One of the north’s best-loved breweries has branched over to Manchester and opened a new taproom at Circle Square.
North Brewing Co, founded in Leeds way back in 1997, has opened its 10th bar at the new neighbourhood just off Oxford Road.
The stylish, Scandi-inspired space at North Taproom has been kitted out with plywood and plants, with seating for up to 100 punters at a time.
There’s heated outside space too, as rows of benches and tables take up the patio outside overlooking the new Symphony Park.
Little Bao Boy. Credit: Chloe ChapmanNorth Taproom in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The focal point of the taproom – as it should be – is the huge bar, where there are 24 draught lines, flanked by glowing fridges filled with cans to take away.
The doors to North Taproom officially opened this week, showcasing the brewery’s own beers as well as specials and guest beers.
North Taproom in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupNorth Taproom in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
As well as the beers, there’s an ever-changing line-up of wines, cocktails, ciders and spirits, including an impressive low and no alcohol offering, so there’s plenty to go at.
Food comes from Little Bao Boy, another much-loved Leeds business, who will be serving up contemporary Asian street food like bao, gyoza and loaded fries seven days a week.
North Taproom is the latest opening to join Circle Square, a new neighbourhood from Vita and Bruntwood on the former BBC site.
The area is also home to Hello Oriental, a huge three-storey Asian food hall, with a bakery and cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant, a Chinese supermarket, and a food court.
The family-friendly and dog-friendly North Taproom bar is now open on a walk-in only basis at Circle Square.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
The Salmon of Knowledge – An Irish pub has opened at MediaCity for the first time ever
Daisy Jackson
For the first time in MediaCity’s history, there’s a new Irish boozer now open for business.
It’s a third site for The Salmon of Knowledge, which also operates busy pubs in the Northern Quarter and in Didsbury, making part of the infamous Didsbury Dozen pub crawl.
The new pub at MediaCity threw open its doors last week, serving legendary Irish fare like Guinness and spice bags (skin on fries, tossed in house seasoning with buttermilk chicken tenders, fried onions and sliced chillies).
The Salmon of Knowledge opened at the Salford hub over the weekend, with a packed schedule of traditional and contemporary live acts, as well as sporting events shown on the big screen.
It’s still operated and owned by the same team behind Dockyard, which previously stood on this site and was part of Salford Quays for 13 years.
Joe Foster, Managing Director of Northern Lights Group, is behind the original Dockyard and the brains behind the other Salmon locations.
He says the pub will have ‘the same local soul and community spirit lives on, just with a bit more Irish charm this time round’.
Stephen Kirk, Head of Asset Management at MediaCity said: “The Salmon of Knowledge is one of the many businesses joining us at MediaCity during our phase of growth and we’re particularly proud to be supporting homegrown talent, after their successful debut in the Northern Quarter.
“We are confident that the new opening will help us work towards our aim of bettering our spaces, not just for businesses, but also for our residents and visitors.”
Joe Foster, Managing Director of Northern Lights Group, the team behind The Salmon of Knowledge said:“We’ve felt the love in the Northern Quarter, and now it’s time to bring the magic to MediaCity.
“Salford’s got soul, and we can’t wait to add to the soundtrack with great tunes, great food and, of course, great Guinness.”
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Inside Soots, the tiny new pasta restaurant in the Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
There’s another success story coming out of Altrincham Market – pasta kitchen Soots has gone and opened its very own restaurant in the Northern Quarter.
Owners and co-founders Ellie Proudfoot and Ruth Duarte have taken the leap to their very own bricks and mortar site on Tib Street, where they can serve up their handmade fresh pasta in their own restaurant space.
Named after their cocker spaniel Soots, the restaurant opens officially tomorrow.
The pair had hoped that Altrincham Market would be a launchpad to them eventually opening their first restaurant – and it’s worked brilliantly.
Inside Soots, it’s a cosy space with amazing green arches along the walls and a huge window that opens out onto this iconic Northern Quarter street.
Soots will again have a fully plant-based menu, broken down into snacks, small plates, pasta and puddings.
Everything is plant-basedEverything is plant-basedThe menu at SootsFresh, handmade pastaSmall plates
Expect heritage tomatoes with stracciatella and basil oil, butternut squash and chilli arancini, and a beautiful dish of marinated beetroot.
As for the pasta, there’ll be rigatoni with browned butter and confit tomatoes, sundried tomato-filled girella, and a lovely basil pesto spaghetti (a firm favourite from their Altrincham Market days).
And it wouldn’t be a pasta kitchen without a tiramisu on the dessert menu, along with lemon and olive oil ice cream, and white chocolate mousse.
Soots Pasta has been the first solo venture for Ellie, who used to work as a private chef as well as at restaurants around the region.
She’s taken her background – which includes culinary school in France – to create this modern European menu that takes inspiration from Italy.
What’s not immediately obvious, on reading the menu or eating it, is that everything on the Soots Pasta menu is entirely vegan – and they have gluten-free pasta available on request.
Soots Pasta is on Tib Street and officially opens on Saturday 9 Augst.
Daisy Jackson -
5th January 2023 
