Black Milk Cereal is opening up a new cafe inside a former cinema
Manchester dessert heroes Black Milk have revealed plans to launch a new gelato range in signature flavours like Biscoff and hazelnut cream, and hinted at releasing a new baked goods menu in the near future...
Manchester’s favourite ‘cereal’ cafe, Black Milk, has revealed plans to open a new dessert spot next month inside Macclesfield’s Picturedrome.
Set to open in early February, its new cafe will serve up all of Black Milk’s signature sweet treats alongside some brand new baked ones as it takes on its own unit inside the former cinema.
It will join the likes of Reserve Wine x Tender Cow, Honest Crust, Savages Mussels Terroni and Rubens inside the Picturedrome, an old early 20th-century cinema re-imagined by the team behind Altrincham Market, Market House Alty and Mackie Mayor into a thriving independent food hall.
Image: Black Milk Cereal
Having previously held successful pop-ups at sister site Mackie Mayor last year, when an opportunity arose for Black Milk to permanently join the site in Cheshire it seemed like a no-brainer.
The Black Milk team announced the move on its Instagram page over the weekend, adding that they were looking for a pastry chef to join them – suggesting that the menu here may well take a turn into new territory in the coming months.
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Its full menu and the Black Milk shop will both be made available at the new site, as well as a range of delicious baked treats. These new treats are being kept close to its chest for now, but we’re promised all will be revealed soon.
In a first for Black Milk, it will also begin to offer luxury Italian gelato at Picturedrome in its signature flavours of hazelnut cream, pistachio, Biscoff and cookies & cream.
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Visitors to the new Macclesfield site can expect milkshakes, loaded freak shakes, alcoholic milkshakes in flavours like espresso martini and white Russian, plus heaped ice cream sundaes and Biscoff and red velvet cheesecakes.
Image: Black Milk Cereal
Its current Manchester cafe, which is found on Oldham street, is currently shut for a kitchen refurbishment – leaving fans without their usual Black Milk fix.
However, the team reassured Manchester locals that this will not be for much longer – promising that their city centre kitchen will be open again mid-February once an upgrade to its kitchen is completed.
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Black Milk also has another site in London.
In a post shared to Instagram, the cafe wrote: “ANNOUNCEMENT. We are delighted to let you know that we will be opening at @picturedromemacc in Macclesfield in early February.
“We will be serving up our signature treats alongside new baked ones!
“If you are based in Macclesfield, we are looking for a pastry chef to join the team. To apply please send your cv to [email protected]
“P.S. Black Milk Manchester will be back mid-February after a kitchen upgrade.”
Black Milk opened the city’s first ‘cereal cafe’ in Manchester city centre in 2015, with just five tables crammed into a small space inside Affleck’s.
In these early days, it drew inspiration from Momofuku’s Milk Bar in New York and Cereal Killer in London, serving up breakfast cereals from around the globe with a huge range of different kinds of milk – including one infused with squid ink, from which it takes its name.
Seven years on and its menu has come a long way, with popular items today focused more around indulgent desserts, freakshakes and lavish hot chocolates.
Customer favourites include Bailey’s hot chocolate and Kinderella milkshakes, but Black Milk sells all sorts from a huge varied menu.
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Image: The Manc Eats
An Instagram page bulging with pictures of loaded pancakes, cookie pies and cheesecakes, all made using the various spreads and sauces sold as part of Black Milk’s shop, is enough to make anyone drool.
Speaking on the new opening, Andy from Black Milk said: “We are delighted to be moving into such an incredible venue. It will be the first of our adventures into Cheshire where we see a great opportunity to serve our treats to a whole new audience.
“We’d like to thank the team behind Picturedrome for asking us to join an incredible group of independent food and drink brands in Macclesfield.
“We look forward to meeting everyone within the next few weeks.”
Jake from Picturedrome added: “We are delighted to welcome Black Milk to Picturedrome Macclesfield after a series of popular events at our partner venue Mackie Mayor.”
To find out more about what Black Milk has in store ahead of the new opening, make sure to follow them on Instagram here. To shop their at-home treats, visit the shop here.
The fantastic pub near Manchester Airport that’s a perfect plane-spotting site
Daisy Jackson
Forget rooftop bars and waterfront terraces – this pub comes with front-row seats to one of the busiest runways in the UK.
Just 50 feet from the end of Manchester Airport’s runway, The Airport Pub is where lunch comes with a side of jumbo jets.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, or plane-spotting has never appealed until you factor in the idea of doing it with a pint in hand, this is the spot to check out. Bonus points if you whip out FlightRadar.
With an outdoor area for the kids too, it’s an easy win for a family day out.
Planes roar overhead every few minutes, thanks to the pub’s obvious proximity to the busy runways of Manchester Airport.
Step inside and the aviation theme continues, with propeller-style chandeliers, jet engine booth seating and other plane-inspired touches that make the pub feel every bit as unique as its location.
But if you ask us, the best seats in the house are outside, where you can tuck into a hearty pub lunch (hello, cheese and onion pie) while watching the constant parade of arrivals.
Cheese and onion pieInside the Airport Pub in ManchesterA pint in the Airport Pub beer gardenPropellor chandeliers inside the Airport PubPlanes land just 50ft from the beer gardenYou can sit inside a booth built from an old engineThe Hangar bar outsideFried chicken and waffles
For an even better view, head over to The Hangar, the pub’s outdoor bar, where you can grab a pint or an ice cream before claiming one of the picnic benches just metres from the runway.
It’s surprisingly easy to lose track of time as everything from short-haul jets to giant long-haul aircraft passes right in front of you.
The Airport Pub isn’t just about the view either. Its family-friendly atmosphere, spacious beer garden and classic diner-style menu make it a great stop whether you’re waiting for a flight, entertaining the kids or simply fancying one of the most memorable pub experiences in the country.
Rivington Brewing Co – The beautiful country walk that ends at a taproom with stunning views
Daisy Jackson
After a long afternoon of trudging through the countryside in whatever weather conditions the North throws at you, there’s nothing quite like the reward of a crisp pint.
And on a particularly beautiful walk right on the outskirts of Greater Manchester, we stumbled upon a taproom that might just provide the best drinking background in the region.
Let’s start with the walk details.
If you haven’t yet been exploring the trails and paths around Rivington, you’re missing out on a real stunner of a hike.
There are countless loops you can do around the area, providing the best bits of all countryside settings.
You want woods? They’ve got em. A nice flat walk beside a body of water? Rivington’s got it. A decent uphill trudge ending in absolutely stunning views? Yep, that’s here too.
A highlight of this corner of the North West is the Rivington Terraced Gardens, which will try to transport you to Italy and Japan all while only just stepping outside Bolton.
These 100-year-old gardens were created by the Lord of Leverhulme and inspired by his travels, and have been carefully restored in recent years by teams of volunteers.
Walking around the footpaths and flights of steps you’ll stumble upon a hidden Japanese Garden, lakes, waterfalls, bridges, sculptures and caves, ending up at the top of Rivington Pike with panoramic views.
Rivington Pike. Credit: GetLostMCR
From here, you can keep going along to Winter Hill for arguably even more impressive views, or start to loop back down the hill to the water’s edge, passing Liverpool Castle as you go.
And here is where the beer comes in.
If you pass through the village of Rivington itself and walk along Horrobin Lane which crosses the two reservoirs, you’ll find yourself at the Rivington Brew Co Tap.
This is huge taproom is a haven for modern craft beer, with absolutely loads of brews to choose from and a can fridge if the 20-odd taps don’t have what you fancy.
There’s plenty of cosy spaces inside the fairylight-strewn converted barn building, but the beer garden is the star of the show.
Inside the bar at Rivington Brew Co TapSo many pints to choose fromThe Rivington Brew Co Tap beer garden
There are views from here right across the water and all the way to Pigeon Tower and Winter Hill, with plenty of space for big groups.
And dotted all around the outdoor area are a rotating selection of street food traders, serving everything from pizza to burgers to cakes.
In situ currently, you’ll find Bun Chicken Bun, who are serving up a menu of 24-hour-brined crispy chicken, as burgers, tenders, Caesar salads, and loads more.
They’ve also got pots of mac and cheese that will give you such a long mozzarella cheese pull, you’ll have to stand up to snap it.
Chicken burger and loaded fries from Bun Chicken BunPots of macaroni cheeseMargo’s pizzasBun Chicken Bun’s homemade chicken gravyA spread of food from the traders at Rivington Brew Co Tap
AND they’re doing loads of loaded fries, other sides like corn ribs, and incredible chicken gravy.
Across the courtyard you’ll find Margo’s, serving New York-style pizzas on charming checkerboard plates.
These brilliant thin and crispy slices come topped with everything from fried chicken (a collab with Bun Chicken Bun), blue cheese and buffalo sauce; to parma ham, fresh rocket and balsamic.
And completing the trifecta of street food traders is Meld (devastatingly, not open the day we visited), which is bringing great burgers and tacos to Rivington Taproom.
They’re also serving what I think might be Greater Manchester’s first beer garden small plates, like king prawns in gochujang butter, burrata and peach toast, and padron peppers.
If you’re looking for a belting Saturday afternoon activity, this is absolutely the one.
You can look a walk in the area that suits your ability here.
Georgina Pellant -
24th January 2022 
