Manchester’s tiniest tapas bar is taking over Chorlton Green
Diners can expect to find tried-and-tested tapas favourites, alongside lesser-known dishes adapted from family recipes passed down through generations.
Manchester’s tiniest tapas eatery has just revealed plans to take over the kitchen at Chorlton Green over the Jubilee weekend.
Abeja chef Ana Villegas will bemoving into the charming independent wine and cocktail bar, run by local couple David and Lucy, for four days – cooking up a southern Spanish menu, with a focus on fine Andalucian produce.
A biochemist for the past twenty years, she first launched Abjea in 2019 ahead of the pandemic – starting life from a tiny unit hidden underneath the Mancunian Way.
This was Ana’s first foray into the world of hospitality – not that you’d be able to tell – and whilst she no longer has her unit at Hatch, she’s continued to do pop-ups around the city every now and then whilst she looks for a new home.
Now, she’s bringing Abeja to the Chorlton Green for a limited time only – giving fans a chance to sample some of their favourite dishes once again when she pops up in the south Manchester suburb this June.
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Starting from 2 June, fans will be able to tuck into gorgeous sharing platters of painstakingly-sourced Spanish cheese and charcuterie from chef Ana Villegas’ hometown, alongside special nibbles like piquillo pepper hummus canapes and olives.
On the tapas menu, meanwhile, diners will find blistered padron peppers sat alongside handmade serrano ham and spinach and cheese croquettes, as well as Olla Gitana – a special stew you must try that comes from Ana’s hometown of Granada.
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Other must-tries include her classic Spanish tortilla, which comes served with aioli and piquillo peppers, and the Pincho Maruno – a dish of marinated Iberico pork skewers, served with padron and piquillo peppers.
Elsewhere, you’ll find the tapas staple patatas bravas with customisable add-ons like chorizo and fried eggs, alongside grilled, juicy shell-on prawns and crisp, lightly battered calamari.
As for dessert (if you’ve got room), think freshly-fried churros served with a chocolate dipping sauce. The perfect way to finish off an afternoon or evening of indulgence, if you ask us.
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Alongside Chorlton Green’s great selection of drinks, Abeja will also be serving up glasses and jugs of classic sangria to help locals celebrate this Bank Holiday with a Spanish twist.
The southern Spanish kitchen became hugely popular during its time at indie food and drink village Hatch, where it carved out a niche for itself as the tiniest tapas bar in the city.
With room for just 15 covers at a time, its fans would all squish in to devour plates of charcuterie and cheese, as well as Ana’s more unusual dishes – like aubergine fries served with molasses.
When the team announced plans to close their Hatch site in January this year, they wrote on social media that it had been ‘an incredible journey […] despite opening a few months before Covid’.
Having begun the business with zero experience in the hospitality industry (Villegas left a career as a research scientist to open Abeja), it was with heavy hearts that they decided it was time to move on from Hatch.
However, they also hinted towards plans for a new site all of their own, adding “this is far from the end for Abeja – we are moving on to bigger and better things… We will be announcing some very exciting news about a new, independent venue very soon!”
More information on the new opening is yet to be released, but in the meantime, Abeja fans should make sure to go and enjoy Ana’s inventive cooking over in Chorlton.
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You can find Abeja at the Chorlton Green between 12-9pm from Thursday 2 June to Sunday 5 June.
Feature image – Supplied
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Council calls on public to suggest names for new public square in Stretford
Emily Sergeant
The Greater Manchester public is being called on to help name a brand-new public square in the heart of Stretford.
Could we have another ‘Boaty McBoatface’ on our hands? As far as public naming competitions go, the comical suggestion for the name of a new RMS ship back in 2016 – which was then given to a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) instead – will probably always lead the way as the most well-known entrant.
But now, it’s Greater Manchester‘s turn to give it a go and get creative with their naming suggestions, as Trafford Council inviting the local community to name a brand-new public square that’s set to open in the heart of Stretford next year.
Connecting the newly restored King Street and Pinnington Lane, Trafford Council says the new public square will play “a key part in the transformation of the area” and be a “focal point” for the area – with lots of greenery, seating areas, and spaces to “meet, rest and play” and host events too.
Residents are being encouraged to “put their imprint on the Square” by putting forward their suggestions for its name.
All the entries will be condensed into a shortlist and the public will then vote on their favourite.
With the naming competition fully underway, Trafford residents now have the opportunity to talk to the Stretford town centre team, get creative, and post entries into the voting box that’ll be in place in Stretford Mall up until Sunday 19 May, as well as submit their ideas via the Stretford town centre website.
To come up with their names suggestions, the Council wants residents to take inspiration from these three themes:
Heritage – celebrating the fascinating history embedded into Stretford’s identity
Culture – showcasing the rich and vibrant cultural tapestry that defines the essence of the town and its residents
Community – reflecting the strong sense of unity among Stretford’s residents, making the town a welcoming place to live, work, and socialise.
After submissions are closed, the Stretford town centre forum will then decide on three entries that “best represent the area” and have made best use of the inspiration topics to go to the public vote for the final decision.
A town centre polling station will be open for residents to cast their votes in person, or they can do so online via both a Google form or a range of social media polls.
The public vote will officially close on Sunday 16 June, and the unveiling ceremony will take place at The StretFest on Saturday 6 July, where the winner and name of the new public square will be announced.
Fancy shooting a suggestion then? Find out more on the Stretford Town Centre website here.
Featured Image – STC / Bruntwood
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Manchester-born Lord of the Rings and Titanic actor Bernard Hill dies aged 79
Danny Jones
Manchester actor, best known for roles in Lord of the Rings, Titanic, Shirley Valentine and more, has sadly died at the age of 79.
Born in Blackley near the River Irk, historically part of Lancashire, the familiar British face who often popped up in Hollywood too famously played Théoden, the King of Rohan, in the original trilogy of fantasy films as well as Captain Edward Smith in Titanic.
His death was announced by his agent Lou Coulson via the BBC, who confirmed that he passed away in the early hours of Sunday morning.
A statement from his family is expected soon and tributes are already pouring in online.
Hill studied at what is now the Manchester School of Theatre, formerly known as the Polytechnic School of Theatre and also went on to appear in the much-loved BBC drama by Alan Bleasdale, Boys from the Blackstuff, back in 1982.
Playing the character of Yosser Hughes – best-known for the line “gizza a job” – the show went on to be awarded a BAFTA for best drama series in 1983 and was ranked as the seventh best TV show ever made on a 2000 round-up by the British Film Institute
He was also due for a big return to TV screens in series two of another BBC hit, The Responder starring Martin Freeman, which begins airing at 9pm this Sunday.