Eats

This Manchester cafe is giving away free loaf cakes today

Loaf will be giving out 100 of its cakes for free on Oxford Road this afternoon.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 4th November 2022

A cafe in Manchester is giving away free loaf cakes today to celebrate its arrival on Oxford Road.

Loaf Manchester, which opened its doors on the busy street last week, will be handing out one hundred of its cakes for free to sweet tooths from 12pm.

Available on a first-come, first-served basis, the giveaway marks the arrival of the retro pink cake cafe.

Loaf’s Pina Colada special. / Image: Loaf Manchester
Loaf on Oxford Road. / Image: Loaf Manchester

The cafe is itself the indirect result of the pandemic, born after its founder started baking from home to raise money for the NHS to tackle PPE shortages and a lack of staff food on-site during lockdown.

Whilst furloughed from his fashion retail job, Loaf founder Aiden Ryan raised £1,000 selling just 120 sweetie and chocolate-loaded loaf cakes in a month – and has carried on baking ever since.

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Sharing the news of the free cake giveaway on Instagram last night, founder Aiden  wrote: “ONE HUNDRED FREE CAKES TOMORROW

“To celebrate the launch of Loaf Oxford St, we’re giving away 100 of our cakes! First come, first served.

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Loaf founder Aiden Ryan. / Image: Loaf Manchester
Vegan Oreo Chocolate Loaf. / Image: Loaf Manchester

“We can’t wait to finally open our doors and welcome you to your retro pink cake cafe.

“12 PM OPENING! See you then!”

Fans heading down today can expect to find a range of cakes loaded with sweet treats like Lotus Biscoff, Jammy Dodgers, Kinder Buenos, figs, creme eggs and Bourbon biscuits.

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Read more: Manchester man who started baking in lockdown to raise money for NHS is opening his own ‘loaf cake’ cafe

Classic loaf cakes are the order of the day here, with recent specials including Manchester Tart, Solero, Lemon Meringue Pie, Pina-ca-Loafa, and Chocolate Vimto with ice cream.

The cafe also serves  Loaf Au Choc and Brioche Loaf by the slice with a choice of different toppings, as well as a selection of hot drinks to wash it all down with.

Feature image – Loaf Manchester

Eats

Lavish Spanish restaurant backed by Pep Guardiola announces shock closure

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Lavish Spanish restaurant backed by Pep Guardiola announces shock closure

Tast, the luxury Spanish restaurant in Manchester that was launched with the backing of Pep Guardiola, has announced its sudden closure.

The beautiful restaurant in King Street, led by acclaimed executive chef Paco Pérez, said that it’s taken the ‘difficult decision’ to close the doors for the ‘very last time’ this week.

Tast opened back in the summer of 2018, taking over the site that was previously home to restaurants like Quill and Suri.

It had a much better run of things than those previous occupiers, thanks to its menu of Catalan-style rice dishes and traditional but refined tapas.

Sadly, Tast Cuina Catalana has now decided that it’s reached the end of the road, and will be closing its doors for good on Saturday 20 December.

They cited a number of factors leading to the closure, including ‘exceptionally challenging trading conditions’ and ‘increased costs’, stressing that the restaurant’s ‘shareholders and the dedication of our team’ have seen the restaurant through the last seven years.

Tast wrote in a statement: “We are proud to have been able to share some of Catalunya, our beloved country, with the people of Manchester.

Tast will close for good on 20 December
Tast will close for good on 20 December
Tast on King Street launched in 2018 with backing from Pep Guardiola
Tast on King Street launched in 2018 with backing from Pep Guardiola

“Between now and our final service on 20 December, we look forward to welcoming you and celebrating what Tast has always been about: great food, great people and memorable moments shared around the table.”

Other restaurant owners in Manchester have been sharing their messages of support with Tast, including Beeswing, who wrote: “This is so sad to read. Such lovely food and thoughtful service — a real reflection of how hard things are for hospitality right now. Manchester will miss you.”

Mary-Ellen McTague, the renowned chef at Pip, said: “Really sad news! Sorry to hear it.”

Tasts’s full statement reads: “After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Tast’s doors for the very last time on 20 December 2025.

“Tast has been built on the passion, talent and commitment of an exceptional team, and we want to begin by thanking every single person who has worked with us over the years. Your creativity, care and professionalism have been the heart of Tast.

“To our loyal customers: thank you for choosing to dine with us, celebrate with us and support us. Your belief in Tast has kept us alive for seven years and it has been a privilege to welcome you through our doors.

“We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to our suppliers, producers and partners. Your quality, reliability and collaboration have played a vital role in shaping what Tast stands for.

“Like many in the hospitality sector, we have faced exceptionally challenging trading conditions and increased costs. But the unwavering support of our shareholders and the dedication of our team have seen us through these past seven years.

“Above all, we are proud to have been able to share some of Catalunya, our beloved country, with the people of Manchester.

“Between now and our final service on 20 December, we look forward to welcoming you and celebrating what Tast has always been about: great food, great people and memorable moments shared around the table.

“Thank you for being part of our journey. With gratitude, Tast Team.”

Anyone with vouchers to dine at Tast will be automatically refunded if they can’t be spent in the next few days.

Tast will officially close on Saturday 20 December.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

Inside Mollie’s Motel and Diner in Manchester as beautiful new hotel opens with rooms from just £109

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Inside Mollie's Motel & Diner Manchester

Mollie’s Motel & Diner has arrived in Manchester, with beautiful hotel rooms from just £109 plus a retro diner serving American classics.

The space has taken over five floors of the iconic Old Granada Studios down at St John’s, with interior design that celebrates the building’s history.

Mid-century modern details like dark woods, textured upholstery, and retro lamps abound in this stylish new opening for Manchester.

Soho House Design has worked on the build of Mollie’s Motel to preserve the modernist facade of Old Granada Studios and make playful nods to the building’s vibrant history.

This is particularly obvious downstairs in Studio IV, a cocktail bar with a live music stage, where vintage TVs have been inserted over the bar and guests sink into plush couches for pre-dinner drinks.

You can already check out Mollie’s Diner, which is open now (with a decent discount for its launch – more on that below), with the Mollie’s Motel bedrooms set to launch early 2026.

The hotel rooms at Mollie’s Motel Manchester

A bunk room at Mollie's Motel Manchester
A bunk room at Mollie’s Motel Manchester
A Mollie's Motel suite
A Mollie’s Motel suite
And a tub with a view
And a tub with a view
The bedrooms are all beautifully designed
The bedrooms are all beautifully designed

Hotel rooms at Mollie’s Manchester start from an incredibly reasonable £109, with different size and spec bedrooms and suites for guests.

There are cosy bunk rooms where up to four guests can tuck into their own bunk pods, suites that have their own Peleton room, and cosy double bedrooms with gorgeous views of the southern side of the city.

Regardless of the level (or price) of your chosen room, you’ll have the same design detailing (dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes), plus rainshowers, a super king bed, Dyson hairdryers, GHD straighteners and Cowshed toiletries.

Mollie’s Diner in Manchester

Mollie's Diner is open now
Mollie’s Diner is open now
Breakfast dishes at Mollie's Diner
Breakfast dishes at Mollie’s Diner
Burgers and fried chicken at Mollie's Diner
Burgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s Diner
Classic thick milkshakes
Classic thick milkshakes

The diner space itself looks like it’s been lifted straight out of Hollywood’s Golden Age, with deep burgundy leather banquettes, counter seating, and globe pendant lights.

It’s all been inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac, and has space to 110 diners plus private dining for 30.

As for food and drink, you can expect everything from waffles and French toast to huge burgers and steaks, with thick milkshakes to wash it down.

You can get 50% off food if you book Mollie’s Diner HERE.

The rest of the spaces in Mollie’s Motel & Diner, Manchester

Studio IV cocktail bar
Studio IV cocktail bar
Studio IV cocktail bar
Studio IV cocktail bar
The library snug
The library snug

As you enter this reimagined building, you’re plunged straight into its design-led vision, with couches and cosy corners everywhere.

The communal reception space has a library snug, coffee counter, and beautiful bar, but you head downstairs you’ll find the real treat – Studio IV.

This beautiful bar is built around a magnificent central bar, with retro TV screens above it and scalloped leather bar stools surrounding it.

There’s a mid-century-era stage, too, which will host live entertainment to a crowd gathered on couches before it.

You can get 25% off signature cocktails in Studio IV if you pre-book HERE.

Read more

Featured image: The Manc Group

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