While an industrial estate is not usually the first place you’d go when hunting for a new place to eat, trust us when we say that if you venture down to Piccadilly, you’re in for a very pleasant surprise indeed.
Bucking the trend for most trading estates, the archways and pre-fabs behind Manchester’s main railway station are surprisingly full of brewery taprooms.
Over the years, this part of town has become something of a favourite haunt for the city beer lovers, who regularly head down to get their hands on some of the freshest pints in the city.
But as well as hiding away all that beer, it’s also home to another well-kept Mancunian secret: Primo Bagels.
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Faye Brown, one-third of the Primo Bagel team, holding her ‘babies’. / Image: The Manc Eats
Housed inside Cloudwater’s taproom, up the stairs of what looks, at first disconcertingly, like an office building, you’ll find this brilliant bagel and cookie pop-up run by three friends is getting pretty much everything right.
Faye Brown, Niall Harley and Scott Shannon all used to work at Pollen bakery together, but during the lockdown they decided to branch out and launch their own delivery project together.
Primo has been going for a while but for the past three months, the team has expanded to the taproom every Friday and Saturday.
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Here, you’ll find them serving up a host of generously-stuffed bagels alongside sweet bakes, hummus and chips, fermented cabbage, and bialy – a Polish treat made using leftover bagel dough, baked with half a red onion inside.
The main draw is, arguably, a selection of eight different bagels, baked to perfection in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy.
The main draw is a choice of eight different bagels, baked to perfection in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy. / Image: The Manc Eats The main draw is a choice of eight different bagels, baked to perfection in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy. / Image: The Manc Eats
Bagel baker Scott leans on tricks learnt during his time in the Pollen kitchen to make these chewy, traditionally Jewish delights, marbling malt through some and simply baking others with crystals of rock salt.
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The way it works is you pick your bagel, then your filling, and can opt to have hummus, chips and pink sauerkraut alongside for an extra £4.
Filling choices range from simple (think homemade hummus or house whipped cream cheese) to indulgent, with a salt beef, Swiss cheese and Russian dressing option bursting from its bready confines.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere, you’ll find a spicy, pickled jalapeno schmear with bacon from Littlewood’s butchers; smoked salmon and ‘everything’ cream cheese with lemon, dill, seeds, onion and garlic; and a whipped Marmite cream cheese bagel with spring onions.
As for sweets, think brown butter and sea salt cookies with Primo proudly emblazoned across the front. It’s a wholesome affair.
Find Primo Bagel at Cloudwater’s Unit 9 taproom on Piccadilly Trading estate every Friday and Saturday from 12 – 6pm.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
Manchester has a stunning new rooftop restaurant as Climat opens its doors
Daisy Jackson
There’s a stunning new rooftop restaurant in Manchester, with more than 250 different wines on the menu and beehives on the roof.
Climat is ready to open in Blackfriars House and has one of the best views in the city, with every table given a front-row seat.
From its eighth floor position, diners will be able to take in the sights of Manchester, including the (currently scaffolded) Town Hall, the ornate rooftop of Barton Arcade, and the spire of St Ann’s Church.
The 100-cover restaurant comes from the same team behind the acclaimed Covino in Chester, with exec chef of Covino and Climat Luke Richardson and head chef Simon Ulph crafting a menu of modern British feasting-size dishes.
The restaurant promises to serve ‘food you want to eat’, geared towards groups of three or more to share – think whole turbot, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, and ex-dairy cuts on the bone.
Climat. Credit: The Manc Group
There’ll be small plates too, and the resurrection of classic vol-au-vents.
Climat’s wine cellar is comprehensive, featuring more than 250 different wines, 40% of which will come from one specific Burgundy vineyard site which has its own microclimate and specific geological conditions.
The highly-anticipated opening aims to be a ‘contemporary, Parisian-style’ addition to Manchester’s restaurant scene.
The star of the show with its decor all centre around that view, from the floor-to-ceiling windows to the spacious outdoor rooftop terrace.
Climat. Credit: The Manc GroupClimat. Credit: The Manc Group
Tables are arranged in one long row along the windows, with an open kitchen on the other side.
Of the menu, exec chef Luke Richardson comments: “We want to have a different signature snack at each restaurant we open. Whilst Covino has the gougère, Climat will have the vol-au-vent.
“The humble gougère will continue to serve Covino, whilst we’ve opted to resurrect the vol-au-vent for Climat, owing to their complete versatility throughout the seasons. They can literally be stuffed with anything. Beef tartare, parfait, truffle and ricotta to name just a few.
“Both myself and Simon Ulph have worked closely together to develop an opening menu we are both super proud of and we think does justice to the building and the surroundings. We believe we offer something completely different to the Manchester restaurant scene and we now can’t wait to officially launch.”
Christopher Laidler, owner of Climat, comments: “After a lot of blood, sweat, and tears (mostly my own), I couldn’t be happier that we’re one step closer to bringing Climat to life with the menu and wine list already things I’m immensely proud of.
“Climat is essentially going to be a place for guests to share our passion for really good food and drink in a relaxed rooftop setting with what I think is one of the best views of Manchester’s skyline.
“We’re well on the way to achieving this; from the look and feel of the restaurant coming together, to the exciting daily changing menu ideas and informal but quietly knowledgeable style of service we have planned.”
Charlotte Wild, head of retail and leisure at Bruntwood Works, comments: “Climat is going to be a fantastic addition to Manchester’s hospitality scene. We’re delighted to welcome such an exciting concept to Blackfriars, our community-minded Pioneering building.
“The restaurant is really coming together now and the menu clearly demonstrates their passion for excellent food and wine. It’s great to see their hard work come to fruition. Roll on December!”
This Chorlton bar will serve a Sunday roast for you AND your dogs
Georgina Pellant
Over in South Manchester, local bar and restaurant The Chorlton Green is serving up a banging Sunday roast – and they’ll even do a special portion for your dogs.
Perfect for when you want to head out with your furry friends for a gravy-soaked dinner, this cosy neighbourhood spot has you (and your pets) covered for all your Sunday lunch needs.
An undeniable part of British culture, there’s not much better than heading out with family and friends on a Sunday for what is arguably one of – if not the – best English meals going.
And for those who can’t imagine dining out without their dog at their side, this south Manchester bar and restaurant is definitely one to put on the list.
With a choice of chicken, beef or nut roast served alongside carrot and suede mash, perfectly crisp roast potatoes, stuffing, seasonal vegetables and a giant Yorkshire pudding, The Chorlton Green dishes up a seriously good roast if we’ve ever seen one.
With absolute lashings of gravy on top, all roasts are priced at £15 (or £ for dogs) – with big steaming bowls of oozing cauliflower cheese served on the side for an additional £3.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
As for drinks, the bar is known locally as a wine specialist and has a great selection of bottles to go alongside your food.
However, if wine isn’t your thing don’t worry – because there is also a good range of cocktails, beers, spirits and soft drinks to choose from.
As well as serving up a hearty Sunday roast, The Chorlton Green also does a weekend bottomless brunch offer every Saturday between the hours of 12 and 4pm.
Priced at £35 for the Gold Package or £45 for the Platinum, those heading down can get stuck into 90 minutes of non-stop cocktails and fizz alongside one of the venue’s famous brunch boards.
Think endless glasses of Prosecco, Pornstar Martinis, Bloody Mary’s and Captain’s Choice (all available as part of the Gold Package), or if you really want to go all out the Platinum brunch deal also includes vodka, gin and rum mixes as well as wine.
Based over on Beech Road, The Chorlton Green has long been a favourite with locals for its relaxed atmosphere and great wine collection. As well as being dog friendly, the bar also boasts a great live music offering. Suffice to say, for a neighbourhood spot it really does have it all.
Georgina Pellant -
10th May 2022 
