For years and years, you could barely move at the Manchester Christmas Markets for swing grills filled with bratwurst and bars selling gluhwein, but the festive event’s food scene has changed somewhat of late.
As time has gone on, the markets have started to show off a lot more local talent, and now you can buy everything from dumplings to croissants to Brazilian stews to patatas bravas here.
It’s exactly what people have been calling for for years, with Mancs always complaining that the Christmas Markets were too repetitive or slamming ‘overpriced hot dogs’.
But last year, the council did exactly what people asked for and curated a more diverse list of traders, then got pelted with negative reviews for it. They can’t win…
Now it’s on to the more traditional fare. Here’s where you can still find a taste of a classic German Christmas market here in Manchester, along with prices…
The best traditional food at Manchester Christmas Markets 2023
Yorkshire pudding wrap
Yorkshire Pudding Wraps are always sell-out successes at the Christmas MarketsYorkshire Pudding Wraps are always sell-out successes at the Christmas Markets
It looks like the viral crazy of the Yorkshire pudding wrap is here to stay. Far from being a one-year wonder, the stalls selling these incredibly British concoctions are consistently the busiest at the markets every year.
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It’s basically a carvery dinner but instead of a plate you get a giant Yorkshire pudding.
Porky Pig are the most famous by far but there’s another stall selling the same in Cathedral Gardens.
Price: £8.50 from Porky Pig
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Bratwurst
A classic bratwurst at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc GroupA classic bratwurst at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
It’s a uniquely Christmassy experience to accidentally make eye contact with someone while sinking your teeth into a bratwurst.
And while the swing grills that used to dominate the markets are dying out, you’ll still find yourself a sausage at most sites around town.
The classic is the one from the Witch House, home of the giant sausage statue, on New Cathedral Street, where you can also get a great warming currywurst.
There’s even a stall this year selling vegan bratwursts so plant-based elves can still enjoy a treat.
Price: £7.50 from The Witch House (£8 on Exchange Square, £7 on St Ann’s Square)
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Garlic potatoes
Garlic potatoes with mustard chickenGarlic potatoes with mustard chicken
You’ll smell them coming before you see them, and based on the queues every single lunchtime, the garlic potatoes are a fan favourite still.
It’s hard to imagine the markets without this stand on King Street, where absolutely massive pans of traditional French winter warmers are cooked up all day long.
You can go for garlic mushrooms, mustard chicken, or provencale chicken, served with either rice or garlic potatoes.
The potatoes are the correct choice…
Price: Mustard chicken with garlic potatoes, £7.50 for regular or £9.50 for large
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Hog roast
Hog roast sandwich with apple sauceHog roast sandwich with apple sauce
Is there a greater, more nostalgic butty than a hog roast roll, dripping in apple sauce? Nah, don’t think so.
The Pig & Barrel at the Winter Gardens (aka Piccadilly Gardens) keeps it simple, as it should be, and although it’s a little on the expensive side it’s a seriously filling lunch.
As traditional Christmas Markets food goes, this is up there.
Price, £9
Gluhwein
Gluhwein, or mulled wine, at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023. Gluhwein, or mulled wine, at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2023.
Wasn’t sure anyone actually liked mulled wine in all seriousness, but judging by the number of navy blue Nutcracker mugs getting about town, warm spicy wine is still the drink of winter.
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You don’t have to look far to find yourself a mulled wine at the Manchester Christmas Markets – most bars are selling some variation of gluhwein, mulled cider, or hot toddy.
Nothing screams Christmas quite like a face full of clove-scented steam, does it?
Price: The cheapest is £5 from the Apres Ski Bar at Winter Gardens – most others £5.50 or £6
Dutch mini pancakes
Is it the satisfying way these tiny sweet treats are flipped over in their special pan, is it the way they blow icing sugar up your nose as you eat them, is it that one bite transports you straight to a snowy mountain?
Whatever it is that wins us all over with a good mini pancake (Poffertjes, to give them their proper name), we’re glad to see them back for another year.
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The best stall is over on New Cathedral Street, where pancakes start from £5 but go up in price as you add toppings.
Beloved Manc butty shop Bada Bing set for a sensational return to the city centre
Danny Jones
Sandwich lovers rejoice because one of the finest butty shops to ever grace Manchester is returning: that’s right, Bada Bing is bada-back!
The Sopranos-inspired deli and sandwich shop that took its name from one of the central locations featured in the iconic US drama (yes, the strip club), was a huge success when it first opened in Manchester a few short years ago, so it was a huge blow when it closed in February 2022.
Starting out by serving sandwiches out of a window at The B Lounge pub on Paton Street near Piccadilly, before moving to a small kitchen on Radium Street and eventually setting up their stall inside Ancoats General Store, they would regularly have lines around the block every lunchtime.
These Italian-American sarnies were so popular you’d often struggle to get your claws on one – and believe us, they really are a two-handed task – as they’d sell out on what felt like most days. But now, whether you were a regular or someone who missed out, there is hope once again:
Announcing their sensational return to a new site over in the Northern Quarter, which will now mark the fourth premises they’ve popped up at, Bada Bing is back with a bang and, as you can, they dropped the news with one of the best reveal videos we’ve ever seen.
If you know, you know…
Set to take over 125 Oldham Street, owners Sam Gormally and Meg Lingenfelter haven’t yet graced us with an opening date but the new unit should hopefully be open sooner rather than later.
The duo, who previously worked at fellow NQ favourite Another Heart to Feed, came up with the concept during lockdown and it didn’t take long for the idea to take off, nor for them to earn their spot amongst the very best sandwich places in Manchester.
Seriously, these things were so big and unwieldy (in the best way possible) that they even used to come with eating instructions: both hands and the trademark Tony Soprano hunch recommended, though the slightly stained wife-beater, boxer shorts and open dressing gown look is optional.
From slices of provolone cheese, all the thinly sliced Italian meats you could think of and the closest thing to actual ‘gabagool‘ as you’ll find in Greater Manchester, the menu was fitting of being served up to the iconic characters that once sat outside Satriale’s and a big approving grin from the man himself.
Simply put, we cannot wait and we will certainly keep you posted when we find out exactly when Bada Bing confirms their official reopening date.
Burger King is giving away free burgers to new drivers today
Emily Sergeant
Burger King will be giving away burgers to drivers who have recently passed their tests for free of charge today.
In case it wasn’t on your radar, tomorrow (Thursday 24 July) is actually National Drive-Thru Day, and in a bid to properly celebrate this unofficial holiday, Burger King has decided to hand out a bunch of freebies to newbies today.
The fast food chain is asking all new drivers to “buckle up”, head on down to their nearest Burger King drive-thru, and help themselves to a free burger.
All newly-qualified drivers will be able to take their pick from either the Whopper or Chicken Royale without parting ways with a penny, and all they’ll need to do the claim their freebie is simply show off their learner’s ‘L Plates’ to the staff at their local Burger King restaurant.
/ Credit: Burger King UK (via Instagram) | Supplied
Hundreds of Burger King drive-thrus across the UK are taking part in the one-day promotion – including several across in Greater Manchester.
Although it might seem a little too good to be true, there’s a reason Burger King has chosen to dish out the freebies, and that’s because the company says it knows that one of the first activities newly-qualified drivers like do once they’ve passed their test is make a pit stop at a drive-thru with their mates to show off their new wheels and skills.
Sometimes though, navigating a drive-thru for the first time can be tricky, and this leaves new drivers feeling a bit like a rabbit in the headlights.
Luckily with this one-day Burger King offer, new drivers’ first drive-thru trip couldn’t be any easier.
The offer is available nationwide today (Wednesday 24 July) at Burger King drive-thru lanes only, while stock lasts, and newly qualified drivers must verbally mention “BK Plates” at the drive-thru lane to unlock their free burger.