The Lamb of Tartary, a smart new British pub in the heart of Manchester, has suddenly closed only six months after opening.
The beautiful pub came from the same team behind the successful Edinburgh Castle over in Ancoats.
It took over the former Cottonopolis site on the corner of Newton Street and Dale Street and transformed it into a restaurant space filled with ornate panelling and leafy green plants.
The team decorated the huge dining hall with a beautiful terracotta-painted ceiling, faux windows with linen curtains, and quartz-patterned booths. It was, by all accounts, a looker.
Then just weeks ago, the Lamb of Tartary rebranded itself as L.o.T.
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Along with its rebrand came a new menu filled with small plates and other dishes inspired by the Silk Road.
It also overhauled its brunch offering and Sunday feast menu and launched a new cocktail menu.
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It’s been only a few weeks of this new offering but it appears that Lamb of Tartary has called it a day.
Its Instagram page has been deleted and website has gone dark.
The Manc has reached out to the Lamb of Tartary for comment.
The Lamb of Tartary in Manchester has closed. Credit: The Manc Group
The new BBQ restaurant beneath a Manchester railway arch where meat is cooked very, VERY slowly
Daisy Jackson
There’s a new BBQ spot beneath a railway arch in Manchester, and it’s cooking its meat very, very slowly.
Sandy’s Smokeshed has just opened in Castlefield, where Sam – and his smoker, Angela – are serving up serious Texas-style BBQ, with queues already stretching out the door.
The idea is simple: take great cuts of meat, cover them generously in seasoning, put them in the smoker and give them all the time they need.
That means beef shin smoked over oak and cherry for 10 hours, eight-hour smoked beef chuck and the Boston Butt, alongside brisket, short ribs, chicken and plenty more.
Sam has always been a fan of BBQ, but decided to take things rather more seriously when he bought the enormous smoker now sitting underneath the arch. It’s a serious piece of kit, cooking the meat from all directions and producing the kind of results where everything practically collapses in your hand.
And the location only adds to the atmosphere. While you’re eating, trains rattle overhead, giving the place an appropriately industrial Manchester soundtrack.
Sandy’s Smokeshed is beneath the arches in CastlefieldOwner Sam seasoning his pulled porkJuicy, pull-apart chicken
The BBQ comes with plenty of proper sides, too, including pit beans and slaw, plus garlic BBQ sauce for pouring over the top.
There are also some particularly good sandwiches, made with Holy Grain sourdough from next door and filled with pulled pork, steak, or braised ox shin.
Sandy’s Smokeshed kicked things off last weekend with a free food, BYOB feast, and judging by the queues, word has travelled quickly.
It’s open Tuesday to Saturday from 11am – but only until they sell out.
Vegetarians, look away now. Everyone else, you’ll want to get there early.
‘A very special day’ – Northern Quarter institution The Trof added to Michelin Guide
Daisy Jackson
Just months after relaunching as a classic pub and dining room, Northern Quarter icon The Trof has been added to the prestigious Michelin Guide.
The long-standing Manchester bar has always been a firm favourite locally for after-work drinks, brunches, and Sunday roasts, but underwent something of a transformation back in April.
Now rebranded from simply ‘Trof’ to ‘The Trof’, the pub has a new, refined menu of British pub classics showcasing top local produce, under the steer of Matt Nellany and Jamie Pickles, of Stow fame.
The pair’s efforts haven’t gone unnoticed – just months after its relaunch, The Trof has already landed a spot in the Michelin Guide.
The guide described it as a ‘welcoming’ and ‘no-nonsense’ spot that’s perfect for a lot of things, whether it’s a pint downstairs in the bar or a full meal upstairs in the dining room.
The Trof now joins a list of Manchester’s finest restaurants, including Michelin-starred Skof and Mana, Bib Gourmand-rated spots like El Gato Negro and The Sparrows, plus a raft of other brilliant food spots.
Sharing the achievement, The Trof said: “To think that our little pub on the corner of the Northern Quarter has made it in to the Michelin Guide – makes today a very special day!
“This one’s for the whole team. Up The Trof.”
Downstairs in a refurbished The TrofThe Trof’s new dining room
And adding to that, co-owner Matt Nellany told us: “Trof has been a huge part of my life for almost a decade. I worked here as a manager and General Manager before Jamie and I took ownership, so while the venue has evolved, it has always felt incredibly personal to us.
“We’ve always tried to build on the strong foundations that made Trof such an institution, but earlier this year we made the bold decision to take it in a new direction as a heritage pub and dining room.
“It wasn’t a change we made lightly. Trof was already thriving, but we had a clear vision for what it could become and felt compelled to take that next step. While the transformation may have happened over the last few months, the work and ambition behind it have been building for the best part of five years.
“Seeing the response from our guests has been incredibly rewarding and has made the risk worthwhile.
Pie and steak at The Trof in ManchesterA cherry and pistachio Bakewell pudding
“Whether people have joined us for a pint and a scotch egg, dinner in the dining room, or a Sunday roast, the support we’ve received has meant the world to us. It’s a project we’re immensely proud of, and it’s really special to see both long-time regulars and new visitors embracing this next chapter of Trof.”
The Michelin Guide said: “From its name alone, you could guess that there’s a no-nonsense approach to this red-brick pub in the city’s bustling Northern Quarter.
“Run by the same team as Stow, it’s a welcoming spot where the ground-floor pub is ideal for a pint and a snack, while the upstairs dining room is the setting for mightily appealing British dishes that come with full-force flavour.
“Ox cheek pie with mash and an intense beef sauce is typical of the kind of hearty cooking to expect. As the chef-owner is from the Peak District, expect some version of a Bakewell tart on the menu too.”
Daisy Jackson -
3rd September 2024 
