When it comes to finding a quick lunch in Manchester city centre, you can never go wrong at Pancho’s Burritos.
Nestled into its own very colourful corner of the Arndale food Market (just upwind from our favourite fishmonger), it has been a fixture in this bustling wing of independent food traders since 2010.
A hallowed stop-off for burrito fans in the know, for the past thirteen years chef-owner Enrique Martinez has been dealing in big, fat wraps and tacos stuffed with flavourful slow-cooked meats.
Cochinita pibil (pulled pork marinaded in achiote spices and lime), chicken tinga and beef in chipotle are longstanding favourites, served alongside an array of homemade salsas – all made as they would be in Mexico City using a Volcanic stone called a Molcajete.
A grande burrito at Pancho’s Burritos in the Arndale Market filled with cochinita pibil (pulled pork marinated in lime and achiote spices). / Image: The Manc Eats
A packet of chilli lime ‘fuego’ Mexican Taki crisps, the best selling rolled corn snack in Mexico. / Image: The Manc Eats
Homemade sides and salsas here include Enrique’s special taquero sauce, own-recipe guacamole and XXX Habanero hot sauce. The latter is made using a recipe that has remained unchanged since 2009, and is to be treated with serious caution thanks to his use of fresh Habanero Chilies.
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Other interesting morsels on offer include packets of chilli lime ‘fuego’ Mexican Taki crisps and a tangy portion of nopalitos (cactus leaf salad) – a staple in Mexican cuisine used widely in tacos, salads and stews.
There’s plenty for vegans too, with plant-based fillings choices spanning a vegan chilli, vegan fajita tofu and vegan jackfruit with broad beans in green salsa.
Open from 10.30am in the week and 11am on Sundays, Enrique also serves up a handful of breakfast dishes.
Fans of the stall will know that his 10 inch burrito stuffed with eggs, ham, black beans,cheese and homemade pico de Gallo salsa is just the thing to fix a hangover.
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Priced at £7.50 as part of a breakfast meal deal, you can also secure a coffee, hot chocolate or tea to kick start your day. It’s also available as a quesadilla, but for us the burrito wins hands down every time.
Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find soft-corn Masa Harina Mexico City tacos stuffed with Mexican red rice, your choice of fillings and Taquero salsa, 12-inch quesadilla ‘Gringas’, and Pancho’s nachos loaded with melted cheese, fresh jalapenos, sour cream, pico de gallo, guacamole and beans.
Add to that Enrique’s freshly-made Mexican flan and a variety of brightly-coloured Jarritos Meixcan soft drinks in flavours like guava and pineapple, and it truly is a lunchtime dream.
Homemade traditional Mexican creme caramel flan at Pancho’s Burritos. / Image: The Manc Eats
Mexico City tacos at Pancho’s Burritos with guava Jarritos. / Image: The Manc Eats
The family-run business has been a fixture in the Arndale for as long as we can remember. Owned by couple Enrique and Collette, the magic all began when the pair met in 2006 whilst Enrique was studying in Manchester.
The pair moved to Mexico for a couple of years, then had the idea of returning to start their own food business in the north of England. Having landed back in the UK in late 2009, their company was quickly formed and in in January 2010 Panchos Burritos opened inside the Arndale Market.
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Enrique grew up on his Mother’s home cooking and the street food of Mexico City, a mixture of tacos, quesdillas, sopes, tortas, enchiladas and Sunday morning markets selling Mixiot – a traditional pit-barbecued meat dish that is very popular in central Mexico.
It’s this heritage that inspires the dishes he cooks up on the market stall every day.
Delivering big flavours for a pretty minimal price, it’s no wonder that this tiny little spot is constantly pulling in big queues at lunchtime.
We recommend heading down early or preparing to queue for a while, it’s always incredibly busy between the hours of 12 and 3 – but entirely worth the wait.
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Being such huge fans of the place, we headed down to grab ourselves a big fat order Enrique’s Meixcan – and we even managed to score a discount code for you to get a tenner off when your order from Pancho’s with Deliveroo.
To see the full menu click here and to find out more about Pancho’s Burritos head over to their Instagram page here.
Oh, and to save on your next Deliveroo order from Pancho’s make sure to use the code 2X5@PANCHOS when you check out (note that the code can be used twice for two £5 savings on separate orders).
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
Manchester’s largest Sostrene Grene opens its doors in Manchester Arndale
Daisy Jackson
Sostrene Grene, the much-loved affordable homeware brand, has opened a brand-new store in Manchester city centre.
The Danish business has opened inside the Manchester Arndale today, in a whopping 4,952 sq ft store (opposite the Body Shop, if you’re looking for it).
As always, the new retail space showcases Sostrene Grene’s contemporary – yet surprisingly affordable – home decor, furniture, and stylish lifestyle products.
And shopping here is arguably unlike any other experience on the high street, thanks to its unique layout and winding aisles making it feel like you’re discovering something new around every corner.
The new space shows off a brand-new, full Easter range, with items like pretty pastel bud vases, bunny-shaped candles, tulip mugs, and even Easter-patterned gift wrap.
As with all Sostrene Grene stores, you’ll find a small kitchen section selling cooking and baking essentials for incredible prices, alongside ingredients like cake mixes, jams, and olives.
Then there’s a full tea selection, including a self-serve loose lead tea station.
The new Sostrene Grene at Manchester Arndale offers a vast range of wrapping paper, gift bags and cards, as well as a full wall of candles in every colour of the rainbow (and priced from 40p).
Head around again and you’ll find yourself in the brand’s crafting section, where you can pick up everything from stickers and stamps to beads and thread, plus loads of painting and art supplies.
On top of that, there’s stationery (and where else are you picking up a notepad for £1.76?), plant pots and garden decor, storage baskets, picture frames, rugs, bathroom bits, more candles, hair accessories,
You can even shop for the little ones, picking up soft toys, wooden toys, and kids craft supplies.
And before you leave, you’ll pass through loads of nostalgic sweets like liquorice, sticks of rock, and jelly sweets – and even miniature Easter eggs in their own egg carton.
Sostrene Grene is open now inside Manchester Arndale.
Four Manchester museums and galleries shortlisted for the ‘Oscars of the museum world’
Danny Jones
It’s official: four museums and galleries in Manchester have been shortlisted for what this particular scene dubs as the ‘Oscar’ equivalent of annual awards.
All located right here in the city centre, the quartet of cultural institutions are all famous not only in their own specific fields here in the North West, but nationwide and, indeed, all over Europe and beyond.
That being said, having this fantastic four-piece all nominated for the 2026 Museums + Heritage Awards together in the same year is a testament to just how blessed the Greater Manchester region is in this department.
Sponsored by Altair Media Ltd, the places in question are the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester Art Gallery, as well as the National Football and Manchester Museum. Congratulations!
Credit: Publicity picture/Lee McLean/PA Media Assignments (supplied)
While the National Football Museum and Manchester Art Gallery have been nominated for group-wide accolades – the Visitor Welcome and Team of the Year awards, respectively – the other two have been selected for a pair of specific projects.
In the case of Science and Industry (SIM), they’ve been spotlighted for the highly anticipated opening of the new and improved ‘Power Hall’, finally relaunched this past October, along with the accompanying Andrew Law Gallery, which could win both Permanent Exhibition and/or Sustainable Project of the Year.
What a haul that would be.
As for Manchester Museum, their memorable world premiere of The Cat That Slept for a Thousand Years has been shortlisted for ‘Temporary or Touring Exhibition of the Year’.
Debuting back in July 2025, it wrapped up last September and has since moved over to the likes of the Wakefield Exchange in Yorkshire, where it’s still on display until Sunday, 12 April.
If you fancy a day trip to see a big, glowing and very cute cat, it’s well worth booking a day out to go and see it for yourself.
Shazia Butt, Manchester City Council‘s Executive Member for Culture, Corporate Property, Crime and Policing, said: “We’re very lucky in Manchester to have so many incredible, creative and world-class museums and galleries right here on our doorstep, providing inspiration, learning, energy and fun, as well as spaces to rest and reflect, free of charge every day of the week.
“We know that visiting museums and heritage sites is the most popular cultural pastime for our residents, with over 73% of people saying they loved to visit in a recent survey – and with the calibre of these amazing spaces and what they offer in the city, it’s not hard to understand why.
“It’s fantastic to see this backbone of our cultural offer in Manchester being recognised in this way up there amongst the very best of museums and galleries nationally and internationally.”
Once again, well done to all those involved in making these venues so amazing and well worthy of the already award-winning status, as this particular nomination is just the latest in a lasting lineage of recognition that all of these wonderful spaces have earned over decades. Long may it continue.
The awards ceremony itself will take place on Wednesday, 13 May at the Park Lane Hilton down in London; best of luck to those flying the Manc flag for us – not that they need it.
Georgina Pellant -
6th March 2023 
