Summer’s finally here and we’re pretty much permanently dreaming of sitting in the sun, cheersing drinks with mates and munching on endless scran, which is why we’re so buzzing to hear that there’s a big street food festival coming to Manchester’s Circle Square.
Taking over the thriving city centre district this week, Food.Fest will be showcasing some of the best and most beloved street food brands Greater Manchester and the North West have to offer.
Kicking off at noon on Thursday, 27 June on the main square along Oxford Road, this is going to be the perfect place to go and grab something for dinner (yes, we mean lunch) or turn that penultimate day of the working week into a good excuse for an early dart.
With pizzas, burgers, baos and more on offer from a great lineup of familiar street food traders you know and love, we’re about to eat a serious amount of calories.
Circle Square is set to welcome a summery street food festival to Manchester (Credit: Supplied)
So who’s taking part in Food.Fest then? Well, for starters, you’ve got Prestwich‘s prized Triple B X Eat New York, a big favourite of ours and always queuing around the block when it lands at the Christmas Markets, who will be offering their infamous smashed burgers and mouth-watering bagels.
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Next up is Macclesfield’s Neapolitan-style pizza expert Tommy’s Pizza, who’ll be firing up their pizza oven and serving slice after slice of their incredible creations dripping in flavour.
In at number three, you’ve got Little Bao Boy, who have already grown a great following in the area by operating out of their home at North Taproom on Circle Square itself, but you’d be mad not to take a bao at Food.Fest – especially as they’ll be dishing up their signature Chicken and Gravy Baos.
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Last but by no means least, you’ve got the masters of top-flight Asian street food, Hello Oriental, who’ll be opening their doors to create a special grab-and-go offering for the event with a selection of menu favourites and must-tries.
If you aren’t already salivating at the thought of this street food festival then we simply can’t be friends, sorry, those are the rules.
In all seriousness, we highly recommend you popping along later this week and making the most of this event – we’ll handle all the praying for good weather on our end.
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Once again, Food.Fest will be taking place at Circle Square from 12-4pm on Thursday, 27 June. Catch you there.
A restaurant in Manchester is hosting a bottomless carbonara night
Daisy Jackson
A restaurant in Manchester has announced its first-ever ‘Carbonara Night’, with unlimited helpings of the popular pasta dish.
The Pasta Factory on Shudehill will be inviting diners to tuck into bottomless carbonara, with the chance to eat it all for free.
The restaurant recently celebrated its 10th birthday in the city, where it’s been serving fresh pasta dishes made by hand every single day.
When The Pasta Factory first opened, it chose not to sell carbonara, worried that the traditional recipe (guanciale, egg yolk, cheese – and absolutely no cream) wouldn’t be to the taste of diners in Manchester.
But realising there was an appetite for authentic Italian cooking, carbonara has made its way onto the menu and become a firm favourite.
And now The Pasta Factory is hosting an entire night dedicated to this delicious pasta dish.
There’ll be bottomless carbonara being served up in this cosy corner of Manchester, for one night only this month.
Your booking will get you a table for 90 minutes, during which time you can order unlimited portions of carbonara.
And if you manage to eat more than five carbonaras, Pasta Factory will give you your meal for free.
The bottomless carbonara night at Pasta Factory in Manchester will take place on Wednesday 18 February, with tickets priced at £30 per night.
Inside Kouba, Deansgate Square’s stunning new Lebanese restaurant and shisha bar
Daisy Jackson
A stunning new Lebanese restaurant and shisha bar has opened at the foot of the Deansgate Square towers, with an iced latte tap, shisha bar, and all-day dining.
Kouba has taken over the former Salvi’s site in the glamorous neighbourhood, and just days after opening, it’s packed to the rafters.
The space has been transformed from family-style Italian restaurant into a Middle Eastern oasis.
Kouba operates as a three-in-one concept, doing coffees and brunches in the daytimes before transforming to a lively Lebanese restaurant by night.
It also has a sizeable terrace (blissfully weather-proof) which doubles up as a late-night shisha lounge, open into the early hours.
This newcomer to the city has already found fame online with moments like an indulgent iced salted brown butter oat latte, served from a tap (plus the whole menu of other iced drinks).
There’s also a sharing cheesecake for two that’s built before your eyes, and hot cookies with soft serve, alongside pastries from the award-winning La Chouquette bakery.
Brunch menu dishes will include signatures like the ‘Pocket Toast’, with fillings including smash burger, bacon and egg, and avocado and egg, alongside smoothies, juices and matchas.
As for the restaurant menu, there’ll be a full Lebanese food offering that includes hot and cold mezze, and Lebanese favourites like meshwi, lamb chops, and moussaka.
Click or swipe through the gallery below to see inside
Inside Kouba at Deansgate SquareThe iced latte tapThe private dining roomThe shisha loungeA full spread of foodThe coffee shop section of KoubaIced matcha and pastries from La ChouquetteDinner at KoubaCookies and soft serve
Kouba is now open and will be operational seven days a week from 8am-2am.
Danny Jones -
23rd June 2024 
