When Siam Smiles was still a little cafe in a Chinatown supermarket it received serious rave reviews. Since moving up to Deansgate Mews, however, it seems to have been forgotten about a little.
Most famously described as “the most exciting thing to happen since the days of the Hacienda” by Marina O’Loughlin in a 2014 review for The Guardian, owner May also made headlines for teaching herself to cook on Youtube after her chef left the business one month after opening.
National critics, like O’Loughin and others, were seemingly drawn in by the cafe’s novelty – not one review missed the opportunity to mention the supermarket, or tell you how the ingredients in the dishes were often the same as the ones on the shelves.
But since it has moved over to The Mews, an oft-forgotten back street within the Great Northern Warehouse complex, the reviews have gone suspiciously quiet – so we thought we’d pop in to see if it’s all still up to scratch.
Spoiler alert, it definitely is.
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Stir fried chicken Pad Ka Paow with jasmine rice and a fried egg. / Image: The Manc Eats
Inside SIam Smiles on Deansgate Mews. / Image: The Manc Eats
Two years after that rave review from O’Loughlin, rising bills forced the cafe to close – but with a little help, May reopened in 2016 at the Great Northern Warehouse. It’s here that you’ll still find her cooking up a storm today.
With bills firmly on the rise once again, we thought we’d pop in to shine a light on this longstanding Mancunian gem and are happy to report her food hasn’t faltered one iota.
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We went for stir fried chicken Pad Ka Paow with jasmine rice and a fried egg, and a steaming bowl of KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok with fresh egg noodles and roasted duck breast, with two glasses of Singha on the side.
A hearty portion of green papaya salad with dried shrimps. / Image: The Manc Eats
A steaming bowl of KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok with fresh egg noodles and roasted duck breast. / Image: The Manc Eats
We also couldn’t help but opt for a hearty portion of green papaya salad with dried shrimps, a dish that’s hard to find but something of a speciality here, as well as a second glass noodle salad with plump prawns and minced pork.
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The dressings, always made by May herself, completely hit the spot with their balance of hot, sour, salty and sweet.
We strongly recommend you pop in and show Siam Smiles some love. It’s not all just about the shiny new restaurants, after all. We need to treasure the veterans too – and this is one we need to protect at all costs.
Find the cafe on Deansgate Mews Unit G Upper Level ,Great Northern, 253, Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
City Centre
Plans to build ‘modern’ underground train station at Manchester Piccadilly officially proposed
Emily Sergeant
Plans have officially been proposed to build a ‘modern’ underground train station at Manchester Piccadilly.
The Government has announced a ‘major growth plan’ for the north, and as part of that, has firmed up its commitment to delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR).
NPR is said to be ‘at the heart’ of plans to deliver faster commutes, better jobs, more homes, increased investment, and ultimately, stronger connections between Manchester and several other major northern cities, even as far as North Wales.
£1.1 billion has been committed over this Spending Review period to support delivery of NPR, the Treasury has confirmed.
One of the most crucial proposals from the commitment to the NPR is an entirely new line between Liverpool and Manchester – via Warrington and Manchester Airport – will be delivered as part of the second phase in the 2030s, and work is set to begin ‘immediately’ to develop the project plans and business case in more detail.
Plans have officially been proposed to build a ‘modern’ underground train station at Manchester Piccadilly / Credit: TfGM
As part of this, Greater Manchester and the Government will be working together to explore an underground solution at Manchester Piccadilly.
It’s hoped that a new underground station at Manchester’s main train train travel hub would be a ‘catalyst’ and ‘enabler’ for major regeneration and economic growth in the region and across the North as a whole.
The underground option is said to be ‘preferred’ by local leaders.
This option would see trains run through the station, providing more reliable and quicker connections to and from West Yorkshire and beyond.
It’s also hoped that it would ‘future-proof’ the station to accommodate growing passenger numbers for decades to come, as well as ensure that the region remains the ‘growth capital’ of the UK.
Big news for the North.
Work is set to begin immediately on detailed plans for the new Liverpool–Manchester Northern Powerhouse Rail line.
A major catalyst for growth and jobs across the North. 🚆
“Finally, we have a Government with an ambitious vision for the North, firm commitment to Northern Powerhouse Rail, and an openness to an underground station in Manchester city centre,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham as the proposals were announced this week.
“A modernised Manchester Piccadilly could become the Kings Cross of the North, acting as a catalyst for major growth in our city region and beyond.
“Over the past decade, we’ve become the UK’s fastest growing city region, but underinvestment in rail infrastructure has long acted as a brake on further growth.
“Today marks a significant step forward for Greater Manchester. We’ll now work at pace to prove the case for an underground station and work up detailed designs for the route between Liverpool and Manchester.”
Featured Image – TfGM
City Centre
Manchester’s popular Winter Beer Festival is back this month and tickets are only £5
Emily Sergeant
Fancy sipping on a pint in cosy place? Hard to say no.
Once the hustle and bustle of the festive season dies down, there’s often not a great deal to look forward to in January. But luckily, Manchester has got you covered, as the now-legendary Winter Beer Festival is back by popular demand for 2026, moving from its original home at GRUB to its sister site of Fairfield Social Club.
Tickets are already on sale, if you’re keen to kick off your new year with a pint or two.
The social hub is known for hosting a wide range of cultural events and rotating food and drink vendor pop-ups all year round, but this month is perfect excuse to pay a visit, as this year’s Winter Beer Festival will take place across three days.
The Winter Beer Festival gives beer lovers the chance can sip creations from some of the best local breweries.
Running from Thursday 22 – Sunday 24 January 2026, you can expect there to be plenty of local brews to taste test over the course of the four-day festival – with loads of pop-up brewery bars and more than 30 guest taps too.
Abyss, Brew York, GlassHouse, Pastore, and Vault City are just some of the breweries you can sample tipples from.
If you’re not the biggest beer fan, you can also expect a street food, mulled cider and other winter warmers, and lots of other events over the extended weekend.
Fancy it then? Tickets for the GRUB Winter Beer Festival 2026 are now on sale, setting you back just £5 plus a small booking fee across all three days – with a limited number of tickets available on the door too.
Tickets include entry to the festival, access to the full range of beers – including all the brewery bars and guest taps – a branded WBF glass to take home with you afterwards, and FREE optional entry to any of the entertainment events taking place during your session too.
Grab tickets on the Fairfield Social Club website here.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd September 2022 
