As we speed ahead into July, we take note of some of the most exciting new openings in Greater Manchester this week.
From a crumble cafe selling glittery, shortbread-laden desserts, to an independently-run vegan fast food site in Piccadilly that’s giving us strong guilt-free McDonald’s vibes, as ever there’s plenty of exciting new things to try in Manchester this week.
Keep reading to discover our top picks.
Homemade crumble cafe Crumbled has just landed in Spinningfields / Image: Crumbled
A brand new crumble cafe with glittery toppings and all the custardyou can eat
New Manchester cafe Crumbled is dishing up the wholesome homely favourite with a variety of different fruity bottoms like rhubarb, strawberry and apple.
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Hand-baked with love and care, they are all priced at £5 with a choice of shortbread or crumble.
Opt for yours to be served ‘traditional’ or with added glitz – think glittery toppings, blow-torched marshmallows, rose petals and ice cream.
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Find Crumbled’s pop-up inside Wolf Italian Street Food on Spinningfields, Wednesday to Sunday.
The asparagus and pancetta lasagne from Casa Lasagne / Image: Casa Lasagne
A new authentic Italian lasagne spot, using a pasta recipe passed through generations
Due to open this Thursday 1 July, Casa Lasagne is cooking up everyone’s favourite home comfort food with the utmost authenticity. Think pistachio, pesto and besciamella lasagne, rich pumpkin and white ragu lasagne and four-cheese lasagne made with parmigiana and stilton, and you’ll start to get an idea of the variety on offer here.
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A family-run operation using a pasta recipe passed through the generations, they also plan to cook up deep fried Neapolitan croquettas and other Italian treats.
Order from their website or find them on Deliveroo or Uber Eats.
Vegan Shack owners Dimeji and Saffron first started Vegan Shack in their Flat Kitchen two years ago. Think ‘Vegan McDonalds’ / Image: Vegan Shack
Collyhurst’s Vegan Shack arrives in town, with a second site on Piccadilly Gardens
Starting from humble beginnings in a flat kitchen in 2019, Vegan Shack’s known for its loaded fries and delicious plant-based kebab creations.
From spending their last £30 on food for their dark kitchen concept in 2019 to opening a second site in Piccadilly Gardens this week, founding couple Dimeji and Saffron have had quite a journey.
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Head down for fast food favourites like burgers, wraps, fries and shakes.
Find them just off Piccadilly Gardens inside One Piccadilly.
Scandinavian-inspired cafe bar Lättsam has it all: Beatnikz beer, Grindsmith coffee, wine, cocktails and pastries / Image: Lättsam
A new Scandinavian-inspired cafe bar in Manchester’s business district
New cafe bar Lättsam is set to open this Thursday 1 July on the corner of Fountain Street and Spring Gardens. Minimalist in design with striking white and yellow tiles, this cafe/workspace/kitchen will also house a Beatnikz bar and miniature brewhouse.
Head down this weekend for Grindsmiths coffee and fresh pastries, beers, wines and cocktails – and keep your eyes peeled for a big street food announcement coming soon.
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Find them on the corner of Fountain Street and Spring Gardens from July 1.
Summer Beer Thing brings hundreds of tasty beers from Manchester and further afield into the city centre every year / Image: Summer Beer Thing
It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for fans of Common and co’s Summer Beer Thing. Cancelled last summer, it seemed unlikely to happen again this year after the team announced they’d be leaving the Pilcrow.
Now (thankfully) it’s going ahead again – this year on the waterside at KAMPUS.
Kicking off this Thursday 1 July, there’ll be eight rotating taps plus natural wines and ice cream sandwiches from Nell’s.
The hillside farm in the Peak District making its own ice cream
Daisy Jackson
Did you know there’s a 300-year-old farm in the Peak District serving up some of the freshest ice cream you’ll ever taste? And yes, you can meet the cows that made it while you’re there.
Welcome to Hope Valley Ice Cream, a family-run gem where things are kept refreshingly simple: happy cows, proper farming, and seriously good ice cream.
Set in the heart of the Peak District countryside, this place is about as wholesome as it gets.
The ice cream is made on-site in the farmhouse, literally just metres from where the dairy herd are out grazing.
You can watch the animals, wander around the farm, and then tuck into a scoop or three perched on a milk pail stool, or a picnic bench (or even a decorative tractor).
Hope Valley Ice Cream has some amazing seasonal ice creams, like lemon curd, elderflower, and blackberry, alongside all the classics and a rather delicious tiramisu.
You can grab a cone, sit down with a coffee (again, made with milk from the nearby cows), or go all in with a freshly-made waffle if you’re feeling fancy.
Takeaway tubs from Hope Valley Ice CreamYou can get a mini pail of ice creamMeet the newborn calves at Hope Valley Ice CreamTuck into your ice cream on a milk pail stoolHope Valley Ice Cream
And if you’re the type who really loves ice cream? You can actually order a full pail of it, with four huge scoops plus whipped cream and sauce.
The farm itself is run by the Marsden family, who’ve been working this land for generations. It shows in everything – they’ve created a place that feels genuinely welcoming, not just another tourist stop.
Beyond the ice cream, you’ve got plenty of reasons to stick around. There are calves (including the newest tiny arrivals), plus donkeys and pigs to say hello to.
Whether you’re heading out on a hike or just fancy a drive into the Peaks, this is one pitstop that’s absolutely worth it – and honestly, it’s worth the trip on its own.
A brand-new food hall has opened in the heart of Denton, with a phenomenal line-up of traders
Daisy Jackson
A huge new food hall has opened in Denton, bringing some of the hottest street food names in Greater Manchester together under one roof.
Hatters is a brand-new addition to Tameside, a massive, modern, social space with four kitchens and a couple of sizeable bars too.
Its founders have pulled together an enviable line-up of operators for the kitchens, including a few that trigger queues down the street wherever they appear.
Up first is the legendary Ornella’s Kitchen, a firm Tameside favourite where diners can wait months for a table reservation.
Their menu at Hatters includes their beloved arancini, plus pizzas (including mini kid’s pizzas), and huge Italian sandwiches packed with quality Sicilian ingredients.
Ornella has also brought her desserts to Denton – like a gigantic tiramisu and a rich chocolate cheesecake.
Another firm Manc favourite that’s moved into Hatters is Waffle Kart, the trader that triggers enormous queues at the Manchester Christmas Markets every single year.
As well as their OG chicken and waffles, and the chilli crisp chicken sandwich, they’ve got snacks like hot buttered maple popcorn on the menu, plus waffle prawn toast, and frozen custard shakes (the blueberry maple waffle shake…)
At Casa Dario, owners Dario and Jess are cooking paella, classic Spanish tortilla made to order, and a traditional Argentinian Milanesa, where thin-cut beef is layered in tomato sauce and cheese.
Dario is Madrid-born, Barcelona-raised, and is now bringing his perfected Spanish cooking to Denton.
Dario and Jess from Casa DarioPaella and tortilla from Casa Dario
Expect croquetas, gambas al pil pil, four different tortilla flavours, and giant for-two paellas served straight in the pan.
And completing the Hatters line-up is Curio, where you’ll find a menu that’s focused on meat in all its shapes and sizes, like a Cola BBQ burger, an Argentinian steak with chimichurri, and yakitori chicken skewers.
Curio is a neighbourhood favourite in Royton, where they’ve been feeding locals in some shape or another since June 2020.
At the bar, you’ll find frozen cocktails like pornstar martinis and margaritas, signature cocktails including palomas and negronis, and a great beer selection that includes Oldham-brewed pours from Trail Brew Co.
The bar at HattersCurio’s steak and yakitoriBeers, including a locally-brewed beerHatters in DentonCocktails upstairsInside Hatters in Denton
Hatters is split across two floors, with a modern food hall downstairs packed with long tables and a stage for live music events – while upstairs, it’s a more relaxed space with lots of sofa seating, designed for whiling away an evening with a cocktail in hand.
The massive building in Denton used to be home to four different businesses – a pub, a carpet showroom, a warehouse, and a gym – now all four of those empty units have been knocked into one huge space, with floor-to-ceiling windows wrapping around and colourful art on the exposed brick walls.
The venue gets its name from the nearby pub that was previously owned by founder Josh Berry’s family.
Hatters Food and Drinks Hall will open its doors on Market Street in Denton on Friday 3 April.
Georgina Pellant -
28th June 2021 
