Manchester’s got tonnes of amazing affordable eats, but you really can’t beat the classic kebab, whether it’s at the end of a night out or on your lunch break.
With the suburbs around town littered with authentic shawarmas, from the iconic Curry Mile to the takeaways on city centre street corners, you’re not going to struggle to find yourself a decent kebab.
And with a whole new generation of university students rocking up in town over the coming weeks, we figured this was vital information to share…
So we decided to hunt out a few favourites – in one lunch break. Yep, that’s right, we decided that eating three kebabs in one lunch hour was a good idea.
The best part is that although Manchester’s kebab circle is wide, it’s all super easy to get to on public transport.
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Stagecoach sorted us right out on the day with a plan to take on three shawarmas, all linked by its bus network.
We started off in the city centre at Arndale Shawarma, a late-night staple on High Street.
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Arndale Shawarma, a classic spot for a kebab in ManchesterThe neat kebab wraps at Arndale Shawarma in Manchester
Their kebab is a neat naan wrap, stuffed to bursting with the most tender meat, fresh salad, and fat chillies. Chef’s. Kiss.
Then it was time for our kebab crawl to move beyond town. With buses running every few minutes, and fares up to 55% cheaper for students, you can get from campus to kebab in a flash.
Case in point – within just 15 minutes of hopping on a Stagecoach bus out of town, we were on the iconic Curry Mile, and at Al Zain.
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A kebab from Al Zain in ManchesterAl Zain in Manchester serves kebabs in authentic samoon bread
You can’t go wrong with their mixed shawarma, served in a traditional middle Eastern bread called a samoon.
They pile it to the brim with fresh salad and it’s exactly the kebab you want for a fresh and filling meal.
Then it was back on the bus up to Levenshulme, and the local institution that is Levenshulme Bakery.
It’s one of Manchester’s most popular kebabs for good reason.
The legendary shawarma kebab from Levenshulme Bakery. Credit: The Manc GroupStagecoach buses took us around the kebab crawl in Manchester
Their lamb-stuffed samoons are the stuff of legend and there’s always a crowd sat outside the front tucking in.
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So if you’re ready to start using your years of university education here researching the best kebabs in Manchester, you need to get on the Stagecoach Bus App.
Student bus tickets bought on the app give you unlimited bus rides for a term, or even an entire academic year – and they’re 55% off normal prices.
It’s time to pay less on cabs, and more on kebabs.
Dunham Massey – The corner of Greater Manchester with unbeatable autumn landscapes and one of nature’s great spectacles
Daisy Jackson
Dunham Massey is one of the North West’s proudest gems, a National Trust site that’s home to both a magnificent Georgian manor house and a beautiful deer park.
But there’s something to be said for the way it comes into its own as autumn rolls around, when the grounds are blanketed in red and orange leaves and a mist lies low over the lawns.
This is a perfect spot to escape into autumn properly, with a perfect mix of heritage, fresh air and scenery (as well as a pumpkin spice latte in the cafe afterwards).
As we creep further into the autumn months, autumnal bulbs will begin to bloom in the Winter Garden, leaves will rustle underfoot, and bright colours will transform the landscape.
When we hear ‘Dunham Massey’, most of us will think of the resident herd of fallow deer who still graze on the grounds of the former medieval deer park.
Those who explore the park on foot this autumn may catch a glimpse of breeding or ‘rutting’ season, one of nature’s great spectacles, where the bucks fight for their pick of the does.
Expect these amazing beasts to be roaring and bellowing at each other and showing off their fully grown antlers, with the bucks parallel walking and sizing each other up – and potentially clashing over the nearby females.
The best time to see the deer rutting at Dumham Massey is early in the mornings, when the park is quiet.
Also honouring the deer is the Stags in Bradgate Park sculpture, a silver masterpiece dating back to 1855, which was previously believed to have been lost forever and melted down.
Deer resting on the lawn at Dunham Massey. Credit: Arnhel de Serra
Now back on display at Dunham Massey and reunited with the silver collection, it portrays two rutting red deer stags and was commissioned by George Harry Grey, 7th Earl of Stamford in an act of love and rebellion.
It was a symbol of locking horns with the Cheshire society that shunned him over his marriage to Catherine Cox – a woman who was considered beneath him by Victorian high society.
The silver centrepiece was crafted by royal goldsmiths and was seen as a masterpiece at the time, going on to be exhibited at the London International Exhibition of 1862 and the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867.
Elsewhere at Dunham Massey this autumn you’ll find the unique ORIGIN deep listening art installation, which connects visitors to the mansion and gardens through sonic landscapes and visual artistry.
Designed to soothe and rejuvenate, ORIGIN explores the powerful themes of life’s cycle and the human connection to nature.
Dunham Massey is accessible by public transport, with regular buses running from Altrincham and Warrington.
And you can claim 10% off in the ice cream parlour, cafe and restaurant when you show a valid bus ticket.
Find out more about Dunham Massey and what’s on offer this winter HERE.
Spooktacular Halloween trail to return to National Trust site Quarry Bank
Daisy Jackson
A Halloween trail is set to return to Quarry Bank Mill this autumn for one of the region’s most hauntingly beautiful seasonal events.
The National Trust site is a former working mill and one of the country’s finest industrial buildings – but as night falls and the shadows lengthen, a haunting will begin…
This year’s Halloween at Quarry Bank will again feature spooky light installations, a mesmerising laser garden, and a thrilling fire show, as well as live performances and seasonal food and drink.
Returning for a second year, Halloween at Quarry Bank will be an unforgettable experience for all ages.
Fog will swirl through the paths around the grounds, as glowing demon eyes watch over passers-by and giant skeletons loom over twisted trees.
If you’re brave enough, the trail then heads inside the mill itself, where creaking and clanking sounds of its industrial past hint at something a little more haunted.
Credit: Andrew Ogilvy PhotographyCredit: SuppliedCredit: Supplied
As you wander the trail, you’ll pass installations like glowing fire spheres and catacombs echoing with whispers from the past, plus plenty more surprises waiting in the shadows.
Then you can refuel with ‘bewitched burgers and freaky fries’, plus hot toddys and decadent hot chocolates.
You can even toast a marshmallow over an open fire.
Halloween at Quarry Bank is designed for families, couples, and groups of friends alike, and attracts visitors from all over Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Merseyside and Lancashire.
Entry to the trail is on a timed slot system – tickets are on sale now HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
21st September 2023 
