The team behind Manchester’s most legendary burger bar, Almost Famous, will open the doors to a brand new burger concept this week.
Super Awesome Deluxe is taking over the old Lono Cove site on Thomas Street, serving up a short menu of smash burgers with a daytime soundtrack of 80s hits and a nighttime playlist of drum n bass.
If you don’t like beef burgers, look away now, but if you do, you’re going to like this one.
Super Awesome Deluxe will operate as a grab-and-go takeaway with just three core smash burgers on the menu – the Super (with deluxe sauce and pickles); the Awesome (shaved onion, deluxe sauce, ketchup, mustard and pickles); and the Deluxe (deluxe sauce, spicy ketchup, lettuce, tomato and pickles).
There’ll also be the Special, which will change every two months.
And alongside those tender smashed beef burgers, topped with melty cheese, will be golden hand-cut fries which are taken ‘very seriously’ to bring maximum nostalgia to your takeaway.
The Super Awesome Deluxe fries are made with Cheshire spuds, cooked to crispy, salty perfection.
Burgers will be made with meat sourced super locally from W.H Frost with a house blend of chuck, brisket, and aged marrow for a rich buttery flavour, ground for a steak-like texture and smashed hot into caramelised patties.
They’ll be limited daily until they’re sold out to ensure the highest quality and freshest buns.
Smash burgers at Super Awesome Deluxe Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupThe core menu at Super Awesome Deluxe is only three burgers, plus fries and homemade cherry lemo. Credit: The Manc Group
There’ll also be house-made cherry lemonade made daily, plus a special Super Awesome Deluxe lager made in collaboration with Tiny Rebel.
Beau Myers, co-founder at Super Awesome Deluxe said: “Why is super awesome so super awesome? We’re doing more than just smashing burgers – we’re creating a whole vibe.
“We’ve created something completely fresh that hits in a new way and gives people what they need. It’s all about quality, energy, and keeping it real.
“Our menu is tight, the flavours are bold, and the beats are loud.
“We want people to walk out with a grin on their face, knowing they’ve just had the best damn burger ever. This isn’t just about food, it’s about the culture we’re building around it and the good times we’re bringing.”
Super Awesome Deluxe will open in the Northern Quarter on Wednesday 9 October, with 200 free burgers up for grabs on opening day (100 from midday, and another 100 from 5pm).
Super Awesome Deluxe is open for takeaway from 12pm-3pm and again from 5pm-10pm, Wednesday to Sunday. There’ll be late night hours until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Manchester favourite Nell’s to open new site for New York-style pizza, karaoke and shuffleboard
Daisy Jackson
Much-loved New York-style pizza joint Nell’s has announced big plans for a brand new location – they’re heading to MediaCity.
Nell’s are stepping things up a notch with the move, adding in private karaoke booths, shuffleboard tables, and a huge outdoor terrace in their new site.
Nell’s MediaCity is set to open this autumn, promising 22-inch New York-style pizza (also served in gigantic slices), frozen margs, and ice cream sandwiches.
There are already several spots around Manchester where you can get a slice of Nell’s, including their restaurants at Kampus and in Altrincham, the OG Northern Quarter site in Common, and at The Beagle in Chorlton.
And now it’s Salford’s turn, with plans unveiled for the team to expand over to MediaCity’s quayside Orange Building.
Nell’s co-founder Jonny Heyes said: “We’ve been thinking about MediaCity for a long time, it’s such a great area and we’ve seen what brilliant operators like Kargo have achieved so when this space came up, we jumped on it!
“The venue is huge which has given us the chance to really play with the experience.
“This idea of karaoke and shuffleboard accompanying our made-for-sharing pizzas and great cocktails feels like a natural next step for us as a brand.”
Nell’s have also partnered with Deliveroo and Slerp to send 14-inch and 22-inch pizzas far and wide.
The new opening is expected to create more than 35 new jobs, and as Common & Co has twice been named in the Times 100 Best Places To Work list, you might want to check those out HERE.
These viral sensations are a plush toy created by Hong Kong-born, Netherlands-raised designer Kasing Lung, who drew inspiration from his love of fairytales to create a character with bunny-like ears, large eyes and big smiles.
They’re swinging off handbags all over the UK at the minute and people are queueing for hours for the latest Labubu drops.
At Sweet Dreams, they’re making edible chocolate Labubus using a special mould flown in from Japan.
Each one has a pistachio kunafa filling and is painstakingly painted by hand.
And that brings us neatly to the next viral craze at play here – Dubai pistachio chocolate.
An army of pistachio chocolate LabubuInside a chocolate pistachio Labubu
Kunafa is a staple in Middle Eastern bakes and pastries but hit the global mainstream last year when thick chocolate pistachio bars stuffed with it went viral online, spawning countless dupes and inspired specials.
And finally, chocolate covered strawberries – hardly a new invention, but this simple dessert has rocketed in popularity especially in food hotspots like Borough Market in London.
Head into Sweet Dreams and you can build your treat from the base up – choose white or milk melted chocolate for your strawberries, layer on pistachio kunafa, then top with either a milk or white chocolate Labubu.
A slightly daft novelty? Yes. But that doesn’t stop them being delicious.
This is the only place in the UK currently selling Dubai pistachio chocolate Labubus.