Freight Island has just announced some massive new arrivals and its biggest-ever spring-summer programme – including the arrival of Ornella’s Kitchen.
Joining Ornella’s Kitchen – a tiny Tameside restaurant which is consistently booked up MONTHS in advance – will be equally massive local names like Gooey and Hello Oriental.
The landmark street food and entertainment venue turns five this year, and is announcing new kitchens, a refreshed dining service, a new look, and a free to attend festival programme.
Set to reopen on Thursday 3 April, this next iteration of Freight Island will include new kitchens for some of Manchester’s best-known and best-loved operators.
Up first will be Ornella’s Little Kitchen – an announcement they already teased last week – where this in-demand Italian restaurant will be serving its pasta-deli specials in a new restaurant setting inside Freight Island. You’ll be able to book a table for Ornella’s Little Kitchen HERE.
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Also opening next month will be a Chinese BBQ spot from MOREJOY, huge French toast brunches from Gooey, and ice cream and desserts from Hello Oriental as they launch Hello Dezato.
Of course, Freight Island will have its returning resident kitchens too with fresh new menus, like chicken shop Patterson’s, Venezuelan food from Mia’s Arepas, smash burgers from the legendary Burgerism, giant pizza slices from Voodoo Ray’s, pan-Asian dishes from FUKU, Greek street food from Mega Gyros, and cheesecake on a stick from Oh My Cheesecake.
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Kantina will be back with curated supper clubs between Freight Island traders and guest chefs from across the country.
Beyond the food and drink offering, Freight Island will have a packed programme of a spring-summer festival programme, featuring Moovin Festival, Wookie, Greg Wilson, Optimo (Espacio), David Rodigan, Luke Una’s É Soul Cultura, DJ Paulette, Congo Natty, Crazy P (DJ Set), Fat Tony and loads more.
And there’ll be official takeovers and celebrations in the UK’s biggest dedicated sports fanzone, including UEFA Women’s Euros 2025 and the Woman’s Rugby World Cup.
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On joining Freight Island, Jamie at Ornella’s Kitchen, commented: “We’re incredibly excited to bring Ornella’s Little Kitchen to Freight Island and be part of such a dynamic food and entertainment space.
“Our pasta-deli specials have found a loyal following in Manchester, and we can’t wait to share our authentic Italian flavours in this new setting.”
Dan Morris, Managing Director at Freight Island, said: “Freight Island was always imagined as a place for innovation and pushing boundaries and this year’s update is about taking us closer to that original vision.
“With the incredible new food, a refreshed dining experience and our biggest Spring/Summer festival line-up yet, we’re set for an unforgettable season.”
Popular Manchester restaurant bar to give out FREE sausage rolls to people called ‘Greg’
Emily Sergeant
One of Manchester’s much-loved restaurant bars is doing a free sausage roll giveaway next week… but there’s a catch.
The catch being you have to have a certain name in particular.
It was only last week that popular high street chain Pret A Manger announced it would be slinging out free sandwiches to any Mancs with ‘Nic’ in their name over the late May bank holiday weekend, and now Tariff & Dale is getting it on the giveaway action, and it’s all to celebrate the iconic event that is National Sausage Roll Day.
In case you didn’t know – which is very likely, let’s be real – next Thursday (5 June) is the day dedicated to all things sausage roll.
So what better way to mark the occasion than with free portions of Tariff & Dale‘s legendary meaty treat?
The popular Northern Quarter restaurant bar is known for its creative comfort food, craft beers and cocktails, and laid-back industrial vibe, with one of the cult-classic dishes on its menu having always been the honey pork sausage roll – which just so happens to be a whopping 15-inches long, by the way.
Resembling something more of a pork wellington than a sausage roll, if you will, the dish is crispy, golden, and glazed with honey on top.
But to celebrate National Sausage Roll day, instead of parting with £9.50 for a portion or £48 for the full 15-inch thing, people with one specific name can actually get a slice for completely free of charge.
Tariff & Dale is giving away FREE sausage rolls to people with this name next week / Credit: Supplied
And that name is ‘Greg’, because if we’re honest, when it comes to sausage rolls, we all tend to think of Greggs.
So whether your surname is Gregory or Gregson, or you’re simply just called Greg, then all you need to do to claim your complimentary slice of sausage roll heaven is head on down to Tariff & Dale next Thursday 5 June from 12pm up until 9pm.
Make sure you show your valid ID proving your name when you order at the bar, and get ready to stuff your face.
Failing that, anyone not called Greg will just have to pop into actual Greggs instead.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Eats
Plans to open a brand-new pub on the site of the Rovers Return
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new pub is set to open in Manchester city centre net month, with treats in store like complimentary bowls of crisps, an outdoor terrace, and a games parlour.
The Stables Tavern is taking shape in the St John’s district, poetically on the same site that was once home to Coronation Street’s iconic Rovers Return pub.
They’re promising this will be a ‘historic tavern reimagined for today’s lover of a proper pint’.
The pub will come from Shiko Group, which is also behind Courts Club, where you can play tennis or basketball followed by court-side pints, and Side Street, a bar-restaurant-events space with a mid-Century interior.
Neighbouring the Bonded Warehouse, The Stables Tavern will join this rapidly blossoming new creative district, just across the yard from Caravan, The Trading Route and Aviva Studios.
Inside, punters will find multiple beer taps with local beers, served with complimentary bowls of crisps as well as a menu of pub snacks like handmade sausage rolls and local pies.
The pub will be split into three sections – an outside terrace, a main bar, and a parlour area at the back of the pub for live entertainment, old school games, and rounds of whiskey.
This might be a new district but it’s a historic area for the city – the same building was a busy watering hole back in the early 19th century for workers, merchants and visitors who made use of the nearby canals and cobbled streets.
It was then the home of the Rovers Return, back when this area was the home of Granada Studios.
Hayley Sammé, Marketing Director, said: “We’re so excited to bring The Stables Tavern back to St John’s. The area’s extensive historical backdrop and burgeoning hospitality scene provides the perfect landscape for a traditional British pub.
“It’s the perfect addition to the existing scene, and we hope it’s going to become a popular spot in our new creative district.”
The Stables Tavern will open at St John’s on Friday 6 June.
Daisy Jackson -
25th February 2025 
