A popular Jamaican street food takeaway in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is being forced to close its doors after its building was sold to new owners.
Currently housed inside the Ride Low building on Church Street, Eat n’ Sweet has been a fixture here since 2014 – but its owners are on the hunt for a new space, having been given just six weeks’ notice to find somewhere else to go.
Renowned for cooking up some of the best curry goat in the city, Eat n’ Sweet is headed up by husband and wife team Dean and Marianne Ricketts and regularly has queues stretching out of the door.
Now with a move-out date now set for 13 April, they are appealing to customers and other local businesses nearby to help them find somewhere new to go and continue their roaring trade.
Curry goat, rice and peas with veg and pasta at Eat n’ Sweet. / Image: The Manc Eats
Curry goat, rice and peas with veg and pasta at Eat n’ Sweet. / Image: The Manc Eats
Co-owner Marianne Ricketts tells us: “We’ve looked around at some things in town but the prices are ridiculous. We’re an independent business, you know.
“In the interim, if we don’t find anything we do have a pop-up van but we don’t know, we’ve seen a few spots but with licensing a lot of areas are restricted within the city centre.”
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She adds, however, that their real goal is to find a new shop and that they’d much rather find a new home this way.
With room for just three people to sit and eat at once, their current home inside the Ride Low building (itself a fixture on Church Street for three decades) is small but mighty, with crowds flocking into their tiny corner kitchen takeaway in their droves.
It’s the sort of place where everyone seems to know each other, and as we sit and eat our lunch of tender curried goat, rice and peas, ackee and salt fish, we overhear each person ask Dean as they place their order and pay at the counter: “Have you found a new space yet?”
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Evidently, it has a big following, and it’s not hard to see why. Food is cooked freshly every day by co-owner Dean, who refuses to cut any corners and seasons and marinades all meat on the menu for 24 hours before serving it up to customers. Marianne describes him as their ‘chef extraordinaire’.
On the menu, you’ll find everything from snacks like fried dumplings and patties as well as fried and jerk chicken, whilst elsewhere there’s a full Jamaican dinners section with the likes of curry goat, oxtail, curried chicken, brown stew and jerk chicken.
A proper authentic Carribbean spot, it would be a shame to see this gem disappear. If you have a unit or know someone who might be able to help, owners are appealing for you to get in touch with them via their Instagram page here.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Smash-hit sandwich shop Earl’s is set to open another site in Bolton
Danny Jones
Yes, beloved Bolton butty shop and bar, Earl’s, is set to open up their second location in the Greater Manchester borough, taking the food from the town centre over to Farnworth.
We’re keeping our fingers crossed for a metropolitan expansion either this year or next, but for now, we’re just glad to hear we’re getting more of the good stuff.
Earl’s Day and Night Deli, to give them their full name, is the latest name to join the lineup of new foodie faces joining the culinary boom over at the Farnworth Green development.
Soon, the stacked sandwiches, quality coffee and laid-back vibes will be coming to one of the best up-and-coming new neighbourhoods.
Founded by two local lads, Jonny Eckersley and Andy Partington, the first venue only opened back in December of 2024, but has gone on to become a North West-wide sensation.
Carb connoisseurs will literally travel for this scran, and having tasted it for ourselves a couple of times now, it’s no wonder.
Taking inspiration not only from regional food and drink, but also from the wider atmospheres and culinary cultures of Lisbon, Sydney, Antwerp and more, if they can translate even half the levels of chill from the OG Earl’s into this soon-to-open sister site, we’re sure it will hit the ground running.
As per an official press release, fans and those who’ve never tried it before can “expect a menu packed with freshly made sandwiches, alongside a line-up of hot and cold options available for both grab-and-go and delivery.”
Crucially, they’re also looking to carry over that feeling of a seamless transition between services, blending everything from morning coffee runs and the lunch rush with casual evening hangs.
Co-founder Jonny said in a statement: “We are staying true to our roots by bringing a second Earl’s in Bolton. This new venture helps to fuel our expansion plans and widen our catchment area so even more local people can enjoy the Earl’s experience.
“We have big plans for the space and can’t wait to get started.” An exact opening date hasn’t even been confirmed yet, but we’re already getting excited.
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital and Centric (the developers behind Farnworth Green) added: “We back standout local operators, and Earl’s is right up there – great food, loads of energy and a proper following already behind them.
“Farnworth Green is shaping up to be a neighbourhood with real character, and Earl’s is only going to add to that. Expect it to be busy.”
Crown and Kettle set to take over another former Northern Quarter bar
Danny Jones
The team behind beloved Ancoats pub The Crown and Kettle have announced that they are set to take over another former bar and restaurant location in nearby Northern Quarter.
We were gutted to see the old place go, but at least we can’t think of many better to take over the unit.
The historic watering hole on the corner of Oldham Road and Great Ancoats Street is said to have stood in that spot since the 18th century, but now the present owners have confirmed they’ll be taking on a third venue, having also opened The Rat and Pigeon back in June 2024.
Many of you may have been to one or multiple of its previous iterations of the site in question over the years, but most recently, it was the Calcio sports bar – and soon it’ll become ‘The Badger’.
Revealing the news online last week, Crown and Kettle wrote: “We’re delighted to announce that our new pub, The Badger, arrives on Dale Street this spring!
“Once home to Calcio, Allotment & Nickelbys, this beautiful old building first served as The Haunch of Venison public house back in the early 1800s. Over the past few months, we’ve been hard at work, quietly bringing it back to life & returning it to its roots as a community pub.
“With The Badger, we’ve set out to create the kind of place we love most, warm, welcoming, full of character, with all the charm of a great countryside pub in the heart of the city.
“Expect cosy corners, traditional pub foods, fine ales & the warmest of welcomes. Made for regulars. Open to all. Worth returning to. We can’t wait to welcome you to your new city centre local. GET SET(T)…” Oh, very good indeed.
We visited Calcio many times over the past couple of years, both for work and pleasure in our own free time; it was a great place to watch the footy, enjoy some matchday scran and roll back the years with retro videogames.
As mentioned, though, not only did it used to be one of multiple Allotment vegan and vegetarian eateries in Greater Manchester – thankfully, their presence still remains in multiple buildings – but it has a past long before that which many people bring up on social media.
Insert, “I remember when…’ post.
While we might not know much about what they have in store for this next chapter, knowing how much we love their current city centre favourites, we’re very excited.
As it stands, we’re also yet to hear anything about a more precise opening date, but at least we know it’s coming sometime soon, and we have every faith they’re going to smash it.
Georgina Pellant -
17th March 2023 
