Tony Soprano once told a friend trapped in a desperate situation: “You gotta get your arms around this thing.”Bada Bing Sandwich Deli is offering similar advice to its customers.
Manchester’s new city centre snack bar – inspired by mafia TV series The Sopranos – is serving ‘hoagies’ so big they come with eating instructions: Two hands recommended.
Partners Sam and Meg had often wondered about setting up their own cafe, and during one lockdown evening spent watching David Chase’s seminal show, the pair found themselves feasting their eyes on the plates of food that were so often piled high in the foreground on screen.
It was all the motivation they needed.
Together, Sam and Meg made it their mission to bring proper Italian-American sandwiches to Manchester for the first time – recreating the kind of ingredient-packed, eye-popping hoagies that wouldn’t look out of place in Satriale’s (the mob deli where Tony is often found chewing over a problem with his food).
They officially launched their cafe in February and called it ‘Bada Bing’ – an ode to the venue that brings in business for the New Jersey mafia in The Sopranos.
Of course, there are a few crucial differences. Manchester’s Bing is an alley kitchen serving sandwiches – not a bar and strip club off a highway exit.
Currently, Sam and Meg do all the prep and cooking themselves – whipping up recipes in a dark kitchen (with bread freshly-baked each morning) and passing orders out of a window.
However, there are already plans to move to Ancoats and share a space with another Italian-American-themed takeaway ‘Fat Tony’s Lasagne’ later this year.
Bada Bing co-owner Sam told The Manc: “Me and Meg were sat there one night watching The Sopranos and I said: ‘You know what, why don’t we just do it? Set up our own shop and call it the Bada Bing’?
“It was a bit of a laugh at first, but then it turned out to be a great idea in the end!”
Within a matter of weeks, the pair were serving hungry customers out of a hatch round the back of B Lounge.
“We do get a lot of Sopranos fans coming down, but we also get people who are just looking for a good sandwich in Manchester,” Sam explains.
“I can’t think of many places that offer a sandwich like we do.
“Obviously, you’ve got the big chains but I’ve always been disappointed by them.”
In time, Sam and Meg are hoping to have their very own shopfront with “pictures behind the counter” and “meat hanging from the roof” – just like in their beloved TV show.
But until then, they’re keeping The Sopranos theme alive through their menu.
Tony Soprano was often seen tucking into sandwiches at Satriale’s during the series / Image: YouTube
The headliner sandwich is The Bing (with ‘Gabagool’, pistachio mortadella, salami, provolone, tomato, lettuce, red onion, giardiniera and mayo); whilst the Paulie Walnuts is named after one of The Sopranos’ fearless Mafia captains (this one is packed with mushroom shawarma, artichokes, balsamic caramelised onions, walnuts rocket, vegan truffle mayo and gouda).
Other options include the The Meatball Sub with fennel sausage meatballs, red sauce, mozzarella, rocket, pecorino and basil salsa verde; and a rotating list of specials including a Chicago-style hot beef sandwich.
There’s also plans for a Bánh mì sandwich – which the pair have been wanting to recreate since trying one in Melbourne.
“We’ll keep changing the menu as often as possible, maybe the meats will change from time to time, too,” Sam tells us.
“We just want to keep it interesting, I’d hate for the menu to get stale.”
“We’re also hoping to hire someone soon to help with the workload.
“It’s a lot of hard work just the two of us, but it’s been really fun. We’ve worked in bars for years and we’ve decided to throw ourselves in the deep end.
“Touch wood it’s been pretty successful so far.”
Bada Bing Sandwich Deli
So much of The Sopranos is set against backdrops of food – whether it’s a cafe, pork store, restaurant, dinner table, or the wake of a fallen mobster.
By the final season, one boss’ daughter even reaches breaking point, exasperatedly turning to her father – who is clad in an orange prison jumpsuit – and asking: “Jesus, can’t we ever about anything else in the family besides food?!”
It was a snatch of dialogue that can be seen as a cheeky, knowing nod to the show’s obsession with cooking. And maybe it was the masterful cinematography, but the grub always looked so good.
Bada Bing is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood for this reason alone. But it’s probably about time New Jersey and Manchester got better acquainted, anyway.
After all, the two cities already share several similarities – including slate-grey winter skies, residents bursting with intense civic pride, and international status for making groundbreaking achievements in media.
Perhaps NJ’s most famous televisual export, The Sopranos ran for nine years in total, but it picked up a cult following mere months after it first launched.
Bada Bing Sandwich Deli has been much the same.
What this means, of course, is that Piccadilly’s freshest deli is as busy as the real ‘Bing’ on a Friday night.
“We’ve been selling out every week!” Sam chuckles.
“It’s really popular because there’s a gap in the market for this in Manchester.”
Bada Bing Sandwich Deli
Because they’re only a crew of two at Bada Bing right now, customers are urged to get their orders in early.
You can arrange collection on the same day or the next – but you’ll need to act fast to get your hands on (and you will need both hands) a weekend hoagie.
If you wait around too long, fuh-get about it.
Bada Bing Sandwich Deli is located on Back Piccadilly in Manchester city centre.
Opening times are Friday to Sunday, midday until 3pm. Order for collection next day.
Some of the best Oasis-themed offers, deals and specials happening in Manchester right now
Danny Jones
Now, just in case you weren’t getting enough Oasis stuffed down your throat this month, their homecoming reunion gigs have seen a flurry of Britpop-themed deals, offers, event day specials and promotions spring up all over Greater Manchester.
You can move for ‘Champagne Supernova’ puns, lookalikes, lasagne and all the rest of it.
However, while there are simply too many for us to keep track of, let alone list in full, there are some pretty good ones here in the city centre that have caught our attention.
Let’s get cracking then, shall we? Here are just 10 of the best Oasis-related deals and offers we’ve seen in central Manchester so far.
10 top Oasis-related deals in Manchester city centre
Once again, this is by no means a comprehensive list, but let’s get stuck in:
1. The Liquor Store is hosting Oasis parties, plus travel to Heaton Park
First off, we can’t start anywhere else than the music-loving bar that’s hosting some of the biggest pre- and post-Oasis parties in Manchester, not to mention offering coach travel to the concerts themselves: The Liqour Store.
Having popped our heads in on opening day to see what it was like, we can confirm the tunes were turned up to 11, the rays were beaming down on the Manc gig-goers, and let’s just say that their atmosphere is a woman, ‘She’s Electric.’
2. Diecast are also hosting big Britpop pre-drinks
They are, of course, not even close to being the only ones hosting special pre-drinks and after parties for the Heaton Park homecoming, and another one that caught our eye was the even bigger suntrap and beer hall over at Diecast.
Not only are they doing a ‘Champagne Supernova’ bottomless brunch for just £35 per person, which includes bottomless pizza with endless Prosecco, frozen daiquiris and lager for up to 90 mins, but the Britpop tunes will be pumping non-stop.
A simple but satisfying one next; how does a pretty mint Mexican meal deal sound? Liam Gallagher might not speak Spanish, but we know a little and all we have to say is this: ‘Si, por favor’.
It might sound daft compared to just a few short years ago, but barring a basic meal deal, it can sometimes be genuinely hard to find a really good, filling, properly tasty and affordable lunch offering in the city these days, but with a jam-packed burrito and pack of tortillas, Zambrero’s isn’t bad.
Don’t mind if we do.Hat not included. Gutting, we know.Credit: The Manc Group/Zambrero (press shot)
4. An Oasis x Deliveroo fork helps ‘keep things fresh’
Now, this is undoubtedly the most random and ridiculous, not to mention the funniest on the list. Deliveroo are celebrating quite possibly one of the most hilarious things that both Noel and, more importantly, Liam have ever said. Yes, EVER.
In order to get your hands on a limited-edition and strictly decorative fork, all you have to do is order a pint of milk using Deliveroo HOP, and you could be in with a chance of getting your hands on a very humorous collectors’ item. If you know, you know – but if you don’t, well…
Still cracks us up every time…
5. 15% off Hello Oriental for Oasis fans
We’re at the halfway point now and getting peckish once again, so it’s a good job that Hello Oriental don’t just lend the first part of their name to the Live ’25 reunion tour setlist opener but are also offering a pretty decent discount on food for Oasis fans.
For those gig-goers heading to Heaton Park for one of the three remaining Manc dates this month, you can get 15% off your bill when presenting your concert ticket. That’s your pre-show scran sorted then.
There are multiple kitchens inside the subterranean food hallSpice bagCredit: The Manc Eats
6. Complimentary bucket hats with your meal at Tampopo
From one Asian food favourite to another, if you head to Albert Square instead of Circle, you’ll be happy to know that Manchester-founded Tampopo know how big a deal it is to the Burnage boys home.
With that in mind, anyone who spends more than £20 at any of their Greater MCR locations will receive a free Tampopo x Oasis bucket hat. Say no more.
🎸🍜 What do Tampopo & Oasis have in common? We both kicked off in 90s Manchester! To celebrate Oasis coming home, spend £20+ at Tampopo & get a FREE bucket hat!
As we come to the business now, we do realise that plenty of us are still without tickets, and while we completely understand your pain, we can’t help you with spares or anything like that.
However, what we can do is point you in the direction of Printworks, who are hosting a free Oasis karaoke event for all those of you still hoping to cry your hearts to, well, ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ and all the other bangers. Find out more down below.
Since it’s absolutely sizzling at the moment, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the pre-Oasis BBQ Britpop brunch (say that three times fast) that’s taking place at cult favourite Fairfield Social Club.
Not only will there big set of classic indie tracks from local legends Clint Boon and Dave Haslam, but if you pre-book, you can even get your hands on their ‘Champagne Super Saver’ deal – see, told you there was loads of them – which will score you BBQ meats and beer for a tenner.
Our penultimate pick is a bit of a different one and not one we expected, we’ll admit, but it may just get you zipping over to Heaton Park faster than you can name the most overplayed Oasis song of all time.
Yes, for anyone with a ticket for one of the Heaton Park shows, you can secure 20% off a trip to Zip World Manchester, which you’ll find in the very same place as the sea of Manc gig-goers this summer.
10. A special buy one get one free at Malmaison Deansgate
Last but not least, if the sun and the festival season vibes have you thinking ‘give me gin and tonic’, you’ll be glad to hear that a city centre hotel and bar is currently offering buy one, get one free on the classic summery drink to celebrate the Oasis fans flooding into Manchester.
We’ve seen them handing out the vouchers on the front doorstep all day, and with plenty of people staying over for the shows – not to mention making use of the main restaurant and stylish rooftop spot, Sora – enough footfall almost guarantees them keeping it up for every single date.
Malmaison has one of the most simple but effective Oasis deals in Manchester, for our money.BOGOFCredit:The Manc
Have you seen others? Let us and the good people of Greater Manchester know down in the comments.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied)
Food & Drink
Hundreds of FREE iced drinks are being given out in Manchester city centre next week
Emily Sergeant
A popular coffee shop in Manchester will be giving away hundreds of free iced drinks to people in the city centre next week.
Sure, it looks like that classic rainy Manchester weather may be making itself known this week, after what has been a month of glorious sunshine so far, but that isn’t stopping independent cafe brand, 200 Degrees, from ‘turning up the heat’ and seeing in summer in style with a refreshing giveaway next week.
To celebrate the launch of its new summer menu, the first 200 people through the doors of its central Manchester cafe will be able to get their hands a freebie.
Happening next Tuesday 22 July from 7am, the lucky city centre visitors will be given the choice of sipping on one of five new speciality iced drinks, all without having to spend a single penny.
The coffee chain says each new menu item has been curated especially for the summer, and there’s a flavour combination ‘for every palate’ – with unique creations like the Iced Pink Guava Matcha, and the Cold Brew with Vanilla Cold Foam being just a few of the freebie options set to be on offer next week.
Customers are being advised to ‘get down early’ to 200 Degrees’ site in Manchester city centre on Mosley Street if they want to stand a chance of claiming the ice-cold offer.
As well as the five new iced drinks, there’s also a bunch of new food items that’ve just been added to 200 Degrees’ menu for the summer too, so if you’re feeling a bit peckish, you can grab a seasonal bite to eat while you’re at it too.
200 Degrees is giving out hundreds of free iced drinks in Manchester next week / Credit: 200 Degrees
New food additions include a summer falafel salad packed with fresh greens, crunchy veg, and sweet potato falafel, alongside a selection of new breakfast and lunchtime offerings including the whipped feta and roasted pepper sandwich, and a bacon and brie croissant.
Sweet treats include a lemon and pistachio blondie, passionfruit ripple cake, and a vegan raspberry Bakewell.
The Manc -
19th March 2021 
