Five Greater Manchester street food markets have been named amongst the best in the UK, it has been revealed.
Yes, the top spot may have gone to Kommune in Sheffield but there are plenty of Greater Manchester places included in the list – including Bury Market and Northern Quarter favourite Mackie Mayor.
Other local food halls featured include Trafford’s Altrincham Market, Oxford Road’s Hatch, Piccadilly’s Freight Island, and the ever-iconic Bury Market.
Ranking at number three underneath Sheffield’s Kommune and Belfast’s St George’s Market is Mackie Mayor, which was praised for its rare breed steaks, fried chicken burgers, and flavoursome tacos, not to mention its location within a restored Grade II-listed building.
Elsewhere, Altrincham Market – run by the same team as Mackie Mayor – ranked at number 6 on the list whilst Hatch, Freight Island and Bury Market ranked at numbers 7, 8 and 9 respectively.
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Bury Market
Bury Seafoods
Image: The Manc Eats
The findings have come from new research commissioned by South Western Railway (SWR), which analysed each against their Google rating, number of Google reviews, Google search volume between Jan 2022 and May 2023, number of Instagram hashtags, and TikTok views.
The number one spot on the list, Kommune, is described as follows: “Kommune street food market can be found in a Grade II listed building in the city centre.
“It’s home to eight independent food traders including Fat Hippo which serves up stacked burgers and waffle fries, The Monkey Jar for a spicy fix of various Indian curries, and Edo Sushi which serves up sushi, sashimi, katsu curry, and other classic Japanese cuisine.
“Aside from the kitchens, there’s two bars, one beer stall and one coffee stall. Kommune accommodates vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free diners.
“It also hosts a quiz night every Thursday at 7pm, salsa classes every Wednesday evening, and yoga and brunch the first Sunday of each month.”
Also featured at number 4 on the list is Sheffield’s Cutlery Works, which comes from the same operators behind Liverpool’s The GPO and Salford’s Kargo Mkt, which is set to open in Media City this month and is one of the most hotly anticipated new arrivals of the summer.
Vogue’s immersive ‘Inventing the Runway’ show is coming to Manchester
Thomas Melia
A Vogue immersive show titled ‘Inventing the Runway’ is coming to Manchester, and it’s even co-created by Anna Wintour herself.
Ever fancied learning more about the fashion world? Well, now’s your chance to hear everything you need to know from global fashion leaders and lifestyle magazine Vogue.
The Anna Wintour-approved immersive experience comes alongside the announcement of Factory International‘s Winter lineup, which features another new event all about voyaging to the moon.
This Vogue-fronted experience will incorporate interviews, visual media and more to help attendees visualise fashion shows of the past, present and future.
As well as understanding how fashion shows became the pinnacle of a designer’s vision, this runway-themed display also includes looking back at iconic moments of fashion and pop culture.
‘Inventing the Runway’ by Vogue is focusing on outfits worn by models and A-listers alike, with narration from the one and only Cate Blanchett.
You can expect to see curated pieces by significant creative minds in fashion history like Alexander McQueen, Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, Vivienne Westwood and lots more.
Throughout the Vogue experience, as well as coming visually face to face with fashion, you will also hear a soundscape that perfectly reflects this innovative industry with a fusion of classical and pop music.
This fashion exhibition uses the same Lightroom technology behind the impressive David Hockney experience that opened back in December.
Vogue is using this show to honour anyone who has made an impact in the fashion world.The Met Gala has become a staple in everyone’s calendar year in and year out.First Northern Quarter’s Chanel show, now this… Très chic. (Credit: Wikimedia Commons/GoodFon)
Anna Wintour, Chief Content Officer, Condé Nast, and Global Editorial Director, Vogue said: “At Vogue, we’ve been lucky enough over the decades to see many incredible runway shows, which have often told the story of fashion as much as the clothes themselves.”
“This Lightroom experience is a wonderful opportunity for a lot more people to experience first-hand the thrill of watching the history of fashion unfold right in front of them.”
You can experience Vogue’s ‘Inventing the Runway’ immersive show from 18 December to 10 January when it visits Aviva Studios this winter.
Find out more information and grab your tickets HERE.
Manchester Museum saves a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Museum has made a stunning new addition to its natural history collections, and in the process has ensured a ‘national treasure’ stays in the UK.
Not long after claiming the coveted title of European Museum of the Year for 2025, Manchester Museum has done it again – this time working together with John Rylands Library to acquire Henry Dresser’s unique personal copy of his anthology A History of the Birds of Europe so that this ‘invaluable resource’ can remain in the UK for future generations.
The beautifully-illustrated collection of books provide an important historical record to help understand how and why bird populations have changed over time.
Dresser’s personal copy is heavily-annotated with personal notes and observations.
These books are deemed to be of ‘outstanding significance’, not only for scientific purposes but also for their aesthetic value, as they have also been illustrated by some of the leading wildlife artists of the day.
The volumes were recognised as a national treasure by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art and Objects of Cultural Interest, which is supported by the Arts Council, and this meant that the Government placed a temporary export deferral on them to allow time for UK buyers to raise the funds to keep them in the country.
Brilliantly, the acquisition of these books reunites them with Dresser’s own bird specimens that are already cared for by Manchester Museum, including species such as the Slender-billed curlew, which is now believed to be extinct.
The now-extinct species’ presence in both Dresser’s beautifully-annotated volumes and the ornithological collections at Manchester Museum highlights the vital role that historical records play in tracking biodiversity loss over time to uncover the long-term impact of environmental change.
Manchester Museum has saved a ‘national treasure’ to ensure it stays in the UK / Credit: Manchester Museum
“Threats to the natural world and biodiversity have never been greater and while this anthology has historical value, it also speaks to the urgent issues of the present,” commented Esme Ward, who is the Director of Manchester Museum.
“These books are breathtakingly beautiful, and by bringing them together with natural history collections, we believe they will not only provide scientific benefit, but also capture the hearts of future ornithologists and conservationists.”
A History of the Birds of Europe will be officially unveiled at a private view on Friday 27 June, before being displayed to the public for the first time in Manchester Museum’s ‘Living Worlds’ gallery from Saturday 28 June 2025 right through until Sunday 25 January 2026.
Georgina Pellant -
2nd August 2023 
