Eats

Manchester Coffee Festival returns to celebrate all things caffeine

Hard NOT to be buzzing about this one

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 21st September 2023

The Manchester Coffee Festival, presented by Cup North, will make its grand return to the city this month – and you can save on tickets with The Manc. 

The renowned event celebrates all things caffeine and is a must-visit for anyone in the industry, or just anyone who’s a coffee fanatic. 

You can connect with other coffee lovers from around the UK while doing your favourite thing – drinking loads of coffee. 

Visitors can work their way around the vast event at the Bowlers Exhibition Centre, where there’ll be everything from a Markets Marketplace for shopping, a tasting room where you can sample loads of different coffees, workshops to have a go at, and talks and panels with industry experts. 

As well as that, Manchester Coffee Festival will have live music featuring incredible local artists, and a fun and entertaining LGBTQ+ friendly family program in collaboration with Drag Queen Story Hour UK and The Proud Trust. 

Cup North will be hosting the coffee competition, Extracted Development, over the two days of the event. Baristas and roasters from across the UK will be bringing the real life behind-the-bar scene on stage. 

Unlike the usual competitions, attendees will be encouraged to interact with the competitors and get to taste their delicious competition coffee at a brew bar setting.

There’ll be more than 60 exhibitors joining Manchester Coffee Festival 2023, each bringing their unique coffee products, artisanal treats, and coffee-related products. 

Traders at Manchester Coffee Festival
Traders at Manchester Coffee Festival
Manchester Coffee Festival 2022
Manchester Coffee Festival 2022
The tasting room at Manchester Coffee Festival
The tasting room at Manchester Coffee Festival

And coffee fiends will find plenty of familiar names about, such as Oatly, La Marzocco, Stores, KeepCup, WaterCare and Brew-It Group.

This year, the festival will be going paper cup-free – attendees are encouraged ‘sip responsibly’ and to bring their own reusable cups. 

KeepCup will be on hand with free cups you can borrow for the day too. 

This year, the Manchester Coffee Festival will be partnering with Farmers’ Voice Radio as part of its Community Partner Program, which aims to support different charity organisations who share their ambition to make a positive contribution towards specialty coffee communities and the communities local to their events. 

Farmers’ Voice Radio has a mission to transform the lives of millions of farmers and rural communities through the power of radio. 

It is also working with The Proud Trust to build a more diverse and inclusive event for the local community. 

6% of all ticket sales will be evenly donated to both organisations, who will be on site to chat to attendees too. 

Festival co-founder Hannah Davies said: “The Manchester Coffee Festival is all about celebrating the vibrant world of specialty coffee and creating a welcoming community, not just for the industry but for all. 

“We’re thrilled to be back, bigger and better than ever, with a program that showcases the very best of coffee, sustainability, and accessibility.”

Manchester Coffee Festival will return to Bowlers Exhibition Centre between 18 and 19 November. Tickets are now available to purchase online at manchestercoffeefest.com/tickets. Use code TheManc to save 10% on Sunday tickets.

Featured image: Supplied

Eats

The brilliant Persian cafe in disguise as a greasy spoon that’s just had a star turn on TV

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Majid and Alex Polizzi on The Hotel Inspector

A family-run, often-overlooked restaurant in Chorlton had a star turn on TV last night, when The Hotel Inspector paid a visit to the Chorlton Metro Cafe.

From the outside, this place looks very much like your run-of-the-mill greasy spoon, and it sort of is, with fry-ups and breakfast sandwiches up for grabs.

But beyond that, this is the spot to come for an authentic, hearty, home-cooked Persian food.

And it’s this strange dual identity that has caught the attention of Channel 5 this year, and given the business a full episode of The Hotel Inspector.

Alex Polizzi and her crew headed to Chorlton earlier this year to assist husband and wife Majid and Zahra in a rebrand to become The Persian Stop (the sign still hasn’t changed, but bear with them here).

During the episode, The Hotel Inspector tackled everything from a menu overhaul to a spruce-up of the restaurant’s frontage, and ran a cost evaluation, hoping to help Majid and Zahra to increase custom.

A full spread of the new Persian dishes
A full spread of the new Persian dishes
Majid at Chorlton Metro Cafe with his new pancake dish
Majid at Chorlton Metro Cafe with his new pancake dish
Fantastic pancakes at Chorlton Metro Cafe
Fantastic pancakes at Chorlton Metro Cafe

And there were other familiar faces involved too – Channel 5 called on social media experts The Manc (oh wait, that’s us!) to help Majid understand the power of social media.

The couple moved to the UK from Iran more than 20 years ago, and Majid ran a successful construction business – until the financial crisis of 2008.

The pair then poured their life savings into the Metro Cafe, a greasy spoon just across the road from Chorlton tram stop.

Behind the scenes of The Hotel Inspector
Behind the scenes of The Hotel Inspector
Behind the scenes of The Hotel Inspector

They kept the full builder’s breakfasts and mugs of tea, but added a new string of Persian stews and fragrant rice dishes to the menu.

Now, with the help of The Hotel Inspector, the menu puts these ancient dishes front and centre.

Expect slices of syrupy baklava for only £2.80, and traditional stews like khoresh bademjan (slow-cooked aubergines with split peas and lamb) and khoresh fesenjan (saffron, ground walnut and pomegranate chicken).

This is a small business, run by a fantastic local couple, and one of those hidden gems that deserves to be a little less hidden.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

The Michelin Guide adds THREE new Greater Manchester restaurants

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Chef patron Shaun Moffat at Winsome. Credit: The Manc Group

Three brilliant Greater Manchester restaurants have been added to the prestigious Michelin Guide this week.

All three new additions to the guide have been open for less than a year, and join an impressive roster of 15 other local restaurants.

Manchester also now boasts two Michelin stars after going decades with none, thanks to the opening of Skof last year.

While stars remain the most prestigious accolade in the hospitality industry, Michelin also dishes out Bib Gourmands, and Michelin Guide entries to recognise excellent restaurants at lower price points.

Greater Manchester now has 15 entries to its name, with a new trio added yesterday.

Up first is Winsome, a restaurant from former Chef of the Year award-winner Shaun Moffat.

Winsome has also made it into the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
Winsome has also made it into the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group
Winsome has also made it into the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group

The modern British bistro, which stands on a corner of the Whitworth Locke hotel building, features playful and classic dishes like asparagus with dippy eggs, gigantic pies with gravy served in cow-shaped jugs, and soft bread rolls with lashings of butter.

The Michelin Guide said: “Manchester’s industrial history feels like it’s had an overt influence on this buzzing brasserie with a large kitchen counter and a stripped-back look.

“The cooking has an admirably gutsy, straightforward quality to it, with hints of nostalgia. Think cold cuts, whole fish, hearty homemade pies and a mixed grill. It’s all executed with skill and the ingredients are of obvious quality, resulting in no shortage of flavour.

“The young and enthusiastic service team are a perfect fit for such a fun place.”

Winsome said: “Today is a good day! We’re absolutely chuffed to tell you that we’ve made it into the Michelin Guide!”

Across town, the next Manchester entry into the Michelin Guide is Pip, a new spot from acclaimed local chef Mary-Ellen McTague.

Pip by Mary-Ellen McTague has been added to the Michelin Guide
Pip by Mary-Ellen McTague has been added to the Michelin Guide
Pip by Mary-Ellen McTague has been added to the Michelin Guide

Pip, at the foot of the Treehouse Hotel, opened earlier this year and has already received glowing national reviews thanks to its seasonal, proudly local dishes.

There are pies, oysters, British charcuterie, sardines on toast, cheese and onion tarts, chops, hot pots, and plenty more, with suppliers including Littlewoods Butchers, Organic North, Courtyard Dairy and Kindling Farm.

Speaking on the recognition, Mary-Ellen McTague, chef partner at Pip, said: “We’re over the moon to be included in the Michelin Guide so soon after opening!

“It’s an incredible honour, made possible by the dedication of our amazing team and the support of our wonderful suppliers. Working with them to showcase the very best of the North West is a daily joy.”

And completing this month’s entries to the Michelin Guide is Cantaloupe, an achingly stylish new local restaurant for Stockport.

Inside, it’s all white brick walls, wooden furniture, and bold art, with a frequently-changing menu built around the best produce they can get their hands on.

The Michelin Guide wrote of Cantaloupe: “There’s a fresh, clean feel to both the décor and the cooking at this welcoming little wine bar and restaurant. The concise but appealing wine list will appeal to traditional oenophiles, with quality established growers to the fore.

“The menu has a Mediterranean leaning, so whilst it changes daily, it will likely include a pasta dish and possibly some whole fish. This is cooking that relies on simplicity and skill, with immense care poured into dishes like peri peri octopus and duck fat crisps, so that the natural flavours shine.”

Congratulations to all the new entries!

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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