The best food and drink stalls at Manchester Christmas Markets 2022
Beautiful steamed dumplings and chimney cakes, plus Korean hotdogs, giant parmos, deep-fried Camembert bagels, carvery roast boxes from the Yorkshire wrap legends at Porky Pig and more
Gluhwein, Bavarian beer and big fat German bratwursts in numerous flavours have returned to Manchester today as the Christmas Markets officially open in the city centre.
Running from Thursday 10 November until Thursday 22 December, central Manchester is now a maze of charming wooden huts selling everything from classic wintry drinks, to cheese-filled and curried sausages, alongside some new additions that celebrate the best of the local street food scene.
From the likes of mulled wine and hot, boozy cider, to steaming mugs of Italian Vin Boule, Nordic Glocc and French Vin Chaud, cheeky hot Vimto (Rumto or Ginto), Manchester blob and more, as ever there’s plenty to get excited about.
Pork dumplings on rice with ginger at Oi Dumpling. / Image: The Manc Eats
Parmo butties at Parmogeddon. / Image: The Manc Eats
Some of the city’s restauranteurs are getting involved this year too, with the likes of Simon Shaw’s Habas setting up a Moroccan-inspired stall on King Street and Northern Quarter favourite Yard & Coop slinging out chicken trays on St Ann’s Square.
Elsewhere, you’ll find
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Keep reading to discover all of the best food and drink stalls at Manchester’s Christmas markets this year.
Piccadilly Gardens – Winter Gardens
Christmas parmos on chips and parmo butties from Parmogeddon. / Image: The Manc Eats
Crispy chocolate dumplings from Oi Dumpling. / Image: The Manc Eats
Bigger and better than ever this year, Piccadilly Gardens has once again been transformed into the market’s main festive hub for the season.
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Featuring a new giant Nordic-style double tipi and eye-catching WIndmilll bar, as well as three separate areas full of different food and drink stalls, highlights include new stalls from local favourites Parmageddon and Oi Dumplings.
Winter Gardens also sees the return of 2021 hit trader Panc Foods, who wowed vegans and meat eaters alike last year with their plant-based bratwursts and burgers, as well as the popular Korean hot dog stall and bagels from Prestwich favourites Triple B (including a fried camembert version with red onion chutney and stilton mayo).
With more stalls serving up pancakes, churros, and an array of winter tipples, you’ll find two huge bars serving continental and foreign ales, as well as a host of different mixers, cocktails, and all the beers, gluhwein and hot chocolates your heart desires.
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Fried Camembert burger from Triple B. / Image: The Manc Eats
Strawberry crumb and Biscoff chimney cake from Yum Yum. / Image: The Manc Eats
There’s also a huge Manchester Winter Ale House selling cask ales from local breweries like JW Lees, alongside hot drinks like boozy Vimto (made with gin or rum), and ‘Manchester’s legendary Hot Blobs’, which we’re told are a mix of sweet white wine, sugar, lemon, and hot water.
Old favourites the Pig and Barrel also make a welcome return to the Winter Gardens offering up their delicious pork barms and cosy seating area, whilst elsewhere you’ll find a new ‘dirty chicken’ stall, pancake house, ‘Rogue’ pizza bar, Japanese apres ski bar and a little Polish bakery selling cheesecake and apple pie.
St Ann’s Square and Exchange Street
Pies to enjoy at home from Great North Pie Co. / Image: The Manc Eats
A cheese stall selling ‘chip shop curry’ and ‘red wine port’ flavours. / Image: The Manc Eats
St Ann’s Square- the original site for Manchester’s Christmas markets- returns with its large undercover bar providing German beers and warm cherry Gluhwein to keep Christmas revellers warm and merry throughout the winter season.
Also playing host to some of Manchester’s best local traders this year, you’ll find Northern Quarter foodie favourites Yard and Coop serving up their salt and pepper chicken trays alongside award-winning local favourites Great North Pie, and Manc and Proud serving up Mancunian-themed everything.
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Elsewhere, you’ll find fresh authentic paella and tapas, square pizzas, continental chocolates and a range of English cheeses priced at just £3 each in flavours including the magnificent ‘chip shop curry’.
There are also Biscoff cookie pies, cookie and cream fudge puds disguised as Christmas puddings, chocolate orange slabs and giant marshmallow Christmas trees to discover.
Market Street
There’s not much to report here food-wise, with the majority of stalls focusing on selling gifts and other crafty trinkets.
We did spy a massive stall selling pick and mix, though, for those who haven’t yet got over the closure of Woolworth’s, as well as a spiced rum stall and a few gift sets of cheese truckles.
King Street
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Home to some of the best food stall in Manchester, the Christmas deli stalls on King Street takes foodies on a world tour of some of the best-loved dishes on the planet.
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The amazing Italian cheese and meat stall returns, piled high with giant wheels of parmigiano, gorgonzola, goat cheese, pecorino and taleggio, plus a huge variety of salami and smoked bacon pancetta, with giant hams hanging above ready to be sliced to order on a custom machine.
As for ready-to-eat street food, you’ll find everything from squid ink arancini balls and gorgeous Sicilian cannoli, to Greek gyros and halloumi fries, French garlic mushrooms and mustard chicken, baklava, olives, marinated garlic cloves and local rum made right across the river in Salford.
A bar at the end of King Street selling some of Manchester Christmas markets cheapest mulled wine and beer. / Image: The Manc Eats
Arancini balls on sale at a dedicated stall on King Street. / Image: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere, restaurant Habas, part of the El Gato Negro group, has a full outdoor set up serving dishes from its Moroccan-inspired menu including the likes of chicken and vegetable tagine with spiced rice and mini pittas, chargrilled lamb merguez burger.
There’s also a gin and mulled wine bar selling a huge variety of G&Ts with premium bottles like Gin Mare on offer, and a second beer and mulled wine bar at the Deansgate end with everything you need to get merry.
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New Cathedral Street
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
On New Cathedral Street, the longstanding home of the big sausage, find stalls selling old-fashioned liquorice and handmade cocktails to drink at home, alongside hot street food stalls offering everything from vegan 5 bean chilli to New York Bagels.
Elsewhere, you’ll find Bar 3’s famous Instagram-worthy smoking cocktails, mulled wine and craft beers, and traditional steins and mouth-watering currywurst at The Witchouse.
Exchange Square
Over on Exchange Square, you can warm up at the instantly recognisable Mill Exchange bar, with their special Mancunian mulled wine made on-site and its legends of Manchester artwork adorning its walls.
2022 also sees the return of the famous Porky Pig’s Yorkshire Pudding Wrap, alongside stalls selling hot curries, mini pancakes, fresh fudge, hand-carved olivewood decorations, German kebabs, and gourmet Italian pizza.
The Corn Exchange
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Set between Manchester’s historic Corn Exchange building and Shambles Square, visitors can expect to find a pie stall from The Crusty Pie Company selling every filling variation you can think of – from pork and black pudding to Hunstmans pies, chicken and leek, wild boar and mushroom, turkey and cranberry, and chicken and chestnut stuffing pies. You can also find bags of traditional pork scratchings from £2.
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Elsewhere, Jammy Dodger-loaded cupcakes, Nutella-topped confections, and more covered with pick and mix sweeties, chocolate Oreos, and golden pretzels can be found at Zara’s Cupcakes market stall, and there’s another English cheese stall selling flavours like ‘chip shop curry’, ‘stuffing’ and ‘fiery dragon’ from £3 each.
Cathedral Gardens
Opening Saturday 22 October in time for half term and Halloween, the much-loved undercover ice rink Skate MCR is back with entertainment each Thursday to Sunday all the way through to New Year’s Eve.
Next to the ice rink, hot food, warm drinks, pancakes and tipples will be on offer from nearby market stalls to help warm up cold hands and feet after a skate on the ice.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Food & Drink
The best Sunday roasts in Greater Manchester according to the Good Food Guide 2024
Daisy Jackson
The Good Food Guide has named the best Sunday roasts in the UK and there’ve been a few nods for Greater Manchester (naturally).
After 18,000 public nominations, the guide and its team of inspectors have pulled together a list of the very best roasts around the country.
While the overall top spot went to The Abbey Inn in North Yorkshire, there were plenty of shouts for roasts in the North West.
Shrub in Chester took home Best Vegan, with judges saying ‘You miss nothing and gain everything’ with its brilliant trimmings.
And although it’s one of the London branches that was technically listed, Blacklock nabbed the title of having the best Sunday roast for group dining.
Blacklock recently opened its first restaurant here in Manchester, serving traditional chop house food with a modern twist.
The Good Food Guide said: “Unrivalled if you’re with a group of friends, this Canary Wharf chophouse (part of a small London group, with a Manchester outpost), is considered a ‘Sunday wonderland’ by its many fans.
Blacklock has been listed in the Good Food Guide’s Best Sunday Roasts list. Credit: Supplied
“With ‘super-accommodating staff’ and roasts that are ‘almost as good as mum’s’ (their words), it’s a star turn. Order the ‘all in’ sharing feast, which comprises a trio of ‘succulent’ dry-aged beef rump, lamb and pork loin with gigantic yorkies, duck-fat roast potatoes and limitless gravy.”
Another cosy spot in Marple Bridge in Stockport also made the Good Food Guide’s Sunday roast list, hailed for its fire-roasting.
The guide said: “‘Sophisticated yet comforting’ is the verdict on the elevated Sunday deal at this bottle shop and bistro in one of Stockport’s more comely corners.
“Fire-roasting is Fold’s USP, and the flames lick around everything from aged beef bavettes with ‘Yorkie bits’ and smoked salt to porchetta with Manchester ale, fennel and Pink Lady apple. Each plate comes with a wagyu-fat potato slice, but it’s worth ordering some extras (perhaps roast sandy carrots in lamb fat). Great for kids.”
Outside the Pack Horse in HayfieldInside The Pack Horse Hayfield. Credit: The Manc Group
The Pack Horse in Hayfield – which recently caught our eye with its brilliant breakfasts – has rightly been praised for its post-hike atmosphere and its ‘stylishly rustic and warmly welcoming interior’.
The guide said: “All the Sunday roast trimmings come as standard, whether you’re ordering the melting beef sirloin, the braised lamb shoulder, the venison loin or even the veggie option (carrot, tenderstem broccoli and Tunworth tart, say).
“Everything is thoughtfully prepared, full of flavour and of the highest quality, and the kitchen runs proudly with the seasons.”
Hawksmoor has been listed in the Good Food Guide’s Best Sunday Roasts list. Credit: Supplied
And finally, to absolutely no one’s surprise, Hawksmoor also placed comfortably on the top 50 Sunday roasts list.
‘The quality of the meat is unrivalled,’ observed one fan, and there were also rave reviews for the crispy beef-dripping roasties and ‘bottomless’ bone-marrow gravy.
Where’s your favourite roast in Greater Manchester?
The Pack Horse – the Michelin-recommended Peak District pub serving the best pre-hike breakfast in the North
Daisy Jackson
There’s a pub in the Peak District that’s comfortably established itself as one of the very best in the UK, and this banging local isn’t just about pints and Sunday roasts.
The Pack Horse in the village of Hayfield is also a purveyor of an excellent breakfast, perfect to fuel you up before a big hike in the surrounding hills.
Want a little taste of this pub’s accolades? In the space of just one week, The Pack Horse placed in the Top 50 Gastropubs and then got added to the Michelin Guide – a stunning double header.
The restaurant in Hayfield was praised by Michelin inspectors for being ‘a true village local’.
Just this week, it was also added to the Good Food Guide’s list of the best Sunday roasts in the UK.
Headed up by chef and co-owner Luke Payne, The Pack Horse in the village of Hayfield is an outstanding establishment.
Here is a pub where you can have a world-class meal that shows off the best of British produce, while sipping an ale, with muddy boots on your feet.
Inside The Pack Horse Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupOutside the Pack Horse in Hayfield
It doesn’t really matter who you ask, The Pack Horse is readily and consistently named one of the best pubs in the entire UK and anyone stepping through its door would struggle to argue with that.
Because although the price point sits a little higher than your average boozer, it still has all the trappings of a proper country pub.
Yes, there are crisps behind the bar. Yes, there’s a pub quiz. Yes, there’s a resident pub dog (Lola the Labrador will sit and stare you out if there is anything edible in your immediate vicinity).
But what we haven’t seen anywhere near enough people harp on about is the breakfast at The Pack Horse.
The ingredients on their breakfast menu are all sourced so locally you could probably hike to any of them with a bit of grit and determination.
From Port of Lancaster smoked kippers to bacon cut thick and laced with maple, everything is of the highest quality.
You can’t go wrong with The Pack Horse signature breakfast, which has eggs, bacon, Manchester sausage, crispy hash browns, Doreen’s black pudding, wild mushrooms, confit tomato, trotter beans, AND sourdough.
A bacon and egg muffin at The Pack Horse HayfieldCoffee, juice and a breakfast menu at The Pack Horse. Credit: The Manc Group
You can have the full portion for £20 or just take one of each item for £10 and then immediately regret not having more.
The bulk of the menu beyond that centres around the pub’s homemade English muffins, toasted and buttered and filled with whatever breakfast item takes your fancy (scrambled egg and bacon for me, always).
It’s a breakfast worthy of the fanciest hotels and most popular of brunch spots.
Once you’re suitably fuelled and ready for a walk there are two hikes nearby that aren’t too strenuous and crucially don’t take too long (those daylight savings hours really mess with a big hike, eh).
The Sett Valley Trail starts just across the road and is a consistent and mostly flat out-and-back.
Kinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc GroupKinder Reservoir in the Peak District. Credit: The Manc Group
You can follow it all the way to the Torrs Millennium Walkway in New Mills if you fancy, or just turn back when you’ve had enough.
Or you can head the other way through Hayfield out towards Kinder Reservoir – the loop will take you over streams and stepping stones and little wooden bridges, past the huge body of water, through woodland and fields, and place you within sight of Kinder Downfall waterfall.
This is the poster child of the Peak District and one of the National Park’s best, most comprehensive walks.
You’ll also be close to Kinder Scout, but this is a more challenging hike and at this time of year we’d really recommend setting off nice and early to get maximum daylight hours.
And that would mean no time for a Pack Horse breakfast, which just won’t do.
Georgina Pellant -
11th November 2022 
