One of London’s most popular restaurant names has chosen Manchester as the location for its first site outside the capital.
Caravan, famed for bringing New Zealand cafe culture to the UK way back in 2009 (including 10/10 coffee and brunches), will be opening in Manchester’s St John’s district.
These award-winning restaurants offer an all-day, breakfast-to-cocktails offering that includes coffees roasted in house.
Co-founded by native New Zealanders Chris Ammermann, Laura Harper Hinton and Miles Kirby, they’ve enjoyed huge success in London with eight restaurants across the city.
But Caravan has never expanded beyond the M25 until now, announcing a huge new Manchester location is set to open this summer.
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The 200 cover space will be close to Aviva Studios and the beautiful restaurant Fenix, and will house two all day dining rooms, a bar, a private dining room featuring a turntable and private sound system, two outside terraces, a takeout coffee brew bar and a dedicated coffee roastery.
Its decor will be inspired by trail hiking huts and wool sheds in New Zealand, which means natural light, recycled materials and organic finishes.
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Typical dishes at Caravan in London ahead of its Manchester opening
As part of their move up north, Caravan will open a second coffee roastery in Manchester, aiming to provide beans and training to coffee shops across the region.
The ‘well-travelled’ breakfast and brunch menu goes from fresh fruit and grain bowls to fry-ups, with favourites including the Korean-style buttermilk fried chicken with kimchi pancakes, and fried jalapeno cornbread with fried egg, spinach, curd cheese, mojo verde and chilli butter.
At its existing restaurants, Caravan’s customers range from early morning gym-goers to on-the-go coffee runs to after-work socials and weekend brunch get-togethers.
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In the evenings, there are cocktails, an international wine list, and hand-picked local beers, served alongside rice bowls, sourdough pizzas, and small plates.
Laura Harper-Hinton, co-founder and CEO of Caravan said of the opening: “We are so excited to be taking Caravan on the road to Manchester, but more importantly, we are really looking forward to spending more time in this incredible city.
“We’ve had nothing but great vibes and support from everyone we’ve come across so far. We’ve chosen a unique location which sits right next to the new Aviva Studios, behind the historic Granada Studios and right in the heart of a growing new district at St John’s.
“We hope to attract a real cross section of the city to our beautiful new restaurant and roastery. In our London spaces we see everyone from early morning gym goers and commuters grabbing coffee, business lunches, baby dates and cocktail heavy birthday parties in the evening!
“We’ll be open morning, noon and night and you’re all welcome anytime that suits you!”
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Mike Ingall of Allied London, the team behind the St John’s development said of the opening: “Caravan are one of very few successful businesses that have managed to take a relaxed coffee house culture and develop a combined wholesome food, drink and restaurant offering whilst keeping that distinctive coffee culture.
“Bringing Caravan to our unique mix at St John’s was an obvious move for us bearing in mind what we are creating, and Caravan will be an operation I am sure Manchester will love…a place where people can come in the morning and stay all day and night…”
The new Caravan site in Manchester will be open seven days a week from 8am on weekdays and 9am at weekends.
Sign up to be the first to hear more about the opening here.
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Burger King is giving away free burgers to new drivers today
Emily Sergeant
Burger King will be giving away burgers to drivers who have recently passed their tests for free of charge today.
In case it wasn’t on your radar, tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) is actually National Drive-Thru Day, and in a bid to properly celebrate this unofficial holiday, Burger King has decided to hand out a bunch of freebies to newbies today.
The fast food chain is asking all new drivers to “buckle up”, head on down to their nearest Burger King drive-thru, and help themselves to a free burger.
All newly-qualified drivers will be able to take their pick from either the Whopper or Chicken Royale without parting ways with a penny, and all they’ll need to do the claim their freebie is simply show off their learner’s ‘L Plates’ to the staff at their local Burger King restaurant.
/ Credit: Burger King UK (via Instagram) | Supplied
Hundreds of Burger King drive-thrus across the UK are taking part in the one-day promotion – including several across in Greater Manchester.
Although it might seem a little too good to be true, there’s a reason Burger King has chosen to dish out the freebies, and that’s because the company says it knows that one of the first activities newly-qualified drivers like do once they’ve passed their test is make a pit stop at a drive-thru with their mates to show off their new wheels and skills.
Sometimes though, navigating a drive-thru for the first time can be tricky, and this leaves new drivers feeling a bit like a rabbit in the headlights.
Luckily with this one-day Burger King offer, new drivers’ first drive-thru trip couldn’t be any easier.
The offer is available nationwide today (Wednesday 24 July) at Burger King drive-thru lanes only, while stock lasts, and newly qualified drivers must verbally mention “BK Plates” at the drive-thru lane to unlock their free burger.