Eats

Inside Manchester’s new Mexican taco and ceviche restaurant Madre

Madre officially opens its doors at Kampus on Saturday 17 June.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 16th June 2023

A new Mexican restaurant is opening in Manchester this weekend serving up authentic tacos and ceviche alongside zesty tequila and mezcal tacos.

Brought to the city by the teams behind London’s famous Breddos Tacos and esteemed Liverpudlian eatery Belzan, it sits on the edge of the city centre’s new waterside neighbourhood, Kampus, with a gorgeous sun trap terrace just perfect for al fresco dining.

Officially due to open tomorrow, Saturday 17 June, we headed down for a sneak preview at what’s to come – and left feeling very impressed.

Although a large proportion of the menu here is dedicated to tacos, the menu at Madre is split into four sections – wood-fired, oysters and raw, tacos and snacks – with the likes of freshly-prepared ceviche, fire-roasted Simaloan style prawns and oysters Rockefeller all vying for attention.

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

At the oyster and raw bar, you’ll find sashimi-grade tuna tostadas, cured seabass, and not two but three different styles of oysters to choose from, with toppings including a housemade jalapeno mignonette and roasted bonemarrow, panko and coriander.

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As for the wood-fired section, the show-stopping aged wing of beef with beef jus potatoes is a must but further options like charcoal-grilled sea bass with salsa roja and refried beans, or the almejas with clams and beer also sound very tempting.

Read more: Lupo Caffe Italiano – a taste of sunny Rome on a Prestwich industrial estate

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Snacks, meanwhile, span the likes of chiccaron de puerco y cola – perfectly crispy pork belly bites in a Mexican cola BBQ sauce – and ‘elote’ corn ribs with chipotle mayo, lime and queso fresco.

Of course, we also have to talk about the tacos too. Given that Madre’s taco truck has become something of a fixture around Manchester these past few years, it’s true that as we headed down this afternoon they were very much front and centre in our minds.

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

With six different styles to choose from, veggies and vegans are looked after with options like whipped potato and tempura avocado, alongside mainstay favourites like baja fish, birria beef shin, pork carnitas and fried chicken.

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As for drinks, think punchy tequila and mezcal-based cocktails loaded with zesty citrus and artfully decorated with hibiscus salt alongside traditional Mexican soft drink Jarritos, a full wine and beer list and more besides.

Read more: The Corn Exchange – Manchester’s best sun-trap for outdoor food and drinks this summer

Officially open from Saturday 17 June at Kampus, Manchester city centre has – until now at least – been sorely missing a good Mexican restaurant. Thankfully, it appears that Madre is here to answer our prayers.

Featured image – The Manc Eats

Eats

Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.

At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.

Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.

Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.

The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.

A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.

The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.

It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.

Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group

The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.

According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.

These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.

There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.

The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.

The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr

Ged sold 6,000 a week.

And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).

Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.

The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

The main gripe people seem to have with the Manchester Christmas Markets is the prices of food and drinks, blasting them every year like a broken record as being ‘overpriced’.

So we’ve done the hard slog for you, running all around the city centre to suss out exactly how much everything is costing in 2024.

From Piccadilly Gardens (rebranded as The Winter Gardens for the season) to King Street, there are wooden sheds and festive cheer absolutely everywhere.

There’s some brilliant food and drink to discover – you can see our top picks HERE – but as this is a huge visitor attraction, that can come at a price.

Once you factor in the deposit for a Manchester Christmas Markets mug, you can easily spend £12 just to get a mulled wine (though you will get £3.50 of that back when you return your mug).

There are also deposit charges on glassware – £2 for a pint glass, £3.50 for cocktail glasses and £7 for a stein.

You can see the full list of prices for food and drinks right across the Manchester Christmas Markets HERE, but below are where you can find the cheapest spots at the festive event.

Mulled wine

Mulled wines are priced at £5.50 almost everywhere across the Manchester Christmas Markets, though some stalls are offering bigger serves of this popular festive drink for a small price hike.

Then people are charging another £3 to add a shot of brandy, rum or amaretto, making an £8.50 total.

But the cheapest we’ve found is just £7 for mulled wine with a shot of booze, and that’s at Mamma Mia, an Italian stall on New Cathedral Street, right near St Ann’s Square.

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine. Credit: The Manc Group

Beer

Again, prices for beers at the Manchester Christmas Markets are pretty consistent and average £6 a pint.

But you can get cheaper – at The Last Outpost, a Western-themed bar at Exchange Square, beers start from £5.50.

And at The Hip Hop Chip Shop at Piccadilly Gardens, they’re selling local craft beers, like Shindigger, Pomona Island, Manchester Union) for just £5.50. And you get bonus good vibes for supporting local breweries.

Wine

We’ve found a couple of glasses of wine for just £5 around the Markets this year, which is cheaper than most bars in town really.

The King Street Craft Bar, which has the bonus of having seating, has house wines from a fiver.

Christmas Alley at Piccadilly Gardens will also give you a wine for £5.

Prosecco

Prosecco works in every season and if this is your go-to of all the drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, we’ve found where you can save a few pennies.

Most places are charging between £6.50 and £7 per glass, but at El Gato Negro on King Street (yep, the same stall operated by the Michelin-recommended restaurant) are charging just £5 – that’s a whole £1.50 cheaper than most other stalls.

Hot chocolate

Basic hot chocolates are generally £3.50 everywhere, with a few very luxury upgrades (like a £7.90 creation from The Flat Baker that’s served in an edible cookie cup).

Once you add in a shot of alcohol, the cheapest as at the Apres Ski Bar at Piccadilly Gardens, which charges £2.50 for a spirit.

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That makes £6 for a boozy hot chocolate.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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