Manchester vegan restaurant Allotment has just been named one of the best in the world.
Appearing in the latest rankings release by global travel website Big 7 this week, the popular eatery – famed for its seaweed and banana blossom ‘fish and chips’ – is the only Manchester restaurant to make the list.
Ranking at number 28 in a list of the best 50 vegan places to eat around the world, Allotment is described by the guide as ‘a fantastic restaurant located in the heart of Manchester’ that stands out for its ‘use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients’.
According to the guide, Allotment has an ‘extensive vegan menu’ with a good mix of the ‘extraordinary’ and ‘classic comfort food’ including a ‘must try’ Sunday roast with a vegan steak to rival the traditional roast.
Image: Allotment
Image: Allotment
On the Sunday menu, you’ll find a choice of mustard, maple and brown sugar glazed tofu steak or seasonal vegetable roast. Both options are priced at £17 and come served with rosemary roasties, parsnips and carrots, sauteed greens, crispy kale, red wine and fennel gravy, and sage pine nuts and quinoa stuffing balls.
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As for the main weekday menu, think jackfruit tacos, tofu laksa, tom yum soup and fennel risotto, bahn mi sandwiches and the aforementioned ‘fish and chips’, served with chunky chips, minted peas and homemade tartare.
There are also some eye-catching desserts, including a raspberry and chocolate tart, sticky toffee pudding and lemon and blueberry cheesecake.
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Elsewhere on the list, other UK restaurants to make the cut include Brighton’s Food For Friend (9) and London’s Vanilla Black (42) and Gaultier Soho (45).
Allotment’s famous ‘fish and chips’. / Image: Allotment
King Oyster Mushroom Scallops. / Image: The Allotment
Big 7 also, somewhat confusingly, ranks another Manchester restaurant Bistro 1847 which is now permanently closed at number 36. An early adopter of veggie and vegan-friendly cuisine since 2010, Bistro 1847 closed not once but twice – first in 2017, then again in 2019.
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Yet, the travel website continues to describe it as follows: ‘Bistro 1847 is a sophisticated vegan restaurant located in Manchester, UK, offering a refined dining experience that showcases the best of plant-based cuisine.
‘With a menu inspired by British and European flavours, Bistro 1847 offers a range of elegant dishes that are crafted with precision and creativity. From exquisite starters and main courses to decadent desserts, Bistro 1847 is a must-visit destination for those seeking a taste of vegan fine dining in Manchester.’
The list is created based on a mixture of editorial opinions, previous critic reviews, online customer reviews and presence, value for money, presentation, atmosphere and service, location and accessibility.
Girl, 14, detained under Mental Health Act after stabbing at Manchester high school
Emily Sergeant
A 14-year-old girl has been detained under the Mental Health Act following a stabbing at a high school in Manchester earlier this week.
In case you need bringing up to speed, officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were called to reports of a stabbing at a school on Plant Hill Road in Blackley – confirmed to be Co-op Academy Manchester – on Tuesday morning (9 June 2026), and when they arrived on the scene, they discovered that two students and a teacher had been injured.
A 14-year-old girl was arrested on suspicion of section 18 assault, before being taken into custody for questioning.
But it has now been confirmed by GMP that she has been detained under the Mental Health Act.
The three people injured during the shocking incident earlier this week have now all been released from hospital after being assessed.
As part of the investigation, GMP says it is are also ‘aware of and looking into’ social media posts in relation to the incident, but would like to remind the public not to speculate or comment, as this is an ongoing live investigation.
Offering the latest update on the investigation as it progresses, Jon Shilvock, who is the Chief Inspector of GMP’s City of Manchester North division, commented: “Our investigation has continued at pace since… we were first made aware of the incident, and our thoughts are with those that were injured and were caught up in the incident.
“Whilst the physical injuries were not believed to be serious, we know the impact to those that were involved or were witnesses to this will be significant, and we want to reassure our community we are taking this very seriously.
“As our investigation progresses, we are aware that names relating to the incident are being circulated on social media which are unhelpful for the investigation. This is also causing concern with the victims and those that have been impacted therefore we would stress that people do not speculate regarding this incident.
“Officers will remain in and around the area to provide support to ensure staff, students and the wider community feel safe.
“If you have any concerns, please speak to our officers who are there to support you.”
Featured Image – Google Maps
Manchester
The tiny van parked beneath a tram stop that’s quietly making some of the best coffee in town
Danny Jones
In a city as big and bustling as Manchester, let alone all the other great on-the-go food and drink spots across the ten boroughs, it can be hard to know where to start – that’s why Elliott’s coffee van is cleverly grabbing people on their way in and out of town to sample his stuff.
With brilliant blends, bakes and other kinds of brews up for grabs, it’s becoming a regular stop for us.
Finding a good cafe in transit can often be somewhat of a challenge, especially when you want to support independent businesses wherever possible.
If you’re happy to settle with one of the big brands that you’ll find at most major stations, grand, but if you want a proper good grind, perfect temperature, not to mention great service from a friendly face, then come and see Elliot.
Having recently celebrated more than a year since he first posted up outside the admittedly ‘no man’s land’-ish Metrolink station, this busy little bee has brought a welcome dose of energy and colour to this particular Bee Network interchange.
While Cornbrook doesn’t feel as lonely and forgotten as, say, Pomona, just one stop along, it’s long felt ever so slightly too out of the way, lonely, and a bit grey.
Thankfully, these days (at least if you time it right), when you go around the corner and head towards the archways bordering Castlefield and the edge of Trafford, you’ll now hear tunes coming down the road, and instead of simply smelling petrol or dank water, you’re hit with a whiff of freshly roasted beans.
We get the same warm feeling when we arrive here as when we see neighbouring Libby’s canal boat cafe floating just outside The Wharf.
It’s also worth noting that Elliot doesn’t just buy any old grounds: he’s a passionate barista who has such a love for the good stuff that he decided to buy a little Piaggio Ape 50 three-wheeler van and turn it into a mobile cafe, serving speciality coffee from around Greater Manchester and loading it all up himself.
Spotlighting everyone from Kobean and Assembly to wholesalers like Carter – not to mention fresh pastries and sweet treats from beloved Stockport bakery, Sticky Fingers – this lovely lad is indie through and through.
As well as loyalty, he even does gift cards.When we say everything is freshly pressed, we mean it…
Having gone full-time last August after starting in June 2025, we’re chuffed to bits to see it going so well for him, especially seeing him slog through the Manc weather come rain or shine, even giving us our fix during the colder months in that often rather dark Cornbrook corner.
What’s more, he’s also got some solid tunes on rotation, whether you need an extra early morning pick-me-up on your commute besides the caffeine, or just want that added boost later in the day.
Elliot serves with a smile and is always happy to have a little chinwag; better still, while he’s getting bigger and longer lines nowadays, the queue always moves quicker than you think it will.
For anyone looking to pay him a visit, his opening hours are 7am-1pm every day bar Mondays (six days a week is still no joke), and you get him for an extra hour until 2pm on Saturdays.
Georgina Pellant -
25th May 2023 
