Eats

Massive family behind Seven Brothers Brewery to open new Salford bar with their four sisters

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 31st October 2023

The huge group of siblings behind two of Manchester’s best drinks brands are teaming up to open a new bar, with 11 Central set to launch in Salford very soon.

The bar will form part of the new Central Bay site at MediaCityUK and comes from the teams behind Seven Brothers Brewery and the Sisters Distillery.

11 Central will take its name from the fact that all 11 siblings are joining forces to create a new watering hole for Salford.

The bar will have a mix of food, drink, live music, bar games and waterside views across a 2000sq ft terrace.

On the menu you will, of course, find Seven Brothers Brewery bees, brewed just a few miles away near where the McAvoy brothers – Guy, Keith, Luke, Daniel, Nathan, Kit, and Greg – were raised.

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There’ll be a microbrewery on site too so that customers can enjoy exclusive limited-edition beers made just metres from the bar.

The four sisters behind the Sisters Distillery will be bringing their full range of award-winning flavoured gins, plus artisan tonics, to the menu too.

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There’ll be distilling sessions at 11 Central for gin enthusiasts who want to learn the craft of making gin.

Seven Brothers was founded in 2014 after the McAvoy siblings were inspired by their dad’s home-brewing in their cellar at home (how that man had time for inspiring hobbies while raising 11 children is a miracle).

All seven of the brothers behind Seven Brothers Brewery in Manchester
Seven Brothers Brewing Co was founded by seven brothers.

Since then, they’ve gone on to open bars and beer houses at Middlewood Locks and MediaCityUK in Salford, in Ancoats and in Liverpool, as well as at Manchester Airport’s new T2 Departure Lounge.

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Keith McAvoy, CEO of Seven Brothers Brewing Co, said: “We’ve been excited to open our doors at 11 Central since announcing our plans earlier this summer, and we’re proud to add another great venue to our list of beerhouses and bars that give drinkers the chance to experience SEVEN BRO7HERS beer and now SISTERS gin all in one place.

“With this new venue we’re combining a mainstream beer offering alongside craftsmanship from our brewery and gin distilleries and offering an unexpected take on drinks classics, which will hopefully be something that visitors come back to us for time and time again.

“The venue offers more than just drinks and food and is a great entertainment space with music and acts as well as a huge terrace that’s perfect for grabbing the last few bits of sunshine this year!

“We’re also able to offer a gin tasting experience at our new venue, that makes this bar more than just a destination for an after work drink or a place to grab a cocktail, and instead those that want to understand how we create and blend flavours can take the gin experience on site and explore gin with our expert team.”

Stephen Wild, MediaCity Managing Director said: “11 Central is a fantastic addition to our new independent food and drink destination Central Bay and we couldn’t be more proud to see Seven Bro7hers’ successful expansion journey within MediaCity.

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“Starting out with the original tap room just off Broadway, they then launched a thriving beerhouse in the heart of MediaCity and now this wonderful new microbrewery, gin bar and pub concept for the people of Salford to enjoy.”

11 Central will open on Friday 17 November with dancers, live music, magic, and DJs across its launch weekend on the Saturday and Sunday.

They’ll give away 150 free drinks on Friday to the first 150 people to sign up and register their interest at 11central.co.uk.

Everyone who signs up will also be entered in to a competition to win a £50 bar tab, a meal for two and a gin experience for two as part of the 11 Central launch celebrations. 

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Featured image: Supplied

Eats

10 food and drink highlights from the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The best food and drink at the Manchester Christmas Markets this year

The Manchester Christmas markets are back and… the same as ever! There are wooden huts everywhere and hoards of slow-moving people all over town.

But one thing we’re glad is still the same is the amount of brilliant food and drink all over the city centre.

For the last couple of years, the Manchester Christmas Markets have made a real effort to introduce plenty of local food and drink traders.

You’ll spot more than a few familiar faces as you weave among all the stalls of ornaments and cheese truckles – and we’ve rounded up 10 of the best.

From a festive twist on fish and chips to Asian fusion street food to a couple of returning viral sweet treats, there’s loads to go at.

Happy holidays – and happy eating!

10 of the best food and drink traders at the Manchester Christmas Markets

Hip Hop Chip Shop, Piccadilly Gardens

One of the very best chippies in Manchester is making it markets debut and we’re very happy about it. Hip Hop Chip Shop is serving up their perfectly fried, flaky fish and chips from £12 or £15 for a large but, to be honest, even the kids portion at £8 is well worth your money.

The only thing better than the ‘proper chippy chips’ here are the mustard and onion and a lovely chunky curry sauce. Having said that, we’ve now tired battered brussel sprouts (£6) for the very first time and we were very surprised about how much we liked them.

A vegan battered sausage and chips tray can always be snapped up at the same price point as the superb fish supper and they’ve even for beers starting at £5 and costing you no more than £7 for a posh pale ale.

The Flat Baker, Piccadilly Gardens

The Flat Baker are at The Winter Gardens in Manchester
The Flat Baker are at The Winter Gardens in Manchester

At its main site in Ancoats, The Flat Baker always pulls in the queues, and its spot at the Manchester Christmas Markets is no different.

After last year’s runaway success, they’ve got a bigger unit and a proper queue system, bringing back hits like croissants served with warm dipping sauce (pistachio, dulce de leche, Nutella and Oreo, and Kinder) which are £7.50 each.

There’s also new items like a Brazilian mince roll ice cream (£6.50), and an indulgent hot chocolate served in a cookie cup (£7.90).

Oi Dumplings, Piccadilly Gardens

Oi Dumplings are back with a disco ball shed at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Oi Dumplings are back with a disco ball shed at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Oi Dumplings are back with a disco ball shed at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group

One of our favourite restaurants and street food traders ever, the lovely Oi Dumplings are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets.

Just weeks after their shiny new restaurant burnt down, they’re putting on a brave face (and a lot of disco ball decorations) and hitting the streets of Manchester.

Head here for delicious, handmade steamed dumplings (£8 snack size, £12 meal size, £13 with rice) and the friendliest faces in town.

Fillings include pork cabbage and ginger, Chinese chicken curry, and vegan peanut, with sauces to go on top.

El Gato Negro, King Street

Meatball sandwich at El Gato Negro
Meatball sandwich at El Gato Negro
Tapas and spanish sandwiches at the Christmas Markets
Tapas and spanish sandwiches at the Christmas Markets

El Gato Negro has always found itself in the midst of the Manchester Christmas Markets, thanks to the fact its award-winning restaurant is slap-bang in the middle of King Street. So it was only a matter of time before they joined in with their own stall.

Now back for a second year, they have small tapas-style plates like chorizo in cider, lamb meatballs, and patatas bravas (all £6).

There are also fully loaded bravas topped with chorizo, cheese, sriracha mayo, crispy onions and aioli (£8), and meatball sandwiches (£8).

This legendary Spanish spot is even doing a mulled margarita (£6)

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Mr Crimble Crumble, Piccadilly Gardens

@the.manc Get ready to crumble, Manchester. 😍 #manchester #manc #manchesterfood #manchesterchristmasmarkets #christmas #crumble #foryou #fyp ♬ sail away (instrumental) – lovelytheband

We ran faster than a Manchester run club the second this gorgeous food stall dedicated to all things crumble opened at the Christmas Markets because honestly is there anything more warming to the soul than a pot of home made crumble?

Choose your base – apple and cinnamon, winter berries, or chocolate caramel brownie, plus classic crumble or granola, then add on vanilla custard or whipped cream.

It’s £7, then for an extra quid you can add in toppings like toasted marshmallows, salted caramel, and pistachio sauce.

We couldn’t think of a better way to keep your hands warm as you browse the festive wooden huts.

Waffle Kart, King Street

Waffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Waffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
Waffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024

Stop what you’re doing right now and look at the above food p*rn. Just look at it.

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‘What if KFC and a Chinese restaurant made a baby?’, they ask on their blackboard above the door – if this is the result, we’re all for it.

Tender buttermilk chicken with an outrageously crunchy batter is served alongside fluffy waffles, with pickles and maple syrup for drizzling (£13.95); or you could get the prawn toast waffles (12.50), an unconventional twist on a family recipe. It’s all great.

Cheezy Bandits, King Street

There is never a season I don’t want to eat a big pot of melted cheese and carbs – and if you whack a bit of cranberry sauce on top too I’ll be there faster than Santa down a chimney.

Cheezy Bandits has a full menu of mac n cheese (£8), with toppings including Buffalo fried chicken and blue cheese sauce; bourbon BBQ pulled pork; and a ‘Festive Pig’ with maple glazed pigs in blankets, sage and onion stuffing and cranberry sauce (all £11).

You’ll find them tucked in amongst the festive scenes on King Street.

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La Bavette, New Cathedral Street

You just can’t go wrong with steak, can you? Treat yourself to a seasonal steak sandwich stuffed with rocket, mustard mayo and topped with crispy onions for a a tenner – or, go one even better like we did and get a helping of freshly carved, melted Raclette cheese on top for an extra £4.

They do healthily portioned plates of steak frites too, which we topped with peppercorn sauce for an extra couple quid and it definitely levelled up the already well-seasoned carbs and the protein too.

Steaks are served medium rare as standard but you can ask for less/more cooking time if you like.

Yard & Coop, St Ann’s Square

Yard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
Yard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
Yard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
Yard and Coop at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group

If you don’t yet know of Yard & Coop – where the hell have you been, loca?

This Northern Quarter institution is back at the Manchester Christmas Markets with a menu full of its usual comfort food with a festive twist.

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There are huge trays of loaded fries, like the salt n pepper tray or the Dirty Santa (£11), plus chicken in a waffle cone (£7) and the Buff Daddy burger (13).

BangGa BangGa, Piccadilly Gardens

Another insanely viral hit from a couple of years ago, and familiar face from the Piccadilly Street Food Markets, here you’ll find Korean hot dogs with so much mozzarella stretch you need two people to reach breaking point.

There are a few combinations of hot dog, potato, and cheese, with the option to roll them in a delicious salt and sugar blend before topping them with gochujang and mayo or whatever sauces you fancy (between £5.50 and £10.20).

There are also super spicy ‘Tteokbokki’ rice cakes (£5).

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So there you have it: 10 of the very best food we’ve tried at the Manchester Christmas Markets this year. So far, of course…

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And you can keep an eye everything else we end up trying over on The Manc Eats.

Merry Christmas!

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

Featured Images – The Manc Group

Eats

The Egyptian Room – Greater Manchester’s grandest new food hall has just opened in Oldham

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

One of Greater Manchester’s grandest spaces has been reborn as a food hall and bar, with six traders inside. 

This part of Oldham’s Old Town Hall, now with an ultra-modern new extension standing alongside its historic porticoed frontage, is now home to the 150-capacity space. 

The old Egyptian Room’s original features, like its beautiful ceramic tiled walls and pillars, and its arched windows, have been perfectly preserved. 

And now there are green leather booths and large tables sprawled around the space too. 

The new food hall, The Egyptian Room, has traders serving everything from pizza and pasta to noodles and gyros. 

Ply Pizza are here serving heaped bowls of pasta, including beef shin parpadelle and carbonara, plus their signature pizzas like the pistachio pesto topped with a gooey burrata. 

TukTuk has a menu full of Cambodian goodness like light bite street food items, sharing platters, spicy noodles and stir fries.

TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

Seacoles is a new name, a Caribbean trader serving tacos and ‘splits’ (which are fried dumplings stuffed with fillings like Cajun spiced stripped beef steak and jerk chicken), and huge plates of curry and rice and peas. 

Then there’s The Last Stop, with smash burgers, gyros and loaded fries, and Wings of Power, where there are crispy-coated wings, tenders and burgers. 

Arooj Shah, leader of Oldham Council, said: “The old town hall, what The Egyptian Room is part of and this whole complex here, was a really derelict, unloved building.

Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Pizzas by Ply at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
Seacoles Caribbean food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group
TukTuk Cambodian food at The Egyptian Room. Credit: The Manc Group

“Jim [McMahon MP] had a vision for this whole building and the one thing Jim and I do share is our passion for Oldham’s heritage buildings and he had a vision to make use of something that was unloved and derelict for a long time. 

“The importance of that was not just the history and the contribution of what happened in these buildings before us but actually as a nod to say that even in the most difficult of times, because it’s been hard the last 14 years, it’s a nod to say how much we value our residents. 

“How even in the most difficult times, this inspiration and the ambition of our partners is a nod to every single one of our residents and communities, no matter who you are or what your upbringing is.”

The Egyptian Room is open now in Oldham town centre. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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