Many of our beloved local restaurants are once again gathering together to help raise money for Greater Manchester’s homeless community this winterthrough the vital homeless relief scheme, StreetSmart.
While homelessness remains a pressing issue all year round, the prevailing social crisis always comes to the forefront as we approach the colder months and, as they have done every year for more than two decades, Manchester’s hospitality industry is trying to do its bit to combat the problem.
Launching StreetSmart winter 2023 drive this month, an initiative which encourages restaurants in the area to generate funds for homeless people all across Greater Manchester, many of our beloved food spots in the city centre and beyond will be asking diners to get involved in the simplest way imaginable.
This year marking the 25th anniversary of the StreetSmart scheme in Manchester, a total of 16 different restaurants are taking part by simply adding £1 pound to every bill at the end of their meal, with all the money going directly to helping curb rough sleeping wherever possible.
A truly wonderful initiative we can all get behind, we’re sure you’ll agree and given it is now a long-standing tradition amongst the Manchester food scene, it’s great to see more and more venues getting involved with this charitable drive.
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In previous years, StreetSmart has seen an incredible £34,000 raised by Manchester restaurants and with so many pressures on homeless charities right now (with demand for beds and support having sadly soared over the last 12 months) the StreetSmart team are keen to make this a record-breaking year.
The funds raised each go straight towards the critical work of organisations local to the region, including Centrepoint Manchester, a youth homelessness charity, and The Booth Centre, a community centre for rough sleepers located over in Cheetham Hill.
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All of these homegrown charities and initiatives aim to provide a bed and personal support for anyone who is sleeping on the streets or at imminent risk of homelessness. By simply adding a pound to your bill, you could provide someone with a bed for the night and contribute to making a huge difference overall.
Centrepoint ManchesterThe Booth CentrePlaces like these benefit directly from the annual StreetSmart scheme and have a huge impact on local lives.
More importantly, though, the charities also focus on helping individuals break the cycle, regain their dignity and rebuild their lives via positive action, as well as providing crisis and emergency shelter and food during the current cost of living crisis.
With the national scheme sponsored by LandAid for 2023 — a national organisation which invests over £2 million in projects to end youth homelessness every year —they are hoping to have more restaurants sign up than ever; here is the full list of those taking part in Greater Manchester so far:
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mana – Ancoats
Hawksmoor – Deansgate
Tampopo – Albert Square
Tampopo – Corn Exchange
Banyan – Corn Exchange
Banyan – Spinningfields
Manahatta – Deansgate
BOX – Deansgate
Bottega by San Carlo at Selfridges -Exchange Square
20 Stories – Spinningfields
Street Urchin – Ancoats
HOME Bar and Kitchen – First Street
The Lead Station – Chorlton
Tariff and Dale – Northern Quarter
Stretford Canteen – Stretford
Thankfully, there’s plenty of time to get involved before the end of the year either as a customer or a business, as restaurants that want to join and potentially transform lives can do so by getting in touch with [email protected] or [email protected].
StreetSmart has raised over £10 million since its foundation back in 1998 and more than 50 different homelessness charities now benefit each year, with funds supporting services such as beds, housing, mental health advice and employment support. The importance of their work cannot be overstated.
Credit: The Manc GroupMore Manc restaurants are being urged to come forward and take part.
Speaking on the 2023 scheme, StreetSmart’s Director Glenn Pougnet said: “We are so grateful to the local restaurants who have come together to make a difference this year and we know that the generosity of Greater Mancunians will play a huge part too.
“Sadly, it is always the poorest in society who are most deeply affected by challenges like the cost of living crisis… Our mission to eradicate homelessness from the streets remains firmly at the heart of what we do at StreetSmart, and we’d love to welcome even more restaurants to the scheme this Christmas. Please get in touch!”
As for local hospitality, Michelin-Starred Ancoats restaurant mana’s Chef Patron, Simon Martin, said: “The team at mana are keen to work with StreetSmart again this winter. We’re proud of our quiet corner of Manchester, but it does not shelter us from the reality of homelessness. We feel a responsibility to promote such a meaningful cause, knowing that real action is being taken to improve lives.”
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Well said. Now get out there, grab something to eat and leave not only with a full belly but with the sense that you’ve helped do your bit. This isn’t a Tesco advert but every little bit really does help. That’s why we’re proud to see people all around the city trying to tackle this issue year in, year out.
Featured Image — StreetSmart/Helen Davies (via Flickr)
Eats
I went all the way to Paris to test out Big Mamma ahead of Manchester’s most exciting new restaurant opening
Daisy Jackson
Hospitality heavyweights Big Mamma Group are finally heading to Manchester, opening a Circolo Popolare Italian restaurant in the city centre – so we nipped over to Paris to see exactly what’s in store for us.
In the 10 years since launching their very first restaurant, East Mamma in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, the group have spread their wings wide.
There are Big Mamma Group restaurants, under several different names, all over Europe – and although they all belong to the same family, each one is treated like a total individual.
Some have maximalist, kitsch interiors with animal print furniture, gilded ceilings and retro prints of men in Y-fronts; others are more traditional trattorias with exposed brick, terracotta floors and crisp white tablecloths.
These interiors are fun, which is so refreshing in an industry which sometimes takes itself a bit too seriously.
On our tour of Big Mamma restaurants in Paris I came across delightful details like a loo wallpapered in pictures of Rod Stewart, a cocktail menu designed like a retro football sticker book, and an ice cream parlour built into an old train station carriage.
Every corner is packed with whimsy and wonder and there’s a whole team dedicated to sourcing these little touches from antiques fairs, second-hand shops and independent makers, stashing them all in an Aladdin’s Cave of a warehouse. Each restaurant even has its own crockery pattern.
East Mamma, one of Big Mamma’s Paris restaurantsNo Entry cocktail barA Big Mamma speakeasyPink MammaLa Felicita food hallLa Felicita food hall
So yes, the interiors in Manchester will be similarly interesting and lavish.
Big Mamma Group has already confirmed that the huge two-storey Circolo Popolare trattoria will be inspired by a Sardinian Festa, meaning cosy alcoves, more than 8000 bottles of vintage booze, and a vast room inspired by an overgrown Mediterranean courtyard.
As it takes shape in Gary Neville’s £400m St Michael’s development, they’ll be moving in big sharing tables, antique trinkets, reels of twinkling lights and even an Italian wishing well ahead of the big launch next month.
But not enough of us are talking about the food yet – this is a restaurant group that sources its produce from 160 different Italian artisans to ensure that everything you’re eating as authentic and delicious as possible.
Food at Big Mamma
While the menus shift between restaurants you can expect hearty bowls of handmade pasta laced with truffle or tomato or cheese, crispy-soft pizzas layered in creative sauce bases (like zucchini cream or black truffle cream, along with their classic San Marzano DOP tomato sauce), and per iniziare starters like giant burrata balls, melt-in-the-mouth croquettes, and slivers of cured meats – all prepared in an open kitchen run by Campanian-born Alfonso Esposito.
And a show-stopper for Manchester will be an outrageous six-inch lemon meringue pie, with a wibbly wobbly tower of Italian meringue on top.
Circolo Popolare will officially open its doors on 6 June – and before then, there’ll be a very limited soft launch where you can snag yourself 50% off your bill. Sign up HERE, with bookings live on Monday 12 May.
The massively underrated rooftop terrace in Manchester with great views and top cocktails
Daisy Jackson
Manchester city centre is generally STARVED of outdoor space, but we’ve found the perfect sun-soaked oasis where you can enjoy a bit of fresh air and a whole lot of great food and drinks.
Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline.
As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.
This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in the know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon.
And although it’s in a prime city centre location, just a stone’s throw from Deansgate, St Peter’s Square and Market Street, it’s a luxurious escape from it all – as is the entire boutique hotel it’s part of.
Whether it’s a post-work social, a relaxed date night, or a cheeky afternoon cocktail, the King Street Townhouse Terrace is open to the public and available for walk-ins or bookings when it isn’t privately hired.
On the menu you can expect locally-sourced dishes like Pollen sourdough served with whipped butter, a meat or cheese grazing board loaded with British produce, and larger plates like a beef and bone marrow burger or a fried fish roll topped with crisps.
British charcuterie grazing boardSpritzes on the King Street Townhouse terrace
Pairing perfectly with a spritz or a beer are snacks like deep-fried Gordal olives, stuffed with fennel sausage, and a brioche garlic bread packed with cream cheese.
The hotel has a cocktail list that celebrates classic drinks and a few of their own signature concoctions, and it doesn’t feel much more luxurious than when you treat yourself to a glass of sky-high champagne with views like this.
The South Terrace can also be hired privately for leisure or corporate events, with tailored catering options including summer BBQs.
And you can ramp up your trip to this oasis by staying overnight in one of the boutique hotels’ rooms, or visiting the King Street Townhouse ESPA spa for a treatment.
Find out more about the terrace at King Street Townhouse HERE.
The terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelThe terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelDeep-fried olivesGarlic bread with creamed cheeseKing Street Townhouse hotel