Food & Drink

New street food hall and taproom Society MCR opens in Barbirolli Square

Pizzas, burgers, Indian street food and pan-Asian dishes are all on the menu - along with dozens of different beers.

The Manc The Manc - 20th May 2021

A new multipurpose drink and dining venue with a taproom, cocktail bar, street food kitchens and DJ sets will fling open its doors in Manchester city centre this week.

Society MCR – an 8,000 sq ft hub based in Baribrolli Square near Manchester Central Complex – will welcome its first guests today (May 20) from 10am.

The 350-capacity food and drink space will be home to a mouth-watering selection of independent traders including:

  • Dokes Pizzeria: A stone-baked pizza site from the founders of Cutting Room Square favourite Elnecot
  • Slap & Pickle: Banging burgers, vegan patties and loaded fries that first rose to popularity in Leeds (and have resulted in the diner expanding to four locations).
  • Chaat Cart: Authentic South Indian street food named Street Food Vendor of the Year in the Manchester Food and Drink Awards 2017
  • Manzoku Street Food: Pan-Asian specialists whipping up favourites such as Chicken Katsu Curry, Char Sui Pulled Pork Buns, and Korean Fried Chicken Wings
Dokes Pizzeria will be serving stone-baked slices / Image: Society MCR
Slap & Pickle’s wildly popular burgers are coming to Manchester / Image: Society MCR
Pan-Asian dishes will be on the menu at Society MCR courtesy of Manzoku / Image: Society MCR

Also settling into Society MCR is Vocation taproom.

One of the fastest-growing craft breweries in the UK with sites already in Hebden Bridge and Leeds, Vocation’s new site is expectedly diverse – boasting over two-dozen different types of beer to choose from.

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As Society MCR turns into a post-work venue when the lights go down, a lineup of resident DJs spearheaded by Manchester party favourites Regal Disco will spin tunes throughout the evening.

Society MCR opens on May 20 / Image: Society MCR

Co-founder of Society MCR Nick Gregory stated: “We’re very excited to finally open the doors to this iconic venue and look forward to welcoming guests throughout the day, evenings and weekends at Society.

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“We’ve got an incredible line up that will showcase local food operators as well as our 2021 events programme that will be dedicated to highlighting independent artists from Manchester’s thriving music scene. 

“It’s so important to us to create a destination that showcases the very best of Manchester, and Society will be just that.”

Learn more about Manchester’s new multipurpose venue online.

Food & Drink

Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant unveils big refurb

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb

Much-loved Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five has just unveiled a beautiful refurbishment at one of its Manchester sites, along with a new menu of fresh, handmade pasta. 

Gone is the famous yellow colour palette of this Italian eatery as they swap in a sophisticated and regal turquoise blue at their Liverpool Road restaurant.

This establishment is known for its impressive shop-window pasta making stations where you can see your food prepared live in-store and while walking past outside the venue.

They’re continuing their foodie legacy serving carby creations, like a flaming cheese wheel pasta where staff blowtorch the cheese to ensure it’s as melty as possible. 

One of the biggest menu highlights at Italiana Fifty-Five is the cappellacci, which comes in two equally gorgeous forms and much like its English translation, emulates tiny hats.

These cute little plates come in two delicious stuffed pairings – the burrata, combined with a tangy tomato and beef filling, and a salmon with cream sauce and fresh lemon for a match made in heaven.

Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group

How can you think of anything more ideal than a table full of hearty and home-comforting meals than one that also features an array of beautiful sides?

Usual delights like the burrata on a bed of rocket, tomato and finished off with a balsamic vinegar glaze are a great addition to your already faultless food.

Cheesy garlic pizza bread is quintessential when dining in an Italian restaurant, and Italiana 55’s lovely flavour-packed favourite is a go-to when ordering here.

The Liverpool Road restaurant also has a tonnata pizza which uses toppings that are an exact ingredient breakdown of the Mediterranean sauce, which it shares its name with.

In photos: Italiana Fifty-Five has undergone a refurb. Credit: The Manc Group

What better way to wolf down some incredible Italian feasts than with some perfectly paired alcoholic offerings like the classic Aperol spritz, trusted espresso martinis and a selection of fine wines.

Their menu is staying as tasty as ever with their delicious pizzas and pastas, with the new fresh pasta menu available at their restaurants on Liverpool Road and in Didsbury. 

Find out more and book a table HERE. 

Read more: This Manchester suburb has just been named one of the UK’s ‘happiest’ places to live in 2024

Featured Image: The Manc Group

Food & Drink

Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Gail's will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village's name wrong

Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.

The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.

Gail’s put big red temporary signs in the windows of the old bank it’s moving in to – and managed to spell Prestwich wrong.

The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.

More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.

And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.

In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.

“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.

“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”

The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.

Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.

With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.

Gail's will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village's name wrong
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrong
Huge bakery chain Gail's confirms move to Prestwich - but spells village's name wrong in signage
Huge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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