cook me Nando’s pasta as a treat when I needed cheering up. It just got me thinking, I’d definitely go out for dinner to have this – and maybe others will be into it too.
“Sometimes it’s the maddest ideas that are the most successful – just look at Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et. People will really go and pay £100 to eat a sh*t burger wrapped in gold leaf, in the hopes of seeing him sprinkle a bit of salt off his arm.
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Mermaid toast with blue-green algae powders and almond milk cream cheese on Pollen sourdough is one of the dishes set to appear on PlateTok’s menu. / Image: Youtube
“Don’t worry, our prices won’t be anywhere near that – but the overall feeling of quirky, fun dishes that look good on your feed is still there. It’s all about bringing the social media experience to life in the restaurant.”
Further viral foods set to appear on the menu include burger tortilla ‘crunch’ wraps (made using locally-sourced beef from PlateTok’s neighbours The Butcher’s Quarter), baked pasta ‘chips’ with an olive tapenade dip, green and red bell pepper sandwiches, salmon rice bowls and a dish initially created by Lizzo called ‘nature’s cereal’ – which is really anything but.
Elsewhere, you’ll find ocean-blue Mermaid toast (blue-green algae powders and almond milk cream cheese on Pollen sourdough) and ‘Galaxy bagels’ loaded with pink cream cheese – a twist on the popular Rainbow Bagel trend that instead uses food colouring to create a cosmic starry-sky illusion.
As for drinks, think whipped coffees, bottles of pre-batched Jungle Juice, tamarind-rimmed mimosas packed with frozen fruit ice cubes and more, as well as a range of standard soft drinks, wines and beers.
Suffice to say, we’re really through that looking glass now, Alice.
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The site is expected to open this summer with a fresh, modern look.
Expect bright neon signs, industrial elements nodding to Manchester’s history and plenty of selfie traps – including a digital photo cutout board that can be customised with your own images, taking the TikTok Camera Roll Sticker firmly ‘irl’.
Due to open in Manchester sometime this June, no official launch date has yet been set so make sure to follow PlateTok on social media to keep up with further updates.
And if you made it this far without twigging the date… we are sorry.
Feature image – Google/ Twitter
News
An iconic vintage train is set to pass through Greater Manchester this summer
Danny Jones
Calling all railway enthusiasts: another historic vintage locomotive is set to visit two Greater Manchester train stations this summer.
Whether you’re a passionate trainspotter or just a nearby resident curious to see what all the fuss is about, the cult favourite retro carriages will pass through the pair of Manc boroughs and surrounding areas early next month.
Despite an adjustment in the initial plans, locals will still be able to witness and board the train at multiple stops along the way in the Stockport (Reddish South station) and Rochdale areas.
So, if you consider yourself a bit of a ‘Francis Bourgeois’ figure, or a general public transport connoisseur, pay attention.
Designed by Sir Kenneth Granger and officially launched back in 1976, the fleet was named as such after the top speed of 125mph – simple as that.
Once again, it’s worth noting that the originally proposed route and stops have now been changed due to issues with Network Rail.
As a result of there currently being no standing approval to use the connection from Paignton to Bury on the East Lancs Railway line, they have been forced to change the start and terminus points.
Writing on the dedicated 125Group website, they say: “We are reviewing our options to start as close as possible to the advertised departure point, and it seems likely that Rochdale will become the start and finish point, with all other previous pick-ups retained.
“For those in the far south west, we are looking to see whether we can offer an Exeter to Paignton return – subject to availability of space. We will add this to the booking site shortly, although we may have to limit numbers sold until we are more certain of booking levels to Bristol and Exeter.”
Two 125s, including ‘The Mancunian Princess’, travelled through the SK region earlier this year.
They have reassured that the journey will still be going ahead and have simply advised those hoping to catch it to keep their eyes peeled on the website and their socials for the latest updates.
Kids’ tickets start from just a tenner, and standard passes for the full tour cost £99, with first-class the class option priced at £149 (there’s also a table for two supplement available for £50).
You can see the full map, find out more information, and grab your seats right HERE.
Bet the internet signal on this relic isn’t far off the current standard either, to be fair…
Temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre reportedly confirmed
Emily Sergeant
The temporary location for the new Number 10 North project has been announced.
You may remember that earlier last month, it was revealed that Andy Burnham had intentions to create a Number 10 North if he was to become Prime Minister, and now that he is, more details on this move to Manchester have been revealed.
Number 10 North is expected to be a ‘dominant driver of the UK’s economy’ once it’s officially up and running, Government ministers say.
According to BBC News reports, civil servants working for Government departments based in London have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move to the northern base in Manchester, which is said to be being overseen by cabinet minister and ally of Andy Burnham, Louise Haigh.
The temporary location for ‘Number 10 North’ in Manchester city centre has reportedly been confirmed / Credit: gov.uk (via Wikimedia Commons)
Haigh – who is the first secretary of state – has reportedly been asked, according to the BBC, to have been asked to lead a new Office for the Prime Minister and the Cabinet (OPMC), which will give her control of key decision-making bodies across Government.
The OPMC will include No 10 and No 10 North, as well as other teams within the Cabinet Office.
It is understood, according to the same BBC reports, that the initial temporary location of No 10 North will be Heron House, just off Albert Square in central Manchester, which is the same building that currently houses offices for the intelligence service GCHQ, and where eyewitnesses have spotted police officers guarding in recent days.
🚨 NEW: No 10 North will temporarily be based at Heron House in central Manchester
Whitehall civil servants have been offered relocation packages to encourage them to move pic.twitter.com/BVyUkNfxRr
The longer-term base for Number 10 North, however, is expected to be at the new Government ‘Digital Campus’, which is currently under construction in the Ancoats and is not due for completion until 2032.
Alongside Whitehall officials who are willing to move to Manchester, it is also likely there will be a significant movement of staff from Burnham’s former mayoral team at the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the BBC reports.
You can discover more about the plans for Number 10 North here.
Georgina Pellant -
1st April 2022 
