Meat and three. It’s an absolute staple when it comes to dining out in the south of America, but most people in Manchester have probably never heard of it.
Simply put, a meat and three restaurant is one where – as the name suggests – you pick one meat and three sides from a selection that typically spans the likes of fried chicken, beef and pork chops, vegetables, potatoes, green beans and macaroni and cheese.
This is southern food at its best, taken straight from the heart of America’s barbecue tradition.
The term is thought to have originated nearly 100 years ago in Nashville in the 1930s, at the employee cafeteria of May Hosiery Mill.
Back then diners were served a choice of meat and vegetables, plus bread, for just 25 cents, and whilst prices have definitely gone up since then, in essence, the food remains the same.
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This is hearty, home-cooked food that feels like a warm hug on your lowest day – and now, it’s landed right here on our doorstep in Manchester.
Enter Kong’s Meat and Three, the newest concept from the team who brought us fried chicken burgers with chicken skin crackling, not to mention Manchester’s favourite fried chicken roast dinner.
Founded by fried chicken head honcho Tom Potts, who in a previous (pre-pandemic) life was the bar manager at Oldham street’s fusion ramen spot CBRB, dishes like BBQ ‘pit beans’, mustard seed potato salad and collard greens all feature as regular sides.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Elsewhere, you’ll find a creamy three-cheese macaroni, flatbreads, red cabbage house mayo vegan slaw and hunks of corn on the cob slathered in butter, chilies and more. Boiled broccoli and carrots? Get out of here.
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We cannot stress it enough: this is pure comfort food.
A significant upgrade on the British ‘meat and two veg’, the beauty of meat and three, in part, lies within its rules.
Anything that’s not meat counts as veg (yep, really) meaning that gravy, mac and cheese, and even bread must all bow down and submit to reclassification. Some things you just have to accept.
Even better, everything on the menu here, with the exception of the tater tots, is made in-house, from scratch, with a whole lot of love. That includes house sauces like mustard and madras mayo, Korean hot sauce and big jugs of gravy.
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Using thigh meat, Kong’s signature buttermilk chicken is brined for three hours, rolled in a secret spice mix, then double-dredged for a crispier texture. Brisket is slow-cooked overnight for a minimum of 12 hours until it’s ultra-tender and falling apart.
Pork belly is steamed, scored then oven roasted for a final hour until it is so crisped up and crunchy you can almost hear it crackling as you pore through pictures of it on Instagram. It’s a meat eater’s heaven – but also sells vegan tendies for those of the plant-based persuasion.
As well as offering up daily meat and three plates (or, rather, should we say trays), Tom has also just added new sandwiches to the menu – taking his three staple meats and folding them into chunky baguettes or brioche, with a fulsome heap of tater tots on the side.
This is not so much in the meat and three tradition – but it’s very on-brand for Kong’s. The original signature chicken sandwich features, only natural as the dish that launched the brand and Tom’s new life as a fried chicken impresario.
There’s also a relatively traditional Vietnamese-style pork belly banh mi, stuffed with pickled carrots, pate, crispy pork and coriander, and a beef brisket french dip that combines everything we love – crusty baguette, slow-cooked brisket and a sweet, homemade onion chutney with a jug of gravy to dip it all in.
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All said and done, this is pretty close to sandwich perfection.
Open Wednesday to Sunday at Northern Monk Refectory between 12 and 10pm, get yourself down for a solid scran. Trust us, you won’t regret it.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
Peter Kay announces final Manchester show on historic run – with all profits going to cancer charities
Daisy Jackson
Peter Kay has announced some final arena shows, including one in Manchester, and he’s donating all profits to cancer charities.
The Bolton-born comedy legend will be playing one more night at the AO Arena as well as extra dates at The O2 in London, The First Direct Arena in Leeds, and plenty more.
What sets these arena shows apart from his record-breaking run, which has seen him sell out arenas for four years now, is that all the profits will be going straight to charity.
Peter Kay has pledged that ‘every single penny’ from his final dates will be going to 12 leading cancer charities.
These will include Children With Cancer UK, the Teenage Cancer Trust, plus charities dedicated to 10 different types of adult cancer.
Peter Kay holds the record as the only artist in the world to have performed a monthly residency at the O2, and has performed more than 100 shows on this tour in his hometown, at the AO Arena in Manchester.
The star made the announcement on BBC’s The One Show this evening.
Speaking of the announcement, he said: “It’s been the greatest privilege of my life to perform for audiences up and down the country.
“I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the support over the years, and it feels right to give something back. Every single penny of profit from these final shows will go to help fight cancer and support those affected.
Peter Kay announces final Manchester show on historic run – with all profits going to cancer charities
“Unfortunately, just about everyone knows someone who’s been affected by one of the cancers on that list.
“I really hope people can get behind this – come out, have a great night, share a few laughs, and do something good for charity at the same time. It’s a win–win.
“You don’t even have to like me – raising money for these twelve charities goes far beyond that. Together, we really can make a difference.”
Peter Kay will perform one more night at the AO Arena Manchester on Saturday 8 August 2026.
Tickets will go on sale from 10am on Sunday 30 November HERE.
The cancer charities Peter Kay will donate his final profits to are:
Inside The Head of Steam as huge new pub opens in Northern Quarter
Daisy Jackson
The Northern Quarter has a brand-new pub, as The Head of Steam moves into the city centre.
The craft beer brand has taken over what was formerly Cottonopolis (and then briefly the Lamb of Tartary), completely transforming the historic Grade II-listed space.
The Head of Steam has added a huge central bar into the building, surrounded by cosy booths and bar tables, plus six screens showing live sports.
There’s augmented reality darts and a photo booth, plus a VAST range of beers behind the bar, all packed into this 2,800 sq ft space in the heart of the city.
Expect 30 lines (24 keg and 6 cask) of beers, including The Head Of Steam’s own British-brewed range and an extensive selection of Belgian favourites.
And on the food menu, you’ll find USA-style smash burgers and a gigantic sharing platter of sides, from Salford street food favourite That Burger Place – previously named among the top burger joints in the UK.
To celebrate its launch – and to kick off its arrival into the city centre in style – The Head of Steam will be giving away 1,995 free pints.
Craft beer fans will have the chance of winning a free pint of the Head of Steam’s own IPA, Lager, or Gold.
That Burger Place platterThe mozzarella slabBeer and wine flight at The Head of SteamThe Head of Steam in the Northern Quarter
If beer’s not your thing, there’s also a cocktail menu, premium spirits range, and wine list – plus the option to order a beer or wine flight for the beer-curious.
The Head of Steam is set to open later this week, its 16th venue nationwide and second in Greater Manchester.
David Scott, Retail Director at The Head of Steam, said: “We’re incredibly proud to confirm our opening date in the Northern Quarter – it’s one of the most vibrant areas in Manchester and the perfect place to bring our craft beer community together.
“With some fantastic West Coast beers on offer, partnering with That Burger Place, a food brand who share that love for bold West Coast flavours, just made perfect sense.”
Ryan McDermott, Co-Owner of That Burger Place, added: “We’ve always loved The Head of Steam brand. I grew up in pubs as my parents ran several sites, so hospitality has always been in my blood.
“When the opportunity came to bring That Burger Place into The Head of Steam, it was a no-brainer. Working with the team feels like a perfect match, and we can’t wait to share our burgers with Manchester city centre for the first time.”
To sign up for a chance to claim a free pint when The Head Of Steam opens in the Northern Quarter on Friday 28 November, head HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
18th February 2022 
