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
The cosy Peak District pub serving a pick’n’mix sausage and mash menu
Daisy Jackson
There’s a Peak District pub that’s turned one of Britain’s most beloved comfort foods into a full-on pick’n’mix.
Tucked away in the postcard-perfect village of Castleton, Ye Olde Nags Head is serving up a fully customisable menu of sausage and mash dishes.
We’re talking near-endless combinations of proper pub grub.
You start by choosing your sausages from a daily rotating selection (not a sentence you hear every day, but we’re into it).
Expect classics like Cumberland alongside more adventurous options like venison and mustard, or even wild boar and orange, plus a veggie sausage daily.
Then it’s onto the mash – you can go for flavours like cheese and onion, wholegrain mustard, or even black pudding mash.
Classic cumberland, mustard mash, and mushroom sauceVeggie sausage with cheese and onion mash and classic gravyTucking in
To finish? A choice of rich, hearty gravies and sauces to bring it all together, whether that’s a classic onion gravy, a peppercorn sauce, or a creamy wild mushroom sauce.
And if that wasn’t enough, you can even upgrade your bangers and mash pick’n’mix by having it all served inside a giant Yorkshire pudding.
Ye Olde Nags Head is a historic 17th-century pub, with a roaring fire in every room and cosy bedrooms upstairs.
Inside Ye Olde Nags Head pub in the Peak DistrictYe Olde Nags Head pub is near Mam Tor
It’s one of those flagstone-floored, beamed-ceilinged, mismatched-furniture type pubs that welcomes everyone in every state, whether you’re caked in mud from a hike or popping in on a coach tour.
Another of the pub’s specialties is the Derbyshire Breakfast, a hearty plate of sausage, smoked bacon, black pudding, free range egg, grilled tomatoes, field mushrooms, baked beans and fried bread.
The pub also offers takeaway breakfast butties, so you can use it for both a pre-hike stop and a post-hike pint.
Given it’s just minutes from the ever-popular Mam Tor hike, this is one pub you’ll definitely want to add to your next Peak District day out itinerary.
The hillside farm in the Peak District making its own ice cream
Daisy Jackson
Did you know there’s a 300-year-old farm in the Peak District serving up some of the freshest ice cream you’ll ever taste? And yes, you can meet the cows that made it while you’re there.
Welcome to Hope Valley Ice Cream, a family-run gem where things are kept refreshingly simple: happy cows, proper farming, and seriously good ice cream.
Set in the heart of the Peak District countryside, this place is about as wholesome as it gets.
The ice cream is made on-site in the farmhouse, literally just metres from where the dairy herd are out grazing.
You can watch the animals, wander around the farm, and then tuck into a scoop or three perched on a milk pail stool, or a picnic bench (or even a decorative tractor).
Hope Valley Ice Cream has some amazing seasonal ice creams, like lemon curd, elderflower, and blackberry, alongside all the classics and a rather delicious tiramisu.
You can grab a cone, sit down with a coffee (again, made with milk from the nearby cows), or go all in with a freshly-made waffle if you’re feeling fancy.
Takeaway tubs from Hope Valley Ice CreamYou can get a mini pail of ice creamMeet the newborn calves at Hope Valley Ice CreamTuck into your ice cream on a milk pail stoolHope Valley Ice Cream
And if you’re the type who really loves ice cream? You can actually order a full pail of it, with four huge scoops plus whipped cream and sauce.
The farm itself is run by the Marsden family, who’ve been working this land for generations. It shows in everything – they’ve created a place that feels genuinely welcoming, not just another tourist stop.
Beyond the ice cream, you’ve got plenty of reasons to stick around. There are calves (including the newest tiny arrivals), plus donkeys and pigs to say hello to.
Whether you’re heading out on a hike or just fancy a drive into the Peaks, this is one pitstop that’s absolutely worth it – and honestly, it’s worth the trip on its own.
Emily Sergeant -
14th October 2025 
