Over in Chorlton, there’s a new coffee and bagel shop that’s making waves amongst south Manchester foodies.
Called Smoak, it opened its doors next door to cocktail bar Henry C a couple of months back and has been on our to-visit list ever since.
The brainchild of owner Johnathan Barnett, a self-proclaimed coffee obsessive and former finance professional, the shop has a laidback atmosphere despite being busy when we visit early on a Friday afternoon.
At ground level, it’s all airy plywood with blue and orange accents, a sleek barista countertop and local artwork hanging on the walls, but it’s out the back of the cafe that the real magic happens.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: Supplied
For the past few months, John has been making his own pastrami in the basement from scratch – leading Smoak to develop something of a reputation as the new go-to for any and all New York-style bagel fans.
Now, though, he tells us, he’s built a purpose-built smoking area out the back – it no longer being practical to do it downstairs.
Not one to do things by halves, he’s curing his beef brisket in-house for a minimum of seven days before dry rubbing it with a host of spices, then hot smoking for a minimum of six hours.
The team here is also making their own harissa in-house, and it’s some of the best we’ve tasted – punchy, zesty and fresh, all at the same time.
The coffee here is stellar, and there’s also a bakery counter filled with fat salted caramel and oreo crumb doughnuts from local baking sensation DGHNT. But it’s really the pastrami-stuffed bagels that we’ve come to try.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
On the menu, you’ll find an array of six different options: all packed with home-smoked meat and veg. There’s chunky aubergine, smeared in that bright, zingy harissa (or available on its own) for veggies and vegans, with spinach, red onion, and aubergine and garlic puree.
As for those who don’t eat beef, there’s a harissa chicken bagel or a chicken and aubergine option. Both come served with added spinach, red onion, mayo and butter.
We opt for a harissa chicken, alongside the main attractions: a ‘PLT’ packed with thinly-sliced pastrami, lettuce, tomato and mayo, and the ‘Pastrami’ with added sauerkraut, gherkins and mustard mayo.
In the case of the latter, the pastrami comes thickly sliced and hot, with an acidic freshness from the various pickles spilling out of it.
All are very reasonably priced at £6.50 for meaty bagels and £6 for vegan options. You can also opt to double up on your aubergine, pastrami or chicken for an additional £1.50, and buy bags of Smoak’s own coffee blend beans to take away.
Well worth a look in, to find out more and see the full menu you can follow Smoak on Instagram here.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
A Greater Manchester dessert bar is selling Dubai pistachio Labubu-topped chocolate strawberries
Daisy Jackson
We’re in an era obsessed with novelty – and this dessert bar in Greater Manchester has found a way to cash in on every viral food craze at once.
Presenting… a Dubai pistachio chocolate Labubu, perched atop a mountain of chocolate strawberries with more pistachio kunafa on top.
There’s a sentence that wouldn’t have made sense a year ago…
Sweet Dreams, which has a spot in Whalley Range as well as a new dessert bar in Prestwich, has tapped into three major online trends at once.
If you have a busy life and aren’t as chronically online as the rest of us, allow me to explain.
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.
Beloved Stockport burger joint The Last Stop is closing its doors this month
Danny Jones
Much-loved burger joint and bar The Last Stop has announced it will be closing the doors of its original Stockport restaurant later this month.
The popular burger, gyros and Heaton Chapel hangout spot only just opened back in April 2024, but following the growing pressures throughout the hospitality sector, the team have made the decision to shut down their flagship brick-and-mortar site.
Confirming the news on Tuesday, The Last Stop informed their followers that this weekend will mark the venue’s very last round of service, “firing up the grills for the final time” and hosting one more big blowout on Saturday, 26 July.
They shared a lengthy statement explaining the reasoning behind their decision on Instagram, and fans of their food, drink and atmosphere are understandably gutted.
The post reads: “Despite a fantastic first year for The Last Stop, we’ve decided that the time is right to make a change in the Chapel.
“Over the last year, we’ve been fortunate enough to grow The Last Stop from scratch rapidly: collaborating with The Salmon of Knowledge bars (with a 3rd opening lined up for August), entering into the Egyptian Rooms [Oldham] Produce Hall [Stockport] food halls and having the pleasure of serving you thousands of burgers and gyros in the Heatons!”
“Nonetheless, whilst these ventures prove successful, well-documented cost increases and changes in consumer spending habits, since April in particular, have meant simply that our Heaton Chapel site in its current format is no longer economically viable.”
Bosses Dominic Ingleby and Niall Peters have gone on to assure that existing staff have secured positions at alternative branches, all suppliers have been fully paid up, and that their other locations are thankfully set to remain.
In fact, although one venue will be bidding a bittersweet goodbye, as hinted above, they will be moving into the old Dockyard bar over at MediaCityUK, Salford Quays, which is set to become another Salmon of Knowledge location.
The Last Stop Stockport might be closing but their NQ residence is staying put.As is their neighbouring Produce Hall pop-up stall.Credit: The Manc/The Last Stop (via IG)
We’re relieved to hear that The Last Stop name will be sticking around and it’s going for good, but Stopfordian residents are nevertheless gutted that the Heaton Chapel favourite, which became a regular quiz night, ‘sip and paint’ and late-night stop among locals, will soon be no more.
They sign off by adding: “We’d love to see you all this week for one last smashed cheese in the four walls where it all started, & to toast a pint or 7 on the Saturday!
“Thank you all for being a part of the journey and a pleasure to get to know. We’ll see you soon; maybe sooner than you think… Dom, Dom [Swarbrick] and Niall.”
We’ll leave you guys to try and figure out what that last bit means, but for now, thanks for the memories and the bloody good buns.
Georgina Pellant -
15th October 2022 
