Eats

A mile-long margarita bar crawl is taking place in Manchester this week

Do do do do do, TEQUILA

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 17th February 2024

A mile-long bar crawl dedicated to margaritas is taking place in Manchester over the next week.

Tequila fans will be able to hop their way between bars that are putting on limited-edition cocktails and tequila-based specials.

There are 24 venues signed up to the week-long margarita crawl in Manchester alone, with a similar event happening across in Leeds.

Those taking part include Mexican restaurant Madre, gigantic food hall New Century, and subterranean cocktail bar The Daisy.

The Margarita Mile has been created by El Tequileño tequila and is a celebration for National Margarita Day on 22 February.

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El Tequileño, which is produced in the town of Tequila in Mexico, and Maldon Salt have been working with some of the city’s best bars to create perfect margaritas.

Special cocktails will be available for one week only, between 19 and 25 February,

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These include a whole flight of margs at New Century, where if you’re overwhelmed with choice you can throw a dice and let that choose your drink.

Fierce, a bar that specialises in craft beer, has come up with its own take on a Lagerita, using Mexican cerveza to create a longer, citrus drink.

Fierce bar in Manchester has done its own take on a Lagerita for the Margarita Mile
Fierce bar in Manchester has done its own take on a Lagerita for the Margarita Mile
Stray bar in Mackie Mayor has FOUR margarita specials running
Stray bar in Mackie Mayor has FOUR margarita specials running

There are mini events taking place across Manchester too, like The Daisy hosting Tony Salles, master distiller of El Tequileño, who will explain all about his tequila brand.

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And by sharing a picture of your marg while you’re out on the Margarita Mile around Manchester, you could win a goodie bag of treats from El Tequileño and Ten Locks Drinks.

Steffin Oghene, Global Ambassador for El Tequileño, who will be accompanying Tony Salles to the UK, says: “El Tequileño encourages everyone, from cocktail fans to tequila lovers to those who want to learn more about quality craft spirits, to get out on the mile to try a Margarita.

“We are super proud to be visiting Manchester, the city that created the Margarita Mile – we know that Manchester is a hotbed for creativity, with a wealth of music, arts and culture originating there, and now El Tequileño’s Margarita Mile is part of that cultural narrative.

“We look forward to meeting all Mancunians out on the mile!”

Please drink responsibly.

The Manchester bars taking place in the Margarita Mile

The map of the Margarita Mile in Manchester
The map of the Margarita Mile in Manchester
  • Madre, Kampus
  • Nell’s, Kampus
  • Ducie Street Warehouse
  • Tariff & Dale, Tariff Street
  • Public, Stevenson Square
  • Soup, Stevenson Square
  • Dusk Til Pawn and Noho, Stevenson Square
  • Smithfield Social, Thomas Street
  • Trof, Thomas Street,
  • Junior Jackson’s, Oldham Street
  • Kong’s, Oldham Street
  • Mean-Eyed Cat, Oldham Street
  • Almost Famous, Edge Street
  • Fierce, Thomas Street
  • Science and Industry, Thomas Street
  • Nightcap, Hilton Street
  • Wolf at the Door, Thomas Street
  • Liquor & Burn, High Street
  • The Daisy, Tib Street
  • The Bay Horse Tavern, Thomas Street
  • Common, Edge Street
  • Stray, Mackie Mayor
  • The New Cross, Cross Keys Street
  • New Century, Hanover Street

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.

At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.

Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.

Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.

The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.

A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.

The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.

It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.

Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group

The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.

According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.

These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.

There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.

The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.

The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr

Ged sold 6,000 a week.

And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).

Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.

The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

The main gripe people seem to have with the Manchester Christmas Markets is the prices of food and drinks, blasting them every year like a broken record as being ‘overpriced’.

So we’ve done the hard slog for you, running all around the city centre to suss out exactly how much everything is costing in 2024.

From Piccadilly Gardens (rebranded as The Winter Gardens for the season) to King Street, there are wooden sheds and festive cheer absolutely everywhere.

There’s some brilliant food and drink to discover – you can see our top picks HERE – but as this is a huge visitor attraction, that can come at a price.

Once you factor in the deposit for a Manchester Christmas Markets mug, you can easily spend £12 just to get a mulled wine (though you will get £3.50 of that back when you return your mug).

There are also deposit charges on glassware – £2 for a pint glass, £3.50 for cocktail glasses and £7 for a stein.

You can see the full list of prices for food and drinks right across the Manchester Christmas Markets HERE, but below are where you can find the cheapest spots at the festive event.

Mulled wine

Mulled wines are priced at £5.50 almost everywhere across the Manchester Christmas Markets, though some stalls are offering bigger serves of this popular festive drink for a small price hike.

Then people are charging another £3 to add a shot of brandy, rum or amaretto, making an £8.50 total.

But the cheapest we’ve found is just £7 for mulled wine with a shot of booze, and that’s at Mamma Mia, an Italian stall on New Cathedral Street, right near St Ann’s Square.

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine. Credit: The Manc Group

Beer

Again, prices for beers at the Manchester Christmas Markets are pretty consistent and average £6 a pint.

But you can get cheaper – at The Last Outpost, a Western-themed bar at Exchange Square, beers start from £5.50.

And at The Hip Hop Chip Shop at Piccadilly Gardens, they’re selling local craft beers, like Shindigger, Pomona Island, Manchester Union) for just £5.50. And you get bonus good vibes for supporting local breweries.

Wine

We’ve found a couple of glasses of wine for just £5 around the Markets this year, which is cheaper than most bars in town really.

The King Street Craft Bar, which has the bonus of having seating, has house wines from a fiver.

Christmas Alley at Piccadilly Gardens will also give you a wine for £5.

Prosecco

Prosecco works in every season and if this is your go-to of all the drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, we’ve found where you can save a few pennies.

Most places are charging between £6.50 and £7 per glass, but at El Gato Negro on King Street (yep, the same stall operated by the Michelin-recommended restaurant) are charging just £5 – that’s a whole £1.50 cheaper than most other stalls.

Hot chocolate

Basic hot chocolates are generally £3.50 everywhere, with a few very luxury upgrades (like a £7.90 creation from The Flat Baker that’s served in an edible cookie cup).

Once you add in a shot of alcohol, the cheapest as at the Apres Ski Bar at Piccadilly Gardens, which charges £2.50 for a spirit.

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That makes £6 for a boozy hot chocolate.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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