Before trying the food at Purezza, I was sceptical.
Northern Quarter’s newest Italian restaurant has an entirely vegan menu and, as someone who has been a vegetarian for seven years but never quite managed to take the leap and become vegan (mainly due to the general nastiness of vegan cheese), I was unsure a plant-based pizza chain could win me over.
However, after reading about Purezza’s success in other regions (the Manchester site is the fifth of its kind to open in the UK) I put my reservations behind me and entered the restaurant with an open mind.
I was pleasantly surprised by the decor, an array of trailing plants hanging down from the walls and the soft pink and green colour scheme gives the place a very homely feel.
The furniture is all upcycled and the walls are painted with eco-friendly and organic paints, which gives the impression that Purezza is a company that cares. There’s also a playful touch downstairs with a set of swings.
image: Purezza.co.uk
The staff were incredibly friendly and accommodating throughout, despite the fact that I took an age to decide on my meal and kept sending them away.
After much deliberation, my boyfriend and I decided to share the roasted garlic and herb potatoes and the dough balls to start.
I am a firm believer in the fact that potatoes are the best food in the world and these did not disappoint. My only criticism is that the plate was not big enough, I could have continued to gorge on those potatoes all night.
The garlic and herb roasted potatoes were delicious
The dough balls were also delicious, they came filled with melted vegan cheddar and to my delight – it tasted like actual real cheese.
The pizzas all have fun names, too, which injects a little personality into the restaurant.
I went for ‘The one with all the Seasons’, simply because I thought it sounded quite poetic.
Purezza has its own patented brand of vegan mozzarella, and the authentic taste of this cheese made me momentarily forget that what I was eating was entirely plant based.
‘The one with all the seasons’ and ‘The Margherita one’
The garlic dip that came with the pizzas was also incredible – I would argue maybe even better than Dominoes’. I had to stop myself from bolting for the door with a crate of it.
We both wolfed down our meals and my boyfriend, a meat eater, proclaimed loudly through mouthfuls of pizza that if he had not been told, he would have had no idea that all of the food was vegan.
I was disappointed to find that there were only two gelato choices on the dessert menu, vanilla and chocolate – undoubtedly the worst two flavours. I opted for vanilla and, although I wouldn’t say it tasted like traditional ice-cream, it was still pretty tasty.
Given that gelato is arguably one of the most important parts of Italian cuisine, I would love to see Purezza expand its dessert menu in the future.
As we exited the restaurant we were met with a parade of topless men stumbling down the middle of the road screaming ‘It’s coming home’. The cosy interior of Purezza had allowed me to forget momentarily about the chaos of the Euros and that in itself is a five star review.
Purezza opened its doors this week on Monday 21 June.You can find the restaurant on High Street in Northern Quarter.
Food & Drink
Nostalgic ready-to-drink Breezer makes UK return after a decade
Daisy Jackson
An iconic ready-to-drink favourite has launched back into the UK – oh yes, Breezer is back.
First launched in the 1990s, Breezers – then pitched as an ‘alcopop’ – were a staple on dancefloors and at barbecues right across the UK.
And now Bacardi has decided to bring these delicious, fruity, easy-drinking bottles back to British shores.
There are three new flavours to try as Breezers return to your fridges – Zesty Orange, Zingy Lime, and Crisp Watermelon.
And Breezer launched back into Manchester last night with a suitably memorable party, turning a spot in the Northern Quarter into a corner shop.
The ‘local Cornerbop’ was stacked with your usual essentials, plus shelf after shelf of these colourful glass ready-to-drink bottles.
Inside the Breezer ‘Cornerbop’ corner shop in ManchesterBreezer is back, in three new flavours
The Breezer relaunch party saw Tarsza and Rennie Peters spinning nostalgic anthems with a modern twist at a pop-up party in a corner shop.
Steve Young, business unit director for Bacardi in the UK & Ireland, said: “We know there is a lot of love for Breezer in the UK, and we are confident a new generation of consumers will fall in love with the new Breezer.
“RTDs are booming, however, the Flavoured Alcoholic Beverages category could do with a bit more excitement. By bringing back Breezer we’re definitely putting the fruity taste into FAB.”
The iconic ready-to-drink classic is back – and better than ever.
£1.8m revamp of Ancoats pub The Shamrock is FINALLY set to begin
Daisy Jackson
At long last, work to revamp The Shamrock pub in Ancoats is about to begin – and they’re calling on locals to rename the historic boozer.
The Shamrock, on Bengal Street, was taken over by Joseph Holt brewery in 2019 but has been firmly sealed shut ever since, with the pandemic halting its revamp.
But now the family-owned brewery is ready to get to work on the pub, with a £1.8m revamp kicking off very soon.
The Shamrock, which dates back to 1808, will be transformed from an Irish pub into a Joseph Holt’s venue.
Back in the turn of the 19th century, it was a popular watering hole for the Irish and Italian communities who moved to the industrial neighbourhood.
Obviously, Ancoats has gone through some pretty major changes in the years since, and is now one of the city’s trendiest and foodiest suburbs, filled with flats, bars, coffee shops and more.
It’s because of this that the Joseph Holt team felt like The Shamrock was due a new name for its new chapter, and are asking the public to help rename the pub, with a shortlist of five names drawn up.
The options on the table for when the pub reopens include The Victoria Arms (as a nod to the flats and accommodation across the road); The Fleet (the name of a former neighbouring pub); and The Linen Arms, reflecting the city’s cotton trade.
The historic Ancoats pub The Shamrock will finally undergo a £1.8m revamp. Credit: Supplied
The other choices for the public to vote on are The Spinners Rest, after the mill workers who lived in historic Ancoats; and Queen Adelaide, after another former pub around the corner on the main Ancoats Road.
Richard Kershaw, CEO of Joseph Holt, said: “As a family business with deep roots in the area, our pubs are very much at the very heart of the communities where they are located.
“With the moving forward of long-awaited refurbishment of The Shamrock – and with it a new name – we wanted our customers to feel part of the journey.
“So we brainstormed names for the pub that would respect the past and the local area while also looking to the future. Now we’re letting the people who matter most to us, our customers, decide which one to use.”
You can place your vote on the new name for The Shamrock pub HERE. One participant who picks the winning name will receive free drinks vouchers.
Olivia Stringer -
23rd June 2021 
