I don’t know if it’s the change in the seasons that’s got us craving a little bit of comfort food, but this week’s list is especially indulgent.
From the naughty smash burgers that were one of Manchester’s most ordered takeaway items during lockdown (over 1,000 a day, thank you very much) to garlic bread burritos, candy floss ice rolls and the most beautiful hand-rolled Iberico croquettes, you might want to have a cheat week after reading this.
Keep scrolling to discover some of our top picks in the city this week.
Image: Burgerism
The ‘best smash burgers in Manchester’ pop-up at Trof
Manchester burger institution Burgerism is popping up at Trof, serving up their famously good smash patties from the NQ kitchen for the next ten weeks every Monday and Tuesday from 4 to 10 pm.
There’ll be four of the brand’s signature burgers on the menu: ‘beefed,’ ‘cheesed,’ ‘veggied,’ and ‘baconed’, served with optional cajun fries on the side and a choice of dips like ranch, blue cheese and buffalo alongside BBQ ranch, BBQ and ketchup.
Make sure to get down for one – 1,000 orders a day during lockdown don’t lie.
Find them at 8 Thomas St, Greater, Manchester M4 1EU.
Bocadillos and top-tier croquettes on King Street
Whilst the September sun still lasts, now is the perfect time to bob on over to King Street to sample the tapas at Tast.
The swanky Catalonian eatery is split across three floors, each offering a distinctly unique experience. Down in the bar though, it’s all about big jugs of sangria and classic tapas dishes done very well – plus a few surprises, like their dunkin’ donuts (a mixture of white chocolate, foie gras and raspberry).
Think bocadillos, patatas bravas, blistered padron peppers, and hand-rolled ham croquettes (apparently they sell around 2,000 croquettes a month here), plus big boards of cheese, charcuterie – and an amazing dish of duck egg, crispy squid and potato that blew our minds.
Pull up, order a drink or two. and try and wangle a seat with a view of the passers-by for a perfect afternoon of people watching. Perfection.
Find them at 20-22 King St, Manchester M2 6AG.
Image: American Pies
Garlic bread and pizza burritos at American Pies
If it’s a carb-fest you’re after, look no further than American Pies. We didn’t think that the deep-dish pizza brand could be any more of a guilty pleasure, but they’ve really gone and done it this time.
Serving up their own take on garlic bread and pizza burritos, this is the ultimate cheat day scran if ever we saw it.
Find it at unit 1, 58 W Mosley St, Manchester M2 3HZ.
Image: Zizos Gelato
Candy floss ice rolls at Zizos Gelato
If you’re looking for a sweet fix this week, there’s a trader on the square at the Great Northern Warehouse selling delicious pots of ice rolls loaded with sweeties, chocolates and sauce that will have you covered.
Think big candy balls of floss, bright pink flying saucers filled with tangy sherbert and multi-coloured sweet and sticky sauces – all served in neat little pots to make your treat easy to enjoy on the move.
It’s not just ice rolls, either. You’ll also find some seriously indulgent bubble waffles and ‘thick’ ice cream shakes here. Be advised, the winter menu is also on its way too – and we see that Biscoff bubble waffles are likely to be on it.
Find it at 223 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4QB.
News
Drinks prices for Manchester Oasis gigs announced – and you’ll be pleasantly surprised
Daisy Jackson
The prices of drinks at Heaton Park for the five huge Manchester Oasis shows have been released in advance.
With the Gallagher brothers reuniting on stage in their hometown for the first time this weekend (and then again next week), it’s a huge moment for our city.
Those lucky enough to snag tickets have already forked out a small fortune to witness this moment in history (still scarred from the dynamic pricing debacle).
And most of us were probably bracing to spend another small fortune on beers at the Oasis Manchester gigs.
But you might be pleasantly surprised at the drinks prices up at Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25.
It’s now been confirmed that pints of lager and cider will be just £6.50.
Before you turn your nose up, remember that pints at our two arenas – the AO Arena and Co-op Live are now sitting around the £9 mark.
Prices for other drinks, like wine and spirits, we’ll have to wait until Friday to see.
Heaton Park will also be the home of the ‘largest beer garden’ and the longest bars in the city for the Oasis reunion.
With a major heatwave predicted for the first shows, fans are being encouraged to stay hydrated (on WATER, not beer, please).
Ticket-holders will be allowed to bring a sealed bottle of water up to 500ml in with you, but it must be collapsible plastic.
Solid plastic and metal containers will be rejected on safety grounds.
There’s a free water point on site where you can fill up your bottles again.
Oasis will perform at Heaton Park in Manchester on 11, 12, 16, 19 and 20 July.
Dates announced as resident doctors prepare to stage strikes this month
Emily Sergeant
Resident doctors in England have voted to stage strike action over pay, and the dates for the industrial action have now been confirmed.
The British Medical Association (BMA) says doctors have ‘spoken clearly’ after the results of a vote published today revealed that 90% of resident doctors have voted in favour of a potential return to industrial action.
It comes after the ballot – which ran from 27 May until 7 July – saw a turnout of 55% members, with almost 30,000 (29,741) votes cast.
26,766 of those votes endorsed the use of strike action as part of efforts to restore pay, while just under 3,000 voted against it.
The result means that resident doctors have now secured a fresh mandate to stage industrial action when they choose from now until January 2026.
BMA resident doctors committee co-chairs, Melissa Ryan and Ross Nieuwoudt, said that, while no doctor took the possibility of striking lightly, a clear majority of members felt that they had ‘no other choice’ given the ongoing failures to restore pay.
They added that Health Secretary Wes Streeting has the power to ‘make the right decision’ on pay, and urged the Government to return to negotiations ‘as soon as possible’.
It’s now been confirmed that resident doctors will stage a full walk out from 7am on Friday 25 July until 7am on Wednesday 30 July.
These upcoming strikes come after resident doctors – formerly known as junior doctors, until 2024 – in England participated in an unprecedented 11 rounds of strike action after negotiations with the previous Conservative Government over restoring pay repeatedly stalled.
“Doctors have spoken and spoken clearly – they won’t accept that they are worth a fifth less than they were in 2008,” the committee co-chairs said. “Our pay may have declined but our will to fight remains strong.
“Doctors don’t take industrial action lightly, but they know it is preferable to watching their profession wither away.
“The next move is the Government’s – will it repeat the mistakes of its predecessor? Or will it do the right thing and negotiate a path to full pay restoration and the restoration of doctors’ confidence in our profession’s future?”
Georgina Pellant -
20th September 2021 
