Eats

Three of Manchester’s best-loved food and drink names are teaming up for a brand new bar

You had me at 'cold beer and hot chicken'

Daisy Jackson - 16th October 2024

A new bar, called The Trading Route, is set to open next month, from the minds behind three of Greater Manchester’s best-loved and most established food and drink names.

The Northern Quarter’s long-standing bar and brunch spot Trof, plus local brewery Manchester Union, and Monton’s village wine shop Wandering Palate, are all collaborating on this very exciting new venture.

Inside The Trading Route, there’ll be cold beer and hot rotisserie chicken, plus a luxury larder of expertly-sourced goods.

Set to open in November at Goods Yard Street, just a few doors down from Caravan, it’ll be a 150-capacity space that’s open from dawn until dusk.

The Trading Route will act as a lagerhouse for Manchester Union, taking inspiration from the great beer halls of central Europe but serving local brews from their Ardwick-based brewery.

Pints will be poured with a full and frothy head, and served in custom-made Tübinger glasses. They want this to be known as The Home of The Foam.

There’ll also be a purpose-built rotisserie serving crisp whole- and half-chicken, as well as porchetta, carved fresh from the oven to order and served with pickles and dips.

The menu has been crafted by the Trof team – a Manchester institution – and will also showcase freshly-baked focaccia as well as small plates like slow-roasted potatoes served with chicken fat mayo, salsa verde, and pecorino), salads, and house-made sweets.

Then heading across from Monton, Wandering Palate will look after the pantry portion of The Trading Route – expect some of the most sought-after cheeses and sundries you can pick up on the way home.

Jamie Scahill from Manchester Union said: “The Trading Route is an unofficial tap room for us, and it feels like this has been a long time coming.

“Working with our friends at Trof and Wandering Palate has been great, with our offerings and expertise perfectly complementing one another. We can’t wait for people to come down to experience our very own lagerhouse over a few pints this November.”

Matt Nellany from Trof added: “We’ve focused on bringing everything that people love about Trof to an exciting space in a new neighbourhood.

“The kitchen team have been perfecting a menu ideally suited to our purpose-made rotisserie ovens – think crispy chicken, slow-cooked porchetta, and some killer vegan options too, all designed to be shared.

“It’s going to be that perfect spot whether you’re grabbing breakfast, stopping in for lunch, or settling in for a proper evening session.”

And Will Evans from Wandering Palate said: “It’s brilliant to be bringing our wines, cheeses, and deli favourites to a new audience in the city centre. We’ve curated a selection of goods that we’re really proud of, and, of course, we’ll be there to help people discover something special to take home. It’s an exciting space, and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it.”

To celebrate its launch, The Trading Route will throw a day-long complimentary party, with free lager and chicken to the first mailing list subscribers who sign up HERE.

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Featured image: Supplied