A restaurant that only serves viral food inspired by trends seen on TikTok is opening in Manchester this summer, it has been revealed.
From nibbles like fluffy cloud bread and corn ribs to trendy pasta dishes like spicy vodka penne and whole baked feta fusilli, Mancs can expect to see all of their favourite TikTok recipes on the menu when PlateTok opens its doors in the Northern Quarter this summer.
It’s tipped to be taking over the old Nexus Art Cafe unit, a once-iconic basement cafe that has stood empty for the past two years after being hit hard in the early days of the Covid pandemic.
The new restaurant is the brainchild of Pete Stake – a former social media manager who decided to venture into the world of restaurants after seeing just how popular some of these viral food trends had become online in the last few years.
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‘Ribs’ made out of sweetcorn took the world by storm – now they’re coming to PlateTok’s menu. / Image: Twitter
Pete spent a lot of lockdown eating TikTok recipes his partner would cook for him and, after being made redundant from his position at the end of last year, decided to delve into hospitality instead – taking his years of social media marketing experience with him.
Now, he’s gearing up to open PlateTok this summer with a launch date set for the start of June.
Speaking on the new opening, Mr P Stake said: “I’m so excited to bring PlateTok to Manchester, I just can’t believe that no one has thought to do this before. Gimmicky restaurants seem to be all the rage right now.
“I came up with the idea in part thanks to my partner, who’ll cook me Nando’s pasta as a treat when I needed cheering up. It just got me thinking, I’d definitely go out for dinner to have this – and maybe others will be into it too.
“Sometimes it’s the maddest ideas that are the most successful – just look at Salt Bae’s Nusr-Et. People will really go and pay £100 to eat a sh*t burger wrapped in gold leaf, in the hopes of seeing him sprinkle a bit of salt off his arm.
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Mermaid toast with blue-green algae powders and almond milk cream cheese on Pollen sourdough is one of the dishes set to appear on PlateTok’s menu. / Image: Youtube
“Don’t worry, our prices won’t be anywhere near that – but the overall feeling of quirky, fun dishes that look good on your feed is still there. It’s all about bringing the social media experience to life in the restaurant.”
Further viral foods set to appear on the menu include burger tortilla ‘crunch’ wraps (made using locally-sourced beef from PlateTok’s neighbours The Butcher’s Quarter), baked pasta ‘chips’ with an olive tapenade dip, green and red bell pepper sandwiches, salmon rice bowls and a dish initially created by Lizzo called ‘nature’s cereal’ – which is really anything but.
Elsewhere, you’ll find ocean-blue Mermaid toast (blue-green algae powders and almond milk cream cheese on Pollen sourdough) and ‘Galaxy bagels’ loaded with pink cream cheese – a twist on the popular Rainbow Bagel trend that instead uses food colouring to create a cosmic starry-sky illusion.
As for drinks, think whipped coffees, bottles of pre-batched Jungle Juice, tamarind-rimmed mimosas packed with frozen fruit ice cubes and more, as well as a range of standard soft drinks, wines and beers.
Suffice to say, we’re really through that looking glass now, Alice.
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The site is expected to open this summer with a fresh, modern look.
Expect bright neon signs, industrial elements nodding to Manchester’s history and plenty of selfie traps – including a digital photo cutout board that can be customised with your own images, taking the TikTok Camera Roll Sticker firmly ‘irl’.
Due to open in Manchester sometime this June, no official launch date has yet been set so make sure to follow PlateTok on social media to keep up with further updates.
And if you made it this far without twigging the date… we are sorry.
Feature image – Google/ Twitter
News
Police search for Moors murder victim Keith Bennett resumes as ‘skull is found’
Daisy Jackson
Police are back searching for Moors Murder victim Keith Bennett after a skull was reportedly found.
12-year-old Keith was snatched by notorious serial killers Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in 1964.
The pair’s victims were five children, Pauline Reade, John Kilbride, Keith Bennett, Lesley Ann Downey and Edward Evans, all aged between 10 and 17 years old at the time of their murder.
The victims were buried on Saddleworth Moor, but Keith’s remains have never been found.
Now a major breakthrough may have come from an author, Russell Edwards, who alerted police to ‘potential human remains in a remote location’.
Myra Hindley and Ian Brady – the serial killers behind the Moors Murders, including Keith Bennett
Specialist GMP officers have now begun initial exploration activity but say it is ‘far too early’ to confirm if human remains have been discovered.
Officers have also updated Keith’s brother Alan Bennett, who was just eight years old when his sibling vanished and who has dedicated much of his life to solving the mystery of the missing body.
MP Force Review Officer Martin Bottomley said: “At around 11.25am on Thursday 29 September 2022, Greater Manchester Police was contacted by the representative of an author who has been researching the murder of Keith Bennett, a victim of Ian Brady and Myra Hindley.
“Following direct contact with the author, we were informed that he had discovered what he believes are potential human remains in a remote location on the Moors and he agreed to meet with officers yesterday afternoon to elaborate on his find and direct us to a site of interest.
“The site was assessed late last night and, this morning, specialist officers have begun initial exploration activity. We are in the very early stages of assessing the information which has been brought to our attention but have made the decision to act on it in line with a normal response to a report of this kind.
Saddleworth Moor, where the search for missing Keith Bennett has resumed. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been discovered and this is expected to take some time.
“We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family. As such, we have informed his brother of the potential development – he does not wish to be contacted at this time and asks that his privacy is respected.”
A further GMP statement published by the Manchester Evening Newsadded: “We have always said that GMP would act on any significant information which may lead to the recovery of Keith and reunite him with his family.
“Officers met with Mr Edwards yesterday evening (29th September) and he was able to locate a site of interest and provide us with further details of the work he has been carrying out.
“We are at the very early stages of assessing the evidence which he brought to our attention, but have taken the decision to excavate an area of land with a view to determining what lies there.
“It is far too early to be certain whether human remains have been uncovered, but out of respect for Alan Bennett, who we regularly maintain contact with, we have informed him of this potential development.
“Alan does not wish to be disturbed at this time and we would ask that his request for privacy is respected.”
Featured image: GMP
News
Question Time audience stunned as first-time buyer says mortgage quote DOUBLED
Danny Jones
Thursday night’s Question Time audience could be heard audibly gasping after a fellow crowd member revealed that her mortgage quote had doubled followed the recent mini-budget.
Taping in Manchester on 29 September, the current events and politics programme was discussing property when would-be first-time buyer Rabia revealed that her mortgage offer had jumped from an initial amount of 4.5% interest to a shocking 10.5% in just a matter of days.
As you can see in the incredible clip, both the audience and the panel are taken aback at the revelation.
The gasps from the audience as this woman reveals she’s received a revised mortgage offer of 10.5%. pic.twitter.com/a5Nb1co8al
The Greater Manchester resident said she is desperate to know what the government’s plan for mortgages is as following the latest revision, she says she simply cannot afford to put the money down on her first home.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer weighed in on the social media reaction, quote tweeting the clip from his party’s own account and stating that “the Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget” as the current economic mess is being “paid for by working people”.
The government’s economic chaos is already clobbering those like Rabia who're trying to get a mortgage or to re-mortgage.
This crisis was made in Downing Street but it’s being paid for by working people.
The Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget. https://t.co/bw8B2TOUgl
To make matters worse, Rabia was given no clarification from her lenders, only that they were pulling her offers. Conservative MP and Minister for Local Government, Faith and Communities, Paul Scully had little information to offer her either, simply stating it is a short-term effect and that the market will stabilise.
Scully was subject to an entirely different reaction from the audience as well after his blind attempts to defend Prime Minister Liz Truss and Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng were met with laughter. Conversely, Richard Bacon was met with applause after he labelled the mini-budget “absurd”.
As if the anti-Tory sentiment wasn’t already at a high, the chancellor’s mini-budget – which saw the corporations, bankers and the generally wealthy benefit ahead of the working class – has seen fresh calls for a general election to be held as soon as possible.
Beyond declaring a so-called £2,500 limit on energy bills (which many have warned isn’t a guaranteed cap), there was seemingly very little in the way of policy that
For those still unclear as to what was announced in the divisive mini-budget, here is a quick summary:
Speaking in a speech at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, Starmer said that the government “haven’t just failed to fix the roof, they’ve ripped out the foundations, smashed the windows and now they’ve blown the doors off for good measure.
Georgina Pellant -
1st April 2022 
