One of Manchester’s best-loved Caribbean street food restaurants is set to open an exciting new site next month.
That’s right – Jerk Junction is coming to Trafford Centre.
If you’re unfamiliar with Jerk Junction, or just haven’t got round to paying it a visit yet, then it’s fair to say the eatery has become an absolute institution over the years, and is now renowned locally for its authentic and flavourful Caribbean cuisine.
Not only is it a community staple in Chorlton, where its original site first opened, but there’s also three other successful Jerk Junction restaurants in MediaCity, Wilmslow, and over in Sheffield.
And now, it’s set to take that success over to one of the UK’s biggest indoor shopping centres, as it was announced last week that Jerk Junction will be opening doors to a new Trafford Centre location in September, and joining other big-name food brands in the centre’s iconic Orient food court.
Although this marks the first time the Caribbean eatery has opened inside a shopping centre setting, the menu will feature signature dishes that fans already know and love.
Jerk chicken, curried goat, and vegetarian options like Ital stew, all served with rice and peas, and prepared with traditional spices and ingredients that have made Jerk Junction so popular, are expected to be on the menu when the new Trafford Centre site opens next month.
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Manchester’s beloved Caribbean eatery Jerk Junction is opening at the Trafford Centre next month / Credit: Jerk Junction
“The Trafford Centre is iconic, especially its food court, but there’s a huge gap for authentic Jamaican food, so we are super proud to be a homegrown brand that can really bring that heat and represent the island,” Jerk Junction’s founder, Jake Shaffi, said ahead of the new restaurant opening.
“Opening at the Trafford Centre is a huge achievement for us, and the fact that we will be positioned next to so many global brands really sets the tone for the levels we are taking Jerk Junction to.
“We cannot wait to reach new customers and continue our mission to make authentic Jamaican food more accessible in the UK.”
Simon Layton, who is the Centre Director at Trafford Centre, added: “Jerk Junction’s incredible Caribbean flavours not only enhances our dining offering to visitors, but also highlights our commitment to supporting local businesses and showcasing homegrown talent.”
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Food & Drink
Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant team to take over iconic NQ venue
Daisy Jackson
The team who earned Cantaloupe a Michelin Bib Gourmand are moving into Manchester city centre – and into a site we all know pretty well.
The Cantaloupe team are about to embark on a new venture with Rasade, a new French restaurant in the site of the former TNQ in the Northern Quarter.
The old neighbourhood restaurant announced its shock closure earlier this year, after more than two decades serving Manchester.
But now the beautiful corner building on High Street is under new ownership, and in very safe hands.
Shortly after pivoting Cantaloupe into Bar Caput (a more casual neighbourhood offering), the duo behind it, Joshua Reed Cooper and Mike Thomas, have announced they’re launching Rasade in Manchester city centre.
Rasade in French refers to a glass filled to the brim, traditionally of wine or another drink.
The new French restaurant will showcase regional French cooking and seasonal local produce, drawing inspiration from France’s diverse regions.
This won’t be a stuffy French restaurant though – they’re aiming to create the relaxed spirit of a bistro with their serious commitment to traditional cooking.
Early menus show dishes like oysters with mignonette, langoustine with Karri-Gosse, and pâté de campagne, plus brill with rancio sec and mushroom fricassée, and pork chop with garniture Mirabeau.
And as for desserts, expect classics like a tarte Tatin designed for two to share, alongside flan pâtissier and Opéra religieuse.
Alongside the cooking, an extensive French wine offering will span the many, many wine regions of the country, featuring both small and unusual producers as well as more established names.
Mike and Josh now want to build on the success they quickly found in Stockport with this new city centre venture, bringing the same focus on good produce, thoughtful cooking and an informal approach to hospitality.
Rasade will open at 108 High Street in the Northern Quarter later this year.
What is the UK’s national dish? New survey reveals Brits’ pick in landslide victory
Emily Sergeant
If you’ve ever thought to Google the question ‘what is Britain’s national dish?’, then you probably came away thinking it’s chicken tikka masala.
But is that actually the truth? A new survey has disproved the claim, massively.
There’s no denying that chicken tikka masala – an Indian curry that’s actually widely thought to have been created in Britain – is a popular dish that’s loved by many, but despite what many headlines have claimed over the years, a new YouGov survey has revealed it’s not what Brits consider to be the country’s ‘national dish’.
YouGov conducted two online surveys earlier this month, made up of 2,079 and 2,104 adults aged 18+ living in Great Britain.
And, in their own words, Brits chose fish and chips as the country’s national dish, making it the ‘resounding’ winner with 49% of the vote.
What is the UK’s national dish? A new survey has revealed Brits’ pick in a landslide victory / Credit: The Manc Group
With nearly half of the overall vote, this puts fish and chips far ahead of the roast dinner in second place, which only 24% of people picked – including the 6% who made sure to specify a beef roast.
In fact, only 3% of Brits actually name chicken tikka masala as the UK’s national dish, although 52% in the survey did confess that they eat some form of curry at least once a month, so it is still a popular pick regardless.
Fish and chips is by far the most common answer across all generations too, according to the survey (45-50%), with the biggest difference between age groups being that 18-24 year olds are less likely to have nominated roast dinner and more likely to have chosen chicken tikka masala instead.
What do Brits say is the UK’s national dish?
Fish and chips – 49%
Roast dinner – 24%
Chicken tikka masala – 3%
Curry (non-specific) – 2%
Full English breakfast – 2%
Bangers and mash – 1%
Cottage or shepherd’s pie – 1%
Other – 3%
Don’t know – 15%
The survey also showed that, of the three top contenders for the UK’s national dish, roast dinners are the most frequently eaten, as 52% of people said they eat them on a monthly basis – including 16% who do so every week.
Aside from the frequently mentioned dishes, some survey respondents also gave shoutouts to the full English breakfast (2%), bangers and mash (1%), and cottage or shepherd’s pie (1%).
Emily Sergeant -
5th August 2024 
