Eats

There’s a coffee subscription service that supports independent Manchester cafes

And The Coffee Club is giving away free coffee

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 29th September 2022

A raft of Manchester’s very best coffee shops are listed on a subscription service with a difference, supporting independents across the city. 

Coffee Club can save caffeine fiends up to £350 a year on their barista-made drinks through discounts at thousands of cafes. 

As well as its 25% discounts, the creators of the app are also about to host a massive giveaway of totally free coffee for Mancs. 

A van will be driven around the city centre on 5 and 6 October – anyone who snaps it and scans the QR code will be able to claim a free drink from any Black Sheep Coffee locations in Manchester.

The Coffee Club van will be driven around Manchester offering free coffee. Credit: Supplied

The freebies will be on a first-come, first-served basis on both Wednesday 5 and Thursday 6 October – a perfect way to power through to the end of the week. 

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A giant Coffee Club-branded coffee cup will also be placed in a mystery location in Manchester. 

Anyone who snaps a photo of the cup and shares it with the hashtag #sipandsavemcr, also following @wearecoffeeclub on Instagram, will be in with a chance of winning £500 worth of coffee vouchers. 

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Read more: One of the city’s best coffee shops opens second site in leafy corner of Manchester

Even if you miss out on the giveaways, Coffee Club can get you big savings on your coffee order. 

There are 75 independent businesses around Manchester that are listed on the app, including Ditto Coffee, Foundation Coffee, Bold Street Coffee, Alvarium, Rollers Café, Home Café and Mustard, as well as big-name coffee chains such as Caffe Nero. 

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You can get 25% off coffee, seven days a week – and the subscription is just £2.99 a month, with a free 30-day trial. 

You can find out more and download the Coffee Club app at coffeeclub.co.uk/manchester.

Featured image: Supplied

Eats

Inside Counter, Manchester city centre’s newest restaurant with beef croissants and Vimto trifle

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Inside Counter, Manchester city centre's newest restaurant with beef croissants and Vimto trifle

Manchester has a brand-new restaurant right in the city centre, where modern British cooking shines.

Counter comes from acclaimed chef Andrew Sheridan, who just weeks ago launched Arcadian over in Didsbury – and now he’s continuing to put his stamp on Manchester with this newest launch.

Taking a spot in a new building off South King Street, the space itself is dominated by huge elm trees that line the restaurant as a centrepiece, as well as a looming metal face sculpture.

And at the top of it all is an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work, creating meat- and fish-forward plates.

Expect stand-out dishes like a flattened croissant topped with beef tartare, loaded flatbreads, and huge sharing dishes like a roasted duck sharing platter, and wagyu ribeye.

There are also not-so-subtle nods to Manchester on the dessert menu, with a Vimto 1908 trifle that’s bringing together Vimto jelly, baked yoghurt, vanilla sponge, blackcurrant, raspberry and custard; plus The Manchester Glory that layers vanilla custard, raspberry, coconut ice cream, banana, toasted coconut, whipped mascarpone and cherry.

The beef tartare croissant and carrot flatbread
The beef tartare croissant and carrot flatbread
A huge duck sharer from Counter restaurant in Manchester
A huge duck sharer from Counter restaurant in Manchester
Grilled lamb chops
Grilled lamb chops

The new restaurant, which comes from Open Restaurant Group, will officially open its doors on Monday 9 November, with 60 covers.

The best seat in the house is at the chef’s counter, where diners can look directly out onto the pass at the kitchen in action.

And the best section on the menu has to be the grill, with plates like the satay spatchcock chicken, turbot steak, and sides such as gravy fries with beef dripping, and mac and cheese brulee.

Andrew Sheridan, chef and co-founder at Open Restaurant Group, said: “For us, great cooking isn’t about sticking to rules or defining food by where it comes from. It’s about taking the best flavours, textures and ingredients from around the world and bringing them together in ways that surprise people.

“We start with great produce, take inspiration from different food cultures and have fun with it, creating dishes that are bold, playful and full of flavour.

“Manchester is creative, loud and full of character, and we wanted Counter to reflect exactly that. It’s a place where great food meets a sense of occasion, without ever taking itself too seriously.

“Whether you’re joining us for lunch or dinner, we want Counter to feel like a natural part of the city, somewhere you come back to time and time again.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

A city-wide cocktail celebration featuring some of the world’s best bars is coming to Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Manchester Cocktail Festival. Credit: The Manc Group

Manchester is set to become a cocktail lover’s paradise this November, as the inaugural Manchester Cocktail Festival has unveiled its jam-packed schedule of events, international bar takeovers and exclusive drinks offers.

Taking place across the city, the festival will bring some of the world’s best cocktail bars to Manchester, alongside a series of special events, masterclasses, tastings, and plenty of discounted drinks at some of the city’s favourite venues.

Those with a Manchester Cocktail Festival 2026 pass (which is priced just £10) will also be able to take advantage of exclusive drinks offers at participating bars throughout the week of 9-15 November

That includes two-for-£14 cocktails, and £10 birthday cocktails at both Crazy Pedros sites, £10 oyster and martini at Hawksmoor, £7 Irish Coffees at The Bay Horse Tavern, £4.50 Parton shots at Dahlia, and £10 Rosita Spritz and Blackberry Bonitas at Dahlia, amongst offers from all participating bars.

Kicking things off on Monday 9 November, the festival’s opening party will welcome the team from Passing Fancies, led by GB Bartender of the Year 2026 Matt Arnold, to Studio IV at Mollie’s.

Meanwhile, over at Blinker Bar, Copenhagen’s award-winning Victory will be taking over for an evening of Scandinavian hospitality.

Blinker will be hosting Manchester Cocktail Festival events
Blinker will be hosting Manchester Cocktail Festival events
Passing Fancies will also be back in town
Passing Fancies will also be back in town

Things get even bigger on Wednesday 11 November, when Mexico City’s Tlecān makes its way to Manchester.

Currently ranked fifth in North America’s 50 Best Bars and 47th in The World’s 50 Best Bars 2026, the acclaimed mezcaleria will be joining the team at Crazy Pedro’s to celebrate the Northern Quarter favourite’s 10th birthday. Expect an evening of Patrón tequila, Ilegal mezcal and plenty of celebrations.

Thursday 12 November will see Dublin favourite Bar 166 take over Speak in Code, bringing a taste of Irish hospitality to Manchester.

There’s also something for the book lovers, as local boozy book club Read Room welcomes author Eloise Rodger to Science and Industry for an evening of literature, Q&As and a complimentary martini flight.

And if cocktails and a bit of glamour are more your thing, Friday 13 November has you covered.

Local collective The Flaneuse will be hosting a Fur Coats and Cocktails party at Exhibition, where guests can learn how to make the perfect margarita during a dedicated masterclass, before enjoying two margaritas of their own.

The ticket for this event also includes a Manchester Cocktail Festival pass, giving guests access to drinks and perks at participating bars across the city.

Manchester Cocktail Festival co-founders Nick Coupland and Ben Kendrick
Manchester Cocktail Festival co-founders Nick Coupland and Ben Kendrick

The festival will wrap up on Sunday 15 November with two more exciting takeovers.

The team behind Bermondsey’s Nine Lives will head to Double Down for an evening celebrating Dominican rum, while the internationally acclaimed Waltz takes over Bar Shrimp for a night of martinis and music from local DJs.

Waltz recently earned a place at number 32 in The World’s 50 Best Bars, as well as fifth spot in the UK’s Top 50 Bars.

Nick Coupland, co-founder at Manchester Cocktail Festival said: “We feel extremely grateful for all the support, so far, from the local community and our partners.

“It’s been great to see that the festival and city’s pull has enabled us to attract a roster of incredible bars from across the world.”

Ben Kendrick, co-founder at Manchester Cocktail Festival added: “It’s going to be super exciting to see what comes of the collaborations, when combining these venues, with the huge talent we have in the city.”

You can find out more and grab tickets HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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