Eats

Places you can still grab a takeaway coffee in Manchester city centre this weekend

Our trusty favourites are always here to keep us caffeinated at the toughest of times.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 27th November 2020
Pxhere

Coffee has understandably been a crutch for many people over the past few months.

Latte, cappuccino, americano, flat white, espresso, mocha, iced, seasonal specials and more – however you take it, those freshly brewed beans are always there to provide a pick-me-up when we need it most, and as we head into our final weekend of England’s national lockdown, there’s plenty of independent cafes and coffee houses in Manchester city centre that are #StillServingMCR.

Our trusty favourites are always here to keep us caffeinated and refreshed at the toughest of times.

So if you find yourself in the city centre looking for that quick caffeine fix this weekend and are stuck for where to go, we’ve rounded up some of the best places that are still open for walk-ins to head on down to and grab yourself a takeaway coffee.

There’s never been a more crucial time to support local.

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Feel Good Club

Northern Quarter

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Mental health and wellbeing cafe Feel Good Club – Manchester’s new kid on the block in the Northern Quarter – has remained open throughout the second national lockdown for takeaway services to provide much-needed support for those who need it most.

And on top of that, the coffee is just pretty damn good.

26 – 28 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 2EH

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  • Friday – Saturday: 9am – 9pm
  • Sunday: 10am – 4pm

You can find more information via the Feel Good Club website here.

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Federal

Northern Quarter & Deansgate

Serving up quality Antipodean-style coffee from two locations in the heart of Manchester city centre, the ever-popular and much-loved Federal Cafe & Bar is still open for walk-ins to grab yourself a wide range of takeaway beverages this weekend.

9 Nicholas Croft, Northern Quarter, Manchester, M4 1EY & 94 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 3ND

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  • Saturday: 8am – 4pm
  • Sunday: 8am – 4pm

You can find more information via the Federal Cafe & Bar website here.

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Hampton & Vouis

Princess Street

Taking great pride its award-winning speciality coffee, Hampton & Vouis is still open this weekend in the heart of the city centre to grab yourself a freshly-brewed cup to go.

31 Princess Street, Manchester, M2 4EW

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  • Saturday: 10am – 3pm
  • Sunday: 10am – 3pm

You can find more information via the Hampton & Vouis website here.

Hampton & Vouis
Federal Cafe & Bar

Foundation Coffee House

Northern Quarter

Rather aptly admitting that “coffee is everything” and preparing each cup to perfection, Foundation Coffee House still has the doors to its Northern Quarter premises open this weekend, so you can pop in and grab yourself a takeout brew while you’re passing.

Sevendale House, Lever Street, Manchester M1 1JB

  • Saturday: 9am – 5pm
  • Sunday: 9am – 5pm

You can find more information via the Foundation Coffee House website here.

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Fress

Northern Quarter

There’s no doubt Fress is best-known for its mouth-watering comfort food, bottomless brunches, and indulgent sweet treats, but did you know you can also pop in to grab a takeaway coffee of your choice this weekend too?

Don’t count it out.

62 Oldham Street, Manchester, M4 1LE

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  • Saturday: 11am – 6pm
  • Sunday: 11am – 4pm

You can find more information via the Fress website here.

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Just Between Friends

Northern Quarter & Ancoats

Freshly-brewing each cup of coffee with love, Just Between Friends is now open for takeout at both its Tib Street site in the heart of the Northern Quarter and its Ancoats site too, so you can grab a cup of your choice to-go this weekend.

56 Tib Street, Manchester, M4 1LG & Beehive Mill, Jersey Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6JG

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  • Saturday: 8:30am – 4pm
  • Sunday: 8:30am – 4pm

You can find more information via the Just Between Friends website here.

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Siop Shop

Northern Quarter

By far one of the Northern Quarter’s most unique hangouts in all its brightly-coloured glory, you can pop by Siop Shop this weekend to get yourself that quick caffeine fix, and perhaps a sweet doughnut treat too if that takes your fancy.

53 Tib Street, Manchester M4 1LS

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  • Saturday: 10am – 3pm
  • Sunday: 10am – 3pm

You can find more information via the Siop Shop website here.

Takk
Pot Kettle Black

Pot Kettle Black

Barton Arcade

Proudly championing Antipodean coffee culture with a Northern accent, Pot Kettle Black is serving up some of the finest freshly-brewed cups of caffeine from its Barton Arcade takeout hatch in the heart of the city centre, so it couldn’t be easier to grab as you go.

Barton Arcade, Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BW

  • Saturday: 9:30am – 3pm
  • Sunday: 9:30am – 3pm

You can find more information via the PKB website here.

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Takk

Northern Quarter

Serving a range of single origin coffees that change on a weekly basis and dedicated to sourcing some of the best coffees available in Europe, Takk is freshly-brewing cups to go from its Tarrif Street site in the heart of the Northern Quarter only at weekends, so make sure to swing by if you’re passing.

6 Tariff Street, Manchester, M1 2FF

  • Saturday: 10am – 3pm
  • Sunday: 10am – 3pm

You can find more information via the Takk website here.

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Ezra & Gil

Northern Quarter

Beloved neighbourhood hangout Ezra & Gil has provided Manchester with an evolutionary concept in urban coffee and cafe culture since opening doors 2015, and is still serving freshly-brewed cups to go in the heart of the Northern Quarter this weekend.

20 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 1FR

  • Saturday: 8:30am – 7pm
  • Sunday: 8:30am – 7pm

You can find more information via the Ezra & Gil website here.

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The Manc Group has partnered with Deliveroo to help local restaurants deliver during lockdown as part of our #StillServingMCR campaign.

Working alongside Deliveroo, The Manc will ensure all restaurants on the service will get the amplification they need across our social platforms. We’ll update our one million-strong audience on your latest updates and deals and we’ll create conversations with the masses about our favourite scran from your menus.

Basically, we will champion you, and we will go above and beyond to do it.

You can find out more here.

Eats

Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.

At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.

Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.

Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.

The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.

A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.

The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.

It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.

Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group

The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.

According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.

These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.

There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.

The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.

The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr

Ged sold 6,000 a week.

And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).

Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.

The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine

The main gripe people seem to have with the Manchester Christmas Markets is the prices of food and drinks, blasting them every year like a broken record as being ‘overpriced’.

So we’ve done the hard slog for you, running all around the city centre to suss out exactly how much everything is costing in 2024.

From Piccadilly Gardens (rebranded as The Winter Gardens for the season) to King Street, there are wooden sheds and festive cheer absolutely everywhere.

There’s some brilliant food and drink to discover – you can see our top picks HERE – but as this is a huge visitor attraction, that can come at a price.

Once you factor in the deposit for a Manchester Christmas Markets mug, you can easily spend £12 just to get a mulled wine (though you will get £3.50 of that back when you return your mug).

There are also deposit charges on glassware – £2 for a pint glass, £3.50 for cocktail glasses and £7 for a stein.

You can see the full list of prices for food and drinks right across the Manchester Christmas Markets HERE, but below are where you can find the cheapest spots at the festive event.

Mulled wine

Mulled wines are priced at £5.50 almost everywhere across the Manchester Christmas Markets, though some stalls are offering bigger serves of this popular festive drink for a small price hike.

Then people are charging another £3 to add a shot of brandy, rum or amaretto, making an £8.50 total.

But the cheapest we’ve found is just £7 for mulled wine with a shot of booze, and that’s at Mamma Mia, an Italian stall on New Cathedral Street, right near St Ann’s Square.

Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine
Where to find the cheapest drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, from beer to mulled wine. Credit: The Manc Group

Beer

Again, prices for beers at the Manchester Christmas Markets are pretty consistent and average £6 a pint.

But you can get cheaper – at The Last Outpost, a Western-themed bar at Exchange Square, beers start from £5.50.

And at The Hip Hop Chip Shop at Piccadilly Gardens, they’re selling local craft beers, like Shindigger, Pomona Island, Manchester Union) for just £5.50. And you get bonus good vibes for supporting local breweries.

Wine

We’ve found a couple of glasses of wine for just £5 around the Markets this year, which is cheaper than most bars in town really.

The King Street Craft Bar, which has the bonus of having seating, has house wines from a fiver.

Christmas Alley at Piccadilly Gardens will also give you a wine for £5.

Prosecco

Prosecco works in every season and if this is your go-to of all the drinks at the Manchester Christmas Markets, we’ve found where you can save a few pennies.

Most places are charging between £6.50 and £7 per glass, but at El Gato Negro on King Street (yep, the same stall operated by the Michelin-recommended restaurant) are charging just £5 – that’s a whole £1.50 cheaper than most other stalls.

Hot chocolate

Basic hot chocolates are generally £3.50 everywhere, with a few very luxury upgrades (like a £7.90 creation from The Flat Baker that’s served in an edible cookie cup).

Once you add in a shot of alcohol, the cheapest as at the Apres Ski Bar at Piccadilly Gardens, which charges £2.50 for a spirit.

That makes £6 for a boozy hot chocolate.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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