Manchester grilled cheese heroes Northern Soul have revealed they will be giving away 200 free sandwiches this weekin the name of National Grilled Cheese Day.
First established in 2015, the grilled cheese OG’s have been serving Mancs their naughty, cheesy grilled sandwiches for coming up to a decade now and claim to be the first restaurant of their kind to open in the UK.
Widely considered one of the best places to grab a grilled cheese in the city, for one day only toastie-loving Mancs will be able to get their hands on a freebie from Northern Soul’s Tib Street restaurant.
It’s an opportunity not to be missed, with toasties at the restaurant normally starting from £7.50.
For those who want to get in on the action, sandwiches will be handed out on a first-come, first-served basis in the Northern Quarter starting from 10am on Wednesday 12 April.
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Sharing the news online, Northern Soul Grilled Cheese wrote: “200 FREE #grilledcheese GIVEAWAY at our place tomorrow – from 10am (first come first served) – TAG A MATE.”
— NORTHERN SOUL GRILLED CHEESE 🧀 (@NorthernSoulMcr) April 11, 2023
With a whopping 200 sandwiches up for grabs, it’s not clear whether the whole menu will be on offer as part of the giveaway or if Northern Soul will stick to handing out its signature sandwich ‘The Soul’.
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Described as the ‘the heart and soul’ of all of its sandwiches, this house staple features a blend of three different molten cheeses – all sandwiched in between golden sourdough bread.
Priced at £7.50, customers are also encouraged to order ‘as many free fillings as you like’ with options including tomato, fresh onion, sliced pickle, Worcestershire sauce, Marmite, jalapenos, Tabasco and peppers.
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Elsewhere on the menu, more indulgent options include the likes of the ‘Bacon Frazzler’ made with streaky bacon, blue cheese, onion, sriracha, and bacon Frazzles, and the ‘Mexican Junkie’ with chipotle mac n’ cheese, jalapenos and Chilli Heatwave Doritos.
Owner Dan Place first brought his vision of a grilled cheese haven to life inside one of the market stall units on Manchester’s Church Street, before expanding to open the current Tib Street restaurant in 2019.
The ever-popular Northern Soul also operates outposts at the Etihad football ground, Freight Island and Manchester University campus, but if you’re after a freebie then it’s the Northern Quarter you’ll need to head down to tomorrow.
The team will also be giving away free beers from local brewery Shindigger on Wednesday 12 April starting from 3pm.
Featured image – Northern Soul Grilled Cheese
Eats
Glitzy Spinningfields bar famed for its bottomless deals shuts down
Daisy Jackson
Popular cocktail bar group Banyan has suddenly closed its glitzy bar in the heart of Spinningfields.
The restaurant and bar, which is part of the Arc Inspirations group that also operates Manahatta and Box, has shut down with immediate effect.
A sign has been posted in the window of the Spinningfields site of Banyan confirming its closure.
Banyan opened in 2018 and was the second site for the brand, which has been operating out of the Corn Exchange since 2015.
Inside, the huge 7,000sq ft space was split into spaces for drinking, dining and dancing, including a large mezzanine and a huge white marble bar.
Banyan is famed for its bottomless deals, whether that’s a classic bottomless brunch or their bottomless Sunday roast (endless Yorkshire puddings, gravy, wine, and roast potatoes).
It also offered two-for-one cocktails, all day every day.
The bar stands on the side of Spinningfields, directly opposite The Ivy and alongside The Alchemist.
Banyan in Spinningfields has shut downThe note in the window of Banyan
But now it has permanently closed its doors, thanking people for their custom over its almost-decade in Manchester.
The sign on the door says: “Banyan Spinningfields is now permanently closed.
“Thank you so much for your custom over the years, we’ve loved being part of this wonderful city and have made so many friends.
“Don’t be a stranger, we’d love to continue to welcome you to our Banyan bar in the Corn Exchange. Team Banyan.”
Bangkok Diners Club moves out of Ancoats just months after Michelin Guide win
Daisy Jackson
Bangkok Diners Club, the critically-acclaimed restaurant above the Edinburgh Castle pub, has closed its restaurant space.
The Thai restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide last October, not long after taking over the upstairs of the popular pub.
It also received a rave review in The Guardian from restaurant critic Grace Dent, who said it would be ‘one of Manchester’s hottest dining tickets’.
But now Bangkok Diners Club has decided its time in Ancoats is up, and has closed its beautiful restaurant space with immediate effect.
In an email sent to customers with reservations, they wrote that Bangkok Diners Club ‘sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle’.
Owners and husband-and-wife team Ben and Bo Humpheys aren’t leaving things there though, announcing plans to move into the Exhibition food hall on Peter Street.
Co-owner Ben Humphreys outside Bangkok Diners Club. Credit: The Manc GroupThe food earned them a place in the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
They’ll be joining MoreJoy and pasta concept Anatra in the space, but bidding farewell to their own dedicated restaurant for now.
The email sent to customers reads: “We have just noticed that the system has allowed you to make a reservation during a time that we are closed. We apologise that this has happened.
“Ben and Bo are cooking at Exhibition during 2026 and Bangkok Diners Club sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle.
“Sincerest apologies for all the inconvenience caused.”
Georgina Pellant -
11th April 2023 
