While many people visit the Manchester Christmas Markets to stock up on gifts and trinkets, for most of us, it’s all about seeking out the best food and drink.
Just a few years ago you could barely move around the markets for giant pans of paella and swing grills holding three dozen sizzling sausages.
But these days, the markets have a much more local flavour, with plenty of well-loved local names springing up across the city’s festive huts.
As the markets have officially kicked off today, you’ll find some incredible street food at sites including Piccadilly Gardens, St Ann’s Square, Exchange Square, and King Street.
ADVERTISEMENT
And if you’re a staunch believer in the more traditional foods, like German bratwurst and French garlic mushrooms, don’t you worry – we’ve got more on that to come.
We’ve rounded up some of the best food and drink you’ll find at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
ADVERTISEMENT
If you want to find out more about this huge seasonal celebration, check out the below articles too:
The best food and drink at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Yard & Coop, St Ann’s Square
Yard & Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023Yard & Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023
If you don’t yet know of Yard & Coop – where the hell have you been loca?
This Northern Quarter institution is back at the Manchester Christmas Markets with a menu full of its usual comfort food with a festive twist.
ADVERTISEMENT
There are huge trays of loaded fries, like the salt n pepper tray or the Dirty Santa, plus chicken in a waffle cone and the Buff Daddy burger.
The Flat Baker, Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens
Croissant with pistachio sauce from The Flat Baker Croissant with pistachio sauce from The Flat Baker
Usually served out of a tiny hole-in-the-wall site in Ancoats, The Flat Baker is making its debut at the Christmas Markets this year.
Their pistachio-laden pastries are already the stuff of legend, and you’ll find plenty of that – along with more Brazilian-influenced bakes – at their Winter Gardens stall.
From warm cinnamon rolls topped with dulce de leche, Brazilian mince pies with tropical fruit, and their incredible croissants with dipping sauces, if you’ve got a sweet tooth this place has to be the best food stall at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Parmogeddon, New Cathedral Street
Are you drunk? Hungover? Hungry? Whatever you answered to that question, don’t let Parmogeddon’s run at the Manchester Christmas Markets pass you by.
ADVERTISEMENT
Inspired by the late-night parmos served up in the north east, they’re piling Béchamel sauce, melted cheese and gravy onto chips and into burgers like there’s no tomorrow.
This year’s menu includes a Christmas parmo topped with pigs in blankets, stuffing and gravy, a parmo butty with pickled slaw and garlic sauce, and loaded roasties.
El Gato Negro has always found itself in the midst of the Manchester Christmas Markets, thanks to the fact its award-winning restaurant is slap-bang in the middle of King Street. So it was only a matter of time before they joined in with their own stall.
On the menu here there’s classic patatas bravas, or you can build your own with toppings including turkey gravy (obviously yes) and manchego cheese. There are also incredible sandwiches, with freshly-cooked chorizo or goats cheese fillings.
ADVERTISEMENT
It even has a fancy meal deal, where you can get a sandwich, patatas bravas, and either a pint of beer or a mulled wine for £16.50. 10/10, no amends.
Waffle Kart, King Street
Waffle Kart at King Street, ManchesterWaffle Kart at King Street, Manchester
Stop what you’re doing right now and look at the above food p*rn. Just look at it.
‘What if KFC and a Chinese restaurant made a baby?’, they ask on their blackboard above the door – if this is the result, we’re all for it.
Tender buttermilk chicken with an outrageously crunchy batter is served alongside fluffy waffles, with pickles and maple syrup for drizzling; or you could get the prawn toast waffles, an unconventional twist on a family recipe. It’s all great.
Triple B, Dock 53 at Piccadilly Gardens
Triple B with the best Christmas sandwiches at the Markets in ManchesterTriple B is a long-standing favourite at the Manchester Christmas Markets
If you haven’t yet put a Triple B Christmas sandwich in your mouth, you haven’t lived.
ADVERTISEMENT
These guys are becoming a firm favourite thanks to their New York-style bagels stuffed with an extra bit of festive cheer, like the fried camembert bagel with winter slaw and stilton mayo, and the Christmas Reuben bagel with an extra stuffing patty wedged in.
That’s alongside their usual enormous butties like the pastrami burger, the grill melt bagel, and the Triple B cheeseburger.
Little Piece of Bahia, Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens
Little Piece of Bahia is serving the best Brazilian food at the Manchester Christmas MarketsLittle Piece of Bahia is serving the best Brazilian food at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Little Piece of Bahia might be one of Manchester’s best-kept secrets – expect it’s not: this city centre cult favourite has been serving up authentic Brazilian cuisine in the Arndale since March and has already garnered a loyal following.
Serving up regional home-style soul food from South America since 1989, when the family business first arrived in the UK, this is their first-ever stall at the Christmas Markets, where you’ll always be greeted by the ever-charming and always smiling Camila.
Deeply knowledgeable and passionate about her country’s food, as well as her Portuguese and Nigerian ancestry, she’s serving up national dishes like feijoada, hearty stews with sprinklings of cassava, chicken and beef croquettes, cheese breads, Brazilian-style sausage rolls and much more.
ADVERTISEMENT
Oi Dumplings, Winter Gardens at Piccadilly Gardens
Giant XXL steamed dumplings at Oi DumplingsOi Dumplings street food stall at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Oi Dumplings has been a The Manc fave ever since we stumbled upon their tiny dumpling cabin in Marsden, so to have them on our doorstep in Manchester is downright dangerous.
Their beautiful pink neon-clad Christmas Markets hut is serving authentic dumplings, loaded fries, and celebration rice, with dumpling fillings including pork, Chinese chicken curry, and Kimchi and cheese.
They also have giant XXL steamed dumplings on the menu, and chocolate lava moon dumplings.
Korean Crunch Gansig, Piccadilly Gardens
Crunch Korean Gansig. Credit: The Manc GroupCrunch Korean Gansig. Credit: The Manc Group
These guys were the viral breakout star of 2022, with huge queues forming for their cheese pull-heavy Korean hotdogs, with fillings including cheese, potato and meat.
Deep-fried in a crispy waffle coating and then lightly rolled in sugar, these sausages on a stick come drizzled in sweet ketchup and mustard.
ADVERTISEMENT
They’ve been so popular since joining the markets that they actually stay put all year round – but you can guarantee we’ll be making a beeline for them anyway.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
A groundbreaking new multi-use entertainment and leisure venue is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
A new multi-purpose food, drink, entertainment and leisure destination is coming to Manchester city centre and the Salford border this autumn, and you won’t find many places that roll so much into one spot.
Mancs, get ready to welcome ‘Tangerine’.
Conceived by an impressive collective of local creatives, indies and those with plenty of experience catering to the Northern masses, Tangerine is promising everything from multiple resident kitchens, a live music hall, an arthouse stage, a specialist martini bar and more.
Better yet, after a year in the making and quietly chipping away at the striking space, it opens later this month, so you don’t have to wait long to try it for yourselves.
Located on New Bailey Street, just on the edge of Spinningfields and Salford Central, this groundbreaking new venue features two main platforms (utilising the integrated charm of the historic railway arches), each boasting its own selection of attractions.
While platform one will offer a bakery, coffee roastery, wine store and bottle ship, the ‘Canteen Club’ and even a florist, number two will contain the music hall, arthouse stage and the stylish ‘Grand Departures’ bar – serving seven espresso martini alone – Tangerine will deliver a seamless day to night transition.
Arguably, however, the centrepiece is the ‘Cantina Collective’. The food and drink hall promises seven in-house kitchens, showcasing a variety of cuisines.
The opening line-up already confirmed includes Vanda: a family-run Parisian-inspired Ukrainian bakery; Mexican taqueria, PANTERA, burger joint Juicy, as well as Yo Dutchie (a unique fusion of Dutch-Japanese food) and a new Korean/ramen concept from local sushi favourites, Unagi.
Our stomachs are already grumbling just thinking about it.
CGI renders of the completed space. (Credit: Supplied)
Designed not only by the brains behind Northern Quarter’s beloved Mala hidden garden but WANT STUDIOS, who will be ensuring local artists, independents, and traders will be regularly spotlighted, the site will boast a capacity of well over 300 people.
Artyom Dmitrijev, owner of Tangerine and Mala, said in a statement: “Over a year in the making, we’ve used all our experience in design, interiors, architecture and hospitality to create our dream project. A place for all the independents to come together and thrive.”
Andy Windsor, Director of WANT STUDIOS, added: “Tangerine unites the city’s independent kitchens, bar tenders, bakeries and entertainment specialists. It is a unique showcase of what we do in the city. This is a new space for creativity, food, and culture, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
Debuting to the public with a big Halloween weekender on the evening of Friday, 31 October, with another launch event the following Saturday, you can sign up for exclusive early access for free, which could see you score a few freebies to boot.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Tangerine MCR (via Instagram)
Eats
Bottomless curry deal returns to popular Manchester Indian restaurant Zouk
Danny Jones
One of the best-loved Indians in Manchester has relaunched its bottomless curry offering and is chucking in free rice and naans to boot.
Zouk over on Chester Street has brought back its endless curry, rice and naan deal to ease the last of those January blues.
Every night this week, you’ll be able to tuck into a full buffet of the tea bar and grill’s award-winning, authentic curries, showcasing dishes from all over the Indian subcontinent.
Costing just £20 a head, you can feast until your heart’s content on some of the very best curries in the city – no exaggeration.
What does ‘bottomless curry’ night at Zouk look like?
The bottomless curry deal at Zouk first ran this year back in January, but it’s now back for National Curry Week (6-12 October 2025), and we can’t wait to stuff ourselves silly yet again.
Every single day, there’ll be four different curries to choose from, always including two meat options, a vegetarian curry and a vegan dish.
What exactly can you get on Zouk’s bottomless offer?
As mentioned, each booking also includes unlimited rice and naan to go with your curry of choice.
Tables are for 90 minutes per booking, giving guests plenty of time to take on the increasingly popular bottomless curry challenge.
Question is, do you have the stomach for it?
With an ever-rotating selection of curries inspired by various distinct regions and speciality cuisines, you’re not short on variety either. You can see Zouk‘s current bottomless curry menu in full below:
Monday
Chicken Karahi – A speciality from the Northwest region of Pakistan. Tender pieces of chicken cooking in a sizzling wok over hot flames with tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, cumin, ginger and garlic.
Lamb and Potatoes – Tender chunks of lamb cooked with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Mutter Paneer (V) – Indian Paneer cheese with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Chole Masala (VG) – From Delhi to Punjab, this authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic.
Tuesday
Tamater Kadei Murgh – A delicious chicken and tomato curry cooked with mild spices. Perfect with rice or bread
Lamb Do Pyaaza – Medium-spiced North Indian speciality: tender pieces of lamb slowly cooked with lavish amounts of caramelised onions in a spicy masala
Tarka Dall (V) – Channa and mung lentils cooked in a spicy sauce
Gobi Mutter (VG) – Spicy cauliflower sautéed in a rich tomato masala with peas
Wednesday
Chicken Do Payaza – Spiced North Indian chicken dish with tomatoes and caramelised onions
Lamb & Bindi – Tender pieces of lamb cooked in a spicy masala with ‘lady fingers’ (okra)
Chole Masala (V) – Authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic
Mili Juli Sabzi (VG) – Fresh vegetables fused together with herbs and spices
Over the halfway hump, room for more? (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Thursday
Chicken Tikka Masala – A simple classic chicken tikka masala. Chicken pieces marinated in yoghurt tossed inside a balti of garlic and ginger.
Lamb Rogan Josh – A speciality from Jammu and Kashmir, with chillies and juicy tomatoes.
Dall Makhani (V) – Black lentils in a smooth and creamy sauce.
Palak Aloo (VG) – Spinach leaf and fenugreek cooked with new potatoes and coriander.
Friday
Chicken Handi – Punjabi-style chicken curry slowly cooked over burning flames with tomatoes, onions, garlic and Zouk’s special garam masala.
Lamb Jalfrezi – Lamb pieces cooked with capsicum, onions and tomatoes in a thick spicy sauce.
Bengan do Pyaza (V) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of aubergine cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
Bindi Do Pyaza (VG) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of Okra cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
And now we’re stuffed…
If you’re looking for somewhere to get bottomless curry in Manchester, this is the place for you. (Credit: The Manc)
Zouk has become one of Manchester’s leading restaurants since it opened in 2009, even drawing in famous fans like Rihanna, Drake, Manchester United stars and, of course, many a Mancs each and every day – because there’s never a bad time for a curry.
Available all throughout this week, you can make the most of this incredible bottomless curry deal like we do every year and trust us, Manchester: it genuinely NEVER disappoints.
You can find more information – including all terms and conditions – on the website and book your visit HERE, or over the phone on 0161 2331 090.
Daisy Jackson -
10th November 2023 
