A bakery in Manchester is selling some incredible giant Rolo-inspired cookies, and we’re just a little bit obsessed.
Created by the bakery team behind Gooey Co., the sweet treats resemble the iconic Rolo chocolates – but in giant cookie form.
Wrapped in gold just like our original childhood favourite, Gooey’s Rolo-inspired cookies have been created as a January special and are available for a limited time only.
To create it, they’ve taken their famous milk chocolate cookie dough, dipped it in Belgian milk chocolate and filled it with a sticky caramel centre for that ultimate soft, chewy Rolo goodness.
An original ROLO versus the Gooey ROLO-inspired cookie / Image: Gooey Co.
Priced at £3.50 each, the ROLO-inspired cookies are available from the Gooey kiosk, located at Ducie Street Warehouse close to Manchester Piccadilly train station.
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They are also available to preorder for collection or for delivery within Greater Manchester, and can be ordered through the Gooey website here.
You best act quickly if you want one, though, as the special is only available until this Sunday 16 January.
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Image: Gooey Co.
After that, the team will be bringing back some of their fan’s favourite specials from last year -and are currently holding a vote on which ones to bring back next over on the business’s Instagram page.
Notable specials that could come back include the tiramisu donut, red velvet cookie sandwich, Terry’s chocolate orange donut and peanut butter jelly cookie .
That said, there are over 20 different options currently up to a vote – so if you feel strongly about seeing one return to the kiosks’ counter, be sure to head over and vote on Instagram to make your opinion count.
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Gooey’s Red Velvet cookie special features two red velvet cookies with buttercream filling, dipped in white Belgian chocolate / Image: Gooey Co.
Launched just before the first lockdown began, in the past nearly two years Gooey has pivoted the hell out of its business model to become one of the most in-demand collection and at-home bakery delivery services in Manchester.
First opening inside Wilson’s coffee on Stevenson Square in February 2020, it soon took its chocolate chip cookie slabs and bulging doughnuts on the road – reopening in May for delivery across the region.
By July, the team had also opened a kiosk inside Ducie Street Warehouse and can still be found there today slinging all manner of sweet treats, as well as hosting a selection of treats over at their other venue, the new neighbourhood wine bar and cafe Arlo’s.
They’re really known for their cookies and donuts as Gooey, but over at Arlo’s you’ll find some more elaborate creations on the counter – such as Lemon meringue tarts, chocolate eclairs, hazelnut choux buns and cinnamon buns.
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Keep up with all things Gooey by following them on Instagram here.
Family behind Salvi’s launch new concept, weeks after iconic restaurant closure
Daisy Jackson
Just weeks after the closure of its iconic, 16-year-old Italian restaurant in the Corn Exchange, the family behind Salvi’s have revealed a brand-new concept.
And this time, the reins are being handed over to the next generation.
Salvi’s founder Maurizio Cecco has helped to shape Amò, but it’s all the brainchild of his daughter, Sienna.
Sienna will run the business out of a unit up on Deansgate Mews, serving fresh pasta dishes, pizza sandwiches, tubs of tiramisu, and two-for-£10 spritzes.
The deli aspect of the original Salvi’s has been carried over to Amò too – you’ll find shelves almost to the ceiling filled with Italian pasta, wine, olive oils, pistachio spreads, and more.
Sienna has grown up in restaurants, with her parents launching Salvi’s when she was just two years old.
She said she wants the space to be a livelier, fresher version of the Italian restaurant that has been so loved by Mancs for so many years.
Sienna outside AmòFresh pasta dishesInside Amò by Salvi’sTheir viral frozen crema di caffeLemon granitaInside Amò by Salvi’sTiramisu pots
Amò, which is Neapolitan slang for ‘my love’, will have loads of fresh Italian dishes, including arancini, gnocchi, and hearty pasta plates.
At lunchtimes, guests can order from a £10 lunch menu, with dishes changing daily depending on the best produce the kitchen can get – it could be a pizza sandwich with proscuitto and tomato, a spicy pasta, or a gnocchi bake, always served with your choice of soft drink.
With its position on Deansgate Mews, Amò basks in the sunshine at lunchtimes.
And while it’s definitely a different concept to the original Salvi’s, Amò looks set to carry the family’s Italian food legacy into its next generation.
Manchester announces its first-ever Pride Fringe event with community celebrations all over the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is getting ready for a city-wide Pride celebration this month.
Of course, we all know Manchester Village Pride will be returning for 2026 over the August bank holiday weekend, but aside from the official festivities around the Village, an extensive new Pride Fringe event has been announced – with a programme featuring everything from a film festival and shopping events, to live performances, family-friendly celebrations, and more.
Alongside comedy, club nights, exhibitions, and walking tours, venues across Manchester will also come together for a month-long celebration.
You can expect an exciting mix of LGBTQIA+ arts, culture, live entertainment, family events, food, drink and shopping experiences, giving visitors even more reasons to make a weekend – or even a week – of it.
Many of these events will be raising vital funds for local LGBT charities, and on top of that, the city’s hotels will also be joining in the celebrations with dedicated Pride packages, parties, free gifts, and discounts this month.
Manchester has announced its first-ever Pride Fringe event with community celebrations all over the city / Credit: Jason Lock Photography (Supplied)
Pride Fringe will be led by the return of the week-long SCENE Festival.
Back for its third year and kicking off from Thursday 20 August, SCENE will be bringing together some of the biggest names in TV, film, and queer culture for eight days of screenings, panels, live comedy, parties and premieres across 10 Manchester venues – and this year, it’s the festival’s most star-studded programme to date.
Some of the other highlights on the programme include a selection of Pride-themed walking tours and guided trails.
At the forefront of this is a a guided walking tour led by local playwright and tour guide, Chris Hoyle of What’s The Story?, exploring the stories that have shaped Manchester’s LGBTQ+ community.
From Victorian drag balls and the birth of Canal Street, to the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and the city’s iconic Pride Parade, the tour uncovers the people, places, and moments that have helped make Manchester one of the world’s leading LGBTQ+ cities.
Manchester Arndale and Afflecks will also be hosting their own Pride-themed shopping events and workshops, while Aviva Studios, The Refuge, Freight Island, Kampus, and Fairfield Social Club are among the dozen independent venues throwing their own parties.
Families can also head to places like Manchester Central Library and Great Northern Warehouse for storytimes, craft sessions, entertainment, and other child-friendly events.
Georgina Pellant -
11th January 2022 
