A bakery and bistro in Oldham has opened a drive-thru cakery service and we are absolutely desperate to go.
Wonderlust Bistro and Bakery on Library Lane first opened in February this year, leaving locals clamouring about its excellent bakes as theOldham Times reported it could ‘rival any Manchester bistro’.
The family-run eatery is headed up by baker Saarah Chowdhury, who runs the bakery and bistro alongside brother Mohammed and mum Shelley Rahman.
With an unmissable bright pink and purple exterior and a mouthwatering menu of cakes and other bakes, plus bistro dishes ranging from Korean corndogs to pancakes, roasts and loaded fries, it’s already become a huge hit – drawing in locals and foodie tourists alike.
The brightly coloured exterior of Wonderlust Bakery and Bistro has been painted by local artists. / Image: Wonderlust Bakery
Jammy Dodger cupcakes at Wonderlust Bakery. / Image: Wonderlust Bistro
The demand for their treats has become so high, in fact, that the team has recently launched its own car service so that visitors can easily pull up, place an order and have their goodies brought directly to them.
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Open from 5pm until midnight, this is definitely the place to go for a late-night treat with everything from. Jammy Dodger and Kinder Hippo cupcakes to Biscoff-stuffed cheesecake, milk cake, Snickers brownies and gooey Nutella-filled cookies on offer from the bakery.
Food from the bistro is also available to order as part of the evening car service, although it is worth noting that the team is currently running a temporarily limited menu and different opening times for Ramadan.
A Snickers brownie at Wonderlust Bakery. / Image: Wonderlust Bakery
Korean corndogs (classic beef and potato mozzarella) from Wonderlust Bistro. / Image: Wonderlust Bistro
During this period the bakery will open from 6pm-1am Wednesday to Sunday, before returning to their normal opening times from Friday 21 April.
The bistro, meanwhile, will open from 5pm – 12am Wednesday to Saturday during Ramadan serving a dinner menu of corndogs, pancakes and French toast, and from 12-9pm on Sundays serving brunch, roast and corndogs.
Those driving in for the car service are also asked to park in the bakery and bistro’s rear car park.
Sharing the news with its followers on Instagram, the Wonderlust team wrote: “Due to overwhelming demand, we are introducing our car service for Wonderlust Bistro & Wonderlust Bakery! You can place your order via 07531557354 for food, cakes & drinks.
“How to order:
“(Open from 5pm – 12am Wednesday- Saturday)
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“- Park in our car park “- Call 07531557354 “- Place your order and provide your reg plate “- Someone will bring your order out and we’ll take payment via cash & card”
Giuseppe’s – the tiny Italian bistro that proves Stalybridge is fast becoming a dining destination
Daisy Jackson
Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge is a restaurant that’s putting in an enormous amount of effort to please just a very small group of people – this teeny tiny bistro has just 18 seats.
With such a small capacity no one would blame them for sitting back and scaling back to a concise little menu of pizza – but Giuseppe’s really said ‘no grazie’ to such an idea and committed itself to a full bistro menu.
It’s yet another exciting addition to the rapidly-booming restaurant scene here in Tameside, where neighbours include Cafe Continental, Gladstone Barber & Bistro, and SK15 Bar & Bistro.
Giuseppe’s arrival on the Stalybridge high street has created a cosy corner for locals, one which could quickly follow in the footsteps of Ornella’s to become a fully-booked-for-months-in-advance destination.
Inside its welcoming navy blue walls you’re welcomed by a room filled with trailing plants, ceramic lemons and a huge doodle map of Sicily.
The menu also hails from Sicily, specialising in wood-fired pizzas but also dipping a toe into pasta and small plates too.
Pizza at Giuseppe’s Italian bistro in StalybridgeA spread of dishes at Pizza at Giuseppe’s Italian bistro in Stalybridge
Giuseppe’s pizza dough is meticulously made fresh with Italian 00 flour, left to ferment for at least 48 hours, before being stretched and topped and cooked in the wood-fired pizza oven until it’s all puffed-up and charred around the edges.
At lunch times, those delicious pizza doughs are folded in half to make Italian panozzi sandwiches, the charred dough encasing fillings like Sicilian fennel sausage and friarelli, and mortadella with stracciatella.
These are strong contenders for the best pizzas this side of Greater Manchester, with a soft and chewy crust that stands up against much bigger names in the pizza game.
Rum baba at Giuseppe’sThe team at Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge
Giuseppe’s pasta bowls include a hearty paccheri with Sicilian sausage AND guanciale, all salty and rich and creamy.
And once you’ve eaten your fill in this tiny little spot, where the windows go all steamed up in winter and you’re nudging up against neighbours chatting over pizzas, you can polish off with Italian desserts too.
There’s a very respectable slab of tiramisu on offer, plus a rum baba soaked in syrup and packed with fresh cream.
Giuseppe’s in Stalybridge may be small in capacity but it’s huge on spirit.
French fine dining spot 63 Degrees confirms closure after 14 years
Danny Jones
One of Manchester’s long-standing French bistros, 63 Degrees, has now announced the business has closed its doors for good after nearly a decade and a half in the city centre.
The family-run fine dining destination first opened back in 2011, but after closing over the most recent festive period and despite all of us hoping and praying this year would be a healthier one for hospitality, they have become the sector’s latest casualty.
Having been one of the few classical spots of its kind left in central Manchester, not to mention boasting a spot on the Michelin guide, it’s a huge loss for Manchester food and drink.
The team have been silent on socials since August 2023 and no one needs any reminder of how challenging the industry is right now, so closures like these don’t exactly come as a surprise anymore, but it seems another big factor was at the heart of the decision.
It’s a logo most would instantly recognise.The initial plan was to stay open but it sadly hasn’t worked out.Credit: The Manc Group
Confirming the news to Manchester Confidential, 63 Degrees confirmed that their Christmas hiatus has now become permanent as many had suspected, with the highly-rated Northern Quarter spot closed permanently as of this week.
Founder Alexandre Moreau said that his parents, Head Chef Eric and mother Florence, have now returned to France following a period of ill health.
Speaking to the outlet, Moreau added: “I’m glad my parents have retired now. My dad was spending six days a week in the kitchen and got to the point where his whole body was hurting. He had a hard time finding people he could trust in the kitchen so he could not delegate that much.
“My mum’s health got worse in November last year so they decided it was time to stop and go back to France. Nothing you can do, unfortunately. Life will do that to all of us at some point.”
Revealing that the lease has now been handed over to the landlord, he signed off by stating, “They had a great run, but it’s a difficult job at that age.”
Shining not only as one of the few places left that still served traditional haute cuisine in our region but emerging as one of the spots that helped put NQ’s now thriving foodie scene on the map back in the day, we couldn’t think of a more fitting image to part on than this one:
We wish Alexandre and Eric all the best, as well as a speedy recovery to Florence back home, and sincerely hope they get to enjoy a slower pace of life after years of service and outstanding contribution to the world of Manc dining.
Unfortunately, 63 Degrees is just one of the most recent Manchester restaurants that have closed; we’re not even in mid-February yet and we’re already losing count of how many of these pieces we’ve had to write for various reasons.
That being said, the general consensus seems to be that it is impossibly hard for local businesses to keep afloat under the constant pressure of rising energy bills, business rates and a cost of living crisis that is preventing people from being able to eat out.
If institutions such as this and the likes of Almost Famous are struggling to survive, how on Earth can those much earlier into their journey be expected to survive? They need help and fast.