A cafe in Manchester is giving away free loaf cakes today to celebrate its arrival on Oxford Road.
Loaf Manchester, which opened its doors on the busy street last week, will be handing out one hundred of its cakes for free to sweet tooths from 12pm.
Available on a first-come, first-served basis, the giveaway marks the arrival of the retro pink cake cafe.
Loaf’s Pina Colada special. / Image: Loaf Manchester
Loaf on Oxford Road. / Image: Loaf Manchester
The cafe is itself the indirect result of the pandemic, born after its founder started baking from home to raise money for the NHS to tackle PPE shortages and a lack of staff food on-site during lockdown.
Whilst furloughed from his fashion retail job, Loaf founder Aiden Ryan raised £1,000 selling just 120 sweetie and chocolate-loaded loaf cakes in a month – and has carried on baking ever since.
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Sharing the news of the free cake giveaway on Instagram last night, founder Aiden wrote: “ONE HUNDRED FREE CAKES TOMORROW
“To celebrate the launch of Loaf Oxford St, we’re giving away 100 of our cakes! First come, first served.
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Loaf founder Aiden Ryan. / Image: Loaf Manchester
Vegan Oreo Chocolate Loaf. / Image: Loaf Manchester
“We can’t wait to finally open our doors and welcome you to your retro pink cake cafe.
“12 PM OPENING! See you then!”
Fans heading down today can expect to find a range of cakes loaded with sweet treats like Lotus Biscoff, Jammy Dodgers, Kinder Buenos, figs, creme eggs and Bourbon biscuits.
Classic loaf cakes are the order of the day here, with recent specials including Manchester Tart, Solero, Lemon Meringue Pie, Pina-ca-Loafa, and Chocolate Vimto with ice cream.
The cafe also serves Loaf Au Choc and Brioche Loaf by the slice with a choice of different toppings, as well as a selection of hot drinks to wash it all down with.
Feature image – Loaf Manchester
Eats
Cult burger brand Burger & Beyond announced as second trader for new Manchester food hall
Daisy Jackson
House of Social, a new two-storey food hall being built in Manchester, has just announced its second trader as Burger & Beyond.
The huge new development, part of Vita’s new student accommodation tower, had already confirmed that Curry Mile legends Mughli will be moving in when it launches.
And now it’s been announced that cult burger brand Burger & Beyond will be opening its first location outside London here in Manchester.
Set to open this summer in the First Street area, House of Social will bring together independent food offerings from around the UK.
It’s all being created by Jake Atkinson, the former operations manager of the widely popular Mackie Mayor, Altrincham Market and Macclesfield’s Picturedrome – all of which serve as the blueprint for a successful food hall.
Jake said: “We are incredibly excited to have Burger & Beyond join us at House of Social. Their reputation for quality and consistency is second to none, and they’ve been on my list for a very long time!
“We know they’ll be a huge hit with our community of students and food lovers in the city. This is just the beginning, and we can’t wait to bring them to Manchester this summer.”
Burger & Beyond started life as a food truck a decade ago, popping up at street food markets and enterprises like Street Feast and KERB, now argued by many to be the best burgers in London, served alongside a menu of milkshakes and sides like fried chicken bites.
Burger & Beyond is coming to Manchester. Credit: Lateef PhotographyFried chicken bites from Burger & Beyond
They’ve also collaborated with the likes of social sensation Laurent Dagenais, Flat Iron, Richard Turner and Smokestak.
Burger & Beyond founders Tom Stock and Craig Povoas went on to open their first permanent restaurant in Shoreditch in 2018, expanding further to Borough Yards and Soho.
And now it’s Manchester’s turn to see what all the Burger & Beyond fuss is about.
A signature dish heading up north to House of Social will be the bacon butter burger – dry aged beef patty, double American cheese, crispy pancetta, burnt butter mayo and onion.
Tom Stock, Co-Founder of Burger & Beyond, commented: “After years of dreaming about bringing Burger & Beyond to new cities, we’re thrilled to finally be making our Manchester debut at House of Social.
“The city has such a vibrant food scene, and we’re looking forward to sharing our burgers with a whole new audience. It’s going to be a fantastic summer!”
Burger and Beyond will open at House of Social, First Street in Summer 2025.
Worsley-born wood-fired pizza brand set for sensational US expansion
Danny Jones
A Greater Manchester food brand that started in the little village of Worsley is about to go international in a big way as local Leopard Pie pizza is set to take America by storm.
In one of the most major and exciting culinary success stories to come out of Salford in some time, perhaps ever, much-loved pizza Leopard Pie have quietly struck a deal to carry out a significant expansion into the US.
Not only does this mean the likelihood of there being more of their restaurants up and down in the UK but with multiple venues scheduled to open across the Atlantic, the brand could be at the start of an unbelievable global journey.
Come on, how often do you hear a Manc foodie name in the same sentence as the States?
Leopard Pie and their delicious wood-fired pizza are set to make their debut in the US. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Speaking exclusively to The Manc, Leopard Pie confirmed: “We’re proud to share that Leopard Pie is embarking on a major U.S. expansion with a multi-location deal over the next five years.
“This marks a defining moment in our journey as we introduce a bold new Leopard Pie identity to the American market—while staying true to the heart and spirit that has made our UK brand and locations so widely loved.
“This milestone represents the start of an extraordinary journey as we introduce the next evolution of Leopard Pie—one that amplifies everything that has made our brand beloved while bringing fresh energy and bold new design concepts to a global audience.”
Already working intensely behind the scenes on what they’re hailing as a “visionary new US restaurant concept” for their pizza empire that not only elevated the dining experience but will “set new standards in the fast-casual dining scene”.
They also detailed plans to set up a dedicated domestic base of operations across the pond which will include a world-class training and development hub “to ensure that every chef and operator joining our US family delivers excellence from day one.”
When it comes to Manchester food and drink brands that have blown up, you’d be hard-pressed to any that have gone from an idea that started as recently as 2015 and gained traction during lockdown to expanding within such a fast time frame, let alone on such a massive scale – not even Rudy’s.
The big news now put to one side, it won’t surprise you to learn that Leopard Pie has stated “This is just the beginning”, teasing that they plan to expand into several other key territories and keep building the brand as much as possible.
Owner Lee Chester told us that America always felt somewhat in the stars for the neighbourhood staple; “From the very beginning, Leopard Pie was built with global ambition— the word ‘Pie’ itself a subtle nod to our U.S. vision, a hint as to what was to come.
“I am incredibly proud to be leading the brand into this exciting new era, where my role will evolve to mentor and empower new entrepreneurs to achieve success under the Leopard Pie name.
“I believe wholeheartedly that Leopard Pie’s next chapter will be one of exponential success, built on passion, innovation, and leadership. For those who partner with us now, the potential is immense—and the journey promises to be unforgettable.”
The brand has remained 100% independently owned since day one, having turned down multiple investment offers to date, but is now embarking on what feels like an unprecedented chapter for a local restaurant as they open up to “select strategic partnerships and investments”.
While specifics regarding how quickly the move into America will get underway and just how many sites there will be are still being kept under wraps, more details will be released soon enough.
Lee summed up the next steps by adding: “I believe with absolute certainty that Leopard Pie is entering a decade of unparalleled growth and excitement. For those who choose to partner with us now, the rewards and the legacy we will create together will be remarkable.”
And last but not least, you don’t have to worry about a local joint that started in Worsley forgetting their roots – the Salford staple isn’t just one of the best pizza places in Manchester but their hometown story is what makes this so special.
For now, you’ll still find them serving up full wood-fired Neapolitan pies and slices over in Worsley and from their stall in Kargo MKT in Central Bay, so give it a try if you haven’t already.
Their Kargo MKT site in Salford Quays.It really is very good.Credit: The Manc Group
Georgina Pellant -
4th November 2022 
