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.
Could the reaction to Casemiro’s swansong Man United season see him stay ‘one more year’?
Danny Jones
Casemiro has arguably been up there with one of the best Manchester United signings in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, after the likes of Bruno Fernandes; maybe not in terms of how it’s impacted the wider transfer budget, but now he’s about to leave, most supporters aren’t ready to let him go.
Truly, if they had their way, many would happily keep him for at least “one more year”, as they continuously chanted during the most recent home game.
However, with the footballing veteran himself admitting that he’s been left moved by the response and certainly basked in the chants for him to stay following the win over Aston Villa last weekend, another one in which he chipped in with a key goal.
Casemiro scored the opener in what went on to be a vital 3-1 win in their pursuit of Champions League places, and has made it clear that, like the rest of the squad, this is his only goal for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign.
But with United now looking closer to securing third or perhaps even chasing down second place, according to many (some have even gone further than that…), this current, albeit still early doors, resurgence under Michael Carrick could be the start of a corner turned for the one serial winners.
However, fans have seen many false dawns at Old Trafford over the past decade or so, and there is obviously the risk of him ultimately spoiling what should now be a fine and fitting farewell.
Then again, after speaking in a recent interview with Sky Sports, the 34-year-old said it’s been “way more” special than he was expecting since he revealed his plans to leave on a high, and stranger things have happened.
You only have to look at Mohammed Salah and Liverpool, who looked all set to go before eventually U-turning and signing a new deal – though contract terms no doubt helped swing those negotiations.
As one of the highest-earning players not just at Man United or even the Premier League but in Europe, he’s already earned serious amounts during his time with the Red Devils, so there is a belief that the incumbent INEOS board would be happy to shift him off the books and reinvest in replacing him.
#mufc are in advanced talks to sign Bruno Guimaraes for around €80m, but renewed interest from Real Madrid threatens to complicate the proposed move [@Reuters, @fernandokallas]
The likes of Guimaraes, previously courted Carlos Baleba, Elliot Anderson, Adam Wharton, Wolves duo André and Joao Gomes have all been linked with possible moves to Manchester of late.
In fact, depending on how much room Jim Ratcliffe and co. have for spending on recruitment, they could potentially even cover the wages of more than one signing in the middle of the park or other positions that they feel may require further reinforcements.
All this is still very much in theory, of course, and while Casemiro has seemingly confirmed that he will depart this summer, who knows how much of the recent reaction and outpouring of love and support from the Stretford End and beyond could potentially sway the outcome?…
Then again, do you think reconsidering the decision would be a wise move, or at his age, is four years in the English top flight enough?
Featured Images — Sky Sports (screenshot)/Ardfern (via Wikimedia Commons)
Feature
The best beer gardens in Manchester for when the sun is shining
The Manc
With the arrival of spring comes the first promises of sunshine and, being British, of course we’re already thinking about where to go for that first sun-soaked pint.
With the sun finally starting to stick its head out, even if his visit is brief, we expect we’ll be seeing plenty of packed beer gardens soon enough.
We all know the pain of walking pub-to-pub trying to find a seat on a sunny and/or warm Manchester day, so we’re rounding up the best, the biggest and the most hidden beer gardens in the city to help you to make the most of the good weather.
You might actually stand a chance at getting a seat in one of these, if you’re quick enough.
Thomas Street and Edge Street, Northern Quarter
Common on Edge StreetAd Hoc on Edge Street
This was one of the few positives to come out of the pandemic – removing vehicles from a back-to-back stretch of the Northern Quarter.
It means that the bars along Thomas Street and Edge Street can now fill the roads with tables and chairs in one giant beer garden, but being such a busy stretch it’s often the first place punters think to go for a drink in the sun.
You’ll find the likes of The Morris, Common, Ad Hoc, Terrace, Smithfield Social, the Bay Horse Tavern, Cane and Grain and Wolf At The Door all being given the al fresco treatment.
Terrace also has a gorgeous little hidden beer garden upstairs, and if you find yourself really struggling to find a perch head over to Trof which has a tiny little hidden beer garden on its middle floor.
The Wharf and Dukes 92, Castlefield
Two beer garden institutions both stand in the canal-side setting of Castlefield.
Both The Wharf and Dukes 92 are stuffed to the brim with pub-goers in spring and summer, thanks to their massive terraces, with more people spilling out onto the green lawns surrounding them.
Down here you’ll also find Bar Barca and Albert’s Shed, both in prime position for soaking up some rays with a broad array of seating on offer.
It’s one of the prettiest spots in the city centre too, right on the water with narrow boats and plenty of lush greenery in view.
Stevenson Square, Northern Quarter
Stevenson Square has turned into one giant beer garden in ManchesterPublic’s beer garden in Manchester
Very much in the same wheelhouse as the aforementioned Thomas Street is Stevenson Square, another pocket of the Northern Quarter that’s really still benefitting from those relaxed pavement licenses of 2020.
A number of local operators vie for precious outside space here, including Flok (which does a roaring trade in Aperol spritzes and peach Jubel in the summer), Public, The Faraday, and Eastern Bloc.
There are even a handful of seats outside Soup and Noho when the weather is good, even if they don’t get quite as much sunshine.
The Oast House, Spinningfields
Manchester’s massive free festival Manifest is back for the August bank holiday weekendManchester’s massive free festival Manifest is back for the August bank holiday weekend. Credit: The Manc Group
Beer gardens seem to be everywhere in Manchester these days, which is of course a good thing, but we still have a soft spot for the original outdoor watering hole.
Cast your mind back a few years and The Oast House was one of the only venues that really focused on an open-air offering.
It’s still the same today – masses of tables in the heart of Spinningfields, with bleacher seating all the way round, plus live entertainment and a belting Aperol Spritz.
The Corn Exchange
Banyan is one of the Corn Exchange bars with a great beer gardenSalvi’s sunny terrace at the Corn Exchange
Another corner of the city where bars and restaurants spill outside alongside one another is the Corn Exchange.
Its residents – including Salvi’s, Banyan and Cosy Club – almost all have their own terraces, but it’s the ones on the Exchange Square side who get the most sunshine.
Neighbouring it, meanwhile, are two of Manchester’s oldest pubs – Sinclari’s Oyster Bar and The Old Wellington – both of which also boast large sun trap beer gardens, for those after something a little more traditional.
You might have to queue a little while, but with so much seating, you’ll be sipping a drink in the sun before you know it.
Cutting Room Square, Ancoats
Set in the middle of Ancoats, also known as one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, Cutting Room Square is guaranteed to get the sun all day long – and with plenty of bars here to choose from you’re pretty much guaranteed to find a seat one way or another.
There’s the classic pub reborn Edinburgh Castle, brilliant cocktail bar Jane Eyre, and local brewery bar from Seven Brothers – drinkers are spoilt for choice.
You can even soak up some rays outside Rudy’s (and the Ancoats one is the OG pizzeria), perch outside the award-winning Erst with a nice glass of wine, or jump in to Elnecot’s patio, where you might even find a BBQ on sunny days.
Waterside neighbourhoods are difficult to find in Greater Manchester, which is what makes New Islington marina feel so special.
In the warmer months, the bars and cafes along here throw out the furniture so you can sit with a pint overlooking the water.
There’s Flawd, an award-winning wine bar; Cask, a brilliant local craft beer bar; and Pollen, if you fancy a pastry garden rather than a beer garden.
Piccadilly Trading Estate, East Piccadilly
Drinking around the Beermuda Triangle in Manchester
Beer paradise awaits just past Manchester Piccadilly, with plenty of beer garden space too, in an industrial estate that’s nicknamed the ‘Beermuda Traingle‘.
There’s the lovely Track Taproom with a huge outside space out the back; Cloudwater Taproom, which is an absolute sun trap; and then Balance Taproom and Sureshot just around the corner, which have less space but just as many vibes.
It’s the perfect activity if you’re looking to drink really great beer and not walk very far whilst still visiting a range of top class spots, because after all…variety is the spice of life.
Society, central
Manchester bar Society to give away FREE Aperol Spritzes to gig-goersThe beer garden at Society Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Not only is this spot right on the water, with excellent views of the Bridgewater Hall, but it’s also home to the biggest beer collection in Manchester.
Society has a whopping 44 beer taps, with a vast range from loads of different top northern breweries, including Cloudwater, Pomona Island, and Rivington (along with a few globally-brewed favourites).
The new beer range is flowing now, alongside all those amazing food traders that call Society home too.
Mala, Northern Quarter
This ‘secret garden’ bar is right in the heart of the Northern Quarter in the midst of the pandemic and is another great outdoor space for getting the drinks in when the sun is shining.
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Tucked behind those big mint-green wooden boards on Dale Street is a cluster of picnic tables and wooden huts festooned with fairy lights and plants.
It might not be the tropics, but they’ve got the cocktails to trick your tastebuds into thinking it is – we’re talking frozen strawberry daiquiris and frozen pina coladas. Oh, and there’s beer too.
Georgina Pellant -
27th November 2021 
