A new bakery that serves fresh-out-the-oven cookies until 3am is ready to open in Manchester city centre.
Insomnia Cookies is opening its first ever UK site (and its second too, actually) here in our city, taking over a unit at the Royal Exchange on Cross Street.
Due to open early next week, you’ll find warm, chewy cookies, delicious freshly-made milkshakes, and ice cream sandwiches.
And to celebrate its launch, Insomnia Cookies will throw a grand opening party on Saturday 2 September, with free cookies handed out alongside merch.
The first person in the queue on the day will be given a year’s supply of cookies, too… race you.
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The cookie company already has 240 sites across the USA but until now hasn’t ventured to this side of the pond.
A box of cookies at Insomnia Cookies. Credit: The Manc GroupA Biscoff deluxe cookie at Insomnia CookiesInsomnia Cookies at Royal Exchange, Cross Street, Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupInsomnia Cookies on Cross Street. Credit: The Manc Group
You can order warm cookies alongside ice-cold milk or even a pot of frosting for dunking in, with deliveries running until 3am with Deliveroo.
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Insomnia Cookies is the brainchild of founder Seth Berkowitz, who dreamt up the idea while he was a college student looking for late-night snacks.
The Insomnia Cookies menu
Classic Chocolate Chunk: the signature Insomnia flavour – classic dough loaded with thick, melty chunks of chocolate.
Double Chocolate Chunk: even more indulgent, the Double Chocolate Chunk also boasts a chocolate-flavoured dough.
White Chocolate & Macadamia: sweet and nutty with thick chunks of white chocolate and whole macadamia nuts folded through the dough.
Cinnamon: the UK’s take on a US staple, the Snickerdoodle. Contrary to popular belief, Snickerdoodles have nothing to do with Snickers and are in fact just… cinnamon flavoured.
Sugar Cookie: another US classic, the humble Sugar Cookie is for the purists. Think of it as a palate cleanser between cookies.
Vegan Hazelnut Deluxe: filled to the brim with smooth, vegan-friendly hazelnut spread, this chunkier cookie means that vegans don’t have to be left out of a late-night indulge.
Triple Chocolate Chunk Deluxe: this big, buttery cookie has a triple helping of gooey chocolate chunks.
Classic With M&Ms: the iconic M&M meets the iconic Insomnia crispy-on-the-edges-but-soft-in-the-centre cookie dough. A match made in sugary heaven.
Ben Lacey, managing director at Insomnia Cookies UK, said: “It’s a massive milestone for us to be opening our first bakeries in the UK. Manchester is a city that knows what it means to be up all night, so it was a no-brainer for us as our first location.
“We’re excited to be bringing the authentic, cult-favourite taste of Insomnia Cookies to the UK – including all the classics, plus some delicious limited edition flavours to boot.
“Late-night dessert shops are big here, but there’s long been a gap in the market for warm, fresh cookies hand-delivered to your doorstep all day and late into the night.
“Whatever the reason you’re up late at night – whether you’re hosting a house party, headed out to see someone special, or even editing episodes of your grindset podcast – we’re on hand to satisfy your sweet tooth.”
Insomnia Cookies opens two Manchester sites – on Cross Street in the city centre and at University Green of Oxford Road – on 29 August, with deliveries available through Deliveroo.
This new app tells you the best sunny pub spots in Manchester
Thomas Melia
A brand new app has launched, which tracks the sun and tells you where the best sunny pub spots in Manchester are throughout the day.
No, you’re not dreaming: this is what heaven feels like. This all-new app, initially trialled in London and now covering Manchester, allows users to identify the best sun traps in our stunning city centre.
Designed and created by architect Mo Dawod, Sunseekr aims to show you the best pub, cafe and restaurant locations where you can take advantage of and soak up all the sun in real time.
As well as being a handy tool to use throughout the day, you can use this sun-centric app to pre-plan your day, as it lets you know all the sunny spots in advance for anyone who fancies chasing the sun.
The app shows you the best pubs, cafes and restaurants to catch some rays.You can easily chase the sun around Manchester city centre with this handy new app.Credit: Screenshots via Sunseeker
Of course, we don’t need an app to tell us all the best sunny pub spots in Manchester as locals and visitors alike know about our pride and joy, Stevenson Square.
However, this new technology will come in handy for organising your next beer garden trip and locating exactly where you’re guaranteed to sit down and possibly catch a tan.
Sunseekr had a trial run in London first, catching the attention of reputable publications like Timeout London and even got itself featured on BBC London.
It makes perfect sense why Dawod made this app; being a Battersea resident, his area of London is packed with plenty of amenities such as pubs and bars, perfect for sitting out and relaxing in the sun.
Now the sunny app has spread nationwide, including Manchester, meaning we Northerners can make the most of the precious sun while we have it.
Safe to say, here at The Manc, we know a lot of good places to soak up the sun while sipping on a class pint.Nothing beats a crisp pint and some gorgeous Manchester sunshine.Credit: The Manc Eats
The arrival of this sun-tracking pub-spotting app gives us the perfect excuse to drop everything and make our way to the nearest beer garden to put this to the test ourselves, it’s not like we needed any encouragement…
Sunseekr is available to download NOW and allows users to live-track the sun to see if any pubs, cafes or restaurants near you have been blessed by the sun.
We’re in the business of knowing about beer gardens galore, so this long-overdue app just made our lives a whole lot easier.
Stunning Ancoats favourite Street Urchin closes after ‘heartbreaking’ health emergency
Danny Jones
The stunning Ancoats restaurant and Manchester favourite, Street Urchin, has announced its sudden closure following a serious health emergency.
Opened by partners Kevin and Rachel Choudhary back in 2019, the inventive dining room has been a firm favourite among local foodies and those visiting Manchester for some time.
However, following the awful news that co-founder and head chef Kevin has recently suffered a heart attack, the city centre food spot has sadly had to close its doors, seemingly for good.
Informing diners and longtime fans online, Rachel confirmed, “We are unable to continue as a business”, adding that they are simply “heartbroken” by the turns of events.
Known for endless creativity and famous experimental dishes over the years, including a viral squirrel dish, Street Urchin has been one of the most envelope-pushing kitchens in the area for some time.
Writing in the caption, Rachel said: Thank you to our amazing team who supported us over all the years and continued to do so in these dark times. Thank you also to our suppliers, we never thought this would happen. We’re so sorry x”
Reacting to the news, local artist Painted By Courtney replied: “This is so sad, I’m so sorry to you both. Forever one of my favourite dining experiences in Manchester.”
Various names from across the Greater Manchester hospitality scene, including the likes of Tameside’s Cafe Continental, have joined in sharing their sadness and heartfelt support, with the Stalybridge spot simply adding: “Sending love. A remarkable place!”
Their menus boasted all the style, quality and flavour of a fine dining establishment without any of the haute cuisine pomp and traditional culinary trappings.
Put simply, they delivered great food served in an efficient market diner fashion. We, along with countless other Greater Mancunian foodies, absolutely loved this place.
It goes without saying that everyone at The Manc Group is shocked and deeply saddened to hear this news; we hope Kev makes a full and fast recovery, and our thoughts are with his friends and family during this difficult time.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd August 2023 
