A new Mediterranean-style restaurant is opening inside the old Solita unit in Northern Quarter this week, breathing new life into the former dirty burger favourite.
Called Pupa, it will bring a host of charcoal grill dishes to the neighbourhood under the stewardship of new owner Armando Pupa, a 27-year-old chef originally hailing from Albania.
But that’s not all. As well as promising a host of charcoal-blackened meat and veg, Pupa will also serve a range of wines made by Armando’s uncles back home.
Elsewhere, diners will find a selection of more ‘English-style’ burgers and sharing platters, as well as some of Solita’s famous American-style burgers, which have been added to the menu in a nod to the site’s longstanding history as one of Manchester’s original burger dens.
Pupa is opening in the old Solita site. Credit: Instagram, @pupa.restaurant
Chef owner Armando has built up plenty of experience as a head grill chef, working for a number of years at different restaurants in and around the city.
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Now, he is branching out on his own, taking over the iconic Northern Quarter site with his very own Mediterranean-inspired concept.
He has also re-fitted the kitchen so that he will not need to use electricity or gas, cleverly side-stepping the energy bill rises affecting many operators as we head into the colder months.
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Speaking to the Manchester Evening News about the new opening, he said: “I’m from Albania so I’m trying to match that with an English style — with burgers and sharing platters.
“We have made a few changes. We will not use electricity or gas at all.“We will have lots of meat and veg on the grill, and steaks as well. I’ve been a chef since I moved to the UK, and when I was at uni I was always cooking.
“I started cooking with my mum, but it was my auntie who said I should work in restaurants.”
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The new opening follows the news that Solita bosses has sadly closed all seven of its UK restaurants.
However, with every cloud comes a silver lining, as it appears that die hard Solita fans can still enjoy a taste of their favourite dirty burgers at Pupa when it opens its doors this week.
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner
Emily Sergeant
More than 12 million Brits would argue that your Christmas dinner needs a side of Yorkshire puddings, a shocking survey has revealed.
The survey in question carried out by retailer Next – which polled a total of 2,000 Brits about their Christmas dining and tableware habits – has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track when it comes to, what we can all agree is, one of the biggest and heartiest meals of the year.
It turns out, Brits like a lot of unusual items on our Christmas dinner plate.
Some of the most obscure finds the survey is that two million people admitted to eating onion rings alongside their turkey and sprouts, and a further 5% (3.4 million) Brits like tucking into a bit of seafood on Christmas Day.
A surprising 4% (2.7 million) of people admitted that they like to add ketchup to their Christmas dinner plate – with mac and cheese, chips, and sweetcorn also making the top 10 list.
More than 12 million Brits think Yorkshire puddings belong with your Christmas dinner / Credit: Rumman Amin (via Unsplash)
If all of that wasn’t mad enough as it is, one of the most shocking stats from the survey is probably the fact that a whopping 1.4 million respondents even said that they wouldn’t consider it a Christmas dinner without the addition of baked beans.
But when it comes to Christmas dinner, there’s probably one debate that’s bigger than them all, and is still yet to be decided – do Yorkshire puddings belong on your Christmas dinner plate or not?
Well, 12.7 million Brits believe that they do, and we reckon a good chunk of that number is us northerners.
The UK’s top 10 non-traditional Christmas food items
Yorkshire Puddings (19% – 12.7 million)
Bread sauce (5% – 3.4 million)
Seafood (5% – 3.4 million)
Ketchup (4% – 2.7 million)
Mac and cheese (3% – 2 million)
Onion rings (3% – 2 million)
Chips (2% – 1.2 million)
Bread (2% – 1.2 million)
Sweetcorn (2% – 1.2 million)
Beans (2% – 1.2 million)
A new survey has revealed has uncovered that millions of people stray off the beaten track for Christmas dinner / Credit: Lisa Baker (via Unsplash)
While previous research has shown that the most common items on a British Christmas dinner are roast potatoes and gravy, these latest stats reveal there are some people out there who just like to do things a little differently.
But no matter how you like to eat it, a delicious Christmas dinner is always going to be something to celebrate, right?
Popular bar chain The Alchemist to rewind back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 next month
Emily Sergeant
One of the UK’s most popular bar chains is celebrating its sweet 16th birthday next month by winding back to 2010.
Money is always tight in January, right?
Once Christmas is over with, and so is the festive feasting and drinking, many like to use the first month of the new year to lay low and save some money back up – which is why The Alchemist is launching a limited-edition ‘2010 Revival Menu’, bringing back some of its most iconic early cocktails and dishes – all at their original prices from 16 years ago.
For the whole month, you can enjoy the curated throwback selection starting from £6, which i perfectly timed for a month of saving without sacrificing going out.
The Alchemist is rewinding back to 2010 with cocktails and dishes for £6 / Credit: The Manc Group
The 2010 Revival Menu includes the return of the fan-favourite White Chocolate Raspberry Martini for £6 on the cocktail menu, which was an early Alchemist staple, alongside other fan-favourites like the Colour Changing One and Virgin Pornstar, both for £6 again.
When it comes to food dishes for £6, you can tuck into a selection of different refreshing salads, while stretching your budget up to £10 will get you things like Chicken in a Basket, a Cheeseburger, and Fish and Chips.
Other iconic Alchemist cocktails returning for a fraction of the price next month include the popular Smoky Old Fashioned, and Dead Read Zombie – both for £8.
The Alchemist opened its original bar in Manchester‘s swanky Spinningfields district all the way back in 2010, and quickly became a popular and stylish destination with its high ceilings and industrial features, and has since developed into a much larger chain – with not only more Manchester destinations, but others across the UK too.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd August 2022 
