Food & Drink

First look as Rudy’s opens SEVENTH Greater Manchester pizzeria

The empire keeps on growing.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 22nd July 2024

Rudy’s has opened the doors to yet another pizza restaurant in Greater Manchester, this time launching a new site in Altrincham.

The wildly popular, Manchester-born brand has taken over the former OneCentral food court in the heart of the town.

It’s been kitted out in classic Rudy’s style, filled with hanging plants, exposed brick, chalkboard menus, and colourful wooden tables.

The restaurant sprawls out over several levels, with a light-flooded mezzanine beneath a huge skylight, plus outside, heated seating.

And of course, the menu shows off classic Neapolitan pizzas – floppy, chewy crusts topped with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and top-quality meats and veggies.

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Favourites include classics like Marinara, Margherita and Calabrese, plus more modern combos like triple pepperoni with burrata and hot honey, as well as rotating specials.

Pizzas are cooked fast and hot, spending just 60 seconds in a Stefano Ferrara oven.

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Rudy's in Altrincham is serving up classic Neapolitan pizzas. Credit: The Manc Group
Rudy’s is serving up classic Neapolitan pizzas. Credit: The Manc Group
Rudy's in Altrincham. Credit: The Manc Group
Rudy’s in Altrincham. Credit: The Manc Group
Antipasti platters at the new Rudy's Altrincham. Credit: The Manc Group
Antipasti platters at the new Rudy’s. Credit: The Manc Group
There's a full menu of Italian Spritzes, beers and wines. Credit: The Manc Group
There’s a full menu of Italian Spritzes, beers and wines. Credit: The Manc Group
Rudy's in Altrincham. Credit: The Manc Group
Rudy’s in Altrincham. Credit: The Manc Group

As for drinks, it’s a well-stocked list of Italian spritzes, crisp Italian and local lagers, and stirred cocktails.

This new Rudy’s in Altrincham is the 27th in the country and the seventh in Greater Manchester, joining three existing locations in the city centre plus pizzerias in Sale, Chorlton and Didsbury.

Rudy’s also has plans to open another restaurant in Prestwich in the near future.

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Bambi Homayoun-Fekri, General Manager of Rudy’s Altrincham said: “After months of hard work behind the scenes, we’re excited to announce the opening of Rudy’s Altrincham on 22nd July.

“Our team can’t wait to bring Rudy’s signature pizzas to this vibrant suburb and become a proud member of Altrincham’s ever-growing hospitality community.”

Rudy’s is open in Charis House on Central Way in Altrincham now.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Food & Drink

Huge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signs

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Huge bakery chain Gail's confirms move to Prestwich - but spells village's name wrong in signage

After months of swirling rumours, bakery group Gail’s has finally confirmed it’s moving to Prestwich – but locals have spotted a glaring error at the first hurdle.

The popular artisan bakery will be moving onto Bury New Road, right in the heart of the suburb and directly opposite the new Rudy’s pizzeria.

Prestwich locals have been hearing whispers of a Gail’s arriving for a few months, and finally the London-founded cafe has stuck up signs to confirm it’s on the way.

But the sign contains one crucial mistake – it’s spelled Prestwich wrong.

The red window displays now read ‘Hello Preswich. We’ll be baking here soon’.

One local messaged Gail’s to point out the error and to say it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.

Gail’s has since confirmed it’s in the process of fixing the signs.

The arrival of both Gail’s and Rudy’s has already caused a stir in Prestwich, which has always been fiercely independent and has only a handful of chains within it (Greggs and Costa are perched by the tram stop).

In fact, one local business-owner shared a moving statement about his concerns for the future of local businesses just a few weeks ago.

Gail's has confirmed it's opening a bakery in Prestwich
Gail's has confirmed it's opening a bakery in Prestwich
Gail’s has confirmed it’s opening a bakery in Prestwich. Credit: The Manc Group

First formed in the early 1990s as a wholesale-only operation, Gail’s opened its first cafe on Hampstead High Street in 2005.

Today the brand has more than 100 sites spread across London, Oxford, Brighton and further afield, and is known more as a customer-facing cafe and bakery.

It’s famed for its freshly-baked loaves, cinnamon buns, ham and cheese croissants and coffees, and is likely to go down a storm in Prestwich.

But the signs have been causing a bit of a stir in the wrong way this weekend – in a local Facebook group, one person commented: “Not locals who own it then.”

Another described it as an ‘epic fail’.

And one person said: “Oh the DRAMA of it all.”

Someone else joked: “I cannot wait for Gais to come to Preswich.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Food & Drink

Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?

It’s funny how we all turn a blind eye to the temperature outside when it comes to the Christmas Markets.

At a time of year where should probably all be hibernating inside, droves of us instead head out to brave the elements all in the name of the festivities.

Of course, the Manchester Christmas Markets sell all sorts of wares to take the edge off, and we’re not just talking about the stalls selling woollen mittens everywhere.

Our favourite winter warmers tend to take the form of a tray of piping hot garlic potatoes, or a mug of hot chocolate, or another boozy beverage that’s massively underrated.

The drink in question is a Hot Blob, which is listed on the menu at the Piccadilly Gardens markets as ‘legendary’.

A bold claim, but a lot of long-time Manc residents will understand why.

The Hot Blob is a jaw-clenchingly sweet concoction served piping hot at the Manchester Christmas Market, similar to a hot toddy.

It’s made with Australian fortified white wine, lemon, sugar, and boiling water.

Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs - Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it?
Hot Blobs – Retro drink makes return to Manchester Christmas Markets, but what is it? Credit: The Manc Group

The drink was first invented by Yates, that well-known pub chain, which started life as Yates’s Wine Lodge up the road in Oldham.

According to Pubs of Manchester, the Hot Blob has a tendency to ‘speed up drunkenness to a young drinker’.

These days, it’s pretty rare to come across one on a menu, but back in 1990s it was a staple in a few pubs around town.

There even used to be a ‘Blob Shop’ on High Street, run by local legend Ged Ford (now in charge of the equally legendary Millstone pub), which found itself in a state of utter carnage when the IRA bomb went off.

The long-lost institution specialised in ‘cheap wine, cheap beer, and plenty of blobs’.

The old Yates Blob Shop on High Street, Manchester. Credit: deltrems@flickr

Ged sold 6,000 a week.

And while the drink may have fallen out of favour since then, there are still healthy numbers being sold at this time of year, even if they are a damn sight more expensive than they were in the 1990s (£6 a pop, plus a glass deposit).

Anyway. If you’re sick to the back teeth of the endless gluhwein being peddled across the markets, make a beeline for Manchester Winter Ale House at Piccadilly Gardens, where you can find Hot Blobs as well as boozy Vimto and cask ales.

The Manchester Christmas Markets officially end on 22 December.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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