Manchester noodle queen Pippa Middlehurst (aka Pippy Eats) has revealed plans to open her long-anticipated Noodlehaus site on Ancoats Marina this year.
The cancer research scientist turned cook has developed quite a following in the city, hosting various sell-out dumpling and noodle-making workshops as well as pop-up supper clubs at different venues in Manchester over the past few years.
Since winning the BBC’s Britain’s Best Home Cook in 2018, she’s also gone on to publish a number of cookbooks, with her latest – Bowls & Broths – available to pre-order.
Pippa’s first book Dumplings and Noodles shows you how to make these hand-stretched biang biang noodles / Image: Pippy Eats
Now, Pippa’s revealed plans to move her restaurant concept into a brand new unit facing onto Ancoats Marina. Neighbouring much-loved bakery Pollen and the soon-to-open Flawd, a new concept from the team behind Higher Ground, Noodlehaus will certainly be in excellent company.
Noodlehaus will become a new home for her popular workshops, supper clubs and events, as well as selling cookware and kitchen equipment in its own dedicated section.
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It doesn’t seem like it will all be about Pippa, either. Rather, there has been mention of plans to bring in other local independents to host their own workshops and supper clubs here as a way of championing other small foodie businesses in the city.
The new Noodlehaus will be home to Pippa’s popular cookery workshops as well as a home for dining in / Image: Pippy Eats / Giuliamar Photography
Pippa’s plans to open a restaurant of her own have been on the cards for some time, but between the pandemic and issues with the initial unit, everything has been somewhat delayed and frustrated – up until now, that is.
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She initially set up a Kickstarter last year to raise funds for the space and smashed her initial £30,000 target out of the water – eventually raising nearly £45,000 from over 800 different backers after pledging some amazing rewards like a private six-course supper club for ten cooked by Pippa and a year’s supply of her famous chilli oils.
Now, after some setbacks (and stress), she’s finally in her new unit fitting it out with a potential opening date planned for September.
Design for the new space has been completed by the all-female team at No Chintz / Image: No Chintz
Sharing the news about her new home on the Noodlehaus Instagram, Pippa said: “Thank you all so much for your patience, it’s been a tough old year.” “Even though it’s been a really stressful time, it kinda feels like everything happened for a reason, and in the exact right timing.
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“The repeated extensions of lockdown preventing us from opening so I didn’t end up hosting any events in that space. The new space coming onto the market at the precise time I realised it was time to get the F out of the old space, and when I reached out to the developers, they were familiar with the Noodlehaus project and welcomed me with open arms.
Pippy Eats is just as known for her dumplings as she is her noodles / Image: Pippy Eats
“The new space being part of a small community of indie businesses, some of which are friends. Everything has fallen into place so perfectly, is somebody watching over me?! “I’m guilty of being too trusting, too optimistic. But I feel grateful I followed my gut when it was time and that lockdown allowed me that grace period. “The old space, the stress involved, the nightmare that it ended up being, was only experienced by me – and it will all fade from my memory and will not be remembered as part of the Noodlehaus journey. I’m grateful for that too. “I’m so so bloody excited [sic].”
With a provisional opening date of September currently on the cards, there’s definitely a lot to look forward to.
To keep up to date with developments in the lead up to the launch, you can follow Noodlehaus on Instagram here.
A popular local bakery has justified a small price hike on its bakes by sharing the staggering jump in the price of basic ingredients.
In a refreshingly honest and transparent statement, Long Boi’s Bakehouse in Levenshulme informed customers that there have been price increases of up to 255% on essentials like flour, butter and chocolate.
They pleaded for understanding from their customers and said that running a business is ‘hella crazy’ right now.
The bakery, which was recently named one of the best in the UK by the Good Food Guide, has been inundated with similar comments from other bakeries which make you wonder how any independent is surviving at the moment.
Long Boi’s chose to address the small rise in their prices directly to their customers, with a ‘quite frankly depressing AF read’.
They shared real examples of price increases, including a 122% price jump on butter (from £39 to £86.95); a 232% increase on the price of dark chocolate (from £56.24 to £186.67); and a mind-blowing hike of 255% on cheddar cheese (£17.08 to £60.48).
Even the price of flour – obviously, an essential ingredient for any bakery – has gone up from £10.20 to £25.60, a 151% increase.
Those prices all show how rapidly costs have risen in the five years since the Covid pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil.
Long Boi’s Bakehouse said they ‘can’t believe chocolate was ever that cheap’ in hindsight, and stressed that there are also financial issues around energy prices, and ensuring that their nine staff members are paid above Living Wage.
Long Boi’s Bakehouse in Levenshulme. Credit: The Manc Group
Long Boi’s Bakehouse said: “A few of the eagle eyed amongst you might’ve noticed that we upped all of our prices in the bakery as of Tuesday, and just wanted to do a little post to a) publicly acknowledge that (don’t want you all to think we’re being sneaky) & b) explain why.
“Tbh I don’t think it’ll be news to any of you that the cost of everything has gone WILD, but I thought I’d write up some actual examples of the changes in ingredient prices since we opened – swipe for quite frankly a depressing AF read.
“I actually can’t believe chocolate was ever that cheap, what a time to be alive!!! BASICALLY, combine this with soaring energy prices, wanting to use only the best stuff in our bakes, and making sure NINE 💖 lovely staff are paid above Living Wage as standard (maybe the most important bit!!) – means that raising our prices slightly was the only way to keep on top of this balancing act.
“Really hope you can all understand! Running a business is hella crazy right now, big love to all our fellow independents going THROUGH it.”
One customer replied: “Happy to pay the extra but shocked for you at the increases your side – very useful post to see how things are changing and how this affects small businesses.”
Another wrote: “Thanks for putting this together for customers to see! It’s a bit mad init!!!”
There are similar stories from struggling independents right across the country who have lent their voices to Long Boi’s statement.
Albie’s, a popular coffee shop over in Sheffield, said: “We actually thought we were going mad when I said butter used to be under £40 – I had to check old price lists to make sure I in fact wasn’t going bonkers!!
“Hard to imagine how we’ve even come through these last 5 years. Lots of flat whites. Love the transparency. The info in black and white really hits home even for those of us that are paying it too!”
And Big Bear Bakery up in Glasgow wrote: “Never seen trading conditions like this been baking for 18 years and in hospitality for 30. The latest NI contributions are the final nail!”
Coosh in Nottignham commented: “The increase in chocolate prices was eye watering.”
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Did you have any idea just how expensive ingredients have become? If only the bigger brands would be as transparent as Long Boi’s Bakehouse.
Bundobust has hit the free beer klaxon again, giving away hundreds of pints next week after a ‘real mess-up’.
The beloved Indian street food brand, which has two sites in Manchester as well as its OG restaurant over in Leeds, shared a statement that says ‘Well this is embarrassing’.
Bundobust has revealed it had planned a huge free pint giveaway for National Beer Day on Monday…
Except National Beer Day isn’t actually until June. They were looking at the American calendar, the silly sausages.
But not one to throw a good marketing stunt away, Bundobust has decided to crack on with its free beer giveaway as planned, on one condition – you must order in an American accent.
The restaurant will be handing out hundreds of free pints of its own Bundobust Brewery beer on Monday 7 April.
Just pop in with a friend, and any time one of you orders a beer and wishes them a ‘Happy National Beer Day’ (don’t forget the accent) you get a free beer for you and your mate.
Bundobust said: “Well this is embarrassing. We’ve really messed up this time.
“For weeks now, we’ve been planning to give away hundreds of FREE PINTS of Bundobust Brewery beer this National Beer Day, Monday 7th April.
Bundobust is giving away free beers after ’embarrassing mess-up’. Credit: The Manc Group
“All you’d have to do is bring a friend in, any time one of you got a Bundobust Brewery beer and wishes us “Happy National Beer Day” you’d get your beer PLUS a free one to give to your mate.
“So simple. So elegant! Only one problem though. Monday 7th April is National Beer Day in America. Ours is 15th June.
“We don’t want to wait that long though!! Also we’ve already programmed the “free beer for a mate” button into the till, which takes a good 5 minutes, so we’re going to go ahead with it this Monday 7th April!
“There’s one catch though: you have to do an American accent when you say “Happy National Beer Day”. Deal? See y’all on Monday, pardner.”
Their cock-up is our win – free beer deal is available at all Bundobust sites from 12pm on Monday.
Georgina Pellant -
13th August 2021 
