Squirrels, for me at least, have always been a friend of the park, not the plate. Still, when I saw a dish of crispy fried wild squirrel appear on the menu at Street Urchin I knew it was inevitable that I would try it.
Served over a creamy pulled ham hock cassoulet with hazelnut bread croutons and nettle pesto – the squirrel deep-fried and crispy, chicken wing-style, in a buttermilk batter – at £22.50 a plate, this is certainly no roadkill barbecue.
The dish has been a smash hit since its introduction and shortly after making its first appearance on their specials board, it quickly sold out.
In fact, the crispy fried squirrel here has proven so popular that by the time I got down the specials plate had changed altogether.
Reimagined with homemade black pudding, puy lentils, wild garlic and new potatoes, with a tart little pickled blackberry and rocket salad, whilst some elements were different, the crispy fried wild buttermilk squirrel was still the same – and that’s what I really came for.
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So, being pretty much game for anything, I left my mixed feelings about the cute little pests at the door and ventured inside to find out if these squirrels are as delicious as I had heard. Spoiler alert, they kind of are.
Nutty and mellow, a bit gamey, you’re encouraged to eat the meat as you would a piece of fried chicken -and so I did. For a moment, I even forgot what it was that I was eating.
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With all the flavour in the crispy buttermilk coating, and more from the combination of black pudding, puy lentils, salad and wild garlic, the only thing to bring me back to reality was the little bones I kept having to pick out.
According to husband and wife time Rachel and Kevin Choudhary the dish has proven a hit with customers and staff alike, leaving them ‘really surprised’.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
“We were looking for something new for the game options on the menu. Kev was speaking to our game supplier and randomly asked if he had any grey squirrels. Happily, he did,” Rachel told The Manc.
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“The whole team tried the dish the day it went on and the majority thought it was really good.
“We weren’t sure if it would sell, but have been really surprised. So many people have tried it and given good feedback. We’ve recommended that they eat it like chicken wings and pick it up, that way you get most of the meat.
“I’d never tried squirrel before and I absolutely loved it, it has great flavour, rich buttery texture, and it’s wild, free-range meat.”
In the UK the culling of grey squirrels is perfectly legal, and some chefs are even adopting the mellow, nutty meat as a sustainable alternative to factory-farmed products – arguing it’s better to eat it than let it go to waste.
Part of a new trend in what’s being called ‘ethical dining’, I personally found the squirrel to be bony but delicious. If asked to try it again, I absolutely would – no hesitation.
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Food & Drink
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – prices for beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more
Emily Sergeant
It’s timeeeeee… Manchester Christmas Markets are officially open for 2026.
Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bringing thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.
This year sees an even bigger return of Albert Square, and there’s also some new locations too for 2026. Lincoln Square has joined in on the action, and there’s also some big changes to St Ann’s Square – with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’, bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.
There’s a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre, but we know there’s one question on everyone’s lips… ‘what’s it gonna cost me?’.
We’ve been running around the markets this morning checking out all the prices on things like beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more, so without further ado, here’s everything you need to know.
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Average food and drink prices at Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
Mulled wine – £6.50
Beer – £7
Prosecco – £7
Hot chocolate – £5
Bratwurst – £8
Albert Square
Bratwurst King on Albert SquareThe North Pole pub at Albert Square
Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development reveals plans for FOUR new food and drink openings
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville’s landmark St Michael’s development has revealed a major new food and drink arrival – actually, FOUR new arrivals.
The huge site in the city centre has announced that acclaimed restaurant group Pasture will be opening four different food and drink destinations here, including a new era for the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub.
Pasture will also have a flagship restaurant on the ground floor of the 43-storey St Michael’s tower, operate the W Lounge hotel bar, and breathe new life into the much-loved historic pub that has stood here long before the development began taking shape.
Pasture has partnered with Relentless Developments and Salboy to bring its food and drink offering to the huge city centre scheme.
The group will take over the much-loved historic Abercromby pub, which is being sensitively restored as part of the development, as well as Terrace, an outdoor dining destination serving a Mediterranean-inspired, all-day menu.
Together, the four concepts will bring a varied hospitality offering to St Michael’s, adding to the restaurants and bars already operating at No.1 St Michael’s such as Circolo Popolare and Chotto Matte.
Founded in 2018 by chef-owner Sam Elliott, Pasture began in Bristol and has since expanded into Cardiff and Birmingham, becoming known for its expertly prepared meat, lively atmosphere and commitment to provenance.
St Michael’s will welcome Pasture to ManchesterSt Michael’s new food and drink offering will also feature an outdoor terracePasture is coming to Manchester
Speaking about the announcement, Sam Elliott said: “Manchester is a city with a huge personality, a strong independent spirit and a real passion for great food, so bringing Pasture here is incredibly exciting.
“St Michael’s gives us the opportunity to create something that goes beyond a restaurant, with four distinct destinations that each have their own identity while sharing the same values around quality, provenance and memorable experiences.
“From our signature open-fire cooking at Pasture Manchester and Mediterranean-inspired all-day dining at Terrace, to the atmosphere of W Lounge and the much-loved character of the Abercromby, we’re looking forward to becoming part of the city’s dynamic hospitality scene.”
Gary Neville, director of Relentless Developments, said the restaurant group was exactly the kind of operator the team wanted to attract to St Michael’s.
“When we started St Michael’s, our ambition was to create a destination in the heart of Manchester that genuinely reflects the energy, confidence and character of the city.
“Pasture is exactly the kind of operator we want to attract. Sam and his team have built something special, and bringing four distinct concepts into the scheme will add another layer of quality and personality to what we’re creating here.”
The announcement forms part of the second phase of St Michael’s, which also includes 75,000 sq ft of premium office space, a 162-room W Hotel and 217 W Residences within the 43-storey tower.
No opening dates for the four Pasture venues have been confirmed yet.
Georgina Pellant -
28th April 2023 
