Whilst there are a million different places in Manchester to go for a traditional Christmas dinner, if you’re looking for something a little more alternative then we’re got you covered.
There are always some great festive specials on offer in the city, but – possibly thanks to last Christmas being cancelled – Manchester’s kitchens have truly outdone themselves this year, with one literally reinventing the cheese wheel in the process.
From festive fry-ups to a bottomless mulled wine brunch, Christmas tree donut boxes, Christmas kebabs, a mince-pie-Eccles-cake hybrid, pigs in blankets-topped parmos and loads more, keep reading to discover where to find the best alternative Christmas dinners in Manchester this year.
A Christmas sausage and stuffing camembert pie
Classic baked camembert, but make it proper Manc with the addition of a wrap-around sausage and sage and onion stuffing roll with added chilli cranberry sauce. That, in a nutshell, is exactly what Potter’s Pies have done with this latest creation.
Not for you? They’ve also updated their sausage roll-pie hybrid, making it extra festive with added turkey, roast potatoes, crunchy stuffing, cranberry and a pig in blanket sausage roll lid.
Idle Hands ‘world famous’ festive fry ups are now flying out of the kitchen and onto plywood tables right through the month.
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Loaded with such delights as pigs in blankets, sprouts, mushroom and chestnut stuffing, cranberry sauce and maple parsnips, plus all the usual fry up suspects, this is a cheeky twist on a roast if ever we saw one – and we’re absolutely here for it.
A bottomless mulled wine brunch with peanut butter and jelly French toast waffles
Image: The Manc Group
Image: The Manc Group
Where: Firefly
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Firefly has launched a Christmas bottomless brunch that comes with UNLIMITED mulled wine and special Christmas cocktails, prosecco, G&Ts and more.
As for your food, think peanut butter and jelly French toast waffles, a Firefly breakfast with all the trimmings or some gorgeous baked eggs with chorizo and feta.
Parmogeddon at Hatch has got some special festive breaded chicken parmos loaded with stuffing balls, bacon, pigs in blankets and oodles of cheesy bechamel sauce. You’ll even get a little pot of gravy to pour on top.
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On top of that, you’ll also find loaded Xmas fries topped with everything from pigs in blankets and deep-fried stuffing to bacon, brie and cranberry on the menu throughout December.
Christmas tree and candy cane snowflake donut boxes
Image: DGHNT
Image: DGHNT
Artisanal donut baker DGHNT has created a beautiful Christmas-themed box for the month of December, with four individually-flavoured creations inside.
Available from 10 – 22 December, flavours include a candy cane-topped white chocolate glazed donut with mascarpone whipped cream and a Christmas almond donut with edible holly.
Italian pigs in Italian blankets AND sage and onion mozzarella sticks
Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria is a solid favourite at any time of the year, but it’s safe to say that the team is pulling out all the stops for Christmas.
Think massive mozzarella sticks rolled in sage and onion stuffing mix and served with a tangy, spiced cranberry dip, and Littlewoods’ pork chipolatas roasted in Calabrian nduja, wrapped in smoked pancetta rashers and served with a cinnamon honey dip.
Christmas kebabs with ‘festive’ smileys from a Michelin star chef
Birmingham-based Michelin star chef Brad Carter opened his One Star Doner Bar at Escape to Freight Island earlier this year, selling some of the most indulgent kebabs in the city. Now he’s doing a Christmas version, and it sounds very special.
Think turkey and stuffing shawarma, topped with Paxo mayonnaise, cranberry hot sauce, shredded sprouts, onion and cabbage, plus festive smiley faces loaded with fried sprouts, lemon and pepper.
A Christmas cheese platter feat. a Christmas cracker garlic bread burrito
Image: American Pies
Where: American Pies
For the ultimate Christmas cheese platter, you’d do well to visit American Pies – who’ve created this stunner in the name of the sweet baby cheesus (we joke).
Think nduja-crumbed burrata in blankets with hot honey, deep-fried Goude filo lollipops, bacon, cranberry and brie cheesy garlic knots, turkey meatball sliders, festive tots with whiskey and orange sauce, a Christmas cracker garlic bread burrito and jalapeno and cheddar stuffed jumbo pigs in blankets.
A Christmas burger with beef-fat fried Christmas pudding
Image: Slap and Pickle
Where: Slap and Pickle
Called ‘All I Want for Christmas’, think two Swaledale beef smash patties, smoked bacon, cranberry Wensleydale, pickles, Paxo mayo, red cabbage, lettuce, and a fried slice of Christmas pudding. For veggies and vegans, there’s a plant-based version too – served in a bright green bun.
Elsewhere, you’ll find loaded ‘All The Trimmings’ fries, Biscoff cheesecake and plenty more.
A Christmas dinner cheese toastie with all the trimmings
Image: Northern Soul
Where: Northern Soul
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The Christmas dinner cheese toastie at Northern Soul is the stuff of legends. A special that people look forward to every year, it’s slathered in gravy and stuffed with sliced turkey, pink lady stuffing, cranberry sauce, cheese, and topped with a pork lollipop.
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A ‘White Christmas’ pizza with turkey dinosaurs, stuffing, and pigs in blankets
Where: Crazy Pedro’s
Crazy Pedro’s December special always comes with a festive twist – and this one is pretty solid. Featuring turkey dinosaurs, pigs in blankets, stuffing, gravy, cranberry and sage on a cheesy white pizza base, it’s available all month.
It doesn’t look much, but this buttery beauty is everything you want out of a festive pastry treat this Christmas. Created by small-batch bakery team Batard, it fuses the traditional Eccles cake with a mince pie filling for the ultimate naughty indulgence.
A ‘Boxing Day Burger’ with curry sauce, sprout bhajis and fried chicken
Image: The Manc Group
Where: Yard and Coop
Yard and Coop’s ‘Boxing Day Burger’ is absolutely massive, stacked with buttermilk fried chicken, butter chicken curry sauce, topped with sprout bhajis and curry-salted parsnip crisps. But that’s just the start of things.
There’s also the ‘Winner Winner Christmas Dinner’, which comes with fried chicken piled on top of cheesy mash, pulled chicken and sage stuffing, Yorkies and all the trimmings; plus gin and cranberry infused negroni wings, sticky marmalade chipolatas and loads more.
Yuletide Christmas pizzas including ‘Mistletoe and Swine’
Image: Nell’s
Where: Nell’s
Nell’s has created three festive pizas this year – one for meat-eaters, one for veggies, and one for vegans (full disclosure: the slices don’t actually come out shaped like Christmas trees, as far as we’re aware).
‘Mistletoe and Swine’ combines mozzarella with Sykes Fell cheese, guanciale, sausage, sage and onion crunch and chilli, whilst ‘Pigs in Blankets’ offers a veggie alternative with veggie bacon and Beyond Sausage. Vegan option ‘By the Baubles’, meanwhile, comes loaded with spinach, sprouts, facon, roquito peppers, leek and lemon.
Festive gourmet kebabs and giant stuffed Yorkshire puddings
Image: The Manc Group
Where: Bab
These beautiful-looking gourmet kebabs at Bab have been given the festive touch, loaded with the likes of roast turkey, pigs in blankets and sprouts, brie, cranberry and chilli sauce – or lamb chops with green peas and mint sauce.
There’s also an unsung hero on this festive menu, a giant Yorkshire pudding filled with roast beef, veggies and Bab gravy. If you’re not feeling a kebab, this is the one for you.
Peruvian eatery Peru Perdu has created a festive empanada for the season, combining the traditional Spanish turnover with the English mince pie.
Served with cream for dipping, inside the classic empanada casing you’ll find sweet mincemeat. According to the restaurant, it’s the UK’s first ever mince pie empanada.
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Bad Bunny: What you need to know about the Super Bowl LX headliner before his big halftime show
Thomas Melia
Global superstar Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl LX halftime show, and we’re giving you the rundown about the current reigning reggaeton artist.
Despite being world famous and hugely popular in Latin America as well as other Hispanic countries, not everyone had heard his name before now.
And since there seem to be more places showing the Super Bowl than ever in Manchester this year, we thought we’d give you a little explainer of his story so far and why you should care when he takes one of the world’s biggest stages.
So, if you’ve been wondering, “who is Bad Bunny?” – well, this is who…
Who is Super Bowl halftime show headliner, Bad Bunny?
Born in Puerto Rico, Benito Antonio – now more widely recognised by his artistic moniker Bad Bunny – is a fast-rising Spanish-speaking act who has transported modern-day reggaeton from Latin America to all new heights.
The Puerto Rican powerhouse has only ever visited the UK once, performing at O2 Forum Kentish Town in London seven years ago as part of his first-ever run of global shows entitled ‘La Nueva Religión’ (The New Religion) tour.
Since then, ‘El Benito’ has dropped seven full-length studio albums and nine musical projects overall, which have all helped establish him as a major force to be reckoned with in the music industry.
Bad Bunny is headlining the upcoming Super Bowl halftime show on 8 February / Credit: Press Shot via Apple Music(Supplied) / Unsplash via Naveen Venkatesan
Alongside his musical career, Bad Bunny has seen himself at the forefront of various pop culture moments thanks to his innovative fashion sense and notable charm.
Iconic moments Bad Bunny is known for
With his first album X 100Pre (an abbreviation meaning Forever) dropping back in 2018, Bad Bunny has spent almost eight years in the limelight, so it will come as no surprise that there are plenty of iconic moments you might remember.
Bad Bunny as a drag queen – To coincide with the release of his single ‘Yo Perreo Sola’ (I Twerk Alone), Benito stepped into unchartered territory, debuting three different Drag personas to combat toxic masculinity in the reggaeton music scene.
WWE – Benito is a huge fan of wrestling. He first appeared for a performance at the Royal Rumble in 2021, before returning later that year and teaming up with Damian Priest to take down The Miz and John Morrison.
VMA performance – The Latin multi-hyphenate made headlines in 2022 after kissing a male dancer on-stage. Both fans and media outlets stated the performance harked back to Madonna’s similar showcase two decades prior; you can watch Bad Bunny’s kiss HERE (skip to 2:50).
Met Gala – Well-recognised for its glamorous and glitzy outfits, the Met Gala brings together A-Listers for a showcase of all things fashion. Bad Bunny was styled by fashion house Jacquemus and wore a backless suit with a 26-foot train.
The Super Bowl is a huge accomplishment for all artists; now Bad Bunny joins the headlining roster / Credit: Jorge Rojas via Unsplash (Supplied)
SNL – The LATAM star has appeared on American comedy sketch-show SNL numerous times, both as an artist and as a part-time comedian. In 2023, Bad Bunny and Pedro Pascal became an overprotective aunty and mum duo and had crowds laughing uncontrollably.
Carpool Karaoke – James Corden’s nighttime show segment was welcomed into the reggaeton world courtesy of Bad Bunny. However, it’s his cover of ‘Break Free’ by Ariana Grande where he discusses it’s the first English-spoken song he ever learnt that had people falling in love with him.
Coachella – This desert-based music festival is known for its large-scale productions, and in the early summer of 2023, Bad Bunny became the first Spanish-speaking artist to headline this mega music celebration.
No Me Quiero Ir de Aquí – Translating to ‘I don’t want to leave here’, this was the title of his Puerto Rico residency. As well as creating lifelong memories for fans, this 31-date experience also boosted the economy of his home country.
What songs will Bad Bunny perform at his Super Bowl halftime show?
With 28 songs over one billion streams, Bad Bunny is going to have a tricky time deciphering which of his hits to include in his upcoming Super Bowl halftime show performance.
His most recognisable album is the beach-inspired Un Verano Sin Ti (A Summer Without You), which features six tracks with over one billion streams, so it’s safe to say this LP is guaranteed some love.
The latest addition to El Benito’s discography, DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS (I Should’ve Taken More Photos) might also steal the spotlight due to its focus on exploring traditional Puerto Rican sounds.
And, after reconciling late last year, Bad Bunny might take his friendship with J Balvin to Super Bowl status, performing songs from their collaborative album OASIS as well as their Cardi B link-up ‘I Like It’.
Audio North‘s Bad Bunny Super Bowl setlist prediction:
NUEVAYoL
Tití Me Preguntó/ Me Porto Bonito/ Moscow Mule (Medley)
Dákiti
I Like It (With Cardi B and J Balvin)
La Canción (With J Balvin)
Callaíta (With Tainy)
Un x100to (With Grupo Frontera)
Baile Inolvidable
Super Bowl halftime show performances normally contain around 10 songs, and the setlist is being kept very tight-lipped as per usual; however, it’s always fun to throw out a prediction or two before the event on Sunday, 8 February.
Which special guests will join Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show line-up?
Bad Bunny has worked with a multitude of artists from reggaeton sidekicks to pop supremes like Jennifer Lopez, Dua Lipa and Drake.
Although it’s highly unlikely these big names will all be free at the same time, when it comes to ‘The Bowl’, anything is possible.
The ‘Tití Me Preguntó’ songwriter is heading to the UK for the second time ever in his career, for his Debí Tirar Más FotosWorld Tour, and he’s chosen Tottenham Hotspur as the location for this huge cultural moment.
If you’re wondering where to get tickets, you have two chances to watch this superstar in his element as he’s performing on June 27 and 28; you can grab your tickets for either date HERE and HERE, respectively.
Hopefully, now you’ve discovered more about who this Latin American sensation is, so you’re not left completely clueless when the Seahawks and Patriots take a quick 15-minutebreak mid-game.
Featured Images – Press Shot via Apple Music(Supplied)/Unsplash via Naveen Venkatesan (Supplied)/Jorge Rojas via Unsplash (Supplied)
News
Passengers urged to ‘plan ahead’ as Manchester Piccadilly prepares to close for nine days next week
Emily Sergeant
Passengers are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as Manchester Piccadilly prepares to close for nine full days from next weekend.
In case you hadn’t heard, it was announced last November that Manchester Piccadilly train was going to have to shut in February 2026 for what is described as being a ‘once-in-a-generation upgrade’… and now, we are less than two weeks away before that officially becomes a reality and very few train services run in or out of the station.
Network Rail is investing £7.9m into the major upgrade at Manchester Piccadilly station – with the main points of action being to improve tracks, points, and signalling systems on the southern approach to Manchester Piccadilly station.
Teams are due to replace 11 sets of points, renew timber sleepers with modern, concrete equivalents, and alsobring lineside equipment ‘bang up to date’ across six lines to improve future journeys for passengers and freight.
Investment in this apparent ‘critical stretch’ of track has been long awaited, as any issues with the ageing infrastructure can disrupt all trains running in and out of Manchester.
Passengers are being urged to ‘plan ahead’ as Manchester Piccadilly prepares to close for nine days next week / Credit: Network Rail
The nine-day closure, although expected to cause commuting chaos, is tipped to ultimately deliver ‘better and more reliable journeys’ for passengers in the long run.
The main work takes place over nine days during February half term, from Saturday 14 through to Sunday 22 February 2026.
And what does this mean for anyone travelling exactly? Well, the scale of the work spanning all main lines means no trains from the south and east of the city will run into Manchester Piccadilly for the full nine days, while trains from the north will also be heavily impacted, as will direct connections to Manchester Airport station.
There will be a limited service westbound from Platforms 13 and 14.
⚠️ Major changes to services this February half term ⚠️
🛠️ We're upgrading the Piccadilly corridor.
📆 From 14-22 February there will be no trains from platforms 1-12. A limited service will terminate at platforms 13&14.
The train shed (Platforms 1-12) will also close for the full nine days, but Manchester Piccadilly station’s concourse will remain open to the public.
“During this time, we are advising passengers to travel light, allow extra time for their journey, and be prepared to queue, as stations and rail replacement services are expected to be very busy,” National Rail said in its statement issued ahead of the closure next week.
“We have worked with train operators, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Manchester City Council to develop an alternative travel plan during the closure, to keep passengers moving smoothly to their destination.”
You can plan your journey on the Northern Rail website here.
Georgina Pellant -
9th December 2021 
