Hidden above The Bank pub on Mosley street lies one of Manchester’s better-kept secrets, the stunning Portico Library.
Accessed via a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it buzzer on Charlotte street, the solid door opens onto a winding staircase, in turn leading to a beautiful hidden library filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves stacked with rows of rare books.
Run using a membership format for over 200 years, it opened its gallery space up to the public in 2017 meaning you can visit and explore some parts of the impressive building – however, unlike your local library, you cannot browse the shelves as the books are very fragile.
There is an annual subscription available for those who want to support the library’s preservation and charitable activities and use the reading room and newspapers (with 70% off for 18-26-year-olds and students of any age) / Image: The Portico Library Sadly, a number of books in the library’s 19th-century collection are damaged to the extent that the team has created an endangered books list / Image: The Portico Library
The second oldest library in the city after Chetham’s, the Portico is home to over 25,000 books and has a long literary history. First established in 1806, its early members included world-famous authors, future Prime Ministers, and leading scientists.
Despite running on a membership format, according to the library’s Events and Programme’s Co-ordinator James Moss, the general public have been encouraged to come in since the 1980s.
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“It was initially a members institution but guests were welcome since the very early days of the library,” he added.
Founded at a time when Manchester was becoming the world’s first ‘modern’ city, the Portico was built with wealth amassed by titans of industry involved in colonialism and the industrial revolution.
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However, its early members – all men until the Married Women’s Property Act of 1870 – included people from all political perspectives, ranging from radical and liberal abolitionists and anti-poverty campaigners to exploitative factory owners.
The second oldest library in the city after Chetham’s, the Portico is home to over 25,000 books and has a long literary history / Image: The Portico Library Open to the public five days a week, the Portico library also hosts an eclectic calendar of events and exhibitions as well as welcoming guests to visit its cafe and shop / Image: The Portico Library
Once frequented by such famous names as author Elizabeth Gaskell, founder of atomic theory John Dalton, and Peter Mark Roget (who wrote the first English thesaurus), today it is run by a charity and is home to the prestigious Portico Prize, promoting writing and publishing across the north.
The library is also behind the Sadie Massey Awards which nurture literacy and learning among young people.
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Within lies a veritable treasure trove of historic literature and rare 19th-century books, including a first translated edition of Goethe’s influential work about how humans perceive and interpret color that is in desperate need of repair.
Sadly, a number of books in the library’s 19th-century collection are damaged to the extent that the team has even created an endangered books list to catalogue those that urgently need restoring.
From historical records, ranging from books of proprietors to minutes books, issue books, and strangers books, to works of poetry and missives on travel, there are some incredible texts stored within its walls.
The Portico Library’s gallery space is open to the public, whilst its reading room is used by researchers, subscribers, volunteers, invited groups, event attendees, and anyone with a reader card (£5 a week) / Image: The Portico Library Originally, the library occupied the whole of the Grade II-listed Mosley street building but today it is constrained to the building’s top floor / Image: The Portico Library
Open to the public five days a week, the Portico library also hosts an eclectic calendar of events and exhibitions as well as welcoming guests to visit its cafe and shop.
The library’s gallery space is now home to a cute cafe where you can dine in on tea, sandwiches, and cake, however, its gorgeous private reading room remains off-limits – with private tours available to those looking to pursue membership to arrange on request.
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To find out more about the Portico, visit its website here.
Feature image – The Portico Library
Manchester
The best Mexican restaurants in and around Manchester
Danny Jones
Whenever we have a bit of decent weather here in Greater Manchester, we always imagine what it must be like for those abroad, just sitting and eating their national dishes al fresco without a care in the world; think, say, Mexican food – a.k.a. one of THE best kinds of cuisine on the planet.
Yes, pound for pound, it’s probably one of our go-tos.
Somewhat inspired by one of The Hoot team recently visiting the country, and partly because we personally can’t get enough of it, we thought we’d give you another one of our famous foodie round-ups.
We’re not sure where exactly it lands in our top five favourites, but what we can do is tell you some of the best Mexican food in central Manchester and a little further afield. ‘¡Venga!’
Top 10 Mexican restaurants in Greater Manchester
1. Madre – Kampus
Up first, where else to start than with the marvellous Madre over Kampus. This Modern Mexican restaurant isn’t just one of the best within its genre, but is arguably up there with the best Latin food in all of Manchester.
Whether you want to stick to menu staples like those crispy pork belly bites and chicken wings, are happy sticking with their tacos, wings and margaritas at sister bar Salon Madre, or perhaps fancy trying their Hispanic Sunday roasts and even a deep-fried pig head, you won’t find a bad mouthful.
Since opening early in the summer of 2025, El Piloto over at Society food and beer hangout has gradually carved a credible little culinary corner for itself, standing out as one of the best vendors of the bunch – and there’s plenty of great competition within that 8,000-square-foot independent trader hall.
Best known for their tacos, but also specialising in other authentic, more roadside-friendly favourites like charred corn ribs, our personal favourites are those chipotle hash browns, not to mention some great quesadillas, we’re big fans of this place.
3. Don Tacos – Piccaddilly, Rusholme and Bolton
Sticking with tacos, they may do plenty of street food, but Don Tacos is still one of the best-known Mexican restaurants in all of Greater Manchester, now boasting a pair of central sites, plus one over in Bolton, not to mention a couple of others across the country now.
Whether you’re after brilliant birra, quesadillas that are just the right amount of greasy (yes, there is an ideal level), Korean twists on tacos, or just some really good barbacoa, you can’t go wrong here. They’ve also featured on our very own Takeaway Champions series, and we can confirm it travels well.
Credit: The Manc Group
4. Birria Brothers – Northern Quarter
Speaking of birria, we can’t go an inch further without singing the praises of NQ legends, Birra Bros, who are posted up in one half of Koffee Pot over on Oldham Street and serve as the perfect transition from breakfast and dinner into tea.
Getting a bit posher now, you won’t find many places as pretty and transportive as Ocasa: the contemporary restaurant and bar bringing “Mexico City soul with Manchester heart”; their words, not ours, but having now tried this place a few times, we’re certainly feeling the love.
Aside from the stunning space itself, this noon-until-midnight venue – 1am on Fridays and Saturdays – specialises in elevated Mexican dishes such as guajillo beef shortrib, some of the best nachos you’ll ever eat, and traditional tortas (think very good sandwiches). It’s also great when the sun goes down here…
Whilst we’re on venues that thrive just as much when it comes to their nightlife as their main menu, there’s much more than just food and drink on offer at Maracas: arguably one of the liveliest spots in all of Salford. There’s also much more than just Mexican classics to enjoy
Located underneath the recognisable Chapel Street arches just on the edge of the city and just over the road from The Lowry Hotel, this is another day-into-night venue that you visit not just for hearty Latin American eats, but for drinks, dancing, and pure vibes. They even do guided language exchanges.
7. Pico’s Tacos – Mackie Mayor, Altrincham and mobile
From a cult favourite cantina among various Latino cultures here in central Manchester, to one of the best indie vendors and food hatches in the city centre, and its equally popular Trafford partner over at Alty Market: the one and only Pico’s Tacos.
Much more than just what the name would suggest, not only do they create some great and unique takes on taco flavours, but they’ll also do one of THE best margaritas in town – they’re super zingy and go great with the spicy rim – not to mention you can now get burritos from their van currently on Oxford Rd.
Since we’re heading further afield, let’s wing our way over to Stockport and one of the very few Mexican restaurants you’ll find in the town centre, sitting pretty on the edge of the marketplace and historic Old Town district; this particular writer actually used to work there when it was the old Blackshaw’s cafe…
While they’ve still kept the original building name, pride of place above the entrance, the food now being served here is way different compared to a few years ago – now they have a great selection of tequila, nail tacos, have a lovely charred and breadcrumbed hispi cabbage, and even do all-day brunch.
Sticking in the SK direction, we’re heading to the Heatons for our second-to-last stop on this Mexican restaurant tour of Manchester, where 113 MCR is not only plating up a reminder to Stopfordians that they ARE, in fact, part of Greater Manchester rather than Cheshire these days, but some great food, too.
Sharing a name with the previous entry, this place is technically three in one: two kitchens, all under one roof – La Capilla and Roost – with 113 bar serving as the third, and they offer everything from cheesy birria tacos to frozen margs, signature cocktails, boozy shakes, and DJs until late over the weekends.
Last but not least, we wanted to show our love to a locally-run restaurant over in Fallowfield that is simply called The Mexican. Sat along Wilmslow Road as you venture into ‘student central’, just before you get the iconic 256 bar, this family-friendly spot has plenty of charm and very solid scran.
We don’t know how much of it is down to the affordable and filling food, the colourful decor inside, or them sticking their adorable son Hugo on socials to guilt trip you into coming a support a Manc businesses, but it all works on us. Even if you only fancy ordering one of their burritos for delivery, do it.
Now, before we wrap this thing up, we couldn’t call it a day without shouting out the likes of the more grab-and-go type venues like Listo, Pancho’s and Casa Mexica, just to name a handful.
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Then you’ve got the likes of other beloved street food vendors like El Jefe Birria, Fuego 1987, and you know what? Beloved British chain Barburrito started right here in Manchester, and we’re damn proud of it, too – it still SLAPS no matter how big they get.
We’re even enjoying Cane and Grain’s current Latin menu over on Thomas Street, and we sincerely hope it sticks around for a long time.
You can get authentic Burmese food at a new family-run restaurant on Manchester’s Oldham Road
Clementine Hall
Oldham Road has gained another great new restaurant that’s unlike anything you’ll find in the city.
If you’re not aware of Oldham Road’s flourishing multicultural food scene, then you really must get to know.
The road sits proudly opposite the iconic yellow Wing Yip Asian Supermarket, and is home to many small family-run eateries serving up everything from traditional Vietnamese cuisine and fresh sushi to Thai street food.
And now, there’s a newbie on the block – introducing Pinzain.
Images: The Manc Eats
Pinzain is serving up authentic Burmese food as well as traditional Thai dishes, using specialist ingredients shipped all the way across the world from Burma to Manchester.
Run by the lovely husband and wife duo Steve and Yeeta, you may already recognise their food from their street food stall at Picadilly Market but this new space is really something special.
Images: The Manc Eats
The menu is half Thai food and half Burmese, but we’d really recommend sticking to the latter section of the menu and trying something new.
The banana leaf rice with chicken was a real standout and it seems we’re not the only one who thinks so, as Steve explained to us that they’re running out of banana leaves thick and fast.
The delicious crispy bone-in chicken was served with sides of crispy chilli and pickled Burmese leaf, that all went perfectly with a satisfying dome of sticky rice.
Images: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere, the Burmese vegetable fritters with a tamarind dipping sauce were the perfect way to kick off the meal and the papaya salad is not for the faint hearted, but is just properly delicious.
It’s the sort of place where you can’t help but order way too much food which you’ll inevitably be taking home in a doggy bag, but trust us – that’s no issue.
Pinzain is well worth a visit if you’re looking for something different to try in Manchester, there’s no bookings so just rock up, and you’ll be taken care of and looked after straight away.
Georgina Pellant -
8th October 2021 
