It’s another great week for eating and drinking in Manchester, and boy have we got some tasty newcomers for you to check out this week.
From doner kebabs created by a Michelin star chef to a bottomless BBQ brunch at Manchester’s cricket-themed restaurant Sixes, plus a new Sunday menu from MFDF’s restaurant of the year winner Baratxuri an entire street of Thai street food at the Trafford centre you’re absolutely spoilt for choice.
Berlin street-style kebabs from a Michelin star chef
Michelin starred Brummy chef Brad Carter, behind restaurant Carters of Moseley, launched his kebab shop in lockdown – taking meat from his existing suppliers and repurposing them into fancy doners.
inspired by an amazing Berlin chip shop kebab he queued for four hours to get in minus twelve temperatures, he started making a different one every week – using his high-end cheffing skills to develop some of the fanciest doners going
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Now he’s opened a proper shop here in Manchester at Escape to Freight Island – bringing some top-shelf doner tackle to the city (think squid doner, made by taking squid and pork fat and emulsifying them on the spide to pave off squid sausage meat).
Find it at Escape to Freight Island, 11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ.
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Image: The Manc Eats
A basque-style Sunday lunch at Baratxuri
Baratxuri is the place to be this month after winning two of the top gongs at this year’s Manchester Food and Drink Festival. Since taking home awards for Chef of the Year and Restaurant of the Year, the bookings have flooded in.
Whilst the Ramsbottom restaurant is, by all accounts, a complete joy to visit if you don’t fancy trekking that far out of town you can also enjoy Baratxuri’s food at Escape to Freight Island. Even better, the team there has released a new Basque-style Sunday lunch menu priced at just £21 for two courses.
Think wood-fired cuts of suckling lamb, beef cheek and whole-grilled sardines, plus smoked beetroot braised figs with blue cheese and a gorgeously spicy cauliflower bravas, finished off with a choice of Basque-style rum and orange syrup-topped trifle or orange and almond torta.
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Find it at The Ticket Hall inside Escape to Freight Island, 11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ.
Image: Sixes
A British bottomless BBQ brunch (with optional cricket)
Manchester’s cricket-themed restaurant Sixes, housed inside the Corn Exchange, has launched a new bottomless brunch menu with a selection of dishes inspired by classic English BBQs.
Think mac and cheese croquettes, and beef short rib on bone marrow toast, burgers, steaks and sweet potato ‘from the ashes.’Drinks choices, meanwhile, include 90 minutes of unlimited prosecco and cocktails like ‘girl next door’ and ‘garden variety’ for £35, or you can opt for a champagne upgrade for an additional £5.
If you want to make a proper afternoon of it, you can play a game of cricket or two whilst you’re here too. Off-peak prices start from £20 for thirty minutes for up to three people.
Find it at The Corn Exchange in the former Alston Bar & Beef unit on Cathedral St, Manchester M4 3TR.
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Image: Thaikhun
A first-of-its-kind Thai street food buffet
In what owners say is a first-of-its-kind opening, the team behind Thaikhun has launched a buffet restaurant dedicated to popular Thai street food dishes.
Mains on offer will differ every day, but customers can expect to find classics like pad thai, massaman, and khao soi gai soup here – with owner Kim Kaewkraikhot promising every dish is one you’d really find on a Thai street food stall.
With loads of savoury favourites and its own fully-equipped dessert station boasting a chocolate fountain, popcorn machine, slushy machine, and ice cream machine, the Thaikhun Street restaurant makes an impressive new addition to the Trafford Centre.
Find it at The Trafford Centre, open seven days a week.
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Wayne Rooney expresses interest in joining Manchester United’s coaching staff
Danny Jones
In another unexpected twist in the Manchester United manager saga, club and England legend Wayne Rooney has expressed interest in returning to Old Trafford and potentially joining their coaching staff.
Man United’s all-time leading goalscorer is one of half a dozen different former players to have been linked with either the top job or a backroom role following Ruben Amorim’s departure.
Speaking on his self-titled BBC podcast, the retired Premier League icon turned coach and now pundit, didn’t hesitate when asked about the prospect, simply replying: “of course I would” – dubbing the decision as “a no-brainer.”
"Of course I would!"
Wayne Rooney wouldn't think twice about joining Michael Carrick's staff at Manchester United if an offer arrived. pic.twitter.com/nGEAugQjHH
Rooney’s last coaching job was that of Plymouth Argyle manager, which ended in December 2024 following a run of poor results, much like his time at Birmingham City earlier that year.
Since then, he’s bounced around between punditry and broadcasting, serving as a guest on the likes of The Overlap with his old teammates and peers, as well as now co-hosting his own aforementioned pod, The Wayne Rooney Show.
However, the 40-year-old has always insisted that he still wants a future in coaching, and while it may not have worked as a full-time first-team boss just yet, perhaps more of an assistant position or more specific post (maybe training the forwards as Benni McCarthy did) could be a better fit for now.
‘Wazza’ admitted that, even despite having been on holiday with Carrick “last week”, no one could have expected this situation to have emerged, and certainly not this quick a turnaround.
Moreover, Rooney insisted that rather than preferring any particular person for the next interim head coach/United manager or to join the wider staff, he simply believes that they need “people who know the club” inside and out.
He isn’t the first to have accused the global sporting franchise of losing its ‘identity’ in the years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired, and many seem to believe that getting in familiar faces who were at the club during its heyday could help resolve that issue.
This was obviously pretty much the thinking when Ole Gunnar Solskjær not only became interim head coach but got the job on a permanent basis after they began looking more like the confident, attacking teams of old and like they were enjoying their football again. Though we all know how it ended.
Solskjær did look to be leading the race to return to Old Trafford for a second spell as manager initially, but it now looks as though Michael Carrick is the odds-on favourite to replace Amorim in the interim, with the suggestion that one might still assist the other.
Carrick certainly received a good amount of praise during his time at Middlesbrough, and while his time there didn’t end perfectly, either – parting ways after missing out on the playoff spots once again – there seems to be a belief that he, whether flanked by others or not, is the right choice for United at this time.
Once again, there is talk of current temporary caretaker Darren Fletcher remaining with the first team in some capacity rather than simply returning straight to the under-18s, but only time will tell who will be involved. Nevertheless, it now looks nailed on that Carrick will be in the dugout for the derby day.
Police appeal for information after ‘attempted kidnapping’ in Wigan
Emily Sergeant
A public appeal for information has been issued after the attempted kidnapping of a female in Wigan last week.
Officers from Greater Manchester Police‘s (GMP) Criminal Investigation Department are appealing for information and witnesses following the shocking incident, which occurred last Friday morning (9 January 2026) between 6:05am-6:20am.
The victim was walking along Central Park Way, in Wigan, when she was grabbed and threatened by a man who attempted to force her to come with him.
The victim managed to get free and to a place of safety, however the suspect fled the area.
The suspect is described by police as being a white male, approximately 6ft 1in tall, and was wearing grey joggers, black trainers, a yellow hi-vis vest, and a black beanie hat at the time of the incident.
#APPEAL | Officers are appealing for information following a reported attempt kidnapping on Friday 9 January between 6:05-6:20am on Central Park Way, #Wigan.
The victim was grabbed and threatened and the suspect attempted to force her with him.
Officers are supporting the victim and investigating the incident, but at this time are now appealing to the public for information.
“Whilst we understand incidents of this nature are concerning, I want to reassure our communities that we take reports of this nature very seriously and the safety of the public is our top priority,” commented Detective Sergeant Andrew Partington, of GMP’s Wigan CID, as he appealed to the public.
“Our officers are taking every measure and following multiple lines of enquiry to investigate the circumstances of this incident.
“We have extra patrols in place around the area and if you have any concerns, our officers are always more than happy to support.”
Can you help? Anyone with any information is urged to come forward.
This includes anyone who may have CCTV / dashcam footage, witnessed the incident itself, or can help police identify the man involved, and you can contact GMP on 0161 856 7094, quoting log 472 of 09/01/26.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
Georgina Pellant -
5th October 2021 
