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.
Live your Come Dine With Me dreams with this all-new dining concept
Thomas Melia
Across the world, one app has been uniting strangers in 235 cities, matching six lucky diners for an evening meal at a surprise restaurant table and now Manchester is the latest city to open its taste buds to this pseudo-Come Dine With Me concept. Only this one involves less cooking.
Guests are expected to partake in an evening of food, booze and plenty of interesting conversations between six total strangers, only with hopefully less drama than the hit Channel 4 show. Strictly no Jane’s spoiling anything…
The concept is being pushed by French entrepreneur Maxime Barbier and his company ‘TimeLeft’. He has a lengthy career in the nightlife industry behind him and now wants to further strengthen good food and good times via this app.
And it’s clearly working: according to the company’s official website, 96% of dining groups consider themselves compatible meaning their carefully selected pairings are pretty accurate.
All curious diners have to do is download Timeleft and take a personality test before they’re whisked away for a night of entertainment and lush catering picked out by the pioneering new app.
Fear not, there will be a ‘Break the ice’ game where you can get to know the like-minded and compatible strangers you’re spending the rest of the evening with.
Once the table fills up and the evening is well away, everyone round the table will receive a notification to continue the night at a nearby bar chosen once again by this new dining concept app.
This new mealtime experience is a really good way of making connections, especially for newcomers to the city who are looking to expand their friendship group and navigate Manchester with some similar fresh-faced companions. There’s crucially much less cooking involved too, by which we mean none.
Throughout their website, the company shares a range of blogs breaking down everything from ‘6 tips for smoothing over a heated conversation’ to ‘the ultimate guide to Timeleft’.
In a standout piece entitled, ‘The 10 types of strangers at your table‘, they discuss the different types of personalities that you may come across during your meal.
From the simpler and recognisable labels like the introvert and extrovert to the more complex like the contemplative and the humourist, these little excerpts are handy to anyone who may have any nerves ahead of the meeting.
So, anyone located in Greater Manchester who might be interested in this new dining concept can participate by downloading the TimeLeft app and seeing where the night takes them.
You might not go home with £1,000 in cash but you’ll certainly create some memories and come pretty close to living out your Come Dine With Me fantasy – there really is an app for everything.
The stalls causing massive queues at the Manchester Christmas Markets
Daisy Jackson
If you looked at our comment sections during the Manchester Christmas Markets you’d assume everyone hates them – but one look at the queues forming again this year proves that is FAR from the case.
The annual festive event is back with a vengeance for another year, with wooden sheds and pop-up bars all over the place.
Whether you’re after a traditional mulled wine and bratwurst, or a loaded mac and cheese and shimmery cocktail, you’ll find it.
And while the Manchester Christmas Markets always get busy, especially at the weekends, this year is looking especially lively.
Videos shared online show huge queues of gridlocked people on Market Street, in Piccadilly Gardens and on King Street.
The cause of one of the biggest queues is again The Flat Baker – the Ancoats indie debuted at the markets last year with huge croissants served with pots of dipping sauce including pistachio and dulce de leche.
For 2024 they’ve introduced hot chocolates served in an edible cookie cup.
It went viral last year, it’s gone viral again this year, and the queues have gone so wild there’s now actual fences, Disney-style, specifically to manage The Flat Baker crowds.
These wind all the way from their stall in Piccadilly Gardens to the outside of the markets, travelling along the Piccadilly Wall.
And while getting your hands on a Flat Baker croissant requires some grit and determination, it’s not the only spot where you’ll be facing a wait.
Molten dark, milk and even golden chocolate can be bought here in an edible chocolate cup, poured over brownies and strawberries, or used as a base for hot chocolates and affogatos.
The Flat Baker are at The Winter Gardens in Manchester Christmas Markets and causing big queuesWaffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2024
The team here move fast but if you go at peak times you’ll still be looking at a queue.
Down on the King Street section of the Manchester Christmas Markets you’ll find Waffle Kart, a brilliant little business serving fun family recipes inspired by Hong Kong street food.
Expect fried chicken and waffles, waffle prawn toast and loaded waffle fries – and a bit of a queue that’s worth the wait.
And finally, the biggest queue of the lot is just Market Street in general.
This is Manchester’s main shopping street so ahead of Christmas it’s always busy, but now that there are stalls all the way down it luring shoppers in, it’s totally gridlocked.
Georgina Pellant -
13th August 2021 
