Eats

Where to find the best sandwiches in Manchester city centre and beyond

In honour of UK sandwich week, here are some of our favourite spots.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 27th May 2023

There’s nothing better than a good filling between two fluffy slices of bread, and we’re here to tell you the best places to find them.

From hot roast sarnies and hefty subs as long as your arm, to solid breakfast butties, giant Sardian schiacciata and saucy Napoli-inspired cuzzetiello, if you’re a sandwich lover in Manchester then you’re well catered for.

Keep reading to find some of the best places to get a sandwich in Manchester and beyond.

Ad Maiora, Northern Quarter

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

If you’re a fan of things in bread (and honestly, who isn’t) then Northern Quarter Italian sandwich dealer Ad Maiora is one that you absolutely need to get down your neck.

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Collected from a door on a Norther Quarter back street (or available for delivery on Deliveroo), we’re talking giant handmade spongy schiacciata generously stuffed with the likes of ‘nduja, spicy Tuscan sausage, smoked scamorza, mortadella, burrata and red pesto.

With a total of nine different options to choose from, expect a huge array of different cheesy and meaty delights including parma ham, gorgonzola DOP, truffled brie, Milano salami and crumbled pistachios, plus a gorgeous vegan option with Italian hummus, roasted aubergine, olives, sundried tomatoes and rocket.

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Read more: Meet the couple who quit their jobs to sell sandwiches from their Northern Quarter flat

The Bread Club, Monton

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

Run by in-laws Louise and Jack, The Bread Club sells some of Eccles’s fattest sandwiches (as well as the chunkiest hand-cut chips we’ve had in a while).

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Equipped with a huge glass counter brimming with sandwich fillings, as the name suggests there is a good selection of bread to choose from with hoagies, bloomers, rye and more on offer.

On the menu, you’ll find eight different sarnies including the signature Taco Chicken, a hoagie stuffed with mix of chicken breast, peppers, and onions, all enveloped in a secret sauce, then topped with Swiss cheese and jalapenos.

Other highlights include the Cubano, a mixture of roasted ham, pulled pork, melted Swiss cheese, sliced pickles and house mustard, and the Rueben on rye.

Katsouris Deli

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

First established in the historic Bury market 50 years ago, this cross-cultural deli and cafe celebrates the mixed roots of its family with produce from Cyprus, Poland and Italy, plus more from across Europe.

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Specialising in sandwiches as well as boasting an impressive salad bar and carvery, its second site on Deansgate is just as well established after 30 years in town. An iconic sandwich spot, the lunchtime queues speak for themselves.

Made with bread from Chorlton’s award winning bakery Barbakan, the ciabatta is a favourite here but you do have other options. If you’re in a rush, or just in need of something comforting, the hot roast pork with crackling, apple sauce and stuffing hits the spot every time.

Other highlights include the veggie-friendly Zorba The Greek, and the hangover-curing breakfast sandwiches filled with your choice of bacon, sausage and fried egg.

Fat Pat’s

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

This hefty hole-in-the-wall sub sandwich spot drew fans from near and far when it opened in 2022 and it hasn’t stopped since.

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The allure of a hidden alley walk-up, combined with mouth-watering Philly Cheesesteaks, Hot Honey Fried Chicken and Meatball Parm baguettes has earnt it a place in our hearts and bellies forever.

Located just off Portland Street in the backstreets of Chinatown, ordering is done online in advance and they tend to sell out quick so you need to be fast if you want to secure one of these beaties.

BQ Bitesize, Northern Quarter

A gorgeous little cafe in the Manchester Craft and Design Centre, BQ Bitesize comes from the team behind local butchery The Butcher’s Quarter.

The kitchen is headed up by Freddie Minns, formerly head chef at The French at The Midland, with daily-changing hot roast and breakfast butties both a huge draw.

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Using local bread from Holy Grain Sourdough, think roast sandwiches like pork loin, pickled red cabbage and Devil Dog BBQ sauce, and a breakfast sandwich with sausage, egg and crispy potato rosti.

Pho Cue

Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats

This family-run VIetnamese restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown opened in lockdown and has become popular for its bahn mi, which go on at midday and often sell out within the hour.

Only made ‘for the tradition’ in limited quantities for the lunch servicee, this fresh pickle and herb-topped Vietnamese sandwich can be ordered with either sweet soy, sriracha or spicy mayo.

Typically made by scooping out the inside of the baguette-style roll, here the chefs like to press the bread down instead to make more space for their fillings. Popular chioces include chicken and king prawn, with beef, pork, tofu and avocado also available.

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Rack, Stockport

This tiny Stockport sandwich joint is small but mighty, with sandwich fans travelling across Greater Manchester to sample its wares.

There’s not much room to sit down in the shop, but there is a very cute outdoor terrace that catches the sun perfectly at lunchtime.

Inside a big chalkboard menu lists its various options, with everythung from egg mayo and Italian meats to a funky vegan option with handmade onion bhaji, chutney and pickles.

Toasted sandwiches are a big speciality here, with highlights including a peppery Reuben and a three-cheese classic served with red onion dipping gravy on the side.

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Mira, Macclesfield

Famous for its saucy Neapolitan sandwiches, Mira has a lot of fans in Manchester but is now located permanently inside Macclesfield’s Picturedrome/

For its signature cuzzetiello, fillings include slow-cooked Genovese beef brisket stew, hand-rolled pork and beaf meatball ragu, and Aubergine parmigiana with cashew cheese.

There’s also good-sized focaccia butties and a breakfast menu of house-baked buns with fillings like smoked ham and cheese, hash browns, Lincolnshire sausage rings, vegan bacon, rocket and tomato jam.

Read more: This family-run butty shop in Monton sells some of Salford’s fattest sandwiches

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Northern Soul Grilled Cheese

First established in 2015, the grilled cheese OG’s have been serving Mancs their naughty, cheesy sandwiches for nearly a decade.

Widely considered one of the best places to grab a toastie in the city, its classic house staple features a blend of three different molten cheeses – all sandwiched in between golden sourdough bread – and is entirely customisable with extra free fillings.

For the adventurous, wilder options include the Bacon Frazzler with Frazzles crisps, streaky bacon, blue cheese, onion and sriracha, and the Mexican Junkie with chipotle mac n’ cheese, jalapenos and Chilli Heatwave Doritos.

Go Falafel

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Our go-to in the city centre for fresh falafel, technically this is a wrap but we’re going to allow it. It’s not just the herby chickpea goodness that does it for us here – it’s all the salads, pickles and other saucy ecoutrements that go in alongside it too.

Wraps are stuffed with your choice of pickled cabbage, potato, salad, tahini, chilli sauce and lashings of fresh hummus, with grilled aubergine and optional extra. Go Falafel also makes its own fresh juices to order, which are well worth a try.

Things In Bread

This one’s not in Manchester, but if you’re willing to travel for your sandwiches you should try Things In Bread.

Featured image – The Manc Eats

Eats

Two Greater Manchester restaurants have been named in Time Out’s 15 best restaurants in the UK

Danny Jones Danny Jones Time Out name two Greater Manchester restaurants among the 15 best in the UK

Not one but two restaurants in Greater Manchester have been named on Time Out‘s list of the 15 best restaurants in the UK.

The highly regarded lifestyle magazine is always pumping out these rankings across the board and with decades of pedigree behind them, it goes without saying that people still take their recommendations very seriously – ourselves included.

So, when we saw that a pair of local food spots were named on the most recent round-up, flying the flag for Manchester’s thriving culinary scene, we were obviously buzzing.

But what two places have they picked out?…

Erst – Ancoats

Erst Manchester best restaurants in the UK Time Out
erst manchester reviews
Erst leads the Manchester front on Time Out‘s best restaurants in UK (Credit: The Manc Eats)

In at number three on Time Out‘s list of the best restaurants in Britain was the ever-impressive Erst, which we can confidently vouch for serving up some of the best food in the city centre just off Cutting Room Square for over half a decade now.

It’s one of those places that feels like it should have a Michelin star even if doesn’t have one right now, building a glowing reputation around two core pillars: incredible natural wine and stunning small plates.

Genuinely not that expensive considering the sheer level of quality on show, the magazine writers Leonie Cooper and Lucas Oakeley spotlight offerings such as the Cantabrian anchovies that are “excellently sourced and devilishly salty” as well as “inventive plates” like the mussels in escabeche with Marinda tomatoes, lardo and sourdough. Hard agree.

Where The Light Gets In – Stockport

where the light gets in menu
michelin star restaurant stockport
Credit: Where The Light Gets In

Second up for Greater Manchester is going to annoy all those ‘it’s always been Cheshire’ die-hards but we’ll absolutely be claiming this one; it’s Where The Light Gets In tucked away on Rostron Brow, right near Stockport‘s historic market square.

Boasting a green star from Michelin and an incredible wine-pairing selection to compliment every course, this vegetable-driven dining experience is one of the very best we here The Manc Eats have ever enjoyed.

The menu changes every time you visit and the entire place feels like something special and bespoke. Time Out describes it as serving up “plates of food have nothing to hide and showcase the best ingredients from the farmers and fishermen that chef/owner Sam Buckley has spent years building an intimate relationship with”, summing it by adding, “Sustainability has never tasted so good”.

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We’re obviously biased but there are definitely a few more places around Greater Manchester that we’d throw in that for Time Out‘s list but, who knows, maybe they’ll make it on there next year?

Either way, we’re just happy to celebrate two absolutely top-tier eateries in two very distinct parts of the region – it’s not all just city centre spots and it never will be.

Are there any amazing Manc restaurants that you think should have made the list?

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Where The Light Gets In

Eats

The quirkiest pubs in Manchester, from wonky buildings to 7am pints to BYO chippy teas

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Pubs are an integral part of British culture, and nowhere does them better than Manchester – in our humble opinion.

We’ve got tiny ones, giant ones, shiny ones and ancient ones.

There are some that serve seriously fancy gastropub food and others that serve a whole menu of crisps – and one that just encourages you to bring a chippy tea in with you.

There are real ale pubs, craft beer pubs, taprooms, and pubs that also do pretty good cocktails.

Whatever your brief is for the perfect boozer, Manchester will have somewhere that fits the bill.

We’ve rounded up some of Manchester’s quirkiest pubs that offer something a little… unexpected.

Temple Bar, Oxford Road

It is always, always that trip to the toilets that makes you realise you’ve tipped over into inebriated – staring at yourself in the mirrors above the sinks thinking ‘Oh, yup, too many pints’.

Here in Manchester, it can also be a trip to the toilet that gets you sozzled in the first place.

The Temple – or Temple of Convenience to give it its full name – is a tiny subterranean drinking den that in the Victorian era, was actually a public toilet.

It’s so narrow you can almost reach wall-to-wall if you stand with your arms outstretched.

But down here you’ll also find a great selection of bottled beers, a jukebox, and bags of charm.

100 Great Bridgewater Street, M1 5JW

The Victoria Tap, Manchester Victoria

Victoria Tap is open in Manchester now
Victoria Tap is open in Manchester now
Inside Victoria Tap in Manchester
Inside Victoria Tap in Manchester

What makes The Victoria Tap such a little gem? For one, it’s taken what was a literal bin store and turned it into a genuinely beautiful drinking den.

For two, as it’s inside the train station, it’s got a departures board – the twist being that it tells you how many pints you can drink before your train leaves.

And to be honest, we’d quite like to use pints as a unit for measuring time forever more.

The new craft beer bar has also built a small beer garden on its far side, where trams slide past within inches of the boundary wall.

Victoria train station, M3 1WY

The Marble Arch, Rochdale Road

Come, venture slightly beyond your comfort zone of the city centre and Ancoats – for just beyond you’ll find one of Manchester’s very best pubs.

The Marble Arch building has been here since 1888, and to this day is one of the most impressive historic pubs in the UK.

Its tiled walls, ornate ceilings and mosaic floors, not to mention its roaring fire and its beautiful wooden bar, are just part of the charm.

One of the strangest experiences when visiting The Marble Arch is the way the bar seems to draw you in to it.

It’s all thanks to its gently sloping floor – some say it’s this way to make rolling barrels easier, others say it’s for cleaning, but out favourite theory is that it’s to encourage inebriated customers to totter back to the bar for another round.

73 Rochdale Road, M4 4HY

The Seven Oaks, Chinatown

Image: Geograph

By day, The Seven Oaks is a fairly normal pub – a lot of beer, a lot of sports, a lot of regulars.

But by night, it becomes the stuff of hospitality legend.

This is the pub for people who work in pubs, a place where the hospitality staff normally pouring drinks for everyone else can come and have their own after work – even if they happen to finish work at 4am.

Built for the people who work ‘the wrong 9-to-5’, if you’ve got proof of working in the hospitality industry, this Chinatown pub is the place to come for late night, or early morning, pints.

5 Nicholas Street, M1 4HL

Peveril of the Peak, Great Bridgewater Street

Image: Adam Pester

You cannot miss the Peveril of the Peak.

Not only is it clad all over in ceramic tiles in vibrant shades of chartreuse and mint green, but it also stands alone at the fork in a road.

Manchester’s only detached pub has been here since the early 19th century, with a jumble of cosy rooms arranged around a central bar.

Inside, there are all the best sorts of pub trimmings, like a jukebox and a dart board.

It’s also had the same landlady for 51 years – Nancy Swanick, 90, is pretty legendary in her own right.

127 Great Bridgewater Street, M1 5JQ

Circus Tavern, Portland Street

Image: Commons Wikimedia

In stark contrast to the Peveril of the Peak, The Circus Tavern is very much a pub you can miss.

This tiny blink-and-you’ll-miss-it drinking den is home to the smallest bar in Europe.

Don’t expect a massive selection of beers here – there simply isn’t room.

It’s the weeniest pub in Manchester and also one of its oldest, dating back to 1840 (though the building was here even earlier).

Back in the day, it used to be a regular haunt of circus performers (hence the name), and Manchester United players, including George Best.

86 Portland Street, M1 4GX

The Old Wellington Inn, Exchange Square

The Old Wellington pub in Manchester is one of the city's quirkiest. Credit: The Manc Group
The Old Wellington pub in Manchester is one of the city’s quirkiest. Credit: The Manc Group
The Old Wellington pub in Manchester is one of the city's quirkiest. Credit: The Manc Group
The Old Wellington pub in Manchester is one of the city’s quirkiest. Credit: The Manc Group

When you’re nursing your drink in the Old Wellington, you’re surrounded by masses of history.

The city centre pub is the oldest building of its kind in Manchester, dating all the way back to 1552.

Back in those days, the walls, floors and ceilings were all wonky, and the ceiling beams were so low that punters had to duck when they were walking around. 

The pub might be ancient, but strangely, it hasn’t always been here on Exchange Square. 

The medieval building actually used to be about 70 metres down the road, and had to be moved bit by bit and piece by piece after the IRA bomb in 1996.

Over the course of two years, both the Old Wellington and Sinclair’s Oyster bar were completely rebuilt in their new home here, where they still stand as two of Manchester’s most amazing pubs – and pull some of the city’s cheapest pints. 

4 Cathedral Gates, M3 1SW

Mother Mac’s, Back Piccadilly

Mother Mac's, a historic pub in Manchester, has closed down
Mother Mac’s, a historic pub in Manchester, has closed down

Back Piccadilly in the city centre isn’t exactly a wholesome location as things stand – there’s a lot of graffiti, rows of bins, the occasional rat, and (if you’re really unlucky) human faeces.

But if you travel back in time to 1976, things get significantly more bleak. We’re talking mass murder bleak.

A previous landlord of the Mother Mac’s pub turned and killed his wife, then his three children, then the pub’s cleaner, before setting the building ablaze and killing himself.

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Mother Mac’s has now actually closed, with plans to turn it into a new pub called the Rat & Pigeon – which is fitting, given that’s mostly what will be walking past.

33 Back Piccadilly, M1 1HP

The Shakespeare, Fountain Street

Image: Wikimedia Commons

If you’re a fan of a ghost story, this is the pub for you.

The Shakespeare on Fountain Street – directly across the road from Primark – has had plenty of paranormal activity, if we believe the reports of its customers (who, admittedly, are likely to have been worse for wear).

Punters have reported seeing a flaming ghost at the top of the stairs, believed to be the spirit of a young girl who accidentally set herself alight while lighting candles at the inn.

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It’s also said to be haunted by a former chef who hung himself here – you can apparently still see the rope marks on one of the ceiling beams.

Spooky past aside, The Shakespeare is a good-value pub with a menu of typical pub fare.

16 Fountain Street, M2 2AA

Briton’s Protection, Great Bridgewater Street

The Britons Protection. Credit: The Manc Group
The Britons Protection. Credit: The Manc Group
The Britons Protection. Credit: The Manc Group
The Britons Protection. Credit: The Manc Group

Famed for its Jack Daniel’s collection, the Briton’s Protection draws in whiskey fans from across the globe.

Every year the owners travel to Tennessee to make bespoke casks – and they’ve even created a Jack Daniel’s-themed room in a snug behind the bar.

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Home to some exceedingly rare bottles, including one with an unaired Sinatra concert recording hidden in a tie clip, collectors pay thousands for bottles from the Manchester casks.

That’s not all, though. The pub’s history dates back to the Peterloo massacre, attested to by a mural in its hallway.

Not entirely historically accurate, look closely and you’ll spot some of the rebels bear a striking resemblance to famous Manchester footballers.

Apparently, the previous owner was a bit of a fan.

Great Bridgewater Street

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Cask, Liverpool Road

This beautiful teal-fronted pub on Liverpool Road makes this list for a few reasons – the main one being that you can bring your chippy tea in with you.

Cask has become a firm favourite with Manchester beer-lovers in the two decades since it opened, boasting perhaps the most comprehensive selections in the city.

There are imports from across Europe, America and even further afield, plus a cracking selection of board games and a brilliant jukebox.

And yes, our favourite bit is nipping next door to The Fish Hut and bringing a chippy tea back to your table – you just have to agree to tidy up after yourself.

Liverpool Road, M3 4NQ

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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