The man behind the murals: We spent the day with Akse P19
A Smiths fan, a doctor, a chemist, a vinyl collector, a Breaking Bad enthusiast, a family man, and a humble intellectual. We spend a day with Akse P19 and discover what shaped one of the greatest modern artists in Manchester.
“The Jack Nicholson one is just back there,” our driver tells us, jerking a thumb behind his shoulder.
The sphinxlike Manchester street artist, Akse P19, is whizzing us through a rain-whipped Northern Quarter in his car; spray cans rattling at our feet whilst his iconic mask rests on the backseat alongside me.
He’s generously offered to transport us through the monsoon-like weather to see his latest painting, answering questions about his urban graffiti whenever a mural flashes into view beyond the blurry windows.
It’s only a five-minute journey, but we still manage to pass three of his paintings en route; proof that Akse is ubiquitous in Manchester. He has spent decades colouring the city’s red brick walls with dazzling, lifelike murals of musicians, athletes, poets, actors, fictional characters and Mancunian heroes. It’s the kind of art that strikes a chord and makes your chest puff with civic pride.
His decades’ of work – coupled with the explosion of Instagram, Facebook and Twitter – has seen Akse earned rightful recognition as one of the most important creative figures in the region.
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However, until now, his backstory has remained something of a mystery. This is the man behind the mask.
“Paint gets on everything…”
With such a hybrid background, Akse could have settled almost anywhere in the world. So, we should be grateful he chose Manchester as his canvas.
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Despite his Vietnamese heritage, a syrupy French accent and a Basque-speaking family, Akse has built a connection with Mancunia that runs deep – as his murals help to shape the atmosphere of the city.
The artist arrives at Teacup Kitchen for our interview in his familiar specs and paint-splashed trousers… but also a jet-black hoodie sporting a giant gold bee.
“I thought, for The Manc, this would be a great choice,” he chuckles.
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The only thing that’s missing is his mask; which he eagerly straps to his face before our photographer starts snapping away later in the day.
Akse is eager to keep his personality separate from his work. Preserving his image – cap, glasses and mask – is important to him. He wants the images to speak for themselves and retain the enigmatic aura that has helped him gain so much attention in the first instance.
As we talk, Akse catches me eyeing the crispy outer shell that’s wrapped around his phone.
“Masking tape,” he clarifies.
“To protect it from the paint. You see, here…”
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He flips the device over and runs his index finger over an invasive purple smear on the casing.
“Paint gets on everything.”
Mess is par for the course in this occupation. But it’s only when we quiz Akse on his working hours that some of the additional challenges of artwork become clear.
“There’s no 9-5. You can’t really have a routine in this job,” he explains, a thin smirk spreading across his lips.
“Sometimes, I’m able to go to the shop and get things to eat, but often there are no breaks.
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“I should bring my own lunch, really. But I’m just not organised enough to do that.
“You can’t always choose your hours, either. If I’m doing a personal mural and it starts pissing down, I can just go home and come back again another time. One day doesn’t really make a difference.
“But if it’s commissioned, I have to finish it by a certain date. You have a deadline.
“With the Harry Maguire one, for example, it rained all day and I was completely soaked through. When it gets wet, the spray paint dries out quickly, too. So working in the bad weather can be very difficult.
“But it is worth it. This is me.”
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“30 years later, Akse is what I’m known as…“
Akse’s amazing artwork invites all kinds of questions. But there’s one burning query we have to resolve before going any further into the aesthetics.
Where did that name come from?
“Golden Axe,” the artist explains, taking a long sip of his latte.
“It was a video game in the eighties.
“At the time, my English was not very good, but I liked the way it sounded. I just switched the ‘x’ for the ‘ks’.
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“I never thought people would actually call me by that name. It was just for flow and style of the tag at the time.
“But now, 30 years later, this is what I’m known as.”
But what about the P19 bit?
“That’s the crew I am part of,” he explains.
“A graffiti artist called PEST formed it back in the Paris suburbs – which is where I grew up.
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“There are about ten to fifteen members of the collective. Most of them still work in Paris today.
“In the late eighties/early nineties I got into hip-hop – which introduced me to the graffiti scene in France.
“I moved to the UK in 1997 to study chemistry – which actually comes in useful, working with paints! I went to MMU and did an MSc and PhD before I found a job in science. I worked for 15 years as a project manager after that – but I kept painting all that time.
“When I arrived in Manchester, I was on my own and didn’t know much about the graffiti scene.
“But soon I got involved with Eurocultured, a festival organised by Spearfish taking place by Oxford Road Station that invited artists from all around Europe.
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“That’s how I ended up doing more street art.”
It was back in 2012 that Akse met the curators of The Out House – an organisation that provides space for artists around the Northern Quarter.
This encounter, combined with the rise of social media, saw the Akse name spread further and wider than he ever could have hoped for…
“As a chemist, I really enjoy Breaking Bad, so doing Heisenberg was quite special.”
The Out House is an organisation that guarantees there’s always a space for artists to flex their creative muscles.
“You don’t choose who will be painting with you,” Akse’s explains.
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“The scene isn’t that big, so you know all the other artists, more or less. You meet many of them at events. If they are local, you’re likely to work with them at some point.”
Akse also does his own personal artwork in the city, obtaining permission from the owner of the building, the landlord and/or property management companies before he shakes up his spray can.
He specialises in photorealistic portraiture, but out of the hundreds of pieces he’s composed over the years, is there one he’s particularly proud of?
“The Heisenberg piece was really popular. As a chemist, I really enjoy Breaking Bad, so doing that one was quite special for me.
We ask if there are any murals he’d like to make in the future, and Akse doesn’t have to think long about his answer.
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“I have a list of a few subjects I’ve been wanting to paint for a long time,” he confirms.
“One of them was Marvin Gaye – which I have just finished.
“I did it as commission for Soul Coffee which is opening in Ancoats.”
He asks us if we’d like to see it.
A few minutes following a resounding ‘yes’, we find ourselves climbing out of Akse’s car and stepping into a cafe under construction.
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On the left wall is an incredible monochrome painting of Marvin Gaye – wearing his trademark hat and gazing up at the ceiling.
“This is a great place to be a part of”
Before posing beside the sketched singer, Aske retrieves a huge stack of Marvin Gaye vinyls from his car and starts flicking through them, thinking carefully about which one he should choose.
He picks one, raises it slowly, puts it back, plucks another record from the pile, and then returns to his original choice.
“This one, I think, will be better,” he mutters.
He wants the picture to be perfect. Like Walter White, Akse doesn’t do half-measures.
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Since touching down in Manchester many years ago, Akse moved around the outskirts of the city whilst finding his feet, juggling his painting with a career in project management.
Today, he’s settled with a young family and pursuing his artwork full-time.
“Manchester is a good size, it’s convenient to get around. I’m a fan of the music scene here. I always used to like The Smiths – and that was before I even came here!
“The city has everything I need, really. Except the weather.
“The last twenty years it has kind of boomed, bringing in a lot of new businesses and creatives.
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“There’s a lot here now. It’s a great place to be a part of.”
15 of the best burrito spots in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
We would argue that burritos are one of the best food stuffs on the planet: first off, they’re like an all-in-one meal wrapped in a perfect, jam-packed and hopefully not so little package (cheeky). Two, they’re super filling, and there are literally tonnes of places to get them all over Greater Manchester.
Sounds like a good excuse for a round-up, don’t you think?
Burritos are pretty easy to do well; the real knack is finding out how to do them great. It’s very easy for them to turn into one homogenous mass of mush where only one main flavour stands out, but proper good burritos have layers – a solid foundation with top notes that stand out with each bite.
Are we overintellectualising what is essentially a mix of rice, beans, protein and some extras in a wrap? Maybe, but we’ve definitely had average ones and some of the best we’ve ever enjoyed at various places across Greater Manchester. Here are a dozen or so of them:
The best burritos in Manchester and beyond
1. Listo – Oxford St
First on the list, simply because I’m writing this thing, is my personal favourite: Listo Burrito. But make no mistake, it’s lots of people’s go-to as well – just look at the state of the queues they draw every day without fail. It’s been that way since they were known as Changos, and they’ve only got better since.
Whether you’re looking for a big, medium or naked version, I believe you won’t find a better lineup of meats, veggies, toppings, sides or sauces. The latter really can steal the show if you nail the right combos and flavours here also. The GOAT, at least in my humble opinion.
Next up is another contender for one, if not the best burritos in Manchester according to aficionados, and we can confirm we’ve polished off more than a few grande pork pibils here. It’s another one with lines every lunchtime and the kind of place where entire offices put in group orders. Naming no names…
Seriously though, Pancho’s Burritos aren’t just one of the best in its category: it’s one of our favourite places in the ever-thriving Arndale Market full stop, and that’s saying something. Wash it all down with a lovely Jarritos and you’ve got a regular work staple to have on your dinner break at least once a week.
Now, in at number three is technically part of a wider chain, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, and you’ll just have to trust that we’ve eaten enough burritos to know what standard can compete with the big boys. Put it this way, a good 10% of our genetic make-up must be Mexican at this point.
Death Valley are a spin-off of the well-known Barburrito brand, which started right here in Manchester. Nevertheless, we still regularly turn to old faithfuls, and maybe we’re imagining it, but there seems to be extra care taken with their delivery-only burritos. Their California-style options are great.
This is probably one of our most regular takeaway orders on lazy nights in. Great value too. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
4. La Casita – Chorlton
Heading out of the city centre for the first time on this list but not all that far, a short tram ride is more than worth it to sample one of the best independents Chorlton has to offer: La Casita. Located along that gorgeous little run of restaurants and bars on Barlow Moor Road, it’s a bit of a stunner if you ask us.
Beautifully flavourful and affordable burritos plus plenty more from one of our favourite strips outside the city; they’re currently closed until further notice, but make sure to visit when they reopen. To be honest, we’d travel for a zesty margarita on that sun-soaked little patio bit every day of the week if we could.
A favourite of our Takeaways Champions king Dean, it sometimes seems mad to think Don Tacos started out life in humble pasty-loving Bolton back in 2016 before going on to become a beloved student outlier on the Curry Mile and ultimately one of the busiest food spots on Piccadilly Gardens.
Cut to nearly a whole decade later and this place has seriously levelled up with another colourful new premises in central Manchester and a bigger menu than ever, which does included burritos. The tacos might rightly steal the show here, but the burritos won’t let you down either.
Known for their tacos but also some of the best burritos in Manchester city centre and beyond. (Credit: The Manc Group)
6. Monsieur French Tacos – Oxford Road Corridor
Ok, we’re over a third of the way through this thing, so we’re going to mix things up a little by suggesting something that isn’t by no means traditional, but it certainly is tasty – us and the hordes of students certainly seem to think so.
The classic continental cuisine might not be the culture that comes to mind when you think of the masters of burritos, but in the same way that ‘Tex-Mex‘ scran just works, so does the Monsieur French Tacos take on big, cheesy, toasted tortillas. It’s junk food that’s become an instant hit with big crowds.
7. Casa Mexica – Oxford Rd Corridor
Sticking on Oxford Road (or rather just off), The Quardrangle’s Casa Mexica has been helping uni students get the most bang for their buck for years now, and maybe it’s recency bias, but it seems like they just keep getting better every time we go back.
With its colourful aesthetic and cosy interior that feels like you’re transported to a little corner of Mexico, we’d wager this is one of the best value for money burritos in Manchester, with fantastic plant-based options too. Our very own Thomas had his first experience here and said he’d go back for the staff alone.
Comfortably up there with one of the best places for burritos in Manchester, no doubt. (Credit: The Manc)
8. French Taco’o – Salford
From authentic Mexican back to experimental modern twists and another example of the ‘French taco’ trend, which in truth are closer to a burrito or a quesadilla that the street food staple that lends its name. Either way, the first time we tried was over on the edge of Salford and were blown away.
In truth, French Taco’o might look like many other unassuming takeaways you’ll find in Manchester or any city for that matter, but this place is quietly one of the best bits of fast food we’ve had in ages. They do plenty besides their version of a burrito, but how can you say no to one with chips, cheese and doner in?
If the last entry is the cheaper, greasier, but ever-delicious late-night option, then the burritos being served out of the new Salon Madre spin-off bar and pool hall attached to the main building is the elevated version of the very accessible staple.
Our only criticism of Madre‘s burritos the first time we tried them pre-Salon days was that the taste may have been incredible, but no rice in favour of more beans made for a slightly sloppy experience. However, they’ve continued to fine-tune their dishes since then, and the flavours are as good as ever.
Credit: The Manc
10. La Capilla – Stockport
Heading the furthest out into Greater Manchester that we’ve been yet, La Capilla Stockport can’t truly be counted as a hidden gem anymore because the locals definitely know how good it is, and so do we. We’ve heard the breakfast is good as well, but we’ve yet to experience it for ourselves (yet).
This little corner of the old marketplace used to be Blackshaws Kitchen and a Pure Innovations charity cafe before that, but now it’s serving some seriously lip-smacking contemporary Mexican dishes, including burritos. Just look at the lovely ‘leoparding’ on the crusty exterior of that wrap. Oof.
Heading back into the middle of 0161 now, one of the newest additions to the Manchester burrito climate is the Australian-founded multinational fast food franchise, who’ve already made a big splash with the debut in the city centre.
We’d consider this a brilliant starting point for anyone who doesn’t eat burritos all that often but also a really reliable spot for anyone who looking for a quick dine-and-dash place to grab one. Not only are they good value but they’ve done plenty of giveaways and offers since launching too. See what you think.
There’s one dangerously close to the office… (Credit: The Manc)
12. Sandinista – Central
In at number 12 on our list of the best burritos in Manchester is one that we’re afraid to say we’ve never grabbed a picture of ourselves – at least not one that we can safely share this the general public.
The reason for that is that this beloved late-night Latin American bar, as unbelievable as the food may be, is for unapologetic, rough and ready eats, so we’re usually in there getting irresponsibly drunk, and our hands would be far too shaky to do our jobs properly. ‘Keep calm and drink yourself silly at Sandinista.’
Brewski screams in at the baker’s dozen mark because, of course, they blood do. The absolute pinnacle of indulgent cheat food not just in Chorlton but arguably the entirety of Manchester, these oversized legends may not be the best for your calorie count, but they certainly leave us feeling fuller than most.
You might find ‘grande’ and extra-large burritos in plenty of places around the 10 boroughs, but we challenge you to find anywhere else that does super-sized stuffed-crust burritos that are quite literally as big as your head. They’re best served as part of a big ‘mate dates’ platter, but that’s just us.
14. Ancoats Tacos
We’re nearly the finish line now and we simply had to give a spot to an unsung hero of the Mexican street food scene, formerly known as Terra Tacos, which is currently undergoing a rebrand as we speak. Safe to say we can’t wait for a taste of what’s next.
Having gone from a trailer to serving as a pop-up in Urban Exchange, making deliveries to the nearby Cask site on New Islington Marina and now catering to big events and private hire, they’re an ambitious bunch, and you’d be a fool to sleep on their food. We see brilliant new burritos in their future.
Credit: The Manc
15. The Mexican – Fallowfield
Last but not least, we came across this one through nothing but sheer word of mouth from those still lucky enough to still be living the best days of their youth over in Fallowfield and having now tried for ourselves, we can confirm they aren’t half bad either.
We’ll confess that having a cute little kid as the resident presenter on your socials definitely scores you bonus points with us, but come on, if you can’t get behind for a local family business serving scran to the Manc masses, then who can you root for?
If you can’t find the burrito to suit your needs on this list, then please feel free to share your knowledge with us as soon as possible – we don’t mind being humbled with better suggestions.
Honourable mentions have to go to the likes of the OG Barburrito, Wrap It In over in Trafford Park – we don’t mind a no-nonsene Tortilla since there are so many of them around now either.
Guess we’ll just have to update this with another five when we get a second…
It goes without saying that this isn’t a comprehensive list of the best burritos across every corner of Greater Manchester, at least not yet, anyway. Nevertheless, it should be more than a good enough place to start. Happy eating!
You can get a mobile massage treatment in your office – just like us
Thomas Melia
We’d like to introduce you to the pioneering personalised service offering massage treatments on the move at practically any location including direct from your office– including to those of us here in Manchester.
In a world where you can get practically anything delivered straight to your door, it wasn’t going to be long until some genius invented a way to get a massage from the comfort of your own office.
Named ‘London’s first digital beauty concierge’, Ruuby have been pampering the nation’s capital for almost a decade before branching out to further locations.
The gorgeous set up provided by RuubyLook at that lovely branding on the towels.They did wonders with our otherwise plain downstairs office space. (Credit: The Manc Group)
In October 2024, the company expanded beyond its domestic reach in the likes of the capital, the Cotswolds and Surrey into Europe, making its first mark Switzerland: the perfect country for both luxury and essential beauty treatments with a tailored experience.
The month following saw the group moving up North and all the way to Manchester, where people can now book professional treatments best suited to them, right on their doorstep.
If you’re feeling scepticalstill, you can take it from us here at The Manc; we couldn’t tell you how relaxing and comforting these massages are.
There are a range of treatments available and we opted for two bespoke massages, a sports massage and a deep tissue massage.
Each experience is suited to your personal needs meaning each massage therapist will be able to fine-tune their relaxation abilities to what benefits you best.
After choosing the bespoke massage that I felt would work best for me, I went into this with no prior massage experience and I came out feeling taller, broader and more refreshed. Highly recommend.
Mid-day office massage? Yes, please.How relaxing. What a shame you have to go back to work after!Credit: The Manc Group
My masseuse guided me throughout the whole process and we soon discovered that I was able to tolerate much harder pressure than I thought which helped release tension I didn’t even know I had!
The same applies to how firm you’d like your session to be, as the masseuse can help with a brief overview of your time together, but the amount of pressure you like is down to personal preference.
It’s not just massages either: there’s everything from waxing, nails and hair to physio and IV drips; how about getting Marbella ready in less than an hour with a spray tan service set up wherever you are?
As Ruuby is a mobile and remote work environment, there are a number of at any time up and down the country, meaning your next beauty slot could be as little as an hour away, find out more HERE.
Gareth Lloyd -
8th December 2019 
