Over in Ancoats, there’s a charming little chocolate shop and cafe serving up homemade lollipops, outrageously indulgent drinks and delectable cakes in all shapes and sizes.
Called Cocoa Cabana, it has been a fixture in the trendy suburb since 2019, having already established itself down on West Didsbury’s Burton Road.
Still, whilst Manc locals and tourists alike know all about its viral Augustus Gloop hot chocolates far less are privy to the details of its hidden tapas menu – and that is a crying shame.
Served at the Ancoats site every Friday and Saturday night, the hidden Spanish menu on offer here is the brainchild of talented chef José Núñez.
Núñez launched his pop-up tapas restaurant Maricarmen inside the Ancoats cafe in May and is using its kitchen on Friday and Saturday evenings to cook up all manner of delicious morsels.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Ranging from blackened and blistered Padron peppers to patatas bravas, Iberico meat and tortilla, fans of authentic tapas are well catered to here – as are foodies looking for more out-there dishes.
The menu also puts a twist on some classic European favourites, meaning you’ll also find the likes of truffled lasagne, plump garlic prawns drenched in olive oil with garlic and dried chillies, and cheese foam-topped potatoes on offer.
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Add in quails egg-topped croquettes filled with chistorra, the best Iberico pork cuts products, crunchy lasagne with boletus, and lagarto with cassava truffled puree, and it’s fair to say that this pop-up has to be one of Ancoats’ best kept secrets.
Plates are washed down with beautiful Spanish wines that have been painstakingly sourced by the team, with a variety of different Spanish cocktails also on offer.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Promising to deliver an ‘unforgettable culinary experience’ in the city, Maricarmen ’s chef José Núñez told The Manc: “We are thrilled to bring an innovative twist on traditional Spanish wine and tapas experience to the wonderful city of Manchester.
“We aim to provide our customers with extraordinary quality dishes and wine that would leave a long lasting impression and bring them back for more.”
Featured image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
Gladiators Live Tour to make ‘triumphant’ return to Manchester on UK arena tour
Emily Sergeant
The Gladiators Live Tour will make a triumphant return in 2026.
Following its explosive debut in 2025 and overwhelming fan demand, the Gladiators Live Tour is set to head out on a UK tour later this year, bringing the iconic phenomenon back to arenas nationwide for an electrifying new run of shows, and making a stop off in Manchester, of course.
Audiences will, once again, have the chance to experience the action-packed spectacle featuring the stars of the hit BBC reboot series on an epic scale.
The 2025 live tour thrilled audiences nationwide, selling over 200,000 tickets and proving the arena spectacular is ‘bigger, bolder, and more electrifying’ than ever, and that energy is only set to continue this year when the show returns to Manchester’s popular AO Arena.
GLADIATORS, READY!
Following its epic debut in 2025 the triumphant live show brings the energy to Manchester on 14 & 15 Nov!
This adrenaline-fuelled event sees the legendary Gladiators storm back into the arena to face fearless contenders in a heart-pounding live adaptation of the smash-hit television phenomenon.
Expect iconic fan-favourite events, breathtaking stunts, epic head-to-head battles and the unforgettable Eliminator finale.
Featuring stars from the hit BBC series, audiences are being told to expect a truly immersive, high-octane experience, as arenas are transformed into modern gladiatorial battlegrounds complete with purpose-built sets, spectacular lighting, and cinematic staging.
The Gladiators Live Tour 2026 kicks off in Aberdeen on 10 October, before heading to other major cities like Glasgow, London, and Birmingham, as well as northern locations like Leeds and Newcastle, and of course, Manchester’s AO Arena for two nights on Saturday 14 and Sunday 15 November.
Tickets officially go on sale this Friday 27 March, with two shows per day available, and you can grab them when they go live here.
Featured Image – Supplied
Manchester
An official and completely FREE Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026
Danny Jones
Yes, last year’s newest and official Manchester Marathon fan zone is returning for 2026, promising more positive pre- and post-race vibes than the first time around.
Here’s hoping for some lovely sunshine to go along with the atmosphere on 19 April.
Set to host the city centre’s runners and spectators for just the second time, Circle Square’s Symphony Park will be home to the 2026 Manc Marathon fan park, complete with independent pop-ups, big screens to watch all the action on, plus plenty more.
Best of all, it’s completely free to enter all day long for participants and those of you cheering your loved ones along, as well as being an ideal all-ages spot for families to relax and enjoy.
Located just moments from the finish line, just outside the University of Manchester along Oxford Road Corridor, you simply follow it down towards the tall Vita Group and Bruntwood SciTech buildings.
Circle Square itself hosts many events and activities all throughout the year, and they couldn’t resist getting back in on the raceday party once again, as more legends are set to take part than ever.
For context, 2025 saw more than 35,000 sign-ups, but this April is expected to see a whopping sold-out crowd exceeding 42,000 – a record number for the annual event.
With that in mind, finding a place to fit all of them and the countless fans who come along to cheer them on from the sidelines is paramount, so it’s a good job the Symphony Park x MCR Marathon fan zone will be open from 9am on the day.
Here are some more scenes from the last edition:
Credit: Jody Hartley (supplied)
Although more are set to be revealed nearer the time, visitors can expect “a lively schedule of entertainment, food and drink pop-ups, family-friendly activities and special offers from our community of independent businesses and brands.”
Set to close around 5pm as the hordes of runners will doubt either head home for a long bath, leg rub or straight to the pub for their victory pints, we can assure you lots of time will be spent on the square.
Georgina Pellant -
19th June 2023 
