Eats

A new ice cream shop is opening in the Northern Quarter’s Stevenson Square

Sweet! will open on Stevenson Square next door to the Quarter House

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 20th April 2023

A new ice cream shop is opening in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, bringing sweet, cold and creamy treats to Stevenson Square in time for summer.

Called Sweet!, it is set to open in the city centre later this month serving up ice creams, milkshakes, slushies and more – with a huge giveaway planned for its launch date.

Brought to Manchester by the team behind The Quarter House, Hula and The Fitzgerald, the new dessert shop will take over a suntrap patch next door to their popular Stevenson Square boozers.

Serving up locally-sourced ice creams and other goodies to hungry Mancs this summer, those heading down can expect to find fresh dairy-farmed ice cream straight from a farm on the Ribble Valley.

Image: Mrs Dawson’s
Image: Mrs Dawson’s

Based in Blackburn, Lancashire, Mrs Dowson’s award-winning ice cream comes from a third-generation dairy farm and boasts ‘honest, quality ingredients’.

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The all-natural, farm-made dairy ice cream uses full cream milk fresh from their dairy herd and local ingredients. 

As well as serving up Mrs Downson’s popular classic flavours like strawberry, mint choc chip, chocolate and vanilla, ice cream fans can expect to find some surprises alongside vegan-friendly sorbets for those of the plant-powered persuasion.

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Read more: Inside the new all-pink ‘ultra-Instagrammable’ cafe EL&N at Trafford Palazzo

There will be seating stretching out into the square for those wanting to enjoy an al fresco treat on site, as well as tubs and cones for those who’d prefer to take their ice cream away.

With an opening date set for Wednesday 26 April, from 12pm Sweet! will be giving away 200 free ice creams to the first customers through its door.

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Located at 9 Stevenson Square, next door to The Quarter House, make sure to get down from 12pm if you want to get your hands on a freebie.

Read more: The caravan on the top of a hill serving up belting fry-ups with views to match

With an opening date set for Wednesday 26 April, from 12pm Sweet! will be giving away 200 free ice creams to the first customers through its door.

Located at 9 Stevenson Square, next door to The Quarter House, make sure to get down from 12pm if you want to get your hands on a freebie.

Featured image – Google Maps

Eats

‘Classy, clever, confident’ – New Manchester restaurant receives glowing Guardian review

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson British classics at Winsome, Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Winsome, one of the newest restaurants on Manchester’s dining scene, has gone and received a seriously glowing review in The Guardian this weekend.

Legendary restaurant critic Grace Dent said that the British bistro ‘may well be my new favourite restaurant’, lauding chef patron Shaun Moffat’s ‘elegant but plentiful modern cooking’.

She said that there’s even a teeny touch of Toby Carvery in their Sunday offering, with meaty and saucy dishes and ‘cartoon-esque XL yorkshire puddings’.

Winsome opened back in March under the steer of three hospitality heavyweights – ex-Edinburgh Castle chef Shaun Moffat, former Schofields head bartender Tom Fastiggi, and Belzan founder Owain Williams.

It’s a beautiful, stripped-back space at the foot of the Whitworth Locke aparthotel and Moffat’s first venture as a chef patron.

Based on this Guardian review, he’s doing a pretty good job so far…

Grace Dent said of Winsome’s nostalgic yet modern menu (featuring dippy eggs and puddings that sound like school dinner puds): “This is Cool Britannia wearing a napkin bib with a side portion of rhubarb jelly and custard for pudding.”

Novelty crockery at Winsome. Credit: The Manc Group
Novelty crockery at Winsome. Credit: The Manc Group
Chef patron Shaun Moffat at Winsome. Credit: The Manc Group
Chef patron Shaun Moffat at Winsome. Credit: The Manc Group
Dippy egg and asparagus. Credit: The Manc Group
Dippy egg and asparagus. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group

She also wrote that it’s ‘far from a novelty restaurant’ in spite of its animal-shaped crockery.

And Dent added that while there’s an element of fine dining, it’s unpretentious enough that you’re happy to smear it all over the tablecloths and, indeed, yourself.

‘Deeply nostalgic’, ‘forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff’, is how she described her Winsome experience.

“This is confident, clever cooking that stays just the right side of earnest, or at least as earnest as a chef can be when he also serves up a dessert that is essentially a 1980s school sponge pudding with a scoop of milk ice-cream flecked with multicoloured sprinkles, or hundreds and thousands as they will for ever be known in my heart,” she wrote.

Grace Dent’s Guardian review concluded with: “Winsome may well be my new favourite restaurant, and it’s the new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality. It’s classy but come-all – bring your gran, bring your baby, no one need feel conspicuous.

“There’s something about the place that makes me want to use it as a canteen, not least out of sheer curiosity as to what Moffat will put on the menu next. Great cooking, and forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff.

“Bring your appetite and don’t wear pale colours. Aaah, Manchester, you have so much to answer for. Winsome will seriously impact your waistline.”

Winsome said in a post on Instagram: “It doesn’t get much better than that! We’re over the moon, full of pride and could not be more grateful to the team who’ve worked so hard to help us deliver this dream.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Hidden Manchester bar Mala to offer unique ‘movie night’ experiences inside private cabins

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

You can have your own private film experience inside little wooden cabins at a popular Northern Quarter bar this summer.

Manchester city centre secret garden spot Mala is hosting an event where you and your friends can enjoy a private movie night with food, themed drinks, and bucket loads of free popcorn.

Listed as the ‘Cabin Movie Night’, get ready to sit back, relax and watch a cult classic, all from the comfort of your own personal wooden hut.

The film you’ll be watching is very on-brand too, as it’s none other than none than ‘Labyrinth’.

This secret garden spot is hiding right in plain sight over on Dale Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and as well as hosting events such as these, they’re also home to some top tier eateries too.

Currently El Jefe, Doodles, Wok Bros, Christakis, D&X Caribbean, and Gulf are all serving up some cross-continental delights for you to enjoy in this marvellous space.

Their most recent vendor, Gulf, is taking the title for the city’s best kept secret, expanding from their cute Middle-Eastern structure hidden inside the neighbouring Chapter One Books into this secret garden location.

Some mouth-watering scran from El Jefe.
Some mouth-watering scran from El Jefe.
Wok Bros have some delicious noodle boxes.
Wok Bros have some delicious noodle boxes.
Credit: The Manc Group

The Cabin Movie Night’ is the perfect way to round up your friends and watch a classic with a cocktail in hand.

There’s a handful of group packages available too at an additional charge, ranging from £30 to £50, which includes themed cocktails for each guest in the booking, and the cost of the ticket.

Read more:

The ‘Cabin Movie Night’ is coming to Mala on Monday 2 June from 7pm, and tickets are already on sale now HERE.

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

Featured Image – The Manc Group

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