Eats

Manchester sandwich specialists Bada Bing strike up new sponsorship deal with local football team

Does that mean what we think it means?...

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 5th September 2025

Beloved city centre sandwich shop Bada Bing has struck up a somewhat unexpected but exciting new partnership with local football team, FC United of Manchester, who are now sponsored by the sub specialists.

We can’t think of any better matchday scran than a massive butty, to be fair.

Confirming that they will be sponsoring FC United for the 2025/26 season, Bada Bing is taking its first foray into football, with their branding already up on the advertising boards around the ground.

While they’re yet to confirm any more specific details apart from that they’re joining forces with the Moston-based outfit, supporters are already licking their lips at the mere thought of their famous hoagies coming to Broadhurst Park stadium.

Having plenty of fun with the announcement online with a classic Sopranos reference (why break the habit of a lifetime?), Sam and Josh stood proudly beside the hoardings this week.

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Although we still know very little about what FC United fans can expect from the latest Manc brand marriage, we’d bet on the odd game-defining hero appearing both on the pitch and in the hands of ‘Red Rebels’ stood watching and, hopefully, eating just beside it.

Of course, this is by no means the only noteworthy crossover Bada Bing has enjoyed since reopening last year; their viral merch is famously made by Stretford-based fashion label, UN:IK Clothing.

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In fact, it isn’t even their sole step in sports, either. Regularly teaming up with outdoor content creator and trail runner, Sam Matthew – a.k.a. Peaks and Pubs – they’ve already held charity relays, pop-up events with New Balance, and we’re sure there is more to come with the Northern Premier League side.

They are, after all, the king of collabs and tapping into local, contemporary culture in the area just at the right moment.

It was only last month that we saw them working with Thatziki to create a Greek butty fit for the gods, and they’ve most recently teamed up with Indian street food favourites, Bundobust, too.

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Commenting underneath the social media post, FC United simply replied: “Thanks for your support! Great to have you on board!”

Once again, please just give a hint—ANY kind of sign that Bada Bing menu items are coming to Lightbowne Road, because if so, Greater Manchester’s ‘Footy Scran‘ game is about to level up big time.

As for FC games, they’re still some of the most affordable in the region, and you don’t need to be a disillusioned Man United fan to get invested in the now 20-year-old phoenix club.

Go support a local grassroots team if you can, and fingers crossed, you can grab a Bing while you’re at it.

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Bada Bing (via Instagram)/The Manc Group

Eats

Beautiful Stockport cocktail bar launched by Blossoms frontman announces closure

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Tom and Katie Ogden outside Bohemian Arts Club in Stockport

Bohemian Arts Club, the stunning cocktail bar launched by Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden, has announced its closure.

The Stockport venue was opened by Tom and his wife Katie back in 2023, taking over a formerly derelict three-storey building on Coopers Brow.

While the ground floor was initially home to Katie’s thriving hair salon, Bohemian Salon, the top two floors were transformed into a vintage, design-led cocktail bar filled with mirror-tiled doors and heart-shaped chairs hand-made by Katie’s mum and dad.

But today, Bohemian Arts Club has announced that the building will enter in a ‘brand-new chapter’ – and that means the closure of the cocktail bar.

Bohemian Salon is in such high demand that they have decided to expand it into the top two floors.

The bar shared: “After an amazing 2½ years, we’re excited to share that the building is about to enter a brand-new chapter! With the salon thriving and in such high demand, Bohemian will be expanding upstairs into the two floors above.

“Although this means the bar will be closing and this brings sadness, we also couldn’t be happier to see the space continue to flourish and evolve. It’s been such a joy to share weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and countless celebrations with you all—we’ll always treasure those memories.

Bohemian Arts Club. Credit: The Manc Group
Cocktails at Bohemian Arts Club
Cocktails at Bohemian Arts Club. Credit: The Manc Group

“Our last service will be Friday 3rd October. For anyone with bookings after this date, we’ll be in touch to cancel—apologies for any inconvenience.

“Thank you so much for your love and support over the last couple of years. Here’s to the next chapter ahead, we can’t wait to show you all the new space!

“Katie, Tom and the team.”

Fans have been sharing their sadness at the news of the bar closure, with one writing: “Gutted about this, you do the best cocktails in Stockport – would love you to open in a new space.”

Another wrote: “Aww we’re gutted the bar is closing! We’re huge Blossoms fans and got engaged at the bar in March 2024 so it will forever be a special place for us. Good luck with the expanding salon!”

And someone else posted: “Noooo my cocktails. Great news for the salon though guys.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

The modest and unassuming Chinese restaurant serving some of the best dim sum in town

Danny Jones Danny Jones Chef Diao Northern Quarter Manchester Chinese food review

Do you have those same few places that pass all the time, but for one reason or another, you never end up actually walking in and simply keep repeating “Oh, I’ve been meaning to go there for ages” whenever it comes up in conversation?

Because we certainly do, and it’s becoming a somewhat chronic problem at this point.

So much so, in fact, that we’ve now declared war on this foolish and completely self-imposed culinary inertia, because we recently took the plunge and finally visited a Chinese spot in the Northern Quarter that we’ve been meaning to try for ages, and we’re more frustrated with ourselves than ever.

Put simply, it did not disappoint.

This is Chef Diao over on Oldham Street in the NQ Quarter, and it might just be up there with our newest favourites in the entire city centre.

Eponymously named after head chef Zhenwen Diao himself, whose CV spans more than three and a half decades working in fiery kitchens all over the world – and it shows.

He and his talented cooks aren’t just self-proclaimed ‘dim sum experts’; they’ve well and truly earned this title through consistently good albeit deceptively quiet trade over the course of nearly a decade now.

Chef Diao is a master of everything from dumplings and hand-pulled noodles to traditional Cantonese specialities, more contemporary takes on Chinese classics and everything in between.

But besides a pretty feature wall and a nice bar, the interior is simple and straightforward – they just want to get you sat down at your table to enjoy the area in which they really shine: the scran.

Our order featured multiple recommendations from the extensive dim sum menu, one noodle main and one rice-based dish, as well as a smattering of other selections.

Here’s a closer look at what arrived at the table.

cantonese restaurants manchester
Chef Diao menu
The star of the show, for our money.
baozi manchester chinese
Slightly rude looking, we know…
Chef Diao NQ Manchester
(Credit: The Manc Eats)

What you’re looking at is not only an incredible selection of dumplings, gyozas, pork and prawn siu mai, among many other siu mai, but an incredible saucy and sizzling Cantonese steak dish, that incredible red rice paper number (top right), just to spotlight a few.

There were also these super flavourful boiled ribs over steaming white rice, which packed a lovely amount of succulent flavour when eaten off the bone with a touch of soy sauce; a very solid chow mein-style chicken dish centred around noodles with the perfect amount of chew.

Chef Diao‘s soup dumplings were a standout, too, done so soft and delicately, helping round off a wonderfully authentic spread of bamboo steamers and perfectly portioned plates.

Not a bad mouthful in sight.

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Bringing a wealth of experience from his time in the likes of China and Vietnam, as well as the likes of local restaurants such as Ocean Treasure over in Middleton for a time, Chef Diao and his team opened back in 2021 and have gradually grown a loyal following.

This is not to say that they’re unheard of or that busy isn’t steady, by the way; they’ve certainly been on the radar among plenty of those more in the know, although it’s no way near as busy as it should be given the sheer quality and skill on show.

So if you’re looking for a new Chinese restaurant that can pull out all the stops in central Manchester, we urge you to give the understated but undeniably impressive Chef Diao a try.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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Tom Barnes and the Skof team outside the restaurant. Credit: Cristian Barnett.

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