The best vegetarian and vegan food at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2021
Think fried camembert and port chutney bagels, stuffed arancini balls, not one but TWO vegan bratwurst stalls, plus cheese-filled Korean potato hot dogs and loads more.
Now it’s getting chillier it’s definitely starting to feel a lot more Christmassy in town. The markets have arrived, there’s the faint whiff of bratwursts grilling in the air – and for the first time, they are vegan.
Ok, admittedly they’re not all vegan, but we’ve found two stalls selling plant-based sausage alternatives and we have to say, overall we’re pretty impressed with the increase in both vegetarian and vegan offerings this year.
From cheese-filled Korean potato hot dogs to multicoloured burgers and Biscoff cookie pies, there’s certainly a lot more options for non-meat eaters at the Manchester Christmas markets this year.
That said, we know that some of Manchester’s vegans are fuming as the cookie dough stall, which usually has a vegan option, has taken it off the menu this year. Scandalous behaviour.
Keep reading to discover all of the best veggie and vegan food at Manchester’s Christmas markets this year.
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Korean potato hot dogs at the Manchester Christmas Markets on Piccadilly Gardens / Image: EATMCR
Piccadilly Gardens
Home to cheese-filled, potato-waffle coated Korean hot dogs (£5.50) and not one but two vegan bratwurst stands, this year Piccadilly Gardens has to be at the top of your list.
The controversial public space has its drawbacks, sure, but solid veggie and vegan street food options are definitely not one of them this year.
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Find the Korean hot dogs at Crunch on Piccadilly’s Winter Gardens. A vegetarian-friendly version filled with cheese is wrapped in a potato waffle coating, deep fried, and then rolled in sugar for a naughty twist.
There’s also S’mores churros sandwiches (£6.50) from Loop Churros, and vegan brattys available at Vertigo and Panc.
Image: Vertigo
Image: Panc
Over at Vertigo’s stall, you’ll find a big selection of vegan-friendly hot dogs including a katsu curry wurst and a chilli cheeze dog.
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Then across the way at Panc, there’s more vegan dogs (£5 – £6) to get stuck into as well as thirteen different plant-based burgers (£5 – £9); fried chick’n wraps (£12), goujons (£5), loaded fries and chick’n poppers (£6.50 – £7.50); and a vegan shawarma kebab topped with lettuce, red onion, tomato, cucumber, chillies, guindilla peppers and Panc garlic sauce (£9).
Drinks-wise, think plenty of beer, ale and gluhwein, plus glasses of shimmering prosecco and steaming mugs of hot Vimto (full dislosure, we can’t say if any of the alcohol is veggie or vegan friendly, but we’re pretty sure the Vimto is a safe bet).
Image: THe Manc Group
King Street
The wonderful Italian cheese and meat stall that sits on the border of King street and Deansgate has returned for 2021, we’re happy to confirm, selling a whole host of cheesy delights including taleggio and coor da Sardegna.
Veggies can also get that go-to bratwurst here, with cheese sausages on sale for just £5.
Image: The Manc Group
A Sicilian street food stall has lots of veggie options, with cheesy spinach, aubergine and mushroom arancini on sale (£3.90) alongside margherita, bianca and bufalina pizza slices. There’s a good vegan slice too: a ‘Vegana’ topped with grilled artichokes, mushrooms, olives and tomato sauce (£3.50).
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And over at Eat Greek, there’s halloumi and jackfruit pittas, halloumi fries, greek fries seasoned with oregano and served with salad and tzaziiki, and a loaded fries option with the option to add either halloumi or jackfruit.
Cathedral Gardens
The first Christmas markets to open this year, the offering here is pretty simple with a collection of bars selling mulled wine and cider, and wooden huts selling dutch mini pancakes, sugar waffles and more.
Image: The Manc Group
The Corn Exchange
Veggie-friendly Jammy Dodger-loaded cupcakes, Nutella-topped confections, and more covered with pick and mix sweeties, chocolate Oreos, and golden pretzels can be found at Zara’s Cupcakes market stall, priced at £3.50 each or £13 for four.
There are also cake jars, old-school puds, and cake mix-making kits to be found here.
Also at the Corn Exchange is a pie stall from The Crusty Pie Company selling a veggie-friendly broccoli and stilton pie, gorgeous homemade chutneys in flavours like apricot and ginger, cranberry and pot, and ‘flaming hot’, plus onion bhajis and vegetable samosas.
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Image: The Manc Group
Exchange Square
Exchange Square might be known as the home of the Porky Pig wrap, but you’ll be pleased to hear that it has some great veggie and vegan options for non-meat eaters too.
Even Porky Pig is getting in on the plant-powered trend, selling giant veggie Yorkshire puddings filled with veggie sausages, seasonal veg, stuffing and veggie gravy (£&) alongside a vegan box with vegetable sausage, more veg, stuffing and vegan gravy (£7),
Here you’ll find an Indian street food stall selling charcoal grill paneer tikka wraps, Matar paneer curry, samosas, and traditional snacks like papri chaat (chickpea, yoghurt, Indian mix) and pani puri. Going all out? Opt for rice and / or khuboos bread (a sort of Arabic pitta) on the side.
The Dutch Fries company is here too with standard portions (from £5) alongside specials like parmesan and truffle (£8) or Dutch satay sauce (£6.50), as is a Dutch Mini Pancakes stall with 13 loaded pancake and sugar waffle options (from £4.50).
As for drinks, think classic mulled wine, caramel cider and an alcohol-free vat of hot ginger and honey – plus plenty of beers, wines and spirits.
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Market Street
There’s not much to report food-wise, with the majority of stalls focusing on selling gifts and other trinkets. We did spy a massive stall selling pick and mix, though, for those who haven’t yet got over the closure of Woolworth’s.
Image: The Manc Group
Exchange Street
With a big focus on beer and wine, Exchange street is dominated by bars selling all the usual suspects – plus Baileys, boozy coffees, gin and tonics, and other spirit mixers.
Prestwich restaurant Triple B also has a stall down here selling a fried camembert bagel with port chutney, tomato sauce and winter slaw (£8) and a ‘Vegan Stocking Filler’ burger with vegan burger patty, cheeze, stuffing, cranberry and Russian dressing (£8).
Across the way, you’ll also find Wrap Up selling a ‘Herbie’s Halloumi’ wrap with grilled mixed peppers, sour cream, jalapenos, freshly-mae salsa and aromatic rice (£9), and veggie and vegan 5 bean chilli – both with butternurt squash, rice, salsa and jalapenos (£8 – £8.50), with additional sour cream and cheese for those who take dairy.
Opposite Zara, the big sausage stall by Witch House also has a veggie cheese sausage on sale with onions for just £5.
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Image: The Manc Group
St Ann’s Square
Head to St Ann’s Square for square margherita pizzas, Yard and Coop fries loaded with pulled sriracha jackfruit (£9), big trays of cake from Ridiculous Rich, and Spanish nibbles like olives, sundried tomatoes and manchego at the Spanish KItchen Tapas stall.
There’s also some great-looking strudel dishes to discover here, in either apple of cherry flavour, alongside scrambled panckaes topped with your choice of apple, cherry or plum compote, chocolate-cream or custard.
Elsewhere, you’ll find indulgent cookie pies in flavours like Lotus Biscoff, chocolate and caramel and more (£4), alongside Bailey’s cream and chocolate truffles disguised as Christmas puddings at Gingerbread House Confections.
10 photos through the decades that show how much Oldham Street has changed
Thomas Melia
Oldham Street these days is one of the Northern Quarter’s most famous spots, home to vintage shops like Pop Boutique, Blue Rinse and Vinyl Exchange, as well as countless little bars and cafes.
Perching itself right in the middle of Northern Quarter and spanning all the way from Piccadilly Gardens to Great Ancoats Street, Oldham Street has been keeping up with the trends since day one.
If you’ve ever wondered how to boost your status in the indie circles or want to show off your individuality, this road has is one of Manchester’s biggest culture hotspots.
After all, there’s not many streets that can say they’re home to Afflecks Palace.Well it’s on a crossroads so there’s four which have that claim to fame but my point still stands!
But it hasn’t always been the shabbily cool little street of today, so we’ve been diving back through the archives to bring you photos of Oldham Street how it used to look.
Oldham Street – Over the years
Oldham Street facing Piccadilly Corner, 1894
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
This particular photo shows the main gateway to bohemian paradise, also known as Oldham Street.
The shops standing tall in these buildings may have changed owners a fair few times but the original architectural design has stayed the same.
Just like the photo from 1894, it’s hard to take a picture of this area without crowds of people, we can’t help being so popular, that’s just Manchester!
Oldham Street facing Piccadilly Corner, 1903
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
What was once a tea supplier that went onto become PG Tips, is now an American fast-food chain Five Guys.
The first picture denotes a shop front with the title ‘Brooke Bond & co.’, launching PG Tips in the 1930’s under ‘Pre-Gestee’ which relates to its original name ‘Digestive Tea’.
The second half of this notable brand is due to the fact that only the top two leaves and bud are used in their blend, the tips, and that’s what makes the company what we know and love today, PG Tips.
Oldham Street merging into Great Ancoats Street, 1920
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
The times have definitely changed since the first photo, swapping horseback travel for cars and a pedestrian crossing.
The end building which joins together Oldham Street with Great Ancoats Street is none other than Wayfarer.
After trekking all the way from Five Guys and making it to the other end of this bustling row of shops, there’s nothing better than a stop off for a cheeky pint.
Oldham Street, 1940
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
There she is in all her glory, no not Afflecks Palace, Blue Rinse, where you can find some trendy and snazzy items that feel like they’ve been pulled right out of a time capsule straight from the 80’s.
However, you can’t visit this retail road and not show some love to the city centre emporium as it’s stacked with four floors of independent shops ready to welcome you with open arms.
No matter what time of day you go, expect to walk past some incredibly dressed shoppers from emos to hippies, this place brings everyone together.
Oldham Street and Great Ancoats Street, 1959
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
It’s now one of those pubs that toes the line between traditional boozer and hip Ancoats hangout, and still bears the scars of the huge fire that tore through it in 1989.
Looking back to the late 1950s though you can see how well this building has been preserved, even if the pint prices have crept ever-higher.
Oldham Street and Warwick Street, 1967
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Manchester is constantly changing its skyline and it gained another mini skyscraper in 2022 thanks to The Quarters.
Tied between Oldham Street and Warwick Street, this building is a residential complex with 100 apartments.
The two buildings in the middle of the first photo were torn down in 2013 after a fire.
Oldham Street, 1967
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Two fashion retailers and a Beaverbrooks jewellers have traded in their stay on Oldham Street and in their spot is none other than a retro-themed bar and… an empty building.
The Mean Eyed Cat bar has taken over what was previously District, a futuristic sushi bar. You’d never have found that in 1960s Manchester.
Oldham Street and Hilton Street, 1967
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Underneath all that bright green scaffolding is a hostel, bar and pub, who, as with a lot of things in Manchester, are getting a make over.
It’s hard to tell but underneath all the building work are some gorgeous windows like in the photo from the 70’s that are still shining brightly today.
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The record shop may have been traded in for a Turtle Bay but there’s still some cracking places to dig through the crates: Vinyl Exchange, Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Resting Place and Vinyl Revival.
Oldham Street, 1970
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
This picture is a national treasure in itself and we’re sure some readers will be very familiar with this piano-inspired shop front.
Swan’s Pianos and Organs were a music lover’s heaven with instruments galore and although it might not be standing today, in its place is another shop with a very important legacy, Koffee Pot.
This Manchester institution and slap up caff has been famed for its brekkie and brunch delights which warm the soul just like a musical melody.
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Oldham Street, 1986
Credit: The Manchester Library/ The Manc Group
Sunset Strip was ahead of its time, if only it would’ve known that in today’s day and age a brand new pool hall would open up not too far away in Kampus.
Although this ball game establishment might not have been pairing rounds of pool with frozen margs and birria tacos, they were brightening the high street with their vibrant shopfront.
Nowadays rests ‘Northstar’ a creative workspace set to inspire forward thinking and inspirational ideas, they’ve even continued the colourful legacy of the pool hall prior.
Oldham Street you’ve always been at the epicentre of all things culture and we’re sure it’s set to stay that way forevermore, keep thriving R’kid!
Lusaint at Night And Day Café – Manchester’s ultimate ‘Dark Horse’
Thomas Melia
Stretford’s finest blessed Night And Day Café in Manchester with her smooth-like-chocolate vocals and rich-like-cake ensemble was the perfect almost-weekend treat.
This tour spanned three locations: Dublin, London and Manchester (she definitely saved the best til last), with each date having its own support act.
The show at beloved Northern Quarter venue Night And Day Café saw the soul star championing another local singer-songwriter, Ewan Sim.
His setlist was as fresh as they can get, probably because his EP ‘Sense Of It All’ released the morning of the show – it’s not the first time we’ve come across him but we’ll definitely be giving it a listen in full.
Lusaint delivering a spellbinding performance at Night And Day Café, Manchester.Lusaint and her band sold out Night And Day Café in Manchester, on Friday.Credit: Audio North
Lusaint opened her showcase with a performance of ‘Neon Lights’ which was as cathartic as anticipated, with its funk sounds and loose instrumental livening the crowd.
‘Fool For You’ has a slowed-down Eliza Doolittle doo-wop feel to it with its colourful instrumental and bird-tweet-like vocals.
The higher-pitched vocal intonations at the end of each line in the chorus scratch a certain itch in my brain and hearing this live, had me hooked all over again.
But enough about me describing the track, check it out for yourself here, it’s not my fault if you get hooked.
Stunning.
Lusaint’s ‘Dark Horse’ was a reminder of just how personal these songs are, as she delivered a rendition that was more emotive than its studio version.
Although the venue was comfy and cosy, Lusaint felt untouchable, and with the catastrophic heights her career is reaching I’d say that description is very fitting.
Luckily for us, we recently got the opportunity to rub shoulders with the vocalist ahead of her show, just a stone’s throw away from the venue where she played.
In case you couldn’t tell through the camera, she was an absolute joy.
Watching her live is hypnotising, her music really is soul-healing, it’s no wonder that her upcoming EP is titled ‘Apothecary’, she knows how to concoct the perfect melody.
She played fans a handful of songs they can expect to hear including ‘Joking’ which might be coming as soon as next month – my Spotify Wrapped isn’t ready for this one.
Her covers of timeless classics, ‘Feeling Good’ by Nina Simone and ‘Crazy’ by Gnarls Barkley, were met with a pleasant sing-along from the crowd and an open-mouthed crowd stood wide-eyed watching Lusaint belt.
After performing at The Pink Room, Albert Hall and now Night And Day Café, we’d wager every Manchester city centre venue will soon be fighting over which stage she’ll be gracing next.
Georgina Pellant -
27th November 2021 
