Eats

Popular lunch spot Salt & Pepper confirms they are reopening

The popular pop-up restaurant announced it is putting "extra precautions" in place

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 15th June 2020
Salt & Pepper MCR

Salt & Pepper has announced that it will be reopening to once again serve the people of Manchester in early July.

Having temporarily shut up shop back in March due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the popular pop-up restaurant announced it is putting “extra precautions” in place and would be returning at the start of next month.

Launched by “Chinese kids born and bred in Manchester”, Salt & Pepper is undoubtedly a firm-favourite on the Manchester foodie scene and a staple of the Arndale Food Market.

Announcing the exciting news on social media over the weekend, Salt & Pepper said: “Great news…WE ARE REOPENING EARLY JULY”.

“We’re taking some extra precautions to make sure all of our staff and our customers will be as safe as possible.”

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“Not long left…see you all soon”.

Salt & Pepper, ran by a brother and sister duo who thrive on “providing modern twists old family recipes” and “serving up good tasty dishes that will leave you satisfied and happy”, is unique in how it pushes one particular takeaway dish right to the forefront of its menu and gives every meal its own superbly-seasoned, spicy spin.

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Whether you go for wings, chips or beef or tofu, the results are invariably incredible.

Salt And Pepper Boxes From Manchester Arndale

Salt & Pepper MCR in The Arndale Market never disappoints ??

Posted by The Manc on Tuesday, 18 February 2020

Salt & Pepper also seems to be a favourite with our audience here at The Manc.

After putting the question of ‘which local/independent restaurant do you miss the most?’ to our audience as part of our ‘The Manc Asks’ series, Salt & Pepper overwhelmingly came out on top.

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There’s always queues clogging up the walkways in Arndale Food Market at Salt & Pepper five days a week, so it should perhaps come as no surprise that Mancs are pining for their fix after a nearly four months of malnourishment.

At present, Salt & Pepper have not confirmed a set date for reopening, nor have further details been released as to how it will run operationally, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for when this is announced

To keep up to date with Salt & Pepper Manchester and to be the first to hear of reopening plans, you can find them on Facebook and Instagram.

Eats

A tiny new train station pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The team behind Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap have applied to open a new pub at Manchester Oxford Road

A tiny craft beer pub is set to open at Manchester Oxford Road, making all those inevitable train cancellations a little sweeter.

The new boozer will come from the same team behind some of the UK’s best train station pubs, who already have bars at Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria.

A licensing application has now been submitted by Bloomsbury Leisure Holdings Limited to take over the former cycle hub at Manchester Oxford Road.

The small building is directly opposite the entrance to the busy train station on the southern side of the city centre.

If approved, it will be the third site for the pub group in Manchester.

They already operate the Piccadilly Tap, that two-storey beer bar on Piccadilly Approach with a heated rooftop space and outdoor patio.

The team are also responsible for the more recently-opened Victoria Tap, which took over the former bin store at Manchester Victoria.

That particular pub has a heated beer garden constructed just inches away from where the trams tootle past and has a departures board where time is measured by pints (got 10 mins til your train leaves? That’s one pint, sir!)

As for the Oxford Road Tap, a new account on X appeared a few weeks ago that appears to confirm the imminent arrival of a new pub.

The Oxford Road Tap have applied to have opening hours through to half-past-midnight Sunday to Thursday, and until 1.30am on Fridays and Saturdays.

They teased a mocked-up photo of posters outside the station with the new pub logo, plus a slogan of ‘Great beer is just a few steps away…’

They later shared ‘Triple threat incoming’ with all three pub brands lined up as a deck of cards.

Very exciting times ahead.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Northern Quarter favourite Pie and Ale has sadly closed down

Danny Jones Danny Jones Pie and Ale Manchester closed down

Beloved Northern Quarter eatery and pub Pie and Ale has sadly and quietly closed its doors this week in yet another gutting bit of news for the Manc hospitality sector.

Known for its legendary homemade pies, great selections of ales, craft beers and lagers, not to mention a great little pub when it comes to watching live sport, it’s long been considered an NQ institution.

Unfortunately, however, as confirmed by a sign posted in the window, Pie and Ale has now closed for business after more than a decade.

Safe to say, we’re absolutely gutted, as we’re sure everyone else is.

Credit: The Manc Eats

While no official announcement has been made on their social media as yet, which will no doubt receive love and sadness from its loyal following, the sign in the window simply reads: “Pie and Ale has unfortunately ceased trading. Apologies for any inconvenience.”

The local favourite which was always hailed for being great value for money – celebrated especially for its popular pie and a pint for under a tenner deal – also served up great nibbles and light bites as well as dessert specials.

Although the Lever Street spot previously shut down for a short spell back in 2018 due to what they labelled as “unforeseen circumstances” before reopening just two months later, this latest update looks pretty definitive.

Sister-site Bakerie also ceased trading back in April 2019, with husband and wife founders, Alyson Doocey and David Cook, admitting that all independents had been “feeling the squeeze”.

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While we have few other details at this stage, it does look like Pie and Ale has indeed closed down for the foreseeable future.

A mainstay on our list of the best pies in Manchester since day dot and just the latest in the list of losses in 2024 so far, they will be sorely missed.

We sincerely hope this is like last time and will keep our fingers crossed that we see the pie pros and expert pourers back in business at some point.

RIP to an NQ icon.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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