Following Guardian critic Jay Rayner’s rave review of Erst as “one of the best meals of this year,” we expect there will be plenty of eyes on Manchester’s budding food scene this week.
Whilst Trove’s sister restaurant isn’t getting an inclusion, we felt it deserved an honourable mention – especially given the fact it was also recently ranked as one of the very best restaurants in the country.
That said, there’s plenty more to be talking about too as even more new openings land in the city and – who knows – Rayner could be visiting one of these next.
From indie bakehouse Batard, who have eyes from Chef Table on them as they open their new cafe at SEESAW this Wednesday, to Manchester brewers Track and their brand new taproom, we’ve some great spots for you to check out this week.
Back Piccadilly has long been a spot filled with excellent local brewers. For those in the know, this also makes it a great place to head down and sample some of the freshest beer in the city given that many also have their own taprooms.
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Already well populated with the likes of Cloudwater, Manchester Union, Alphabet, Squawk, Beer Nouveau, Wander Beyond, this weekend the trading estate will also see Track Brewery open the doors to its new and improved unit, no. 18 to the public from 12 pm on Friday.
Expect 23 taps pouring different creations, including the 3.8% Sonoma – one of the brewery’s signature session beers.
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Find it at Unit 18, Piccadilly Trading Estate, Manchester M1 2NP. Track Brewery’s taproom opens Friday 1 October, 12 pm.
Batard’s babke french toast with red wine poached pear, poaching liquor, honey-tahini mascarpone, burnt white chocolate / Image: Batard
Indie bakehouse Batard opens at SEESAW
It’s an exciting moment for fans of Batard’s blackened bakes, as the indie bakehouse moves into a new permanent home on Princess Street. Taking over the cafe at SEESAW, co-founders Dorothy Jaffa and Lewis Loughman will be serving up hearty breakfast and lunch dishes using their own baked in-house breads.
Think porchetta and celeriac sandos, grilled cheese, and the return of their ‘proper’ steak bakes, plus breakfast babka, stout rarebit, and Batard’s signature take on the McMuffin.
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Find it at 86 Princess St, Manchester M1 6NG. Batard is open for coffee and breakfast from 9 am pm, lunch is served from 12 – 3 pm.
Mana and Three Little Words have collaborated on a new oyster gin in the name of sustainability, and there’s free oysters in it for all of us / Image: Three Little Words
Free oysters and gin martinis at this archway bar
Simon Martin, the chef behind Manchester’s only Michelin star restaurant Mana, has teamed up with distillers at Three Little Words’ Spirit of Manchester to make an oyster gin. All done in the name of sustainability, the gin has been distilled using oyster shells from Mana that would’ve otherwise gone in the bin.
To celebrate its launch, the Manchester Gin team has created two bespoke cocktails and they are giving away free oysters as a garnish – served either fried or fresh – at their archway bar and restaurant Three Little Words.
Choose from the mana Perfect Serve (£9), which pairs the Mother of Pearl Gin with lime, basil, and Franklin & Sons light tonic; or the Mother of Pearl Martini (£11), combining oyster gin with dry white vermouth, bergamot liqueur and lemon bitters.
Find it at Three Little Words, 12-13 Watson St, Manchester M3 4LP.
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Image: Acai and
Manchester’s first dedicated açaí bar
A Brazilian dessert originating from Pará and Amazonas, açaí na tigela translates simply to ‘açaí in the bowl.’ Made of frozen acai palm fruit that is pureed and served as a smoothie, it’s become quite a trendy ‘health food’ breakfast option in recent years.
Whilst you can already find açaí bowls in Manchester, this new opening sounds set to become a go-to spot. Started by former pilot Connor and his partner Alisha, the pair discovered the treat whilst travelling and fell so in love they decided to create a business around it.
Eat your heart out Pret, because they also serve banana loaf, yoghurt and granola bowls and avocado toast.
Find it at the Arndale Market, 49 High Street Arndale, Manchester M4 3AH.
Feature image – Batard / Alex Proudfoot
News
Full list of road closures set to be in place for Manchester Day 2024
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Day is back for 2024 this weekend, and the full list of road closures set to be in place has been confirmed.
Now that schools are officially out across Greater Manchester, and the summer holidays are well and truly here, the hugely-popular Manchester Day is making a return once again this Saturday 27 July, and as always, it’s set to be “the day summer officially starts” in the city centre – with a massive celebration of “all things Mancunian” on the cards.
The theme of this year’s annual event is ‘Let The Games Begin’, and it’s inspired by the international summer of sport, just 2024 Olympics kicks off over in Paris.
The day will be packed full of free events and activities to get involved with.
Some city centre roads will be closed on Friday 26 and Saturday 27 July for Manchester Day.
These will include:
🛣️Deansgate 🛣️St Ann Street 🛣️St Mary’s Gate 🛣️Market Street 🛣️King Street
— Manchester City Council (@ManCityCouncil) July 21, 2024
But of course, in order for the all the fun to go ahead as safely as possible, and as tends to be the case for events like these, Manchester City Council says it will need to make some temporary road closures to facilitate it.
The full list of road closures has now been confirmed by the Council, and there’s some major city centre thoroughfares set to be out of action.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Manchester Day is back for 2024 to celebrate the international summer of sport / Credit: Manchester City Council
Manchester Day 2024 – Road Closures
Saturday 27 July
From 6am to 11:59pm, Manchester City Council has confirmed that the following roads will be closed:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street) – access will be maintained to Marks and Spencer’s car park and Number One Deansgate.
St Ann Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street (Cross Street to Deansgate) – no access for deliveries.
All accessible bays, bus lanes, and taxi ranks within the closed areas will also be suspended during from 6pm on Friday 26 July to 11:59pm on Saturday 27 July.
The parking suspensions set to be in place are:
Deansgate (Manchester Cathedral to John Dalton Street)
St Ann Street – including the bays outside St Ann’s Church (Deansgate to Cross Street)
St Mary’s Gate (Exchange Street to Deansgate)
St Mary’s Street (Southbridge Street to Deansgate)
Southgate (St Mary’s Street to King Street West)
Market Street (Exchange Street to Cross Street)
Fennel Street (Corporation Street to Cathedral Street) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cathedral Street (Fennel Street to Exchange Square) – access will be maintained for morning deliveries only.
Cateaton Street (Exchange Square to Deansgate)
Victoria Street (Cathedral Approach to Deansgate)
Todd Street (Corporation Street to Station Approach)
King Street (Spring Gardens to Southgate)
South King Street (Ridgefield to Deansgate)
Barton Square (St Ann’s Square to St Ann Street)
King Street West (Deansgate to St Mary’s Parsonage)
St James’s Square (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Cross Street (King Street to Corporation Street)
Museum Street (Peter Street to Windmill Street)
Marsden Street (Cheapside to Brown Street)
Manchester Day 2024: Let The Games Begin! will take over the city centre on Saturday 27 July from 12pm-6pm.
Check out everything you need to know ahead of the event here.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete
Emily Sergeant
Work currently underway on the Rochdale via Oldham line is expected to take several weeks to complete.
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has now “slowed”, and this means that detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works have been able to get underway.
In order for trams to run again on the crucial line from the city centre to the two major Greater Manchester towns, TfGM says that a small section of track has to be moved back – also known as ‘slewed’ – into its original position.
The overhead line poles also need to be repaired too, the transport operator revealed.
Rochdale line update
Land movement affecting the Metrolink network near Derker has slowed, enabling detailed ground investigations and temporary repair works to get underway.
To get trams running again, a small section of track has to be moved back into its original position… pic.twitter.com/byERjitdi1
Unfortunately though, due to the “complex” nature of these works, and despite the fact that TfGM says it’s actively looking to “accelerate” the repairs, the project is expected to take up to five weeks to complete in full.
On top of this, the detailed ground investigations will also establish whether any further work to strengthen foundations beneath the track will be needed at a later date.
TfGM has apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers.
‘Complex’ Metrolink repairs to the Rochdale via Oldham line could take weeks to complete / Credit: TfGM
Speaking on the scale of works currently underway, and how long he expects them to continue for, Pete Sommers, who is TfGM’s Network Director for Metrolink, said: “I’m sorry for the impact this is having, and will continue to have, on people’s journeys.
“We are working to get trams running through the area again, but this remains a complex and challenging issue and it could still be a few weeks before this happens.
“We will of course keep passengers updated, and I’d encourage people to check our social media channels and website for the latest information and advice.”