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
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New Manchester cafe Crumbled is dishing up the wholesome homely favourite with a variety of different fruity bottoms like rhubarb, strawberry and apple.
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.
This Manchester bar is selling PINTS of Bloody Mary and a slice for six quid
Georgina Pellant
Whether it’s downing pints of water before bed, spending all day on the sofa asleep, or a big fat fry-up the morning after, everyone has a favourite hangover cure.
One of ours has to be the Bloody Mary, aka the best ever hair of the dog – a mixture of spicy tomato juice, vodka, lemon, hot sauce and, in a perfect world, something smoky with pickles.
So when we heard that Manchester rock bar Jimmy’s is selling PINTS of the stuff for just six pounds with a big fat slice of focaccia-like Detroit pizza included, we felt compelled to share the good news.
After all, party season is basically upon us – and that means struggling through more hangovers than we can typically endure.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The Ancoats boozer is currently home to Manchester’s original Detroit pizza heroes Corner Slice, a long time favourite in The Manc office from day one.
The team also has a pizza shop in Failsworth, but for the next month (well, until 23 December), they’re slinging their signature slices out of the kitchen at Jimmy’s to help you soak up the booze.
The deal, which is available every day, includes a pint of Bloody Mary and a square slice of their thick deep-pan Red Top pizza: a mixture of red sauce, Corner Slice’s signature cheese blend and basil pesto.
Available every day of the week, from open until the kitchen closes, you can opt to enjoy your pint of Bloody Mary and pizza in the bar or get it to take away if you’d rather curl up on the sofa with some grease and your favourite TV show.
Image: The Manc Eats
The brainchild of owners Frank Brashaw and Danny Broadbent, Corner Slice has made a well-deserved name for itself in Manchester thanks to serving up deep pan pizza with traditional Italian toppings and a curly cheese crust.
The popular Failsworth-originated pizzeria was the first to bring its Motor city-inspired rectangular pizza pies to Manchester after what it said was a “light bulb” moment during lockdown.
As well as the simple ‘Red Top’, some of Corner Slice’s best-loved dishes include square pies loaded with the likes of Korean Cauli, Portocini (a mix of portobello and porcini), and a number of regularly-changing specials and vegan specials.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Manchester bar Banyan is serving martini trees, pigs in blankets and cocktail baubles this Christmas
Sophie Smith
Cocktails in a bauble – have we got your attention now? Because Banyan is pulling out all the stops for us in Manchester this Christmas.
The gorgeous bar brand, which has sites in both Spinningfields and at the Corn Exchange, is delivery festive cheer like never before, with an amazing selection of offers.
First, let’s talk cocktails.
Banyan is already known and loved for its wide selection of boozy concoctions, with 2-for-1 deals aplenty with seemingly endless sweet, sour and fresh to choose from. But now, there’s a whole host of new festive specials to take full advantage of to add to the list.
We’re talking Orange Espresso Martini served by the tree and Bauble Trays full of exciting gin combinations served inside its namesake- both are ideal for sharing this winter.
Banyan’s Christmas offering. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
If you’re looking for a bottomless option, there’s also plenty of scope to taste test the best of Banyan with free-flowing fizz this Christmas. The festive bottomless brunch menu serves up a combination of unlimited Prosecco, Bloody Mary cocktails, Aperol Spritz, Orange Blush Spritz, pints of Coors- and the limited edition Berry Crumble Spritz.
All this booze certainly needs some delicious foodie options to soak it all up, and there’s a mouthwatering festive feast that’ll trump your mum’s turkey dinner any day.
Served to a minimum of eight people at a time, take on a selection of Banyan classics like the Bang Bang chicken skewers and mini versions of the gourmet burgers, or stay true to the seasons with generous helpings of pigs in blankets, all served as a buffet-style dinner. This one’s perfect for Christmas office lunches, festive gatherings with friends or even just a wintry weekend get together with the family.
Banyan’s Christmas offering. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
Naturally, those looking for a feast with their nearest and dearest might want an added level of privacy for a game or to disclose Secret Santa gifts, so Banyan is offering a range of private dining experiences in addition to all of these fantastic food and drink options.
If you love to celebrate the changing of the seasons with a carefully curated menu of festive flavours like brie, bacon or a good old fashioned Christmas pud, there’s also a host of treats awaiting at any of the Banyan restaurants.
Tis the season to make the most of porcini mushroom arancini oozing with cheese and roasted cod with creamy lobster sauce, and there’s plenty to go around. Banyan burgers have also had a festive makeover with a limited edition Christmas burger with all the trimmings, and you can grab one no matter whether you’re a meat-eater, vegetarian or vegan- there’s even a meat-free Festive Beyond Burger with a plant-based ‘pig’ in blanket on the menu.
To book your next visit to Manchester’s worst kept Christmas secret, visit the Banyan Bar website.
Georgina Pellant -
28th June 2021 
