One of Manchester‘s newest retro games bars has teamed up with Hooch throw a 90s-themed weekend this summer.
There’ll be tournaments, competitions, and some cracking prizes up for grabs.
Pong & Puck – which opened doors inside the Great Northern Warehouse back in March, and has already become one of the go-to places to play shuffleboard, table tennis, and more in the city – has decided to take the classic drinking game of beer pong and give it a Hooch spin to celebrate the summer.
The retro venue is inviting people to “drink, play and party” at its Hooch Takeover Weekend next Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August.
Kicking the weekend off with a Hooch Pong tournament from 5-9pm, players can pair up to try and win one of three “zingy” prizes.
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Pong & Puck has taken the classic game beer pong and given it a Hooch twist / Credit: Pong & Puck (via It’s Me Louis Photography)
The first place prize will be the two winners’ combined height in Hooch cans, as well as a free booking of Hooch pong for a later date, while those who finish in second place will get the team’s tallest player’s height in Hooch cans and a free booking of Hooch pong.
Three cans of Hooch and a free booking of Hooch pong will be up for grabs for those in third place.
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If fruity tipples are your thing, but you don’t fancy unleashing your competitive side, then luckily, you can also get cans of Hooch for just £8 all weekend at Pong & Puck, and there’ll even be a £100 bar tab up for grabs too.
And if all of that wasn’t enough as it is, you can expect there to be a throwback soundtrack of guilty pleasure tunes all weekend.
The retro games bar opened its doors inside the Great Northern Warehouse in March / Credit: Pong & Puck (via It’s Me Louis Photography)
The Hooch Weekend Takeover is taking place from Friday 12 – Sunday 14 August 2022.
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Pong & Punk also runs bottomless brunches on both Saturdays and Sundays from 12-2pm, and even on Wednesdays too from 5-7:30pm – with group games, pizza, unlimited drinks, and prosecco pong.
Featured Image – Pong & Puck (via It’s Me Louis Photography)
Eats
Manchester’s first banana pudding bar has opened in the city centre
Clementine Hall
Make sure to save room for pudding…because one of the city’s most-talked about dessert brands has found a new home.
Buttercup launched last summer, creating little pots of the hit US dessert made famous by the iconic Magnolia Bakery.
Each dessert features vanilla custard whipped with cream, soft sponge, and fresh banana, which you can then customise with rotating flavours and toppings.
And after a brief disappearance from the Manchester foodie scene, Buttercup is back with a bang with their beautiful new home on Deansgate.
Images: The Manc Group
And when we say beautiful, we really mean it.
Glossy burgundy tiles, butter yellow walls and sleek chrome furniture make up the space beneath the huge arched window, and there’s even a few seats for you to enjoy your pud and watch the world go by.
Open daily from 10am til 10pm, the menu includes three puddings on rotation ready to scoop.
Images: The Manc Group
Choose from the classic banana, indulgent tiramisu and an ever-changing seasonal special, alongside a wall of toppings for you to customise your own pud.
Each recipe has been perfected in-house and the proof really is in the banana pudding…because it tastes just as good as it looks.
Since launching, Buttercup has served around 50,000 puddings, hosted sell-out pop-ups across the city, collaborated with some huge brands, and built a loyal following around its signature build-your-own pudding bar.
Image: The Manc Group
With this new standalone space, you’ll of course be able to indulge in its signature banana pudding, as well as breakfast yoghurt bowls, coffee and matcha.
Officially opening tomorrow Saturday 26 September, the first 50 customers will get a free topping and sauce with the purchase of any pudding, plus a free lip gloss from Manchester-born beauty brand REFY.
‘Remember to support genuine independents’ – Manchester’s rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe announces closure
Emily Sergeant
Rotisserie chicken bistro Tartuffe has called final orders on its time at popular city centre hangout, Side Street.
Serving some of the best rotisserie chicken in Manchester – ‘sexy chicken’, if you will – Tartuffe first landed at Side Street inside the ABC Building back in the later summer of 2024, and quickly became known and loved by critics and customers alike for not just their rotisserie options, but also their stylish bar snacks and standout sides.
But despite being a roaring success these past two years, Tartuffe took to social media this week to announce the end of the ‘longest pop-up ever’, with its final service being tomorrow (25 September).
Tartuffe will be leaving Side Street this Friday / Credit: The Manc Group
Announcing its closure on Instagram, Tartuffe wrote: “That’s right, our time at Side Street has come to an end and our final service here is this Friday.
“It’s been an incredible two and a half years cooking for the wonderful people of Manchester and we’re hugely thankful to everyone who’s been to see us whilst we’ve been here.
“Another big thanks to the staff at Side Street who we’ve loved working with. We’ve made some great friends and worked with some absolutely brilliant people.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd August 2022 
