The massively popular Grandpa Greene’s ice cream parlour has branched out – to a public loo.
The much-loved dessert bar and cafe has been based down by the canal in Diggle for well over a decade, its success growing year on year.
Who could forget the early lockdown days, when half of Greater Manchester flocked to Saddleworth hungry for the simple novelty of buying an ice cream?
Now there’s a new string to the local business’s bow, as it’s taken on and transformed a former public toilet building in Uppermill.
They’ve added a smart conservatory with retractable roof to the original structure, swapping out bogs for a sunny bistro.
There’s plenty of comfortable booth seating in here, with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over King George V Park and the kids’ play area.
Greene’s Bistro is dog-friendly and very kid-friendly (with the added bonus of wine and cocktails for the parents).
As well as classic cocktails you’ll find special concoctions themed around its weekly musical nights, like a Blue Lagoon for Mamma Mia and a watermelon spritz for Dirty Dancing.
While Grandpa Greene’s is best-known for its sweet treats, at Greene’s Bistro there’s a big focus on lunches and brunches – and they do a sterling job of both.
The beef brisket baguette at Greene’s Bistro in Uppermill. Credit: The Manc GroupA selection of small plates from Grandpa Greene’s bistro. Credit; The Manc Group
There are chunky warm baguettes, filled with braised beef and melted cheese, or pulled cajun chicken and Emmental.
You can order parmesan fries loaded with 12-hour beef and peppercorn sauce, or with salt and pepper fried chicken.
Adorable little hash browns are available loaded with truffle and parmesan or a sticky salt and pepper glaze (you’ll be fighting for the last spud, they’re so addictive), while other small plates include halloumi fries and truffle fries.
For cheese addicts there are are mozzarella and pesto gnocchi croquettes which will leave you with cheese strings hanging down your chin, and a molten baked Camembert with slices of baguette for scooping.
A bright yellow smear of zingy lemon aioli comes topped with crispy squid and slithers of chorizo, and there are also piles of sticky popcorn chicken with a honey sriracha sauce.
Pancake stacks at Greene’s Bistro in Uppermill. Credit: The Manc GroupBoozy coffee shakes. Credit: The Manc GroupGigantic sundaes with Grandpa Greene’s ice cream. Credit: The Manc Group
This being a Grandpa Greene’s establishment, you know that desserts are going to be some of the best in the country.
Greene’s Bistro features a menu packed with loaded pancakes (the chocolate Oreo ones are a must) as well as ice cream sundaes so enormous you have to carry them with two hands.
There are boozy dessert-inspired coffees, thick milkshakes made with Granda Greene’s renowned ice creams, and of course you can just grab a scoop in a cone to walk around the park with.
The glow-up from public toilet building to this brilliant new Uppermill restaurant is pretty remarkable – well done Greene’s Bistro.
How Greene’s Bistro looks nowThe toilet block before it became Greene’s Bistro in Uppermill
Bundobust and Madre announce bold new Indo-Mexican collaboration
Clementine Hall
Two of Manchester’s best-loved casual dining spots are joining forces for a limited-edition collaboration.
Bundobust and Madre will be teaming up this summer to create a menu inspired by two world-famous street food cultures – India, and Mexico.
The Indo-Mexican menu will feature dishes like ‘Naanchos’, and plenty of other Desi-flavoured Mexican dishes.
It’ll be mashing up iconic ingredients, techniques, and flavours, with a menu of brand new spice-packed dishes and cocktails combining Desi and Mexican influence.
So, what can we expect?
Mexican street food classics chimichanga and quesadillas get the Desi treatment, while Bundobust’s Indian street food favourites like chaat get a little Latino heat.
All paired with spicy summer-time cocktails, as a homage to Mexican drinking culture, plus the return of Bundobust Brewery’s new golden Cerveza, SANJA Mexican Lager.
We can’t think of a better place to spend our summer evenings to be quite honest.
On the menu there are crunchy Indo-Mexican ‘naanchos’, topped with salsa verde, crema, tamarind, onion, coriander, and a punchy pickle masala.
Madre and Bundobust are teaming upNaanchos, from the Bundobust x Madre menu
There’ll also be a ‘Tikkadilla’ – a corn tortilla packed with oyster mushrooms, red tikka sauce and Oaxaca cheese, with a side of desi birria sauce for dipping.
That’s alongside masala chimichanga, birria-ani, and corn chaat.
Then you can wash that down with a cashew colada, an avocado lassi, spicy mango margs and loads more.
The Indo-Mexican menu will be available at all Bundobust and Madre locations from Monday 14 July until Sunday 17 August 2025.
Northern Quarter cafe to give out 100 FREE slices of cake to celebrate its birthday
Emily Sergeant
A little Northern Quarter cafe is celebrating a big milestone this week, and is giving out 100 free slices of cake for the occasion.
Nibble is turning eight this week, and nothing makes a birthday better than cake.
The female-run independent cafe on Oldham Street in the heart of the Northern Quarter first opened its doors to hungry Mancs back in July 2017, after owner and manager Lauren had dreams to take her business of selling brownies at local artisan markets and turn them into a cosy cafe of her own that catered to people with all sorts of dietary requirements.
The cafe has since been acknowledged by tastemakers as one of the most accessible places in Manchester.
Not only is Nibble known and loved for serving up some of the best homemade bakes in the city, with something for everyone to tuck choose from, but they also provide a tasty selection of all-day brunch dishes, salads, and sandwiches, as well as corporate catering too.
So of course, to celebrate eight years of the lovely Nibble team feeding the good people of Manchester, the business is giving away free slices of birthday cake on Friday.
Nibble NQ is giving away 100 free slices of birthday cake / Credit: The Manc Group
After doing something similar to celebrate their birthday last year, this time around they’re taking things once step further, as it’s not just 100 free slices of scrumptious cake you can get your hands on, there’s plenty other prizes too.
Nibble will be ‘levelling up’ and throwing in some ‘hidden surprises’ in the form of vouchers, giving people an opportunity to win a free brunch, brownie box, or coffee and cake.
To be in with a chance of taking away one of the 100 free slices of birthday cake, all you’ll need to do is head to Nibble on Oldham Street this Friday (11 July) and line up outside the cafe from 9:30am, then you may just be lucky enough to start of your day in the sweetest way possible.