There’s something really special about this time of year – crisp nights, twinkling lights, and many, many pints in bars that have fully embraced the Christmas spirit.
But for a lot of us, getting a festive drink can also mean getting shoved and elbowed and sucked into six-person-deep scrums to get to the bar.
Manchester’s Christmas Markets are world-famous, for good reason, but their popularity does make them astonishingly busy.
Thankfully, there are more than a few local bars opening pop-ups and other festive drinking dens.
Salvi’s Italian Christmas Market, Deansgate Square
Credit: The Manc Group
One of Manchester’s best-loved restaurants has got in on the festive action, in the most impressive setting of all.
Standing at the foot of the awesome Deansgate Square towers is Salvi’s Italian Christmas Markets, with two tipis, four festive huts, and loads of food and drink.
Expect all the Salvi’s favourites like sweet and savoury takes on soffietti (fried doughballs), as well as mulled negronis and limoncello spritzes.
It’s been thrown right back to the 80s over at Hatch, the shipping container street food hub just off Oxford Road.
It’s been kitted out with fluorescent lights and disco baubles, transporting visitors back to a ‘different era when iPhones and ‘furlough’ were yet to enter our mainstream vocabulary’.
There’s food too, of course, like pigs in blankets parmos from Parmogeddon, vegan Christmas burgers from Herbivorous, and Terry’s Chocolate Orange martinis from Miama Ice.
Bar Rumbug, Salford
Our Secret is out….
We didn't quite have time to build our distillery before Christmas so we created something a little special…
Rum drinkers will like this one – the Salford Rum Company has launched its very own Christmas bar this year.
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The temporary space has been opened before it launches its distillery.
It’s been decorated with custom art from local artist Urbie, and will serve drinks from its own rum range (naturally), as well as other local breweries and drinks producers.
Featured image:
Food & Drink
This tiny hole in a wall is home to Greater Manchester’s best smashed burgers
Georgina Pellant
Bob over Salford way, and any burger fan worth their salt will tell you that there’s only one place to go for a smashed burger in this neck of the woods. Yes, we’re talking about Burgerism.
First founded in 2018, Burgerism has been quietly setting the standard for dark kitchens way before the pandemic made them so popular.
For years, it has been delivery only – drawing regular queues outside its Salford site and churning out thousands of its popular smashed patty burgers a day. More recently, the kitchen has gone exclusive on Deliveroo and is slowly expanding its empire across the UK with further sites in Liverpool and Leeds.
This year, the team also opened a second site on the other side of Manchester in Gatley.
As a result, Stockport locals can now enjoy their smashed patties, perfect potato buns and crunchy fried chicken without having to make the drive across town (once a regular occurrence, or so we’re told).
Serving up a range of stacked burgers, chicken wings and others sides, alongside Burgerism’s award-winning mains takeaway fans will find a whole host of other treats including lemon pepper, BBQ and buffalo wings.
Burgerism’s famous smashed burgers. / Image: The Manc Eats
Burgerism’s new site in Gatley. / Image: The Manc Eats
Fries come with the skin on, tossed in a signature house spice mix, whilst burgers are pressed down onto a hot grill using a super-secret smashing tool that the team will not reveal on camera for love nor money.
As for the main event, smashed burgers can be ordered as singles or doubles with optional extras like cheese and bacon.
There’s also the slawed-up Freebird chicken burger, which is deep fried and then dipped back into spicy oil for an extra kick.
Burgerism also makes all its own sauces in house. / Image: The Manc Eats
Burgers at Burgerism. / Image: The Manc Eats
Non-meat eaters are also well catered for, with ‘Veggied’ and ‘Veganed’ options both made using Moving Mountains ‘bleeding’ plant-based patties.
Last but not least, we have to give a shout out to Burgerism’s new dessert offering which sees the team partner with Leeds favourite Get Baked to serve up some of the fudgiest, gooey brownies we’ve had the pleasure of tasting.
With the salted chocolate brownie a solid mainstay, you’ll typically also find a special on offer. This week? A hot cross bun caramel brownie, in a nod to Easter. Don’t mind if we do.
To see the full menu click here and to find out more about Burgerism head over to their Instagram page here.
Oh, and to save on your next Deliveroo order from Bundobust make sure to use our code 5OFFBURGERISM when you check out.
Featured image – Burgerism
Food & Drink
Three Little Words and Seven Brothers Brewery are moving into Kampus this summer
Georgina Pellant
This week, Manchester’s waterside neighbourhood Kampus has revealed that two of Manchester’s best-loved indie drinks producers will be moving in over the summer.
Manchester Gin’s bar and distillery Three Little Words will be taking over the infamous bungalow, whilst Ancoats’ favourite Seven Brothers Brewery will temporarily move into the neighbourhood’s red-brick Minshull Warehouse – previously tipped to house a new taproom from Cloudwater.
This summer, the brewery – first founded in Salford nine years ago by the McAvoy brothers – will open the doors to the warehouse serving up their popular family beers alongside a few Kampus specials.
With seating inside and out, once the warmer nights arrive drinkers can once again enjoy the Manchester neighbourhood’s canalside beer garden.
Image: Three Little Words
Image: Seven Brothers
Set to open officially from the long Easter weekend, for the first time tables and chairs will be nestled throughout the giant tree ferns and palms, with visitors able to sample the delights of the impressive foodie community – including Nell’s, Pollen, Great North Pie, The Beeswing wine bar and Yum Cha.
Elsewhere, in the Bungalow popular local gin distillers and cocktail pros Three Little Words will serve up a sleek cocktail menu – all made up from their portfolio of multi-award-winning spirits from The Spirit of Manchester Distillery.
First opened in 2019 by Seb & Jen Heeley-Wiggins, the founders of Manchester Gin, luxurious cocktail bar Three Little Words has since won awards for its signature menu of innovative cocktails.
Both will kick-start on Friday 7 April, with an Easter Weekender of booze, beats and eats in store – with Nell’s Pizza also joined by guest DJs throughout the weekend.
The season is a major moment for Kampus, the first year when the neighbourhood will have a full force of eclectic independent operators fully trading.
More names are set to join too. Red Light will lift the curtain on the insta-friendly Little David Street LGTBQ+ cocktail den, with the opening date to be revealed in the coming weeks, whilst taqueria and mezcaleria Madre is currently fitting out its space ready to bring its take on Mexican goodness to Manchester.
Seb Heeley-Wiggins, Master Distiller & Co-Owner The Spirit of Manchester Distillery & Three Little Words, said: “We’ve got such a loyal following and we’ve been on the hunt for a spot where people could enjoy our cocktails in a beautiful outdoor setting … spritzes in the sunshine.
“Kampus absolutely fits that bill and will be an incredible summer posting for our team. We’ll be bringing our signature menu as well as some seasonal creations unique to Kampus.
“There’s so much going at the neighbourhood that we’ll be in good company. We’ve already got celebrations planned throughout the summer months, where we’ll be collaborating with incredible brands and creatives, and we’ve got a big surprise in store for next month. We just need a long, hot summer now.”
Keith McAvoy, CEO for Seven Brothers, said: “We’ve been big fans of Kampus for a while so we jumped at the chance to put on a summer-long party and create a new beerhouse here. The historic setting is stunning and we know we’ll create, hands down, the best beer garden in Manchester.
“We’re a family run business, born here in Greater Manchester. Our Kampus run is a fitting celebration for how far the brewery has come with the incredible support of every person who’s ever enjoyed a SEVEN BRO7HERS pint.
“We’ll be in good company with our brilliant independent neighbours and encourage everyone to come spend summer with us.”
Seven Brothers will be open Thursday to Sunday every week all summer, whilst Three Little Words will open Wednesday to Sunday.
Daisy Jackson -
9th December 2021 
