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
You can now have dinner in the actual dressing rooms at Co-op Live
Daisy Jackson
Co-op Live has now launched exclusive backstage dining experiences – which means you could be having dinner inside the very dressing rooms that have hosted music megastars.
These new groundbreaking new Backstage Private Dining experiences feature menus curated by Simon Rimmer.
This will be the first time that the arena’s most exclusive artist areas have been open to guests.
There’ll be 10 selected dates from May 2026, where ticket-holders can eat dinner in dressing rooms that were previously occupied by the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen.
Guests will be able to choose from several packages, from intimate receptions and private three-course dinners inside the dressing rooms, to lavish extras like a Bentley chauffeur-driven arrival, live entertainment, and extended backstage access.
The most premium package will also offer access to Co-op Live’s adidas Originals recording studio.
Proceeds from the Backstage Private Dining will go towards supporting Co-op Live’s official charity partner, the Co-op Foundation, which tackles inequality and supports communities across the UK.
Chef Simon Rimmer commented: “Having worked with Co-op Live for some time, it’s incredibly exciting to now be involved with this unique series of Backstage Private Dining.
“It’s a rare opportunity to further combine the world-class music venue with exceptional food, and I can’t wait to showcase how these experiences can come to life together, creating truly unforgettable evenings for our guests.”
Becci Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer at Co-op Live, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to challenge expectations of what an arena can deliver, and we’re now delighted to introduce a new dimension of premium hospitality at Co-op Live.
“This collaboration unlocks new creative potential within the venue, offering experiences that have not previously been possible. It reflects our commitment to innovation and meaningful impact within the communities we support.”
Designed and delivered in partnership with Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), Founder and CEO Liz Taylor said: “Opportunities like this are rare. Co-op Live is a venue built for scale, spectacle and ambition — and that’s exactly how we are approaching these events.
“Whether it’s an intimate milestone celebration or a brand hosting at the highest level, these will be immersive, one-night-only experiences designed to deliver real impact. We are proud to have been chosen to help shape this next chapter, bringing creativity, precision and bold thinking to a space that demands nothing less.”
Salford industrial estate bakery with incredible cinnamon rolls to open new site
Daisy Jackson
Mayya Bakery, a local ‘hidden gem’ with incredible cinnamon rolls, is set to open a brand-new bakery that will make it significantly less hidden.
Until now, Mayya has been quietly trading from an industrial estate in Salford, where it’s built a great reputation for its bakes despite an off-the-beaten-track-location and relatively little social media fanfare.
It opened its doors in 2024, operated by former primary school teacher Meli and her husband, dentist Oguz.
This is an artisan bakery with a real Turkish flare, with plenty of comfort food like freshly made gözleme (or gozzies for short) and bigger dishes if you fancy sitting in.
Their counters are stuffed with sweet bakes, like their perfect cinnamon rolls, plus loaves, babka, cookies, and homemade cheesecake.
For bigger dishes, you’ll find breakfast dishes like Turkish eggs, Simit (a traditional sesame bagel) breakfasts, and menemen.
The counters at Mayya Bakery’s current locationIncredible cheesecake at Mayya BakerySigns on Chapel Street Salford for the new Mayya Bakery
And now Mayya Bakery has revealed plans to open a new location in a much more prominent spot in town, with signs appearing in the windows of a unit on Chapel Street.
The sign reads: “Everything is homemade – including this picture.”
It also quips: “They called us hidden gem… not hidden anymore.”
Mayya will open on Chapel Street soon – keep an eye on our food and drink Instagram page The Manc Eats for the latest.
Georgina Pellant -
11th April 2023 
