In case it wasn’t already abundantly obvious, Manchester is absolutely mint at food — but don’t just take our word for it, as the latest raft of food and drink trend predictions for 2024 from Restaurant Magazine has put us right up there too.
It’s fair to say Manchester has come a long way in the last decade in terms of our culinary exports, many of which have now seen our city cemented as one of the most exciting cities to eat out in the UK.
That’s one claim we’ll have to agree with, but it’s clear that we are now well truly putting ourselves on the global culinary map too.
In the recent article which outlines 11 food and drink trend predictions for the year ahead, Manchester as a whole has been highlighted with an expectation to break even more new ground.
Whilst we’ve come a long way from pub grub smothered in gravy and a simple chippy tea, the gastronomic boom won’t be turning a blind eye to our hearty northern dinner plates of yesteryear.
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The magazine highlights how the city has “come of age” when it comes to ‘haute cuisine’, as well as some of the top talent set to open in the new year, including the highly anticipated launch of Skof.
Former executive chef of Simon Rogan’s three-Michelin-starred L’Enclume, creator Tom Barnes is set to bring the city’s second Michelin star with his debut solo project.
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Hailing from the North West, Barnes understands the heartbeat of the region and Manchester, with a vision to create an unpretentious yet ambitious dining experience in the North.
Restaurant Mag iterated the head chef’s intentions, “Manchester is a buzzy city. We want to offer amazing food but we also want people to relax and have a laugh and not feel intimidated.”
They also eagerly mention the summer launch of Kurt Zdesar’s Chotto Matte, which underlines the cultural exchange between Japan and Peru in each dish, as well as Soho House located within the old Granada Studios in the heart of the city.
Essentially the equivalent of the Chanel show coming to town only in the fine dining world, this gives a subtle hint that the coveted culinary award could be heading somewhere in the city.
Our ever-evolving city already saw the likes of major players Higher Ground and Fenix settle in recently, so the magazine has all the more reason to suggest Manchester is a must-visit on the culinary map.
The best pancakes in Manchester and where to find them
Danny Jones
Pancakes might traditionally be a relatively simple staple, but here in Manchester our restaurants and cafes go large, with dozens of different styles, flavours and toppings to choose from– and we have some of the best places going in the North West.
There’s a pancake to suit everyone if you know where to look, from sweet to savoury, miniature to fat and thin to fluffy.
We’ve broken down some of our favourites below to help you get your pancake fix all year round. Yes, it may be Shrove Tuesday is looming, but one day is hardly enough to sample them all.
There are some relative newcomers to check out, too. Keep reading to discover the best places for pancakes in and around Manchester.
Where to get really good pancakes in Manchester
1. Cocoa Cabana – Didsbury and The Trafford Centre
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the remaining Cocoa Cabana site in West Dids is one of the very best places to head for some fluffy pancakes in Manchester.
They’ve even done bottomless for Pancake Day in the past, with the only rule being you have to finish one stack before you order the next.
Flavours include tiramisu, Biscoff and caramel, Kinder Bueno and many more; they also have a pop-up at The Trafford Centre these days.
Now, if you’re more of a crepe person than a fluffy stack fan, then this increasingly viral and trending spot on Brazennose Street, just between two of the city’s most resurgent squares, might be a good alternative for you.
Putting a somewhat lighter and more delicate Japanese twist on the classic French-style dessert, these thin but flavourful little pancakes feel like a happy medium between treating yourself and pure decadence and potential overindulgence.
Their creme brûlée matcha flavoured crepe is absolutely to die for and an absolute must-try.
3. Hampton and Vouis – Central and Northern Quarter
Credit: The Manc Group
This cute little cafe next to Albert Square used to be very easy to miss, but with a second venue in the Northern Quarter now too, they’re more worth seeking out than ever. Venture inside, and you’ll find great coffee, a counter full of bakes from local suppliers and an excellent year-round pancake menu.
Here, fluffy American-style pancakes are loaded with sauce and sweet treats like Jammy Dodger biscuits, raspberries, caramel sauce and strawberry jam.
There’s also a Lotus Biscoff stack, a special apple crumble and custard stack, Biscoff and Bueno stacks, as well as plenty more – all come with vanilla ice cream on the side.
4. Lazy Sundae – Manchester Arndale
Now in the Arndale Centre only, but still just as delicious as ever, we visited their old NQ venue for some of those airy soufflé pancakes more than once over the years.
It’s a popular order in Japan and, increasingly, across the globe, and they offer personalised toppings like wafers, chocolate sprinkles, fruit and ice cream to make this special, puffed-up pancake your own – or at least they used to.
There’s still no word as to when they’ll be doing them regularly from the stall in the Arndale, but who knows? Maybe they’ll make a special exception this Pancake Day; plus, they’re great at catering to vegans and the lactose intolerant, too.
Next up is another NQ spot that often gets forgotten about, perhaps because it’s down the ‘quieter’ stretch of Tib Street that is so typically busy with deliveries and cut-through traffic that people just want it pedestrianised.
However, if you haven’t tried Sugar Junction before, you’re seriously missing out. It also happens to be ‘r Amy’s favourite, and trust us, this girl knows what she’s talking about.
The rest of their menu is also jam-packed with all the sugary goodies you’d expect from a gaff with this name, but it’s well worth a visit if you want your pancakes just about as sweet as they come.
7. Moose Coffee – Piccadilly Approach and Central
Credit: The Manc
Canadians are famous for their pancakes, and the selection at Moose in Manchester is up there with the best. Made fresh to order, think a stack of three dusted with icing sugar and served with Canadian butter.
Whether you opt for savoury or sweet toppings, maple syrup on the side is pretty much a given (yes, even with your eggs and bacon), and we’re absolutely here for it.
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The only thing that could make it more authentic is if the staff often split the bill for you unrequested. A nice little touch.
8. Ezra and Gil
In at number eight is arguably one of the original contemporary brunch spots during Greater Manchester’s biggest foodie boom over the past decade, Ezra and Gil, who smash both day and night when given the chance.
They’re another one of those where you’ll always find a queue coming out the door and for good reason, as they’ve been reinventing the pancake game here in the city centre for a long time.
We’ve been Ezra and Gil die-hards since day one. Exhibit A:
Still as good now as it was back then.
9. 19 Cafe Bar
This blink-and-you ‘ll-miss-it spot has become an absolute go-to for naughty pancakes, thanks to its chocolate bar-laden menu.
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The Biscoff and Kinder Bueno pancakes are the big draws here at 19 Cafe Bar. Loaded with the likes of Biscoff crumb and spread, banana, ice cream and salted caramel sauce, or homemade Kinder sauce, Bueno, chocolate sauce, roasted hazelnuts and vanilla ice cream.
There are healthier pancake options, too, and a strong list of brunch cocktails available from the bar. Familiar Brett from our ‘On The Street’ series is a big fan:
A greasy spoon cafe, but make it Northern Quarter.
The Koffee Pot has long been a go-to breakfast spot, way before it moved up from Stevenson Square to its newer premises on Oldham Street.
It’s been known for fry-ups and breakfast tacos for nearly half a century now, but you can get a solid pancake stack here, too. Think all-American buttermilk pancake stacks with added sausage patty, smoked streaky bacon, hash brown, fried egg and maple syrup.
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It’s basically a full English in a pancake stack, and who doesn’t want that?
Credit: The Manc
11. Evelyn’s
Another trendy cafe in the Northern Quarter with a beyond solid brunch menu, including indulgent buttermilk soufflé pancakes loaded with honeycomb butter and a spiced berry compote, just to name one of our all-time favourites.
Better still, they always do a super-rich and irresistible special every Shrove Tuesday; past concoctions include Nutella and strawberry, date caramel and banana with a spiced apple compote. Wow.
Washed down with a coffee or a brunch cocktail, you can’t go wrong with one of the GOATs.
Our penultimate pick of top-tier present-day pancake houses in central Manchester is the ever-filing out the door, Bruncho, who work magic with their Middle Eastern twists on brunch staples.
This spot also serves as just one stop among Deansgate’s growing brunch triangle. In fact, make that quadrangle – quitangle? Not sure, all we know is there’s a lot to choose from along here, and plenty serving pancakes.
Just over on the edge of Salford, as you leave the glitzy reaches of Spinningfields behind, this beloved breakfast spot has become increasingly popular since it opened back in June 2024.
They’re not for solid coffee, great deals on various brunchy bits, and in case you didn’t know, some very tasty pancakes. Specifically, that tiramisu one you might have heard about, which is nothing short of unreal…
For context, when we asked our resident taste-tester EmJ on the day what she made of it, all she could repeat was “BANGIN'”. Says it all really, doesn’t it?
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And that’s our list and now yours, covering some of the very best places for pancakes in central Manchester and a little bit further.
Why 13, we hear you ask? Well, because we expect to eat at least a baker’s dozen ourselves over the course of the 24 hours.
If that sounds like too much for you, then you’ve got the best part of 12 months to up your game until the time the next Pancake Day rolls around.
First Look: Matcha Made and The Trafford Centre makes for a perfect marriage
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester’s newest matcha spot just dropped, and we know it’s an easy pun, but it really does feel like a match made in heaven.
Just picture the scene: there’s a big birthday or holiday coming up, so you’ve arrived at The Trafford Centre early to get in a full day of shopping, eating and being generally leisurely – but you need an early caffeine fix and maybe some light, fluffy yet still filling pastry to keep you going.
There are very few places better to start this kind of day than at Matcha Made, who’ve just opened up in the North West’s massive and most famous shopping mall.
Fronted by a lovely lineup of smiling staff who couldn’t do enough for you and are more than happy to give you advice or simply plug their own recommendations, we can see ourselves coming back here for the service alone.
They’ve arrived in the big leisure complex just in time for February half-term, too, meaning any parents needing an alternative caffeine hit can fuel up right here.
Specialising in the Japanese and super healthy green tea craze that currently has the UK in a chokehold, only directly out of a tap – almost like a zen twist of draught beer taps – the art is not only in how green the raw matcha itself tastes but in the flavours and finishing touches.
This stylish pastel green hatch might not be the only place to get your matcha on in The Trafford Centre, but it might just be the best already.
It was immediately apparent that the staff had a clear favourite: the Biscoff foam version, but they said their simple but sweet and satisfying strawberry one has also proved to be one of the most popular.
There’s plenty of fruity options to choose from; they’ve got their own take on the fellow contemporary trend of banana pudding for anyone looking for a fix, and even ume plum, or you can just go for a straight-up coffee or hot chocolate as well.
So yeah, even if your partner isn’t quite ready to admit they’re a secret ‘matcha girlie’, then they can spend a little bit more time lying to themselves over this side of the menu.
Whether you want it topped with cream, shavings or a light dusting of cocoa powder, you can make this little drink just about as decorative as you like.
Besides being more reasonably priced than we were expecting, given the ongoing matcha boom, you’ve also got the big bonus of a fridge stocked with bakes from local favourite La Chouqette. Sold.
Harry Quick -
15th January 2024 
