Some guy on TikTok is being absolutely roasted after making what he claims is ‘the official sandwich of Manchester’ and we can quickly confirm two things: one, no it’s not and two, we’ve absolutely never heard of it whatsoever.
The online food content creator known as ‘Big Nibbles‘ started a series where he began making the official sandwiches of UK towns and cities earlier this year and now several episodes in, he has been rumbling locals all across the country — none more so than us Mancs.
Posting the video of the so-called official Manchester sandwich across his social platforms, he was quickly met with droves of people promptly responding, “can safely say never had this”, “I’m a Manc and we deffo don’t eat this” and so on.
In fact, the whole thing has gone so awry that multiple videos have been hit with copyright strikes and he had to replace his original voiceover with generic ‘food-tok’ music.
Assembling what we can only surmise is either pulled pork or some form of brisket, a kind of quick-pickle red onion and slices of gouda cheese on a big sub-style roll, this absolute heretic is peddling nothing more than a pretentious pretender to the throne.
ADVERTISEMENT
The reaction was summed up pretty succinctly by one commenter who quipped, “oh yes the famous Manchester pulled pork Gouda and onion hoagie”.
Better still, there were countless people that simply replied, “Surely the official sandwich of Manchester is a chip barm?”, “bacon butty” or even just “a crisp sandwich”. Preach — less of this faffing about.
ADVERTISEMENT
Obviously made fairly tongue-in-cheek, with his original voiceover labelling 0161 as “London 2.0” with an “alarming amount of gun crime”. Wash your mouth out, you cheeky get.
With plenty firing back by saying, “‘London 2.0’ nah don’t insult Manchester like that” and asking “What has Manchester done to you?”, we were glad to see plenty of you lot sticking up for the best place in the world.
It might have been exactly what he said we’d do but the point still stands…
All that being said, if you were in charge of creating the official sandwich of Manchester, what would you put in it? Then again, you could always just go and get a chip butty or slap some Walkers between two slices of bread and have absolutely no complaints.
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.
Danny Jones -
19th August 2023 
