Eats

Manchester’s new Instagrammable coffee shop is giving away FREE drinks tomorrow

Fancy a 'matcha moment'?

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 2nd May 2024

One of Manchester’s newest Instagrammable coffee shops is giving away free drinks tomorrow ahead of the bank holiday weekend.

With another long weekend right around the corner, and much of Greater Manchester and the UK fortunately looking set to bask in the springtime heat, popular coffee chain, Blank Street – which is one of Manchester city centre’s newest residents, with two sites in Piccadilly Gardens, and on the corner of King Street and Cross Street – has decided it wants to help the country “beat the 3pm slump”.

Ahead of the upcoming bank holiday weekend, the chain is inviting Mancs to “meet for matcha” tomorrow afternoon (Friday 3 May).

The exciting freebie offer is all said to be “inspired by data” that shows that almost half of office workers aren’t taking a break from their desks during the day, even despite research showing that this can boost productivity.

Hundreds of iced matcha lattes will be served up at Blank Street‘s Manchester branch on the corner of King Street and Cross Street between 3pm and 4pm tomorrow.

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Manchester’s new Instagrammable coffee shop is giving away free drinks tomorrow / Credit: Blank Street

For anyone “ice cold pick-me-up ahead of the long weekend”, but keen not to tip their employers off, the coffee shop chain has created an online tool to allow workers to discreetly add a matcha moment to their diary. 

The brand-new online tool will apparently help to “distract calendar snoopers” by creating a cleverly-named meeting and adding it automatically to Outlook, Google, or Apple calendars – with potential meeting titles that include plenty of corporate jargon to “provide the perfect alibi”.

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So, all matcha fans need to do tomorrow afternoon is show the Blank Street team at their chosen branch a meeting in their calendar, and in return, they’ll receive a free small iced matcha latte of their choice from the chain’s delicious spring menu.

Blank Street’s popular matcha offering includes the Classic Matcha, the viral Blueberry Matcha, the silky-smooth White Chocolate Matcha, and the brand-new sumptuous Golden Matcha, so there’s something to “inspire every matcha lover to take a little time out”.

As matcha allows a slow release of caffeine, Blank Street says it’s the “perfect drink” to keep energy levels up throughout the afternoon when you’re stuck at your desk on a Friday.

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You’ll need to be quick though, as the free drinks will be given away on a first come first served basis, and only one will be allocated per customer.

So get yourself down to Blank Street on King Street from 3pm tomorrow.

Featured Image – Mai Eats Food (via Blank Street on Instagram)

Eats

Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant unveils big refurb

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb

Much-loved Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five has just unveiled a beautiful refurbishment at one of its Manchester sites, along with a new menu of fresh, handmade pasta. 

Gone is the famous yellow colour palette of this Italian eatery as they swap in a sophisticated and regal turquoise blue at their Liverpool Road restaurant.

This establishment is known for its impressive shop-window pasta making stations where you can see your food prepared live in-store and while walking past outside the venue.

They’re continuing their foodie legacy serving carby creations, like a flaming cheese wheel pasta where staff blowtorch the cheese to ensure it’s as melty as possible. 

One of the biggest menu highlights at Italiana Fifty-Five is the cappellacci, which comes in two equally gorgeous forms and much like its English translation, emulates tiny hats.

These cute little plates come in two delicious stuffed pairings – the burrata, combined with a tangy tomato and beef filling, and a salmon with cream sauce and fresh lemon for a match made in heaven.

Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group

How can you think of anything more ideal than a table full of hearty and home-comforting meals than one that also features an array of beautiful sides?

Usual delights like the burrata on a bed of rocket, tomato and finished off with a balsamic vinegar glaze are a great addition to your already faultless food.

Cheesy garlic pizza bread is quintessential when dining in an Italian restaurant, and Italiana 55’s lovely flavour-packed favourite is a go-to when ordering here.

The Liverpool Road restaurant also has a tonnata pizza which uses toppings that are an exact ingredient breakdown of the Mediterranean sauce, which it shares its name with.

In photos: Italiana Fifty-Five has undergone a refurb. Credit: The Manc Group

What better way to wolf down some incredible Italian feasts than with some perfectly paired alcoholic offerings like the classic Aperol spritz, trusted espresso martinis and a selection of fine wines.

Their menu is staying as tasty as ever with their delicious pizzas and pastas, with the new fresh pasta menu available at their restaurants on Liverpool Road and in Didsbury. 

Find out more and book a table HERE. 

Read more: This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024

Featured Image: The Manc Group

Eats

Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Gail's will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village's name wrong

Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.

The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.

Gail’s put big red temporary signs in the windows of the old bank it’s moving in to – and managed to spell Prestwich wrong.

The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.

More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.

And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.

In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.

“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.

“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”

The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.

Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.

With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.

Gail's will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village's name wrong
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrong
Huge bakery chain Gail's confirms move to Prestwich - but spells village's name wrong in signage
Huge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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