A brand-new California-inspired Mexican food concept from some familiar foodie favourites is the latest name to be announced as part of Manchester’s newest food hall, House of Social.
The ‘Mexicali’ creation is called OK Taqueria and is set to join the soon-to-open vendor space over on Coleman Street in Manchester city centre, becoming just the third kitchen confirmed for House of Social.
Set to welcome five in total, the upcoming food hall marks just the latest step in the continuing foodie trend, with long-standing staples like Mackie Mayor now just one of many across Greater Manchester.
The description of the food is simple but exciting: “A love letter to Mexican street food — deeply Mexican, unapologetically Californian, proudly un-autentico.”
Credit: Press Shots
House of Social‘s (HoS impending Mexican and Californian fusion comes from the team behind fellow Manc icons Gooey and Evelyn’s, which is already a strong enough advert in itself.
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There are plenty more brains behind this new concept, including Public and ‘gem of the Curry Mile’, Mughli, who will also be opening inside HoS – just their second-ever site and first in the city centre.
Inspired by taquerias “from Baja to Boyle Heights”, OK Taqueria will blend Mexican street food staples with California’s own laid-back slant on the cuisine.
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As mentioned, OK Taqueria is set to join the already announced Burger & Beyond, as well as ‘gem of the Curry Mile’, Mughli – which will be opening their second-ever site and first in the city centre – the lineup of traders is already looking stacked with lip-smacking talent.
As for OK Taqueria, you can expect corn tortillas, warm off the press, stacked with crispy pork belly al pastor; tinga chicken with chipotle sour cream, vegan chicken-fried maitake mushrooms, and queso birria beef shin ready to dip in a deeply flavoured consommé. That’s just the tip of the sp-iceberg.
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That’s a terrible pun, so sorry…
Fish fans can get stuck into Baja-style cod cheek with crema, and there’ll also be a fiery twist on Cali-style breakfast burritos.
The brand is positioning this as “street food energy with sit-down flavour; fast and flavour-first”. They’ll also cater to the in-house students inside the tower block, sharing as well as the bar side of things, with plenty of margaritas to sip on.
Award-winning Manchester cocktail bar Red Light announces surprise return in new location
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, an award-winning cocktail bar that closed its doors earlier this year, has announced it’s making a grand return.
The celebrated watering hole had been at Kampus in the city centre for three years before it closed for good in August.
But now, in news that will thrill a lot of us in Manchester, the bar has announced it’s returning, with plenty of new ’surprises’ to come.
Announcing Red Light 2.0 this evening, they revealed a brand-new location, with all the cocktails we all loved before, plus a new bar snack offering.
Also new with its reopening will be a dedicated clubbing space (operating in a residential area was one of the reasons Red Light closed at Kampus) and the return of its legendary street parties.
They said: “Your love and support has meant the absolute world to us since we closed the doors to our Kampus venue.
“It’s been a tricky secret to keep but we’re thrilled to share that we’re back and in a brand new location!
“This one feels special, it’s not often you get a second chance at things in the current climate.”
They added: “We can’t wait to welcome you with open arms. Red Light NQ. LETS GO BABY!”
Although they’ve not announced the location, they have teased some pictures – and unless we’re very much mistaken, they’ll be moving into Tariff Street, in the old El Capo site.
Chinatown restaurant pleads for help after dine-and-dash customer leaves staff member in A&E
Daisy Jackson
A brilliant restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown has shared CCTV and a heartfelt appeal after one of its staff members was left in A&E.
Noodle Alley shared that one of its young staff members chased after a group of dine-and-dash customers who’d left without paying for their meal.
The restaurant then said that she was ‘assaulted’ at some point in the chase and ended up in A&E.
In their statement, Noodle Alley said that the staff member ‘had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this’.
They wrote: “What has this world come to? A violent man sent our staff to A&E over an unpaid meal.”
The CCTV shows a group of three young men, all carrying Selfridges shopping bags, entering the restaurant.
They sit and enjoy a meal, before two of them slip out of the restaurant. The third man then exits but is chased by a Noodle Alley staff member.
It’s at this point – out of the range of the restaurant’s CCTV – that they said she was assaulted ‘after going beyond her duty to try and recover what had been taken’.
The family business said that she has been ’emotionally affected’ by the incident.
The police are involved and the restaurant has appealed for anyone who can help with their investigation to get in touch.
It’s also the second time they’ve appealed about a dine-and-dash customer in the last few months, but this incident went ‘far beyond’ previous incidents.
In their full statement, Noodle Alley said: “We’re a small family business, and lately it feels like small businesses are being targeted again and again.
“But this time, it went far beyond anything we have experienced before.
“One of our young staff members — a girl simply doing her job — was assaulted after going beyond her duty to try to recover what had been taken from our restaurant. She ended up in A&E.
“What hurts us most is seeing how emotionally affected she has been by what happened. She told us she had treated them kindly and never expected that kindness to come back to her like this.
“We work hard to look after our staff and our customers, and nobody should have to go through this simply for doing their job.
“We have reported the incident to the police.
“If anyone recognises these individuals or has any information that could help the police with their investigation, please contact us or the police directly.
“We’re sharing this because we believe our staff deserve to feel safe at work.”
Danny Jones -
30th April 2025 
