Two months after it was listed in the prestigious Michelin Guide, Manchester European pasta and dumplings restaurant The Sparrows has been honoured by inspectors once again – this time with a Bib Gourmand.
The restaurant is just one out of 20 restaurants in the UK and Ireland to be awarded the coveted Michelin award, it was revealed yesterday.
The news comes ahead of the announcement of Michelin’s new starred restaurants, which will be unveiled on Monday.
Not quite a star, but most definitely not a consolation prize, the Bib Gourmand is named after Bibendum, the friendly Michelin Man and the official company mascot for the Michelin Group.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
According to Michelin, it is a just-as-esteemed rating that ‘recognizes friendly establishments that serve good food at moderate prices.’
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The new rating is definitely something for The Sparrows to be proud of, and another step up from its guide inclusion in January.
At the time, the guide described it as follows: “Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is a restaurant whose name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here.
“The dumplings and assorted pasta dishes are all made in-house and include excellent pierogi. The focus on Eastern Europe carries through to the wine list, which has a leaning towards Polish wines.”
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Now, it’s sure to have even more customers clamouring at the door.
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Loved by locals for its continental pasta and dumplings, gorgeous European wine list and sake collection, The Sparrows in the Green Quarter is something of a hidden gem – tucked in a disused railway arch on Red Bank.
It received rave reviews from local and national critics alike when it first opened in 2019 in a tiny space with room for just 12 covers. Since then, it’s relocated to a bigger home and its following has grown significantly.
Front of house is headed up by Polish-born Kasia Hitchcock with her chef partner Franco Concli at the helm in the kitchen.
Plates celebrate Franco’s Tyrolean heritage, with their signature dish spätzle, a rustic fresh egg pasta from which the restaurant takes its name, sitting front and centre.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Where to find the best sandwiches in Manchester city centre and beyond
Danny Jones
There’s nothing better than a good filling between two fluffy slices of bread, and we’re here to tell you the best places to find them in Manchester – that’s right, it’s the sandwich list.
From hot roast sarnies and hefty subs as long as your arm, to solid breakfast butties, giant Sardinian schiacciata and saucy Napoli-inspired cuzzetiello, if you’re a sandwich lover in Manchester then you’re well catered for.
We’re not happy to settle for a simple Subway or premium meal deal, we want big, honking artisan sarnies that’ll leave Tony Soprano talking with his most expressive hand gestures. Keep reading to find some of the best places to get a butty in Manchester and beyond.
Open your belt loop a notch, folks.
10 of the very best sandwiches in Greater Manchester
1. Ad Maiora – Northern Quarter
Credit: The Manc Eats
Look at the size of it this bad boy.
If you’re a fan of things in bread (and honestly, who isn’t) then Northern Quarter Italian sandwich dealer Ad Maiora is one that you absolutely need to get down your neck. They also have a great story.
Collected from a door on a Norther Quarter back street or for delivery, we’re talking giant handmade spongy schiacciata generously stuffed with the likes of ‘nduja, spicy Tuscan sausage, smoked scamorza, mortadella, burrata and red pesto.
With a total of nine different options to choose from, expect a huge array of different cheesy and meaty delights including parma ham, gorgonzola DOP, truffled brie, Milano salami and crumbled pistachios, plus a gorgeous vegan option with Italian hummus, roasted aubergine, olives, sundried tomatoes and rocket.
2. The Bread Club – Monton
Credit: The Manc Group
Run by in-laws Louise and Jack, The Bread Club sells some of Eccles’ fattest sandwiches (as well as the chunkiest hand-cut chips we’ve had in a while).
Equipped with a huge glass counter brimming with sandwich fillings, as the name suggests there is a good selection of bread to choose from with hoagies, bloomers, rye and more on offer.
On the menu, you’ll find eight different sarnies including the signature taco chicken, a hoagie stuffed with a mix of chicken breast, peppers, and onions, all enveloped in a secret sauce, then topped with Swiss cheese and jalapenos.
Other highlights include the Cubano – a much-loved mixture of roasted ham, pulled pork, melted Swiss cheese, sliced pickles and house mustard – and the Rueben on rye.
3. Katsouris Deli – Deansgate
Definitley one of the best sandwich places in Manchester.
Big portions and good value. (Credit: The Manc Group)
First established in the historic Bury market 50 years ago, this cross-cultural deli and cafe celebrates the mixed roots of its family with produce from Cyprus, Poland and Italy, plus more from across Europe.
Specialising in sandwiches as well as boasting an impressive salad bar and carvery, its second site on Deansgate is just as well established after 30 years in town. An iconic sandwich spot, the lunchtime queues speak for themselves.
Made with bread from Chorlton’s award-winning bakery, Barbakan, the ciabatta is a favourite here but you do have other options. If you’re in a rush, or just in need of something comforting, the hot roast pork with crackling, apple sauce and stuffing hits the spot every time.
Other highlights include the veggie-friendly ‘Zorba The Greek’, and the hangover-curing breakfast sandwiches filled with your choice of bacon, sausage and fried egg.
This hefty hole-in-the-wall sub sandwich spot drew fans from near and far when it opened in 2022 and it hasn’t stopped since.
The allure of a hidden alley walk-up, combined with mouth-watering Philly Cheesesteaks, Hot Honey Fried Chicken and Meatball Parm baguettes has earned it a place in our hearts and bellies forever.
Located just off Portland Street in the backstreets of Chinatown, ordering is done online in advance and they tend to sell out quickly so you need to be fast if you want to secure one of these beauties.
The Ancoats Deli meal deal. Credit: The Manc GroupAncoats Deli opens today serving sandwiches, wine and charcuterie boards. Credit: The Manc Group
Ancoats Deli is a gorgeous little sage green deli just off a sunny courtyard, with shelves stuffed with wine, mini canned cocktails, antipasti, meats and cheeses, plus sunny seats outside for sipping on a wine or a spritz.
It’s also got the best meal deal we’ve seen – for a tenner you can get a HUGE sandwich stuffed crust to crust with delicious fillings, plus either a packet of crisps or olives, and either a coffee or soft drink.
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You’ll often find a special or two but you can’t go wrong with the classics – jamon beurre, egg mayo and a tuna melt are all banging.
6. Pho Cue – Chinatown
Image: The Manc Group
Giggs reacted however everyone does.
This family-run Vietnamese restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown opened in lockdown and has become popular for its bahn mi, which are available from midday and often sell out within the hour.
Only made ‘for the tradition’ in limited quantities for the lunch service, this fresh pickle and herb-topped Vietnamese sandwich can be ordered with either sweet soy, sriracha or spicy mayo.
Typically made by scooping out the inside of the baguette-style roll, here the chefs like to press the bread down instead to make more space for their fillings. Popular choices include chicken and king prawn, with beef, pork, tofu and avocado also available.
This tiny Stockport sandwich joint might have started out as a small but mighty little corner in the town centre, but with sandwich fans travelling across Greater Manchester to sample its wares, they’ve managed to expand their reach to three different sites now.
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There’s not much room to sit down in the original shop, but there is a very cute outdoor terrace that catches the sun perfectly at lunchtime and you’ll find plenty of people queuing up to grab a quick bit of dinner from here.
At each venue you’ll find a big chalkboard menu that lists its various options, with everything from egg mayo and Italian meats to a funky vegan option with handmade onion bhaji, chutney and pickles – they even do big fish finger butties now.
Toasted sandwiches are a big speciality here, with highlights including a peppery reuben, a three-cheese classic served with red onion dipping gravy on the side, as well as their hugely popular birria toastie.
8. Egg & Co – Various
Egg & Co serves one of the best breakfast sandwiches in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Consider your hangover cured. You’re welcome.
Egg & Co specialises in gooey scrambled egg butties, with loads of different options to try including sausage patty, turkey bacon, avocado or caramelised onions.
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Do your stomach a favour, have this in the morning with a side of crunchy truffle hash browns and start your day the right way.
You’ll find them at General Stores at Deansgate Square, and at Kargo Mkt in Salford.
9. Northern Soul Grilled Cheese – NQ
First established in 2015, the grilled cheese OG’s have been serving Mancs their naughty, cheesy sandwiches for nearly a decade.
Widely considered one of the best places to grab a toastie in the city, its classic house staple features a blend of three different molten cheeses – all sandwiched in between golden sourdough bread – and is entirely customisable with extra free fillings.
For the adventurous, wilder options include the ‘Bacon Frazzler’ with Frazzles crisps, streaky bacon, blue cheese, onion and sriracha, and the Mexican Junkie with chipotle mac n’ cheese, jalapenos and Chilli Heatwave Doritos.
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It would also be rude of us not to shout out their annual Crimbo Dinner toastie – complete with gooey brie cheese, cranberry, stuffing and even a pig in blanket – which we still believe is one of the best sandwiches in Manchester full stop every time it returns. We loved this place since forever, basically.
10. Bada Bing – NQ
In at number 10, we’ve got arguably the goat of all Manchester sandwiches, the return of the king if you will: Bada Bing is bada back with a bada bang. The Sopranos-themed deli and sandwich shop first opened a few years ago to queues out the door but sadly disappeared much to everyone’s horror.
But fear not, the hiatus is over and the comeback was biblical.
Serving giant hoagies, heroes, subs—whatever you want to call them, they’re well worth the £10-13 price stage and you likely won’t need to eat again that day if you grab one.
From the self-titled ‘Bing’ packed with cured Italian meats, salami and yes, gabagool done just like Tony Soprano himself likes, to a stacked turkey offering, a veggie pistachio one that genuinely surprised us as a Chicago beef inspired by another US TV favourite, The Bear, we’ve happily devoured all of these.
Our go-to in the city centre for fresh falafel, technically this is a wrap but we’re going to allow it. It’s not just the herby chickpea goodness that does it for us here – it’s all the salads, pickles and other saucy accoutrements that go in alongside it too.
Wraps are stuffed with your choice of pickled cabbage, potato, salad, tahini, chilli sauce and lashings of fresh hummus, with grilled aubergine and optional extra. Go Falafel also makes its own fresh juices to order, which are well worth a try.
And that should be your fill. To be honest, if you’re still hungry and looking for more after that then we’d be seriously worried about your health and/or addiction to butties, though we do sympathise.
Bread is, after all, one of the single greatest inventions in human history.
Last but not least, we hope it goes without saying that this is by no means a totally exhaustive list of the best sandwiches in Greater Manchester and we’re sure you can find the perfect place for you elsewhere in the 10 boroughs if you don’t find it here – and please let us know where it is if you do!
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Every week is National Sandwich Day if you ask, so you might as well celebrate properly.
Oslo-born Doug’s Hamburgers is opening in Manchester, serving adult ‘Happier Meals’
Daisy Jackson
Critically acclaimed burger joint Doug’s is heading to Manchester for the first time, serving up grown-up ‘Happier Meals’.
The burger brand started life in Norway but is led by a very northern team – they’re also behind Madre, Medlock Canteen and London’s Breddos tacos.
Doug’s is an Oklahoma-style burger restaurant with a menu of classic burgers made with hand-pressed patties from premium dry-aged beef (it’s the thinly-sliced onions inside each patty that makes it Oklahama style).
A classic cheeseburger is the brand’s signature dish, featuring a smashed patty, onions, cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles and Doug’s special sauce.
There’ll also be fried chicken sandwiches, hot tenders and fries, plus breakfast buns served all day.
The ‘Happier Meal’ is an adult twist on a fast food favourite – you get a burger, fries, and a martini.
Georgina Pellant -
23rd March 2023 
