Food & Drink

Popular coffee chain Blank Street to open third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre this weekend

We can't get enough.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 23rd July 2024

Popular coffee chain Blank Street is gearing up to open its third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre this weekend.

After becoming a common feature down in London, with sites now serving coffee lovers in all four corners of the capital, Blank Street went on to take Manchester by storm earlier this year as it opened doors to two cafes in our city centre – one in Piccadilly Gardens, followed by one on the corner of Cross Street and King Street.

It’s fair to say that Blank Street has earned itself a pretty loyal customer base since opening the doors to its first site back in 2022.

And those loyal customers will soon have a new Greater Manchester location to head on down to.

That’s because the chain will be welcoming the public to its newest site in the Trafford Centre, opposite the newly-opened Sephora store, from this Saturday.

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Popular coffee chain Blank Street is opening its third Manchester site at the Trafford Centre / Credit: Trafford Centre (via Facebook) | Blank Street (via Instagram)

The stunning new Trafford Centre site means Mancs will have another place to get their Blank Street coffee (or matcha) fix from, and not only that, but they’ll also be able to try out the new summer menu too – which apparently includes some of the brand‘s most “refreshing” offerings so far.

The new summer menu sees Blank Street move away from the classic milky base of its renowned Matcha Lattes and experiment with new flavours and lighter textures to provide an “instant hit of sunshine” regardless of the classic Manchester weather.

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The Mango Passionfruit Matcha, Watermelon Matcha Spritz, and Yuzu Matcha Spritz are just some of the new menu additions, while the best-selling White Chocolate Matcha also remains.

Ignacio Llado, who is Blank Street’s UK Managing Director, says the company has been met with “such a warm reception” in Manchester already, and has been “so excited to hear that Mancs want more Blank Street locations. 

“We’re so proud to announce that our third store will be at the iconic Trafford Centre,” Ignacio added.

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“We’re excited to hopefully be fuelling shopping trips and hangouts with friends with our famous matchas and classic cold brew.”

Read more:

Blank Street will open at the Trafford Centre this Saturday (27 July) from 6:30am at Cafe Outside 40 Regent Crescent.

Featured Image – Blank Street (via Instagram)

Food & Drink

A huge festival dedicated to tequila and mezcal is coming to Manchester this month

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A tequila and mezcal festival is heading on Manchester. Credit: Suplied

Manchester’s first-ever Mezcal and Tequila Festival is taking place this month, filling Manchester Cathedral with tastings, masterclasses, cocktails and street food. 

The massive event will see the Grade I-listed building transformed into an agave spirits tasting floor, featuring more than 100 varieties of premium tequilas and mezcals from some of Mexico’s best producers including El Jimador, Ojo de Tigre, El Sueno, Los Arcos, Del Maguey, Cazcabel, Komos, Nixta, Tapatio, El Tequileno, Tiempo and many more.

Festival-goers will be able to gain exclusive insights into the craftsmanship behind these spirits, sampling (responsibly, of course) from dozens of stands. 

All samples, plus a limited-edition clay tasting copita, will be included in the ticket price – there’s no token system here and no extra charges for samples. 

The new Mexican-inspired drinks festival only debuted in Glasgow back in Spring 2023 but it unsurprisingly went down an absolute storm – after all, what’s not to like a big festival full of booze?

Bartenders will stir up cocktails at the bespoke cocktail bar while the crowds are kept fed by delicious street food, including Mexican-inspired Taco Or Don’t, previously featured at the British Streetfood Awards. 

And it’d be remiss of you to leave the festival empty-handed when you can take a taste of Mexico home from the exclusive bottle shop provided by Drinkmonger on site (with discount tokens included in the ticket price). 

A tequila and mezcal festival is heading on Manchester. Credit: Supplied
A tequila and mezcal festival is heading on Manchester. Credit: Supplied
A tequila and mezcal festival is heading on Manchester. Credit: Supplied

Colin Campbell, one of Copita’s co-founders said: “We’re really excited to be bringing Copita to Manchester. It’s gone down brilliantly in Glasgow the last two years so we felt now was the right time to take it on the road and we couldn’t think of a better place than Manchester to head to next! 

“It’s a really easy-going event with a great atmosphere, lots of local street food, shopping and music, so whether you’re an aficionado or a casual sipper we’re confident you’ll have a great time.”

The Copita Mezcal and Tequila Festival will be at Manchester Cathedral on Saturday 14 September. 

Tickets cost £35 and you can get yours here. 

Sessions last three and a half hours and will take place from 12.30pm to 4pm, and 5.15pm to 8.45pm.

Read more: Lina Stores – Italian deli restaurant serving homemade pasta and more is heading to Manchester

Featured image: Supplied

Food & Drink

Lina Stores – Italian deli restaurant serving homemade pasta and more is heading to Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

Lina Stores is set to open its very first restaurant in Manchester early next year, taking its beloved mix of handmade pasta and deli food outside of London for the first time.

80 years after opening for the first time in Soho, Lina Stores is heading north to open a 150-cover restaurant.

Blending coffee shop, delicatessen, restaurant, and bar, the new space will be styled in traditional Lina Stores shades of pastel green hues, warm timber woods, and terrazzo and timber flooring.

You’ll find bespoke marble tables, original vintage Bentwood chairs, dark green booth seating and opaline globe lighting inspired by the original Brewer Street delicatessen.

Diners will be spoilt with an Italian-inspired breakfast menu, featuring dishes like truffle scrambled eggs with toasted sourdough, Greek yoghurt with Italian Macedonia fruit salad, and a selection of breakfast panini.

At lunchtimes and dinner there’ll be antipasti such as ricotta and herb gnudi fritti with Calabrian chilli marmellata, and tuna crudo with capers, pink peppercorn and salsa verde.

Lina Stores Manchester will have the brand’s beloved pasta dishes, such as the 30-egg yolk taglioni with black truffle, and lamb sausage ragu pappardelle, plus new options like lemon sole and potato raviolo.

For secondi (because this is Italy darling, you can have two mains!) there are dishes like chicken Milanese and Luganega fennel sausage.

And for dessert, it’s set to be a feast of Sicilian cannolo (filled with ricotta, pistachio and chocolate) and tiramisu.

Lina Stores - Italian deli restaurant serving homemade pasta and more is heading to Manchester
Lina Stores – Italian deli restaurant serving homemade pasta and more is heading to Manchester. Credit: Rebecca Hope

In the open-plan delicatessen, you’ll be able to grab filling salads, freshly-made panini, and delicate cakes and pastries.

Shelves will be stocked with Lina Stores Collection pantry essentials, from olive oil to traditional biscotti.

And just next to that will be Bar Lina, serving classic and modern Italian cocktails for aperitivo hour until late at night.

Expect favourites like the bloody martini, Rinomata americano, and the basilico with gin, vermouth, basil and lemon.

The bar will have a versatile wine list from all corners of Italy, including the brand’s own signature collection.

Lina Stores Manchester will be located on Quay Street in the recently-refurbished Quoin building, right opposite the Opera House theatre.

Masha Rener, Head Chef of Lina Stores, said: “We’re extremely excited to be opening in Manchester this spring.

“The city feels like a natural home for us considering the area’s rich history, vibrant culinary scene and lively nightlife, and look forward to sharing our passion of great Italian food and produce with the Manchester community.

“Quay Street is the perfect location for us to do so, sitting right in the trifecta of Spinningfields, St John Street and St Peter’s Square.”

Lina Stores Manchester will open in spring 2025.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

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