A brand-new Amsterdam-inspired chip shop has opened up on the backstreets of the Northern Quarter, and we have a feeling you’re going to love this one.
Complete with burgers, beer, a whole brunch menu, plenty of cheese and sauce, there may be a lot of calories coming your way, but just imagine how hard this is going to slap on a night out.
Smaak opened up somewhat quietly at the end of April, just in time for a maiden long weekend of Manc punters over the early May bank holiday, and the reviews have got off to a great start.
Yes, the central crux of a ‘Het Friethuis’, or fry house, is the fries, but trust us, this is much more than a chippy; Smaak is not only the first of its kind in Manchester, but we think it’s nailed on to become NQ’s next big thing.
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Either that, or at the very least, a cult favourite among those who know their schooners from their steins.
Why? Well, besides preaching to the choir when it comes to chips – let’s face it, we Northerners aren’t just converted, we’re practically dipped in the frying oil at this point – the full food lineup is a condensed but satisfying selection full of big hitters.
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Let’s begin with the brunch: it features everything from classic Dutch pancakes and topped Belgian waffles, to breakfast buns, and rostis served up until 3pm; we’re off to a great start.
Then there’s an all-day smattering of bar snacks, including various loaded fries like truffle mayo and parmesan, classic Belgian trimmings, or even the ‘Oorlog’ option with peanut sauce, house mayo and raw onion, to ‘bitterballen’, which are basically breaded and deep-fried stewy meatballs.
But then you peruse the rest of the menu to see not only wonderful beers that taste like they’re flowing directly from casks in the Netherlands, but a trio of traditional burgers (yes, even a fish one) and seven seriously enticing cocktails and desserts, each with a little twist from the region.
It’s also worth noting that A LOT of time and attention goes into this operation, from shipping over a fryer straight from ‘The Dam’, to double-cooking, making all of their sauces in-house, usually freshly-sourced Cheshire potatoes, and the best quality thick-cut bacon, just to name a very small few impressive details.
Some of these recipes literally took more than a year to perfect – and that’s just when it comes to sauces, no exaggeration…
The whole concept was developed with help from renowned chef Kate Austen, who has worked with Gordon Ramsay and even appeared on the BBC’s Great British Menu, becoming the first woman to ever win the competition. So yeah, there’s some proper pedigree behind this one, too.
Put simply, you’ve heard of farm table – well, these guys are really committing to that ethos, too, only their slogan is more like “from farm to fryer”, and it shows in the results.
Overall, they’ve just got a really good product to offer here, with a more casual cafe-style set-up on the first floor, the cool pour-your-own beer option, as well as plenty of scope for private hire with the big space downstairs. Located on Back Turner Street in NQ, Smaak is well worth a visit.
Manchester parks are hosting loads of FREE Halloween-themed activities this month
Emily Sergeant
Parks across Manchester are set to host loads of Halloween-themed activities this month.
With October half term right around the corner and Halloween not far off either, it won’t be long before parents and carers are looking for ways to keep little Mancs occupied… luckily, Manchester City Council has unveiled a programme of free ‘spooktacular’ activities that’ll be happening at parks across the borough this month.
Manchester’s parks will ‘come alive’ this October half-term with a packed programme community-focussed free activities for children – including a range of lantern making workshops delivered by the parks’ teams.
There will also be pumpkin carving throughout the week, with everything provided to create a suitably scary masterpiece to take home, as well ‘Hidden Horror’ trails across 13 parks with lots of spooky characters to be discovered.
Other highlights included guided walks, cycling along the Yellow Brick Road in Debdale Park, helping to create a giant haunted house using recycled materials at Alexandra Park, and a Halloween Party at Grounded Cafe in Cringle Park.
Manchester parks are hosting loads of free Halloween-themed activities this October half term/ Credit: Max Burchill | Pierre Bouyer (via Unsplash)
And fireworks won’t be the only attraction on Bonfire Night either.
Activities on the day begin from 3pm with the chance for little ones to enjoy magical storytelling experiences from Z Arts, with hands-on crafting inspired by the story.
Dazzling fire performers will light up the event with a mesmerising display of flames, fiery choreography, and captivating skills, and the Lantern Parade prior to the main fireworks display is not to be missed.
Don’t forget to stop off at the retro funfairs, and the food and drink village for some seasonal treats to enjoy on the night.
Find out everything happening in Manchester this October half term and Halloween HERE.
Featured Image – Pierre Bouyer (via Unsplash)
Manchester
Victim named and murder investigation launched after young woman is killed in Newton Heath stabbing
Emily Sergeant
The victim of a street stabbing in Newton Heath this week has been named for the first time as a murder investigation continues.
It comes after officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) responded to reports of a disturbance at around 2am yesterday (Thursday 15 October) on Dorking Avenue, in the Newton Heath area of Manchester, and when they arrived on the scene, they found a woman in her 20s with serious injuries that were ‘consistent with a stabbing’.
Despite best efforts of all emergency services involved, the young woman was sadly pronounced dead at the scene.
As the murder investigation progresses, the woman has now been publicly named and a photo of her has been released for the first time.
She has been named as 26-year-old Alisha Samuels.
At this time, one man, aged 25, has been arrested on suspicion of murder, and a man and woman, aged 61 and 38, have been arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender, and they all remain in custody – with officers continuing their enquiries to establish the full circumstances of this incident.
Alisha’s family have asked for privacy whilst they deal with the devastating loss of their loved one, GMP has stated.
“We are continuing to urge people who may have information in relation to this incident to please come forward to support our investigation and bring justice for Alisha,” the police force said in a public appeal.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident, or has mobile phone, CCTV, or doorbell footage, is urged to call GMP on 0161 856 5464, or contact them via the Major Incident Public Portal here.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111
Danny Jones -
5th May 2026 
