Eats

Popular Manchester bar Three Little Words launches full espresso martini menu

Including a CLEAR espresso martini

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 13th March 2025

One of Manchester’s best cocktail bars is rolling out a whole menu dedicated to espresso martinis, in celebration of Espresso Martini Week.

Three Little Words, a bar, restaurant and distillery tucked beneath the arches of Manchester Central, is teaming up with Australian coffee liqueur brand Mr Black to craft the ultimate experience for espresso martini fans.

If you like your cocktails with a kick of caffeine, this is a week dedicated to the world’s most iconic coffee cocktail that you don’t want to miss.

They’re even giving you a chance to win a cocktail tree of four drinks for free.

Three Little Words takes its spirits seriously – it’s founded by Manchester Gin, and the bar is home to the Spirit of Manchester Distillery.

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That means a whole host of gins and vodkas are distilled right next to where you’ll be ordering your cocktails from, including Sphere Vanilla and Tonka vodka, which happens to be the perfect base for an espresso martini.

It’s not just the alcohol that’s taken seriously here either, with Three Little Words teaming up with the legendary Mancoco to create a custom coffee blend specifically for espresso martinis.

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Espresso Martini tree at Three Little Words
Espresso Martini tree at Three Little Words
Three Little Words in Manchester has a full espresso martini menu
Three Little Words in Manchester has a full espresso martini menu

Running from Wednesday 12 to Sunday 16 March, Three Little Words has a full menu of five different espresso martinis for you to try.

There’s the classic you already know and love, made with Sphere Vanilla and Tonka Vodka and Mr Black Coffee Liqueur.

Then there’s a mind-bending illusion of an espresso martini, the bar’s brand-new Clear Collection #1 – it’s a completely clear cocktail (compared to the usual dark brown espresso martini), which still delivers all the velvety intensity of the classic.

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You can also order a Flat White Martini, which has Baileys in it; a Black Cherry Martini, featuring One-Eyed Rebel Black Cherry Spiced Rum; and the Mayan Martini, made with tequila and espresso.

Or if you can’t decide, order an espresso martini tree and you can mix and match any four espresso martinis in one go.

On Espresso Martini Day itself, which falls on Saturday 15 March, there’ll be Espresso Martini Tarot Cards in play – pick the winning card, and your espresso martini tree is free.

Three Little Words’ Espresso Martini Week celebrations will run from 12 until 16 March – find out more HERE.

Read more: There’s a bakery in Manchester where you can decorate your own adorable tiny bento cake

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Bolton butchers wins ‘best burger in Britain’ at national craft butchery awards

Danny Jones Danny Jones

A butchers in Bolton can now lay claim to the title of ‘best burger in Britain’, at least according to an annual nationwide craft butchery awards ceremony.

Pies, comedy, arguably the best ‘kebabs’ in the world and now burgers – Bolton really is a Northerner’s dream, isn’t it?

Taking home not just one but two Diamond awards in two different categories at the 2025 Smithfield Awards where the best of British butchery is put on show each year, Fraser’s Butchers in the suburb of Great Lever got the top nod from the top dogs in the world of meat and more.

Already beloved by locals and multi-award-winning by various regional and national bodies, it doesn’t come as that much of a surprise but Boltonians are nonetheless buzzing for their go-to butchers.

best burger in britain awards
Proud as pork—I mean, punch* (Credit: Supplied)

As mentioned, it wasn’t actually just one particular type of patty that Fraser’s were praised for: the butchers, which has been open since 2003 and is famed for its fresh farm produce, won two prestigious national awards for its ‘Mega Burger’ as well as their Minted Lamb and Halloumi Kebab.

The highly-celebrated Bolton brand’s Diamond double was announced at the Butchers’ Hall in London back at the end of February, beating out nine other artisan butchers from across the UK to be crowned top of their class.

Organised by the Q Guild of Butchers, the awards which have run for more than three decades judge the UK’s finest craft butchery products including sausages, bacon, burgers, steak, game products, BBQ products and more.

Winning in both the Burger and BBQ categories, respectively – in what is widely recognised as the meat trade’s most high-profile and challenging product evaluation – it’s a big accolade in the butchery world.

frasers butchers bolton
Fraser’s is the most highly-rated butchers in Bolton.
mega burger bolton
You’re looking at the best burger in Britain.
Credit: Fraser’s Butchers (via Facebook)

Products are awarded a Bronze, Silver or Gold award by a panel of independent judges, with all Gold products in each category then pitched against each for the category champion Diamond Award.

Scoring full marks from the Q Guild representatives, Fraser’s popular Minted Lamb and Halloumi Kebab was described by judges as a simply “excellent product.”

As for the ‘Mega Burger’ itself, it scored an impressive 67 points out of a possible 70, with judges noting that it “looks and feels premium and has a lovely blend of flavour.” But the props don’t stop there either.

The butcher also made the final shortlist in the Hot Eating Pie category with its Roast Chicken and Gravy Pie and its Meat and Potato Pie, the Bacon category with its Home-Cured Streaky Bacon; the Al Fresco Dining category with its Pork Pie and the Best Butchers Steak category for its Black Garlic Ribeye – with all five receiving Gold award status.

Fraser’s was also awarded silver status for its Traditional Pork Sausage. Basically, they’re bloody good.

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Andy Hull from Fraser’s said: “The ethos of our shop is quality. We start with good quality meat and our butchers work together to make a fantastic quality product whatever it is we do. The Mega Burger is definitely our bestselling burger and we’re very proud of it.

Our Minted Lamb and Halloumi Kebab is another product where we start with good quality ingredients. It’s testament to the BBQ products that we make as we sell them all year round including Christmas week and we never take them out of the counter!

People travel from all over the NW and Greater Manchester to shop with us because they know they’ll get excellent quality meat.”
 
Gordon Wallace from Q Guild added: “The standard of entries this year was as high as ever, making Fraser’s achievement even more impressive. Being crowned best in class in two categories, along with securing five additional Gold awards, is a fantastic accomplishment.”

Be right back, we’re just making a quick trip to 272 Rishton Lane…

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Supplied/Fraser’s Butchers (via Facebook)

Eats

Cult coffee brand Grind is opening in Manchester for the first time

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A huge name in the coffee world is preparing to open in Manchester for the first time this summer. 

London-born Grind has announced its first venue outside of London, heading straight for the new St Michael’s development. 

Grind will be opening in Gary Neville’s huge £400m development alongside the recently-announced Circolo Popolare Italian restaurant by Big Mamma Group. 

Over the last decade-plus, Grind has expanded right across London with 14 cafes, coffee shops and coffee trucks, as well as its own coffee roastery, but hasn’t yet ventured up north. 

It’s also known for its at-home sustainable coffee products, including pods, is a growing presence in retail spaces, and is served on board British Airway flights, stocking Soho House, and collaborating with the likes of Baileys and BrewDog. 

They’ll bring their extensive menu of speciality-grade coffee, seasonal food and cocktails to town, for everything from takeaway coffees to bottomless brunches. 

Grind was founded back in 2011 when David Abrahamovitch turned his father’s old mobile phone store in Shoreditch into the first Grind cafe.

David says he has family connections to Manchester and has long been looking for the right site for Grind to expand here – then along came St Michael’s. 

David Abrahamovitch, Grind founder and CEO said: “We’ve always said that if we were to do a big site outside of London, the first place we would go would be Manchester. 

“My wife is Mancunian and her whole family live in Manchester, so I’ve spent a lot of time there over the years and I’ve always thought that a Grind would work well. 

Grind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: Supplied
Grind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: Supplied
Grind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: Supplied
Grind is heading to Manchester for the first time. Credit: Supplied

“We’ve looked at various locations over the years, but thanks to Gary (Neville) and the team at Relentless we think we’ve finally found the perfect home for Grind in St Michaels, in the heart of Manchester. We cannot wait to get open in the summer!”

Gary Neville, Director at Relentless Developments said: “The ambition for St Michael’s was to create a landmark that will become an economic driver for Manchester and bring together major names in a world-class, sustainable development. 

“Attracting brands like Grind who have yet to set foot outside the capital is a massive achievement and testament to how hard we’ve been working to deliver our vision for the scheme and city as a whole.” 

Grind will open this summer at St Michael’s in Manchester. 

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

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