A handful of restaurants and bars in Manchester city centre have unveiled new Christmas menus and events happening over the festive season.
With the arrival of December merely a few days away, and the most wonderful time of the year right around the corner, plenty of the city’s best-loved hospitality venues are gearing up for Christmas and New Year by revealing seasonal food and drink menus and themed events to help get Mancunians in the festive spirit.
New Year’s burlesque shows, late-night Christmas parties, and new limited-time festive food and drinks offerings are just some of the things you can get stuck into at each of the four popular venues – which are all owned by the Northern Hospitality group – over the next month.
So, whether you’re looking for a quiet place for lunch / dinner, or a night to remember in the city centre, there’s sure to be something that takes your fancy.
Located on the bustling Stevenson Square, Quarter House is one of Manchester’s most laid-back restaurant bars that’s serving over 14 beers and ciders on draught, speciality cocktails, and hearty food all year round, cheffed up by one of the North West’s leading multi award-winning BBQ chefs.
But for this Christmas, the extensive food menu has some new festive additions.
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In celebration of the season, a trio of turkey treats have been added to the menu – Turkey Fries, Turkey Tray, and Turkey Tacos – as well as the undeniable and indulgent menu stand-out, the ‘Santa’s Little Helper’ burger, which is an aged steak burger patty topped with double cheese, maple bacon, smoked Turkey, sausage and cranberry stuffing patty, Vimto BBQ sauce, sprout top slaw and a candy pigs in blanket pinwheel lollipop, served with fries and a pot of gravy.
You can find out more about Quarter House this Christmas here.
Hula
Stevenson Square
Hula MCR / Credit: Hula
Also sitting on Northern Quarter hub Stevenson Square, Hula – which is the original and best Tiki experience in Manchester – is known for transporting you to a 1950s-inspired tropical slice of paradise, with lots of hedonistic fun, exotic cocktails, and shake-your-booty dance beats that make for one of the best nights out you’ll have in the city centre.
It’s also the ultimate afterparty venue for the Christmas parties, and it’s open from 5pm until late everyday for those who don’t want the party to stop.
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You can find out more about Hula this Christmas here.
The Fitzgerald
Stevenson Square
The Fitzgerald / Credit: The Fitzgerald
Yet another Stevenson Square gem, the “Northern Quarter’s atmospheric drinking den” The Fitzgerald will be hosting a number of events throughout the festive period, including the continuation of the ever-popular monthly comedy night on Thursday 16 December, with doors opening from 7:30pm and the show starting at 8pm.
And then, on New Year’s Eve, there will be a special Burlesque show by Bad Bunny Burlesque, with tickets from just £10 on Skiddle.
You can find out more about what’s happening at The Fitzgerald here.
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Man With The Fish
High Street
Man With The Fish / Credit: Instagram (@manwiththefishmcr)
Newly-opened Man With The Fish – another laid-back Northern Quarter bar that’s situated on the bustling High Street – is the ideal place to hit up after a busy day of shopping, during your lunch hour, after work, or if you want to party the weekend away.
Upstairs in the venue is focused around beer, with 15 different lines and huge selection of bottles and cans, as well as an amazing cocktail list, and a good selection of wine, while downstairs is the basement club that’s open Friday and Saturday nights until 3am.
There’s also rooms available for private hire for any last-minute Christmas parties too.
You can find out more about Man With The Fish this Christmas here.
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Featured Image – The Fitzgerald / Man With The Fish
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A huge free careers festival geared towards young creatives is coming to Manchester this week
Daisy Jackson
The Catch22 TikTok Creative Academy and Factory International are hosting a careers festival in Manchester this week, designed to empower young creatives.
The huge free event on Thursday 3 April will take over Aviva Studios, offering everything from speed mentoring to CV clinics to expert talks.
Attendees will be able to have a free headshot taken, meet employers and like-minded creatives, and generally get a feel for how to build a career in the creative industry.
The Career Festival will boost Manchester’s creative future by supporting the next generation of creators, investing in their skills and confidence.
It’s all geared towards young people aged between 16 and 24 who face challenges in finding sustainable careers within the creative industries.
On the day, attendees will be able to receive one-on-one career advice from top industry professionals in speed mentoring sessions, learning from experts in marketing, media, production and more.
They’ll also be able to network with organisations, training providers and employers including Crew gal, Walk the Plank, and Gate Films.
Expert talks will give advice on how to break into the industry, while a CV clinic will help to hone CVs into a stand-out that’ll get a foot straight in the door, along with free headshot portraits.
The Catch22 TikTok Creative Academy and Factory International careers festival. Credit: Mark Crayden Photography
And the whole time attendees will be surrounded by other creatives, building a network that could launch them towards their next big opportunity.
The TikTok Creative Academy, delivered by Catch22 and funded by TikTok, is a free employment program designed to provide vital support to young people aged 16-24 seeking to enter the creative industries.
It’s been specifically targeted towards young people who experience barriers to employment, whether that’s because of challenges like mental health and limited educational attainment, or involvement with the criminal justice system.
The programme itself has a free employment course, offers targeted supports, and opens the door to the industry, fostering networking and career development.
The Catch22 TikTok Creative Academy and Factory International careers festival. Credit: Supplied
It also offers practical skills development and emphasises creative abilities to help young people thrive.
Quote from TikTok Creative Academy Senior Service Manager, Hilda Dotsey: “At Catch22, we are acutely aware of the challenges that young creatives face when it comes to finding sustainable employment in the creative industries and we are about to mark the 1000th person supported into work, training or further education through TikTok Creative Academy.
“With lack of industry insight and experience cited as one of the key barriers to quality creative careers, it is fantastic to be partnering with Factory International once more.
“This event, which celebrates our third year of delivering the programme, will open up pathways for Manchester youth, linking up the next generation of creative talent with industry experts and Manchester’s top creative voices.”
The Catch22 TikTok Creative Academy and Factory International: Career Festival will take place at Aviva Studios from 1pm to 4pm on Thursday 3 April.
You can find out more about Catch22 and the services available HERE.
Inside The Black Friar as Salford pub unveils incredible floral display
Daisy Jackson
Spring has really sprung in Salford – legendary pub The Black Friar has just revealed a sensational makeover, with gigantic flowers sprawled across its frontage and a new seasonal menu to go with it.
The historic pub is celebrating the changing of the seasons with both a striking floral installation and a menu that celebrates spring and Salford in equal measure.
Most Mancs will by now have spotted the 4,000 flower-strong installation that now adorns the front of The Black Friar, with bright pink, yellow and purple flowers spilling from a gigantic pink tap.
And all those florals continue inside, with the pub’s Tavern – previously a cosy winter hideaway – now filled with trailing blooms and woodland installations, just off their award-winning garden.
Cheshire-based artist Kelly Louise Chapman is the woman behind this sensational transformation of the much-loved gastropub.
As for the pub’s kitchen, they’ve crafted a new very seasonal and very British menu, with plenty of nods to Black Friar’s Salford roots.
There are dishes like a Boddingtons braised ox cheek (the pub still proudly displays its Boddingtons sign outside), aged beef tartare, butternut squash and ricotta tortellini, and pan-roasted cod fillet.
Spring small plates at The Black Friar pubDelicious spring drinksInside The Tavern at The Black Friar
A popular item from the Valentine’s Day menu – the Cornish crab vol-au-vent – will be sticking around on the spring menu, along with an enhanced grill section that includes a lamb Barnsley chop cooked over coals.
Then for desserts, you’ll be spoilt with a banoffee knickerbocker glory, and passionfruit panna cotta.
And for drinks (because this is a pub, after all), The Black Friar has put together a range of seasonal drinks like a rose sangria sharer, and non-alcoholic sodas like kaffir lime and coconut.
Ben Chaplin, head chef at The Black Friar, said: “This new menu is all about celebrating the best of spring produce.
“We’ve carefully crafted each dish to highlight fresh, seasonal ingredients and bold flavours, adding new depth to our offerings while still delivering the comfort that will always be associated with The Black Friar.
“My top recommendation and personal favourite dish is the Slow-Cooked Boddingtons Braised Ox Cheek.”
Neil Burke, owner of The Black Friar, commented: “We wanted to bring a taste of spring to The Black Friar, inside and out. This floral installation will transform the space and bring sunshine and smiles, whatever the weather!
“My top recommendation on the new menu is the Cumbrian Spiced Lamb Scotch Egg. It’s EXCEPTIONAL.”
To find out more about The Black Friar and to book a table, visit HERE.
Emily Sergeant -
29th November 2021 
