If someone were to ask me the root cause of most of my adult hangovers, I would turn and point at Albert’s Schloss quicker than you could say ‘stiegl’.
I’m not the only one either – this nightlife hotspot on Peter Street is busy all. the. time.
Whether it’s a few happy hour drinks straight after work or dancing on the benches into the early hours, there is always something going on in this Bavarian beer hall.
With a ‘Showtime’ programme of events that includes some sort of live entertainment every night of the week, it’s easy to see why most of us start and end our nights out here.
It all started back in 2015 and quickly grew, becoming one of the country’s most voracious venues with a footprint in multiple cities almost a decade later.
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But despite us all knowing Albert’s Schloss so well, do we really know and appreciate everything it’s got going on beyond the party atmosphere?
Because I’ll bet a load of you didn’t know that Albert’s Schloss is also whipping up one of Manchester’s very best Sunday roasts.
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Schweins in blanketsThis huge pork knuckle is one of Albert’s Schloss Sunday roastsCauliflower fondue
And that’s along with a pretty impressive, Bavarian-inspired food menu that’s always ticking away in the background.
I already proved that the city is slightly oblivious to the venue’s culinary prowess when The Manc Eats posted these pictures of the pastries made fresh here, and our audience were flabbergasted to learn that Schloss can be as much about viennoiserie as it is about Viennese beers.
So, back to those Albert’s Schloss roasts.
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The huge venue hosts Sunday Service every week, where the house band serves up grooves to go with the gravy.
Alpine croquettesHummus and pickles
As you’re serenaded by goosebump-worthy harmonies, you can tuck into gigantic roasts and other comforting plates, like sides of fondue cauliflower and schweins in blankets.
The roasts themselves centre (obviously) around meat, with dry-aged beef, roast chicken, and a no-nut roast on offer, but the star of the show has and always will be the schweinshaxe, an enormous pork knuckle roasted to perfection and served with apple sauce.
If you’re not fancying a roast (who are you), there are other mains like a humble kroissant pie, pan-roasted salmon, and the venue’s signature cheeseburger.
Push for gravy buttons as the Albert’s Schloss Sunday roast
Groups should come ready to banquet. There’s a Bavarian Feast for sharing, which comes with – brace yourselves – roast pork knuckle, chicken schnitzel, bratwurst, kaiserwurst, chilliwurst, pork belly, sformoto, braised red cabbage, seasonal greens, bier jus, kraut, and pickles.
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Oh and please, please, if you have even a hint of a sweet tooth, don’t leave without trying the black forest brownie, liberally flavoured with Amarena cherries.
There are also pretzel doughnuts ripe for dipping in a pot of melted chocolate, and classic apple strudel with vanilla sauce.
And all of it’s available for £29 for three courses.
So now with evening beers, late-night dancing, pastries, lunches AND Sunday roasts covered, Albert’s Schloss is bringing back the old 24 Hour Party People mantra.
Desserts included in Albert’s Schloss Sunday roasts menu
Andy Burnham’s favourite Manchester pub, restaurant, neighbourhood and Sunday roast
Daisy Jackson
Andy Burnham’s favourite pub, restaurant, neighbourhood, and Sunday roast have been revealed – and the man’s got taste.
Old footage of now-PM Andy Burnham chatting to content creator Isaac Likes has been doing the rounds again, and while the interview dates back to before Andy left us and headed down to the big smoke, his Manchester recommendations still stand.
From his go-to neighbourhood and favourite pub to where he heads for a Sunday roast, and even the song he likes to play when he gets behind the decks, Burnham gave us a glimpse into his ideal Manchester day.
First up, there’s the Northern Quarter, which Burnham reckons has to be his favourite neighbourhood in the city.
He said: “Got to be the Northern Quarter. It’s the place where it’s all happening.”
When it comes to food, he singled out Firehouse, sitting on the edge of the Northern Quarter, as one of his favourite places to eat. He also gave a shoutout to its sister venue Ramona, where he’s been known to get behind the decks.
Andy said: “On the edge of the Northern Quarter, Firehouse is a place I love to go. Ramona Pizza, I’ve DJ’d there – if the mayor DJs there it’s gotta be alright.”
For a proper pint, Burnham’s choice is a little more traditional, saying his favourite pub is the ‘proper old school’ Peveril of the Peak.
The beautiful tiled pub was recently named the best in the UK, just days before its legendary landlady Nancy passed away.
When Sunday rolls around, Burnham said he has a couple of options up his sleeve. The Wharf in Castlefield gets a mention, as does Edinburgh Castle up in Ancoats.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterThe Edinburgh CastleFirehouseSome of Andy Burnham’s favourite places in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
He said: “We love our gravy, we drink it by the pint in Manchester.”
Of course, no conversation with Burnham about Manchester would be complete without talking music.
Asked to name the best Manchester band of all time, he offered a few contenders – The Smiths, New Order, and, ultimately, The Stone Roses.
“The band I think are quintessentially Manchester is The Stone Roses. That was peak Manchester,” he said.
The amazing new doughnut shop that’s opened in a churchyard in Wigan
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new doughnut hatch has landed in Wigan, serving fresh bakes and speciality coffee from inside a beautiful local churchyard.
This is Holy Grounds, the latest independent spot bringing together freshly made doughnuts, excellent coffee and a spectacular setting, right beside the Wigan Parish Church.
The Lancashire-born business expanded to Wigan just three weeks ago, and it’s already proving hugely popular with the locals.
As we’re seeing all over Wigan these days, Holy Grounds have taken on a beautiful characterful space and turned it into a great new independent hangout.
The doughnut hatch is connected to the church itself, with the room believed to have once been an old school space. Today, it’s been given a very different purpose, with the smell of freshly baked doughnuts and coffee filling the building.
And you can still get a very real reminder that you’re sitting inside a church – the bells ring twice a day.
Holy Grounds was set up by Sam, who was previously a vicar, alongside his partner Hannah.
They and their team are making doughnuts fresh every day, using a 48-hour proving process, before transforming them into a monthly-rotating selection of flavours.
This month’s specials at Holy GroundsThe selection of Holy Grounds doughnuts in WiganA peach and almond doughnut, and an OGHoly Grounds stands in the churchyard of Wigan Parish ChurchFreshly-made doughnuts and coffee in Wigan
This month’s flavours include The OG, peach and almond, chocolate cornflakes, and blackberry and white chocolate.
Holy Grounds serves speciality coffee from Clifton Coffee Roasters in Bristol, making the doughnut-and-coffee combination feel less like a quick sugar hit and more like a proper little ritual.
A beautiful old building, fresh doughnuts, excellent coffee and church bells ringing overhead?
We’re not saying we’ve found heaven, but we’re definitely getting closer.
Daisy Jackson -
17th May 2024 
