The beloved BBQ gem of Oldham has delighted its fans and loyal customers this week by announcing it is to reopen for takeaway.
Hugely popular Chadderton ranch The Old School BBQ Bus has achieved well-deserved regional fame from its humble beginnings of trading on a car park in Failsworth back in 2016, before opening on a permanent site in January 2018 and becoming the UK’s first outdoor BBQ street food eatery.
It’s since become known and loved by Greater Manchester locals for its fantastic freshly-cooked food, live music and country entertainment.
But sadly, due to ongoing restrictions and England’s third national lockdown – and even despite being an outdoor covered venue – The Old School BBQ Bus’ famous smoking pit has been forced to close its premises to the public for a large chunk of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
The ranch had instead been running a successful collection and takeaway service instead, allowing customers to chow-down on their signature slow-cooked grub from the comfort of their own home.
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And now, following a closure over the festive period and a series subsequent delays due to maintenance work and cold weather, the owners have confirmed that they are back open for collection from this weekend.
With a menu chocked full of Smoke Shack Sharer specials, a wide range of burgers, nachos, hot dogs, pizzas, salads, sides and even a dedicated selection of kids food, there’s lots to choose from if you fancy getting stuck in this weekend.
Unfortunately though, due to current government trading restrictions for takeaway businesses, the ranch’s popular cocktail boxes and alcohol line-up will not be on the menu for the foreseeable, but a range of hard milkshakes will still be available.
Other soft drinks are also available.
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The Old School BBQ Bus will be open on Fridays and Saturdays from 4pm – 8pm.
You can find the full menu and place your orders for collection via The Old School BBQ Bus’ website here, via Appaway here, or on Facebook.
The Egyptian Room – Greater Manchester’s grandest new food hall has just opened in Oldham
Daisy Jackson
One of Greater Manchester’s grandest spaces has been reborn as a food hall and bar, with six traders inside.
This part of Oldham’s Old Town Hall, now with an ultra-modern new extension standing alongside its historic porticoed frontage, is now home to the 150-capacity space.
The old Egyptian Room’s original features, like its beautiful ceramic tiled walls and pillars, and its arched windows, have been perfectly preserved.
And now there are green leather booths and large tables sprawled around the space too.
The new food hall, The Egyptian Room, has traders serving everything from pizza and pasta to noodles and gyros.
Ply Pizza are here serving heaped bowls of pasta, including beef shin parpadelle and carbonara, plus their signature pizzas like the pistachio pesto topped with a gooey burrata.
TukTuk has a menu full of Cambodian goodness like light bite street food items, sharing platters, spicy noodles and stir fries.
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles is a new name, a Caribbean trader serving tacos and ‘splits’ (which are fried dumplings stuffed with fillings like Cajun spiced stripped beef steak and jerk chicken), and huge plates of curry and rice and peas.
Then there’s The Last Stop, with smash burgers, gyros and loaded fries, and Wings of Power, where there are crispy-coated wings, tenders and burgers.
Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “The old town hall, what The Egyptian Room is part of and this whole complex here, was a really derelict, unloved building.
Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc GroupSeacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc GroupTukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
“Jim [McMahon MP] had a vision for this whole building and the one thing Jim and I do share is our passion for Oldham’s heritage buildings and he had a vision to make use of something that was unloved and derelict for a long time.
“The importance of that was not just the history and the contribution of what happened in these buildings before us but actually as a nod to say that even in the most difficult of times, because it’s been hard the last 14 years, it’s a nod to say how much we value our residents.
“How even in the most difficult times, this inspiration and the ambition of our partners is a nod to every single one of our residents and communities, no matter who you are or what your upbringing is.”
The Egyptian Room is open now in Oldham town centre.
The restaurants and bars on the shortlist for Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2024
Daisy Jackson
The full shortlist for the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards has been revealed, honouring the city-region’s best restaurants, bars, pubs, cafes and more.
The long-standing awards celebrate the vibrant hospitality industry across the North West, from producer to takeaway to prestigious restaurant.
Across 17 categories, 136 food and drink businesses of varying sizes will be celebrated, with nominees in categories across venue, chef, talent, event, newcomer and more.
The shortlist for the 2024 Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards has been compiled by an expert judging panel, and the awards themselves are now open for public vote.
There will also be a series of mystery shopping visits by judges, who will anonymously score venues nominated in the awards, to be combined with the public vote.
The MFDF Awards will be held in January next year, with the winners revealed in a ceremony at the beautiful New Century.
Voting is open until midnight on 10 January, with the winners revealed at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2024 dinner on Monday 27 January.
So without futher ado, here are all the amazing venues in Manchester vying for your vote.
Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2024 shortlist
Affordable Eats Venue of the Year
Nell’s Pizza at KampusCafe San Juan in StockportHong Thai in AncoatsManchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2024 announces Affordable Eats shortlist
Café San Juan, Stockport
Nell’s Pizza, Kampus
Wow Banh Mi, Ancoats
Hong Thai, Ancoats
Salt & Pepper, city centre
Nila’s Burmese Kitchen, Stretford
Mia’s Arepas, Freight Island
Sips & Dips, Levenshulme
Last year’s winner – Ornella’s Kitchen, Denton
Takeaway of the Year
Fat Pat’s. Food at Chips & No 8. Credit: The Manc GroupThe shortlist for Takeaway of the year at the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards
Chips @ No. 8, Prestwich
Ad Maoira, Ancoats and Salford
Maida Grill House, Salford
Lucky Mama’s, Chorlton
Codi’s Kitchen, Prestwich
Fat Pat’s, city centre
Mrs A’s Kitchen, Eccles
One Sushi, Oxford Road
Last year’s winner – Burgerism
Coffee Shop of the Year
Grind & Tamp, Ramsbottom
Fort Coffee, Deansgate
Allpress Espresso, NOMA
California Coffee & Wine, Altrincham
Another Heart to Feed, Northern Quarter
Bold Street Coffee, Cross Street
ManCoCo, Hewitt Street
Oscillate Coffee, Urmston
Last year’s winner – Grapefruit Coffee, Sale
Food and Drink Retailer of the Year
Oseyo ManchesterInside Ancoats Deli
Wandering Palate, Eccles
Petit Paris Deli, King Street
Out of the Blue, Chorlton
Chorlton Cheesemongers, Chorlton
Littlewoods Butchers, Heaton Chapel
Ancoats Deli, Ancoats
Lily’s Deli, Chorlton
Oseyo, Manchester Arndale
Last year’s winner – Cork of the North
Food Trader of the Year
House of Habesha, Salford
The Little Sri Lankan, pop-up
Cardinal Rule, Northern Quarter
Ad Maoira, Ancoats and Salford
Jaan By Another Hand, Peter Street
Baity, Salford
House of Bun, Radcliffe
Honest Crust, Mackie Mayor
Last year’s winner – Fat Pat’s
Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year
Monton
Prestwich
Salford
Urmston
Levenshulme
Altrincham
Denton
Sale
Last year’s winner – Stockport
Independent Drink Producer of the Year
Cloudwater Brew Co
Pomona Island Brew Co
Sureshot Brewing
The Salford Rum Company
Steep Soda Co
Pod Pea Vodka
Hip Pop
Balance Brewing & Blending
Last year’s winner – Track Brewing Co
Independent Food Producer of the Year
Companio Bakery
H.M.Pasties
La Chouquette
Great North Pie Co
The Flat Baker
Long Boi’s Bakehouse
Yellowhammer
Half Dozen Other
Last year’s winner – Pollen Bakery
Neighbourhood Venue of the Year
Cibus Pizza, Levenshulme
Ornella’s Kitchen, Denton
Fold Bistro & Bottle Shop, Marple Bridge
The Pearl, Prestwich
Restaurant Örme, Urmston
Tawny Stores, Marple
Vero Moderno, Salford
Bar San Juan, Chorlton
Last year’s winner – Stretford Canteen
Plant Based Offering of the Year
Maray, Albert Square
Lily’s Indian Vegetarian Cuisine, Ashton-under-Lyne
Wholesome Junkies, Northern Quarter
Allotment Vegan Eatery, Cathedral
Walled Gardens, Whalley Range
Little Aladdin, Northern Quarter
Herbivorous, Withington
Sanskruti, Mauldeth Road
Last year’s winner – Bundobust
Pop up or Project of the Year
Bungalow at Kampus
Tartuffe, Side Street, ABC Buildings
Midori Didsbury at Wine & Wallop
The Landing, Stockport
Love From, Kampus
Root to Flower
Sampa
Manchester Wine Tour
Last year’s winner – Platt Fields Market Garden
Pub or Beer Bar of the Year
MulligansNorth Westward Ho
Heaton Hops, Heaton Chapel
Port Street Beer House, Northern Quarter
North Westward Ho, Chapel Walks
Mulligans of Manchester, Deansgate
The City Arms, central
The Britons Protection, Great Bridgewater Street
The Old Abbey Taphouse, Hulme
Café Beermoth, Brown Street
Last year’s winner – The Marble Arch
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Great Service Award
Flawd Wine, Ancoats
The Pearl, Prestwich
Higher Ground, New York Street
Skof, NOMA
10 Tib Lane, central
Schofield’s Bar, Quay Street
Adam Reid At The French, The Midland
Ornella’s Kitchen, Denton
Last year’s winner – Hawksmoor
Bar of the Year
StrayRed Light
Red Light, Kampus
Flawd Wine, Ancoats
Speak in Code, Jackson’s Row
Project Halcyon, St John’s
Hawksmoor, Deansgate
10 Tib Lane
Stray, Mackie Mayor
Sterling Bar, Norfolk Street
Last year’s winner – Schofield’s Bar
Newcomer of the Year
The Pearl, Prestwich
Skof, NOMA
Medlock Canteen, Deansgate Square
Onda Pasta Bar, Oxford Road
Tawny Stores, Marple
Caravan, St John’s
Hakkapo, First Street
Flat Iron, Deansgate
Last year’s winner – Higher Ground
Chef of the Year
Iain Thomas (The Pearl)
Joe Otway (Higher Ground)
Tom Barnes (Skof)
Sam Grainger (Medlock Canteen)
Patrick Withington (Erst)
Danielle Heron (OSMA)
Sam Buckley (Where the Light Gets In)
Julian Pizer (Another Hand)
Last year’s winner – Shaun Moffat (Edinburgh Castle)
Emily Sergeant -
19th February 2021 
