There is a bar in Manchester doing a bottomless brunch with paella and endless sangria and we are already obsessed.
Forget your bangers and eggs. Ninety minutes of non-stop sangria calls for something with a little more heft, and Abeja Tapas Bar has just the thing. We’re talking about paella, naturally.
First originating in Valencia, today the ever-popular Spanish rice dish can be found all over the country with different local variations on offer depending on whereabouts you go.
At Abeja, a southern Spanish kitchen run by chef Ana Villegas beneath Alvarium, you’ll find two different interpretations: a mixed meat and fish stock paella with squid, prawns, clams chicken, or a vegan-friendly offering with artichoke, red pepper, broad beans, green bean and mushrooms.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Priced at £16 for the paella alone, or £32 to go bottomless with 90 minutes of non-stop sangria on the side, whether you’re on the sauce or not there’s still plenty of incentive to visit this Granadian gem.
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Paella is served in individual portions on beautiful crockery with tiny dollops of aioli on the side. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find a host of popular tapas dishes like charred padron peppers, juicy shell-on prawns, Spanish tortilla, bravas and a selection of Granadian meat and cheese.
Going beyond the well-known every day, there are also some more unusual dishes to dig into. Ana’s berenjenas fritas (aubergine fries with molasses, akin to vegan churros) are a must, as are the Iberico pork tenderloin pinchos.
Sangria options, meanwhile, are extensive with five different styles on offer. Alongside Abeja’s signature red and white sangria, you’ll also find tequile and rose, lemon and ginger and cherry blush sangria on the menu here too.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
With sangria by the glass usually priced at £8.50, and jugs costing £32, it’s well worth heading down to Alvarium on Sundays to make the most of the bottomless offer – essentially getting you a free paella and endless drinks for the price of a jug any other time.
Booking is required as the paella takes some time to prepare, therefore the deal will only be available to tables with advance bookings. Alvarium and Abeja’s bottomless sangria offer is available from 12.30 to 9pm every Sunday.
To find out more and reserve your table, visit the Alvarium website here.
Feature image – The Manc Eats / Alvarium
Manchester
The Head Of Steam to move into site of short-lived Northern Quarter gastropub
Daisy Jackson
Well-known pub group The Head Of Steam has revealed plans to take over a prominent Northern Quarter site.
The craft beer brand will move into the Grade II-listed building that was (very briefly) home to the Lamb of Tartary gastropub, which sadly shut down after just six months.
Prior to that, the landmark building was the home of Cottonopolis.
It’s been empty since Lamb of Tartary shut down more than a year ago, but now The Head of Steam is swooping into Manchester city centre to bring it back to life.
Their plans include 30 beer lines (24 keg and six cask), augmented reality darts, live sports across six screens, and a dedicated pop-up kitchen from a local operator, also making its debut in Manchester City Centre.
Spanning 2,800 sq ft, there’ll be space for 180 guests, with a design that will mix ‘industrial character and Northern warmth’.
It sounds like there are changes in store from the Lamb of Tartary days – there’s talk of a striking circular central bar, surrounded by exposed brickwork and restored original features.
Behind that bar you’ll be able to enjoy a UK craft beers, plus a vast collection of Belgian beers, alongside a rotating selection of cans and bottles, as well as a fresh cocktail menu and quality spirits range.
The Head Of Steam to move into site of short-lived Northern Quarter gastropub. Credit: Supplied
The Head of Steam was established back in 1995 and is part of Camerons Brewery. The group already has 15 venues across 13 cities, including an existing Manchester pub out in Didsbury.
Mark Connor, Head of Operations & Brand for The Head of Steam, said: “We’re excited to be joining the Northern Quarter community and to bring our favourite UK brewers, alongside classics from our extensive Belgian range, to this vibrant part of the city.
“The location is incredible, and being able to offer something new and exciting to the area is fantastic for us.
“We can’t wait to open our doors later this year, meet our neighbours, and become a part of this iconic area of Manchester.”
The Head of Steam will open at 16 Newton Street in the Northern Quarter later this year.
Benson Boone at Co-op Live, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Viral pop belter Benson Boone is bringing his ‘American Heart’ world tour to Co-op Live for two nights of backflipping and radio bangers.
Known for his roster of hits, spanning from ‘Beautiful Things to ‘Mystical Magical’ and everything in between, Benson Boone has soared to success in recent years thanks to his music becoming popular on various social media platforms like TikTok.
This superstar knows a thing or two about performing, singing to the likes of Katy Perry and Lionel Richie when he auditioned and gained popularity through US talent show, American Idol.
With two songs already surpassing one billion streams on Spotify, and a collection of tracks having 100 million streams or more, you’re guaranteed to be singing and dancing for ‘Forever and a Day’.
Now, ‘Mr. Electric Blue’ is taking on the Manchester crowds for himself as he gears up to play two nights at 23,500 capacity entertainment venue, Co-op Live.
Benson Boone is coming to Co-op Live in Manchester for two nights on 26 and 27 October / Credit: David Roemer (Supplied)
Benson Boone – American Heart UK Tour Dates
Sunday 26 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Monday 27 October – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Thursday 30 October – Glasgow, UK – SSE Hydro
Saturday 1 November – Birmingham, UK – Utilita Arena
Monday 3 November – London, UK – The O2
Tuesday 4 November – London, UK – The O2
Wednesday 5 November – London, UK – The O2
Tickets
If you want to watch Boone backflip the night away while singing his recognisable pop ballads, then thankfully you can still find a small handful tickets available for both shows HERE.
And if you’re feeling a bit fancy, you can also treat yourself to a more ‘Mystical Magical’ experience by opting for a premium seated spot thanks to SeatUnique, with an array of options available for both nights HERE.
Setlist
I Wanna Be the One You Call
Wanted Man
Sorry I’m Here for Someone Else
Man in Me
Drunk in My Mind
Slow It Down
Be Someone
Mystical Magical
Pretty Slowly
In the Stars
Let Me Go / There She Goes / Sugar Sweet
Take Me Home
Young American Heart
Mr. Electric Blue
(Surprise song each night – like THIS viral Adele cover)
Momma Song
Love of Mine
Reminds Me of You
Beautiful Things
Cry
The ‘American Heart’ tour sees Benson Boone visiting many UK arenas including Manchester and London / Credit: David Roemer (Supplied)
What are the stage times for Benson Boone in Manchester?
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning Boone has plenty of time to ‘Slow It Down’ and still get you all home before the early hours.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm with no official kick-off time listed as of yet, but you’ll definitely want to get in early, as supporting Boone is rising star and local Bury lad, James Elliot Reay – who’s featured in our Manchester artists of the month back in December last year.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live.
You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
Car and parking
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide come event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
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Alan Turing Way (both directions): Plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): Expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): Plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
Expect to hear Benson sing ‘Beautiful Things’ and ‘Mystical Magical’ at Co-op Live this October / Credit: David Roemer (Supplied)
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl scheme, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination, and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
There’s hire points just near the south west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road, and for more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Georgina Pellant -
15th September 2022 
