A gigantic new music, food and drink venue is opening in a former Manchester factory this summer, bringing a whopping 64 different frozen daiquiri combinations and the city’s biggest warehouse kitchen to Back Piccadilly.
Called Diecast, it comes from the team behind popular Swan Street venues Ramona and The Firehouse and will officially launch on Thursday 6 July behind Piccadilly train station.
Lining itself up as a competitor to neighbouring hospitality behemoth venue Escape To Freight Island, next month sees the venue’s first phase ‘The MachineWorks’ AKA ‘Leno Ex Machina’ unveiled after two years of intense anticipation.
Situated between Ducie St and Store St, Diecast will boast one of the biggest frozen drinks menus in the city, with a dedicated daiquiri bar featuring 20 different frozen daiquiri machines as well as classic servings.
As for its giant open warehouse kitchen, pizza fans can expect something a little different as chefs merge ‘the best bits’ of NYC and Neapolitan pizza to create something ‘with a stronger hold, more toppings, and a crispy base.’
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Fresh and zesty Italian small plates, wood fired piadino and Leno burgers will also feature on the menu here.
Classic, artisan and 64 frozen combinations of Daiquiri will pour from 20 frozen daiquiri machines dominating its huge central bar and stage, in a celebration of all things rum, whilst its huge new beer garden is flanked by a perimeter of reconditioned trailer park caravans, or ‘rum caravans’.
Elsewhere, party goers can marvel at Galleria – an immersive vertical stage party performance inside the venue.
Here, a network of vertical stages, stairways and platforms creates one of the biggest immersive, art house, dance parties the city has ever seen.
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Diecast sold out its opening parties in quick time, so now, the team has dropped free early bird tickets for its Thursday, Friday and Saturday night launch events.
Phase one, ‘Leno Ex Machina’. will be the first food and drink concept with a series of free parties in July, across the summer.
Speaking ahead of the launch, owner and director Dan Mullen said: ‘We’ve been dreaming, planning and preparing this project for years.
We’ve done bars, restaurants, clubs and festivals before, but this is something different. It’s hard to describe because it’s multiple experiences under one roof.
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“But no, it’s not a food hall. Manchester has plenty of those. This is an immersive food, drink and clubbing experience on an industrial scale.”
Featured image – Supplied
Eats
V.Goode Pies – Michelin-recommended Manchester restaurant launches new pie shop
Daisy Jackson
A new pie shop has opened in Manchester today – and it comes from the same team behind a Michelin-recommended restaurant.
Chefs Shaun Moffat (of Winsome fame) and Sam Grainger (Madre, Belzan, Doug’s and loads more) have joined forces for V.Goode Pies.
The Oxford Road pie shop promises to serve ‘the kind of pies Manchester’s been waiting for’ that won’t cost the earth.
Shaun and Sam dreamed up the idea following the success of the pie offering at Winsome, which are a highlight of its proudly British menu.
Now open on Oxford Road, you’ll find four core individual pies as well as breakfast pies.
Expect classic flavours like cheese and onion, and meat and potato, but also less common creations like a lasagne pie and a breakfast pie too.
There’ll be the option to have your pie served in a barm, Wigan kebab-style, or have it as it comes after a hefty dunk in a vat of gravy.
Pie dinner trays at V.Goode PiesInside the breakfast pie and the lasagne pie at V.Goode PiesA pie barm at V.Goode PiesShaun Moffat and Sam GraingerTraditional British piesThe full spreadInside V.Goode PiesCredit: The Manc Group
You can also have it served on a classic dinner tray, with mash and mushy peas on the side.
As well as traditional fillings, V. Goode Pies will have more out-there bakes like a lasagne pie, where layers of pasta are packed into a pie crust.
You can also expect rotating specials and collaborations.
V.Goode Pies – or, to use its government name, Valerie Goode’s Pies – is inspired by co-founder Tom Fastiggi’s dinner lady grandmother and pie connoisseur.
V.Goode Pies will take over the old Loaf store on Oxford Road and is set to open on 18 November, with a pop-up also planned at Freight Island this winter.
The pie shop will be open Monday to Saturday, from 8am until they sell out.
Tesco unveils Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deal – is yours on here?
Thomas Melia
Supermarket giant Tesco has announced brand-new data revealing Britain’s favourite Christmas meal deals.
But has yours made the cut?
Of course, Christmas is famed for its food, especially the Christmas dinner, but nowadays, the days leading up to the big day have also become filled with foodie feasts, and nothing proves this more than the popularity of the Christmas meal deal – something which Tesco, arguably, knows how to do better than anyone else.
Tesco has been actively tracking the nation’s everyday eating trends all year long, and now that the festive season’s here, shoppers favourite Christmas meal deals have been announced.
It seems meal deal lovers are eager to get into the Christmas spirit, with the best-selling main being the Tesco Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich.
Tesco has unveiled Britain’s favourite festive meal deal / Credit: Tesco plc | The Manc Group
This roast dinner-inspiredbutty has been purchased over 2.5 million times between October and December 2024, and it was so popular, in fact, that it was chosen almost three times as often as this year’s runner up – Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich.
To pair with this much-loved sandwich is the classic Mccoy’s Flame Grilled Steak Crisps, which are championing the snack category overtaking last year’s champion, Egg Protein Pot, which finished third this year.
And if you’re wondering what beverage Brits are pairing with their lunchtime combinations, it’s none other than Coca-Cola 500ml.
This will come as no surprise to any avid meal deal fans, as this drink has worn the crown as the nation’s favourite drink, not just during Christmas but the whole of 2024 itself.
Tesco top 10 festive meal deal mains (October – December 2024)
1.
Tesco Turkey & Trimmings Sandwich
2.
Tesco Jingle Brie Sandwich
3.
Tesco Yuletide Half ‘N’ Half Sandwich
4.
Tesco Christmas Wrapped Up
5.
Tesco Festive Chicken & Trimmings Sub
6.
Tesco Ho-Ho-Hog Wrap
7.
The Gym Kitchen Chicken Bacon & Stuffing Sandwich
8.
Tesco Cracking Currywurst Sub
9.
Tesco Finest Festive Chicken & Bacon with Gravy Mayonnaise Dip
“Turkey isn’t just for the big day, our customers love bringing festive flavours to their lunchtimes even as early as October,” commented Sarah Bryer, who is the Product Development Manager for Tesco Meal Deal.
“With the crowd-pleasing Turkey and Trimmings Sandwich back again, this year’s line-up of Meal Deal mains has something to suit both traditionalists and those looking for something new with the addition of our Honey Ham, Red Leicester and Festive Chutney Sandwich, Finest Brie and Bacon Brioche Bagel, and Tesco Plant Chef Festive Feast Wrap.“
Georgina Pellant -
19th June 2023 
