Picture the scene: the weekend has arrived, it’s already raining in Manchester and you’re skint; but your mates want to go out and you’ve never been good with FOMO.
We’ve all been there, but one of the best parts about this amazing city and its working-class roots is that there’s always somewhere for the average Joe to grab a bite to eat on the cheap.
And for our money, it doesn’t get much more budget-friendly than Bunny Jackson’s.
Located on Jack Rosenthal Street just off First Street, Bunny Jackson’s, Bunny J’s, Bunny’s—whatever you wanna call it, quite possibly offers the cheapest item on any menu anywhere in town: the 20p wing.
Tequila wings to knock your socks offA fiery but affordable feast Credit: Bunny Jackson’s (via Instagram)
Those delicious bloody wings
This is what the late-night favourite has built its reputation on over the years: as many cheap and delicious chicken wings as you think you could possibly devour at pennies a pop.
ADVERTISEMENT
Believe it or not, back in the old days it used to be just 10p for a plain chicken wing, but then came Covid and all the rest of it. After all, these lot still have to make money.
Nevertheless, this neon-lit, polaroid and graffiti-filled dive bar is still undoubtedly the best wing spot in Manchester, not to mention the perfect place to enjoy all your favourite rock and pop-punk bangers.
ADVERTISEMENT
The current menu is still littered with affordable flavours from classic BBQ and buffalo, to Jack Daniel’s smoked honey and mustard or the Sailor Jerry spiced sesame wings — all of which you get for 45p or under. Yes, you read that right. Unreal, isn’t it?
Then comes the seasonal specials like the chip-shop curry sauce one we tried a couple of months back or, our personal favourite, the lip-smacking honey and garlic that has effectively become a mainstay it’s now so popular amongst punters. They always adding new ones so keep an eye out.
Chip Shop CurryHoney and GarlicGarlic and ParmesanCredit: Bunny Jackson’s
And, of course, we can’t forget about their legendary ‘Hotter Than the Sun’ wing, which is seriously no joke. We pride ourselves on being able to handle our heat but this thing is ridiculous. That’s why a glass of milk stands pride of place on the menu at £2.
ADVERTISEMENT
Beers and full bellies on a budget
What’s more insane is that this is the most expensive chicken wing on the menu at the hefty price tag of—wait for it—55p. Again, not a typo.
When you can order 10 flaming hot wings and still only pay just over a fiver. It’s easy to see why people order bucket loads of all different flavours like it’s their last meal on earth.
In all seriousness, even if you fancy a healthy portion of cauliflower wings (£4), animal fries that are so dirty we always struggle to finish the whole thing (also £4), or a big juice burger with more fries on the side than you really need for less than a tenner, it’s pretty hard to break the bank at Bunny Jackson’s.
‘The Mother Clucker’ lives up to its nameWings, filthy animal fries, fried pickles and a double cheeseburger. What more could you ask for?Credit: Bunny Jackson’s
The food doesn’t stop there either. There’s grilled cheese and soup, onion rings, fried pickles and chicken dippers for those who don’t do bones; we might as well just give you the menu at this point.
They like a party at Bunny J’s
Even the booze selection is reasonably priced, with pints and plenty more from £5 – pretty much the going rate these days – and a happy hour from 10-11pm when you can get a pint, a glass of wine, a can or seltzer or a cheeky shot for just £3.
Beyond just the food and drink, there’s pool and beer pong tables as well as live music on the regular. They were one of the many venues included in this year’s Neighbourhood line-up.
The self-styled dive bar’s reputation is so strong that just a few months ago, Mancs busy eating Bunny’s barely batted an eye when Olivia Rodrigo decided to pop and do a surprise gig.
Literally sold out the 02 Apollo the same night. As you do.
In fact, the Bunny’s brand has gotten so big now that back in May 2021 they opened up their underground sister site Junior Jackson’s on Oldham Street in Northern Quarter, serving up plenty of beer, shots, sliders, hot dogs and lots of loud music – also until 3am.
ADVERTISEMENT
As if that wasn’t enough, the success of both venues left them with little choice other than to open up a third location this summer, the Wing Wagon, taking their trademark chicken on the road to feed the Manc masses.
You can find it parked just off the back of First Street a stone’s through from the OG site itself.
The door to Junior’s basementThe party spirit of Bunny’s is just as big in Northern QuarterThe Wing WagonCredit: Bunny Jackson’s
Ran by absolute legends
At a time when we’re all trying to scrimp and save wherever we can, it’s still important that people still have a place to go eat some solid scran and have a belter of a night out.
We refuse to let the misery surrounding the impending winter rule us – we still on plan having a good time wherever we can and we hope you can too.
One of the parts we love about Bunny’s the most is the people that run it: they’re some of the friendliest staff you’ll find behind any bar in Britain, let alone in Manchester.
ADVERTISEMENT
Credit: Bunny Jackson’s
If it often looks like they’re having a better time than you, they probably are. With the tunes blaring, beer flowing and shots always on the cards, why wouldn’t they?
Whether you want some wings, a pint, a group photo to remember the night you don’t remember or buy a shirt that reads ‘I LOVE BJs’, they do it all with an effortless charm that only their close-knit and ever so slightly tipsy brigade can pull of.
So don’t let endless doom-scrolling through stuff about the economy spoil it for you: get yourself a pint, have a dance and much on a stupid amount of wings for practically pennies.
We love you, Bunny’s and we thank you for your service, tough times or not. Never change.
Giuseppe’s – the tiny Italian bistro that proves Stalybridge is fast becoming a dining destination
Daisy Jackson
Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge is a restaurant that’s putting in an enormous amount of effort to please just a very small group of people – this teeny tiny bistro has just 18 seats.
With such a small capacity no one would blame them for sitting back and scaling back to a concise little menu of pizza – but Giuseppe’s really said ‘no grazie’ to such an idea and committed itself to a full bistro menu.
It’s yet another exciting addition to the rapidly-booming restaurant scene here in Tameside, where neighbours include Cafe Continental, Gladstone Barber & Bistro, and SK15 Bar & Bistro.
Giuseppe’s arrival on the Stalybridge high street has created a cosy corner for locals, one which could quickly follow in the footsteps of Ornella’s to become a fully-booked-for-months-in-advance destination.
Inside its welcoming navy blue walls you’re welcomed by a room filled with trailing plants, ceramic lemons and a huge doodle map of Sicily.
The menu also hails from Sicily, specialising in wood-fired pizzas but also dipping a toe into pasta and small plates too.
Pizza at Giuseppe’s Italian bistro in StalybridgeA spread of dishes at Pizza at Giuseppe’s Italian bistro in Stalybridge
Giuseppe’s pizza dough is meticulously made fresh with Italian 00 flour, left to ferment for at least 48 hours, before being stretched and topped and cooked in the wood-fired pizza oven until it’s all puffed-up and charred around the edges.
At lunch times, those delicious pizza doughs are folded in half to make Italian panozzi sandwiches, the charred dough encasing fillings like Sicilian fennel sausage and friarelli, and mortadella with stracciatella.
These are strong contenders for the best pizzas this side of Greater Manchester, with a soft and chewy crust that stands up against much bigger names in the pizza game.
Rum baba at Giuseppe’sThe team at Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge
Giuseppe’s pasta bowls include a hearty paccheri with Sicilian sausage AND guanciale, all salty and rich and creamy.
And once you’ve eaten your fill in this tiny little spot, where the windows go all steamed up in winter and you’re nudging up against neighbours chatting over pizzas, you can polish off with Italian desserts too.
There’s a very respectable slab of tiramisu on offer, plus a rum baba soaked in syrup and packed with fresh cream.
Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge may be small in capacity but it’s huge on spirit.
French fine dining spot 63 Degrees confirms closure after 14 years
Danny Jones
One of Manchester’s long-standing French bistros, 63 Degrees, has now announced the business has closed its doors for good after nearly a decade and a half in the city centre.
The family-run fine dining destination first opened back in 2011, but after closing over the most recent festive period and despite all of us hoping and praying this year would be a healthier one for hospitality, they have become the sector’s latest casualty.
Having been one of the few classical spots of its kind left in central Manchester, not to mention boasting a spot on the Michelin guide, it’s a huge loss for Manchester food and drink.
The team have been silent on socials since August 2023 and no one needs any reminder of how challenging the industry is right now, so closures like these don’t exactly come as a surprise anymore, but it seems another big factor was at the heart of the decision.
It’s a logo most would instantly recognise.The initial plan was to stay open but it sadly hasn’t worked out.Credit: The Manc Group
Confirming the news to Manchester Confidential, 63 Degrees confirmed that their Christmas hiatus has now become permanent as many had suspected, with the highly-rated Northern Quarter spot closed permanently as of this week.
Founder Alexandre Moreau said that his parents, Head Chef Eric and mother Florence, have now returned to France following a period of ill health.
Speaking to the outlet, Moreau added: “I’m glad my parents have retired now. My dad was spending six days a week in the kitchen and got to the point where his whole body was hurting. He had a hard time finding people he could trust in the kitchen so he could not delegate that much.
“My mum’s health got worse in November last year so they decided it was time to stop and go back to France. Nothing you can do, unfortunately. Life will do that to all of us at some point.”
Revealing that the lease has now been handed over to the landlord, he signed off by stating, “They had a great run, but it’s a difficult job at that age.”
Shining not only as one of the few places left that still served traditional haute cuisine in our region but emerging as one of the spots that helped put NQ’s now thriving foodie scene on the map back in the day, we couldn’t think of a more fitting image to part on than this one:
We wish Alexandre and Eric all the best, as well as a speedy recovery to Florence back home, and sincerely hope they get to enjoy a slower pace of life after years of service and outstanding contribution to the world of Manc dining.
Unfortunately, 63 Degrees is just one of the most recent Manchester restaurants that have closed; we’re not even in mid-February yet and we’re already losing count of how many of these pieces we’ve had to write for various reasons.
That being said, the general consensus seems to be that it is impossibly hard for local businesses to keep afloat under the constant pressure of rising energy bills, business rates and a cost of living crisis that is preventing people from being able to eat out.
If institutions such as this and the likes of Almost Famous are struggling to survive, how on Earth can those much earlier into their journey be expected to survive? They need help and fast.
Danny Jones -
8th October 2022 
