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
Family behind Salvi’s launch new concept, weeks after iconic restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Just weeks after the closure of its iconic, 16-year-old Italian restaurant in the Corn Exchange, the family behind Salvi’s have revealed a brand-new concept.
And this time, the reins are being handed over to the next generation.
Salvi’s founder Maurizio Cecco has helped to shape Amò, but it’s all the brainchild of his daughter, Sienna.
Sienna will run the business out of a unit up on Deansgate Mews, serving fresh pasta dishes, pizza sandwiches, tubs of tiramisu, and two-for-£10 spritzes.
The deli aspect of the original Salvi’s has been carried over to Amò too – you’ll find shelves almost to the ceiling filled with Italian pasta, wine, olive oils, pistachio spreads, and more.
Sienna has grown up in restaurants, with her parents launching Salvi’s when she was just two years old.
She said she wants the space to be a livelier, fresher version of the Italian restaurant that has been so loved by Mancs for so many years.
Sienna outside AmòFresh pasta dishesInside Amò by Salvi’sTheir viral frozen crema di caffeLemon granitaInside Amò by Salvi’sTiramisu pots
Amò, which is Neapolitan slang for ‘my love’, will have loads of fresh Italian dishes, including arancini, gnocchi, and hearty pasta plates.
At lunchtimes, guests can order from a £10 lunch menu, with dishes changing daily depending on the best produce the kitchen can get – it could be a pizza sandwich with proscuitto and tomato, a spicy pasta, or a gnocchi bake, always served with your choice of soft drink.
With its position on Deansgate Mews, Amò basks in the sunshine at lunchtimes.
And while it’s definitely a different concept to the original Salvi’s, Amò looks set to carry the family’s Italian food legacy into its next generation.
Award-winning Didsbury bakery La Chouquette reveals incredible new site
Daisy Jackson
La Chouquette is one of Greater Manchester’s top bakeries – an award-winner, with queues down the street every weekend for its authentic French pastries and loaves.
And now they’re ready for a new chapter, revealing a major expansion today.
Owners Catrina and Flo have painstakingly expanded the bakery into the unit next door, creating what feels like a true French bakery.
And in the midst of this huge renovation project, they’ve welcomed a tiny new baby boy – quite the summer for the couple.
Catrina and Flo launched La Chouquette in lockdown, and in a time where people could only get their hospitality fix from takeaways, immediately became one of the most popular spots in the region.
Their success has been so great, you’ll still consistently find queues down the street every weekend, for their top sellers like their authentic almond croissants.
Then in October 2024, they grew the business and launched Piqniq, a new deli in Didsbury village, serving freshly-baked baguette sandwiches, breakfast butties, toasties, tiramisu pots and their legendary pastries.
The new-look La Chouquette features beautiful details like mosaic floors, rich blue walls, wooden shelves, and brass light fixtures.
La Chouquette’s best-selling almond croissantsInside the stunning new La Chouquette in DidbsuryNew savoury bakesThe chausson aux pommesThe counter stuffed with artisan French bakesChocolate chip cookies and cinnamon buns
The huge new counter displays more pastries and breads than ever before, like a hearty chausson aux pommes filled with apples that will be perfect for autumn, plus seasonal treats like a rhubarb creme brulee pastry, and homemade quiche.
Speaking at the grand relaunch today, Catrina said: “The layout has changed, it looks so much more chic, it looks like a traditional French bakery. We’re really excited about it.”
As for what’s on the counter, Flo reassured fans that their beloved almond and pistachio croissants remain, but with some new savoury editions, like a truffle croque monsieur made with croissant dough.
La Choquette has reopened today, and will be open seven days a week from 7am until 5pm.
Georgina Pellant -
11th April 2023 
