There’s a new addition to Ancoats (sort of) and another member of Manchester’s ever-growing ramen scene.
The kitchen at Mule, a stylish coffee shop on Blossom Street, usually churns out quality brunch dishes.
But now, come nightfall, the offering switches entirely, with steaming bowls of ramen and Japanese small plates flying out of the tiny space.
With Lucky Ramen at the helm, Mule can give Ancoats locals a more late-night haunt.
Mule in Ancoats is now home to Lucky Ramen. Credit: Mule
The space itself is seriously intimate, with room for only a dozen diners plus a couple more seats to perch on at the bar, just like all the best ramen joints in Japan.
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Mule pitches itself closer to California than Manchester – its website says it’s a ‘transportive desert-bar’, and it’s not far wrong.
The cafe/bar/restaurant feels more mid-century Palm Springs than post-industrial, soaked-in-drizzle Manchester, thanks to its cacti, its limestone-washed walls, its raw wood details and its sand-coloured marble bar.
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Lucky Ramen at Mule in Ancoats. Credit: Supplied
When we pop in for dinner, there’s rain lashing against the huge windows (naturally), but when the sun does shine there’s a huge terrace outside that quadruples the capacity of the tiny inside.
So while it’s certainly cosy when every table is taken, it in no way feels cluttered or claustrophobic.
It would be easy to sit here all day and night, ploughing through the cocktail list, which is mostly short and strong – margaritas, negronis and cosmos rule here.
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A sour cherry margarita at Lucky Ramen. Credit: The Manc Group
Lucky Ramen brings giant bowls of hand-rolled noodles and five different broths, each one painstakingly made over the course of eight hours.
The ramen bowls are loaded with the likes of crispy karaage chicken, stir-fried soboro pork, char-siu and soft shell crab, with roasted king oyster mushrooms and tofu for vegans.
Jammy-yolked ajitama eggs, their whites tanned by their soy sauce marinade, float on top of everything.
There are plenty of sides and small plates too, like edamame beans covered in a moreish salt and chilli seasoning, pork and prawn gyoza, and Japanese fried chicken with yuzu mayo.
Drake-backed Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening in the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
The cult LA-born fried chicken brand backed by Drake is expanding in Manchester once again, this time with a brand-new site at the Trafford Centre.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open its latest location inside the huge shopping centre, bringing its signature Nashville-style heat to The Orient food hall.
Already causing a stir with its first Manchester site at the Printworks, the fast-growing US chain has built a reputation for long queues and a chicken spice level so extreme you have to sign a waiver to eat it (The Reaper is not for the faint of heart).
And now hoardings have appeared at the bottom of The Orient at The Trafford Centre, joining Five Guys, Shake Shack, and Slim Chickens.
The new Trafford Centre restaurant is expected to follow the same winning formula, serving up its famous hot chicken tenders and sliders, available in seven spice levels and served on a slice of bread to soak up all the spice levels.
Fans can also expect a menu packed with loaded fries, creamy mac and cheese, kale slaw, and indulgent top-loaded shakes, alongside refreshing slushers to cool things down after the heat kicks in.
Born in a Los Angeles car park back in 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has exploded in popularity in recent years, with Drake becoming a high-profile investor as the brand rapidly expanded across the US and into the UK.
The Trafford Centre opening marks another major step in the brand’s UK growth, following successful launches in London, Birmingham, and Manchester city centre, and signals that the fried chicken heavyweight is only just getting started.
If the scenes at previous openings are anything to go by, Mancunians can expect queues, hype, and plenty of spice when the doors finally open.
Popular Manchester brunch spot Bruncho teases what’s to come with new Northern Quarter cafe
Daisy Jackson
Bruncho has shared a glimpse of what’s to come when it officially opens the doors to its new Northern Quarter cafe.
The brunch spot has had queues down the street since launching on Deansgate, with enough popularity to warrant it opening a second location.
Bruncho is moving into the old Feel Good Club, a huge unit in Hilton House that’s been left empty since the cafe’s shock closure.
And as the clock ticks down to Bruncho’s launch into the Northern Quarter, they’ve shared an exclusive look inside at their very big plans.
The team have now confirmed that the new venue will have a salad bar and vegetarian buffet, as well as coffee raves with DJs at select hours.
New CGIs of the space also show a drastic change from the site’s days as Feel Good Club, filling the giant cafe with wooden tables, hanging pendant lights, plants, and soft textures.
Bruncho is known for its brunch dishes that have a real knack for going viral on social media, including New York-style breakfast rolls in croissant bread; fresh coconut water and matcha served in the coconut; and its absolutely stacked French toasts.
A glimpse inside Bruncho Northern QuarterBruncho will have a vegetarian buffet when it opens in the Northern QuarterHow Bruncho Northern Quarter will look
It’s consistently packed out at its original location on Deansgate, and now it’s taking over a 4,378 sq ft unit in the Northern Quarter too, set to open this June.
Omer Umut Mutlu, owner of Bruncho, said: “Manchester has shown Bruncho so much love, and expanding into the Northern Quarter feels like the natural next step for us.
“Hilton House gives us the space to elevate what we do – more covers, more events, and a new home for the kind of food and atmosphere people will make the journey for.
“We’re excited to bring something fresh to the neighbourhood, with the opening scheduled for June 2026.”
Daisy Jackson -
8th April 2022 
