Fancy getting your hands on one of the best cups of coffee in Manchester for free?
Manchester’s number one brunch spot, and the UK’s most popular independent cafe, Federal – which has three locations in the city, as well as soon to open in Leeds – is giving away 1,000 coffees this weekend to mark the reopening of its Northern Quarter site, which has been temporarily closed while undergoing refurbishment.
The Northern Quarter cafe first opened its doors in 2014, and after being open consistently for 10 years and being extremely busy in the process, it was time for a refresh.
The NQ site was known for always having people queuing up to get inside, and with the doors are finally being flung open to welcome customers back this weekend, and with free coffees and pastries on the cards, the queues are set to be resume.
Federal will be giving away free espresso drinks that use its Ozone Federal espresso blend – including lattes, flat whites, cappuccinos, and Batch brew for those who prefer their coffee black.
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Federal is giving out 1,000 free coffees and pastries when it reopens in the NQ this weekend / Credit: The Manc Group
The cafe will also debut new autumn weekly specials, starting with a Biscoff Chai Latte from Sunday 18 October, which is described as being the ‘perfect cup of warm indulgent goodness’ for autumn.
Free Lovingly Artisan pastries will also be up for grabs for those super-early birds each morning.
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Inside the NQ site following the refurbishment, the new interior has all the familiar Fed feels with a relaxed space filled with reclaimed furniture, plenty of greenery, and comfy banquet seating to create that laid-back and down-to-earth charm Federal is famous for.
Timber details and eye-catching signage bring warmth and personality, and tie in beautifully with the delicious menu of fresh food and drinks.
“We haven’t re-invented the wheel, this is all about making customers feel familiar and comfortable whilst improving the flow of the cafe and overall experience,” commented Federal’s Social Media and Marketing Manager, Emily Ribeiro, ahead of the reopening this weekend.
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“We can’t wait to see all our loyal customers again and invite them to come and have a coffee on us and celebrate some of our favourite suppliers, who have supported us from day one.”
Federal’s Northern Quarter cafe, on Nicholas Croft, will officially be reopening this Friday 17 October from 7:30am, and will be giving away free coffees and pastries on each morning of the three-day weekend.
Opening time will be 8am on Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 October, with closing time at 4:30pm on Friday and 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.
Featured Image – Supplied
Food & Drink
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner
Emily Sergeant
More than 12 million Brits would argue that your Christmas dinner needs a side of Yorkshire puddings, a shocking survey has revealed.
The survey in question carried out by retailer Next – which polled a total of 2,000 Brits about their Christmas dining and tableware habits – has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track when it comes to, what we can all agree is, one of the biggest and heartiest meals of the year.
It turns out, Brits like a lot of unusual items on our Christmas dinner plate.
Some of the most obscure finds the survey is that two million people admitted to eating onion rings alongside their turkey and sprouts, and a further 5% (3.4 million) Brits like tucking into a bit of seafood on Christmas Day.
A surprising 4% (2.7 million) of people admitted that they like to add ketchup to their Christmas dinner plate – with mac and cheese, chips, and sweetcorn also making the top 10 list.
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)
If all of that wasn’t mad enough as it is, one of the most shocking stats from the survey is probably the fact that a whopping 1.4 million respondents even said that they wouldn’t consider it a Christmas dinner without the addition of baked beans.
But when it comes to Christmas dinner, there’s probably one debate that’s bigger than them all, and is still yet to be decided – do Yorkshire puddings belong on your Christmas dinner plate or not?
Well, 12.7 million Brits believe that they do, and we reckon a good chunk of that number is us northerners.
The UK’s top 10 non-traditional Christmas food items
Yorkshire Puddings (19% – 12.7 million)
Bread sauce (5% – 3.4 million)
Seafood (5% – 3.4 million)
Ketchup (4% – 2.7 million)
Mac and cheese (3% – 2 million)
Onion rings (3% – 2 million)
Chips (2% – 1.2 million)
Bread (2% – 1.2 million)
Sweetcorn (2% – 1.2 million)
Beans (2% – 1.2 million)
A new survey has revealed has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track for Christmas dinner / Credit: Lisa Baker (via Unsplash)
While previous research has shown that the most common items on a British Christmas dinner are roast potatoes and gravy, these latest stats reveal there are some people out there who just like to do things a little differently.
But no matter how you like to eat it, a delicious Christmas dinner is always going to be something to celebrate, right?
Popular bar chain The Alchemist to rewind back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 next month
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s most popular bar chains is celebrating its sweet 16th birthday next month by winding back to 2010.
Money is always tight in January, right?
Once Christmas is over with, and so is the festive feasting and drinking, many like to use the first month of the new year to lay low and save some money back up – which is why The Alchemist is launching a limited-edition ‘2010 Revival Menu’, bringing back some of its most iconic early cocktails and dishes – all at their original prices from 16 years ago.
For the whole month, you can enjoy the curated throwback selection starting from £6, which i perfectly timed for a month of saving without sacrificing going out.
The Alchemist is rewinding back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 / Credit: The Manc Group
The 2010 Revival Menu includes the return of the fan-favourite White Chocolate Raspberry Martini for £6 on the cocktail menu, which was an early Alchemist staple, alongside other fan-favourites like the Colour Changing One and Virgin Pornstar, both for £6 again.
When it comes to food dishes for £6, you can tuck into a selection of different refreshing salads, while stretching your budget up to £10 will get you things like Chicken in a Basket, a Cheeseburger, and Fish and Chips.
Other iconic Alchemist cocktails returning for a fraction of the price next month include the popular Smoky Old Fashioned, and Dead Read Zombie – both for £8.
The Alchemist opened its original bar in Manchester‘s swanky Spinningfields district all the way back in 2010, and quickly became a popular and stylish destination with its high ceilings and industrial features, and has since developed into a much larger chain – with not only more Manchester destinations, but others across the UK too.
Emily Sergeant -
14th October 2025 
