Sometimes it feels like there’s so much emphasis put on restaurants that are new that we forget to appreciate the golden oldies that have been sitting under our noses for decades.
Family-run Greek Cypriot restaurant Rozafa is definitely a restaurant worth noticing, in fact, it’s an absolute must if you want a great Mediterranean scran in the city centre.
A hidden gem sitting in plain sight, this long-standing Manchester staple has been a fixture on the old Brasserie St Pierre patch for well over a decade.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
With a cracking early doors offer and a sun trap outdoor terrace it’s the perfect spot for a midweek city centre lunch – especially when the weather is this good.
Rozafa’s owners also have another site in Stockport which has been open even longer, but today we’re focusing on the Princess Street restaurant, which just so happens to be dangerously close to The Manc office.
Found just opposite the town hall, it always looks beautiful in the mid-morning sunshine – its white and blue terrace filled with dressed tables, waiting for hungry office workers to plonk themselves down and put them to good use.
Serving up huge mezze platters, stuffed vine leaves and whole shanks of lamb stifado, cooked slowly for hours until the meat just falls off the bone, Rozafa has been a go-to for foodies in the know for well over a decade,
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The menu here is extensive, covering both Greek and Cypriot dishes with a host of colourful, heart-healthy options.
If you’re planing a visit, you can expect to find everything from mincemeat stuffed vine leaves and homemade keftedakia (meatballs), to charcoal-grilled Cypriot pork with melted halloumi and several different styles of saganaki.
Elsewhere, you’ll find the likes of grilled sardines and octopus on its fish menu, alongside some hearty favourites like moussaka and souvlaki.
Keen to give it a go, we went in: ordering a whole grilled seabass, hot pitta bread and tzatziki, a fresh Greek salad of feta, olive and tomato, steaming lamb stifado, calamari and loukaniko (Cypriot pork sausages) marinated in wine then grilled. And we still wanted to order more.
Read more:Zumuku Sushi, Ply pizza and ‘native beef’ steakhouse Tallow to open at New Century food hall
There’s so much on offer you’re definitely spoilt for choice. One visit probably just isn’t enough, if we’re being honest.
Feature image. – The Manc Eats
Manchester
First look at Zaap Thai as popular Thai street food restaurant opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A Thai street food restaurant with sites all over the North has finally announced plans to come to Manchester for the first time.
Zaap Thai is famed for its authentic and affordable street food-inspired menu, served up in restaurants designed to mimic the bustling street food markets of Bangkok.
Expect colourful fairy lights, illuminated signs, graffiti art, enamel crockery and even seating booths built into tuk tuks.
Zaap Thai already has locations in cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Durham, but hasn’t made it into the North West before now.
It’s now set to open on Lincoln Square – where you’ll already find Maray – this June.
This new Zaap Thai location is set to be one its biggest venues to date, with 160 covers.
The expansive menu features 80 dishes from across Thailand, from street food small plates to big bowls of noodles and fiery curries.
Their menu highlights include chicken satay, crispy pork belly, stir-fries like Pad Ga Prao, and sweet dishes such as mango sticky rice and pandan custard pancakes.
That’s alongside Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails, plus Thai lagers like Singha.
Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester.
Inside Zaap Thai Manchester
The Moo Deng muralInside the new Zaap ThaiInside the new Zaap Thai
“This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community.
“Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny South East Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time.
“Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to bring the Zaap experience to Manchester!”
Zaap Thai Manchester will open on Lincoln Square in on Thursday 26 June, with free pad thais or curries to the first 100 people in the queue from midday.
Olivia Dean has announced a special intimate show in Manchester
Danny Jones
Soulful singing sensation Olivia Dean has set the UK music scene alight by announcing a number of intimate shows up and down the nation, including one right here in Manchester.
The fast-rising solo artist, who blends everything from pop and jazz to neo-soul as well as R’n’B, is one of the best and up-and-coming artists in Britain right now, with her highly anticipated sophomore album, The Art of Loving, set to release at the start of autumn.
As well as releasing her smash hit new single ‘Nice To Each Other’, the 26-year-old recently delighted even more music fans by joining Sam Fender on stage in London for a live twist on his track ‘Rein Me In’, which was instantly adored by millions and has now been shared as an official studio version.
Safe to say she’s flying high right now, and the second LP isn’t even out yet, which makes this small handful of gigs even more special and tickets super sought-after.
Revealing just seven pared-back shows across the country, Olivia said on her socials: “The art of loving in person! We’re doing some intimate shows, playing some songs acoustically and talking about making the album”, which is due to release on Friday, 26 September.
Partnering up with music shop chain and independent artist champions Rough Trade for the event, she’s set to play the just over 500-capacity gem that is Manchester’s Gorilla.
Other gigs up north include Liverpool at The Jacaranda and over at The Wardrobe in Leeds, where beloved local legends Crash Records will be helping host the show.
With the debut single already out, along with an already viral music video and accompanying dance alongside it, there’s plenty of excitement surrounding this project.
We’d pay virtually anything to see Olivia Dean and a group of backing singers do this at an intimate gig in Manchester.
We think we speak for pretty much everyone when we say that not only are we excited to hear The Art of Loving once it’s out, but hearing it live and in this special acoustic format is sure to go down as one of those ‘I was there moments.’
Playing smaller acoustic album launch shows is nothing new, but they are sometimes the only chance fans will get to hear their favourite musicians play their songs in such a way, so Olivia Dean die-hards are understandably going to be scrambling for these tickets.
Once again, her second album is available to pre-order now, and tickets for her show on Friday, 19 September, will go live tomorrow (Wednesday, 5 June) at 10am.
You can get ready to grab yours HERE, and for now, why not read our review of the last time she came to Manchester for what was a truly magical headline slot?
Georgina Pellant -
10th August 2022 
