Inside Stockport’s beautiful and historic Market Hall is where you can find Auntie Lou’s, a down-to-earth cafe serving up some top tier drinks and seriously hearty home-cooked meals.
Since opening late last year, Auntie Lou’s has rapidly grown in popularity, with food flying off the shelves at their first time taking part in Stockport’s Foodie Friday – and once you’ve tasted it you’ll understand why.
The food on offer is a combination of dishes influenced by owner Emily’s Irish and English heritage, with recipes passed down from generation to generation, from all of the amazing women in her family.
Their seasonal and carefully crafted menus play into nostalgia, with freshly made stews, warm focaccia sandwiches, savoury tarts and sausage rolls on offer, with a lot of dishes served with a slice of bread and butter – just like nan used to.
Emily prides herself on a homely, nostalgic and welcoming atmosphere, with a range of thrifted crockery, their signature paper doilies and all of the mugs made and hand-painted by her mum.
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This space truly is an ode to Emily’s family members, with the name originating from their family middle name Louise.
And just when you thought Auntie Lou’s couldn’t possibly get any better, they’ve only gone and added a brand new outdoor seating area, just in time for summer.
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Emily’s mum makes all the mugs for Auntie Lou’sAuntie Lou’s has just added a sunny outdoor seating areaA lot of dishes come with bread and butter, the old fashioned way
The new outdoor area is positioned on a sunny street right on Market Place and is the perfect spot for people watching. It is made up of second-hand wooden furniture, which cleverly feeds into the feeling of going round for tea at your aunty’s house.
Currently, Auntie Lou’s menu includes a rich sausage and pecorino pasta, french omelette with locally sourced sourdough, and a butterbean, courgette and asparagus stew, along with their consistently great selection of bakes and coffees.
Not to mention their recently sourced slushie machine, facilitating a variety of iced drinks to quench your thirst this summer.
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Emily has always shared with her followers the raw experience of building this cafe from the very beginning with just a dream, some cleaning products and a whole lot of DIY. She really has built the cafe from scratch and we think that it truly deserves all of the praise it gets.
Dishes change regularly but currently include this beautiful pasta dishAuntie Lou’s cafe in Stockport Market Hall
If you’ve not given her a follow already, go and check out @auntielouscafe on Instagram and see her progress from the very beginning.
This cafe is definitely one well worth travelling for, so why not make a day of it and explore some of the other new spots in Stockport Old Town?
Auntie Lou’s is open Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 9.30am to 3pm (or until sell out) – go on down, show some support and see what all the fuss is about.
The Greater Manchester book café serving literary afternoon teas and build-your-own bouquets
Daisy Jackson
If you like your afternoon tea with a side of good books, there’s a Greater Manchester café where you can quite literally have your cake and read it too.
Tucked inside this charming bookish spot, afternoon tea arrives with an unexpected twist. Rather than being presented with the usual three-tiered stand, you’re handed a stack of heavy hardback books.
But don’t start worrying that you’ve accidentally wandered into a very niche library club. The books are hiding something.
Lift the covers in Peony & Parchment – or, more accurately, open the book-shaped boxes – and you’ll discover a full afternoon tea concealed inside.
There are dainty sandwiches to get stuck into, including tiny egg mayo, herby chicken salad, ham and mustard, and cheese and tomato focaccia, alongside a little quiche.
Then comes the scone – classic, fluffy and ready for the obligatory dollop of clotted cream and jam. And, because no afternoon tea should leave you feeling like you’ve been short-changed in the cake department, there are five miniature slices to work through.
Afternoon tea concealed in a stack of booksSome of the other bakes on display
There’s a Victoria sponge with a dreamy vanilla cream, lemon drizzle, rich chocolate cake, a Bakewell slice and a pecan pie, all sourced from a local bakery just across the alleyway.
It’s all served with a pot of tea or coffee, with the option to add a glass of prosecco.
And the bookish theme doesn’t stop at the afternoon tea.
Downstairs you’ll find shelves packed with books, including the intriguing ‘blind books’. Instead of judging a book by its cover, you’ll be given clues and a short summary of what lies inside before taking a gamble on your mystery read.
Downstairs in Peony & Parchment‘Blind books’A role playing village for kids
There’s also plenty here to keep younger visitors entertained, thanks to a children’s area complete with a mini role-playing village.
And if books and cake weren’t enough, there’s another string to this café’s bow.
The Bloom Bar lets you build your own bouquet. Choose the size you want, then wander around selecting your own stems and foliage to create something that’s uniquely yours.
You can build your own bouquetThe Bloom Bar at Peony & Parchment
Of course, you don’t have to be visiting specifically for the afternoon tea. The wider menu includes tapas, full breakfasts and sandwiches, making it just as suitable for a leisurely brunch, lunch or coffee-and-cake stop.
So whether you’re there to discover your next favourite novel, assemble a bouquet, entertain the kids or simply eat your way through five different miniature cakes, this is one café where there are plenty of chapters to explore.
Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig
Thomas Melia
A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.
Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.
Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.
On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.
Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.
After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.
The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.
This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.
Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.
After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.
Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.
It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.
The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.
Lydia Mastrolonardo -
4th May 2026 
