Food & Drink

Crazy Pedro’s is serving Ninja Turtle pizzas this Sunday

The pizza parlour is taking inspiration from the 1980s TV show to celebrate the occasion.

Anna Willis Anna Willis - 21st May 2021

Crazy Pedro’s bar and pizzeria has collaborated with Deliveroo to bring Manchester a hat-trick of new reptile-themed pizzas for World Turtle Day on Sunday (23 May).

The pizza parlour is taking inspiration from Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to celebrate the occasion – recreating three of the concoctions originally seen in the 1980s TV series.

The new dishes are as follows:

  • Pepperoni and Marshmallows
  • Sausage and Jelly Beans
  • Anchovies and Banana

Pretty unique – even by Crazy Pedro’s experimental standards.

Crazy Pedro’s has form for its wacky toppings – from the “Pie Hard” pizza served up over Christmas (custard, mozzarella, mince pie, whiskey cream and cranberry sauce) to the boozy Margarita Margherita Tequila.

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But this time the restaurant is hoping to raise awareness of World Turtle Day which, on 23 May, helps people protect turtles, tortoises and their disappearing habitats around the world.

People can commemorate the occasion by dressing up as turtles, wearing green, and now – thanks to Crazy Pedro’s – by eating pizza!

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Fancy sampling a slice or two?

Head down to one of Crazy Pedro’s’ eateries on Bridge Street (near Spinningfields) or Short Street (in Northern Quarter).

The pizza parlour is open seven days a week – midday to 10pm Monday to Friday and 11am – 10pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Food & Drink

Big Mamma Group opens incredible Italian restaurant Circolo Popolare in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

Circolo Popolare, a lavish Italian restaurant from Big Mamma Group, is now ready to open in Manchester for the first time.

This incredible space marks the first time the acclaimed restaurant group has ventured up north, with restaurants already thriving in London and other cities across Europe.

They promised big things from their interiors, and they’ve certainly delivered on that.

As you step inside this two-storey restaurant just off Albert Square (it’s at the foot of Gary Neville’s £400m St Michael’s development), you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked off to an Italian island.

Downstairs in Circolo Popolare in Manchester is a twinkling paradise with a jasmine-clad ceiling, reels of festoon lighting, and antique trinkets tucked into every corner.

The large windows are lined with thousands of vintage booze bottles and on each table you’ll find hand-painted crockery designed especially for Big Mamma Group.

Upstairs, there’s a cosy, ivy-covered space inspired by a Sicilian courtyard, with a huge open kitchen at one end where you can see the chefs at work.

Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group

They’re working on dishes like gigantic bowls of truffle pasta, authentic Neapolitan pizzas (made the traditional way with thinner crusts, rather than the puffed-up contemporary style we see so much of these days), and Italian small plates.

As for dessert, the star of the show is their six-inch-tall lemon meringue pie, crowned in a wobbling tower of torched meringue.

But you also shouldn’t skip out on their tiramisu, scooped straight into your bowl table-side.

Circolo Popolare officially opens on 6 June – to book a table, sign up to their newsletter HERE.

Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Pizza, pasta and small plates
Pizza, pasta and small plates
Filippo La Gattuta, founder of Big Mamma Group
Filippo La Gattuta, founder of Big Mamma Group
A giant lemon meringue pie
A giant lemon meringue pie
Thousands of vintage alcohol bottles
Thousands of vintage alcohol bottles
Cocktails at Circolo Popolare
Cocktails at Circolo Popolare
The beautiful bar area
The beautiful bar area
The open kitchen at Circolo Popolare
The open kitchen at Circolo Popolare
Authentic Neapolitan pizza
Authentic Neapolitan pizza
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The private dining room
The private dining room
Lamb pasta
Lamb pasta
Cocktails at Circolo Popolare
Cocktails at Circolo Popolare
Tiramisu scooped table-side
Tiramisu scooped table-side
Hand-painted plates
Hand-painted plates
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Prosciutto and truffle pasta
Prosciutto and truffle pasta
Thousands of vintage alcohol bottles
Thousands of vintage alcohol bottles
The private dining room
The private dining room
Upstairs at Circolo Popolare
Upstairs at Circolo Popolare

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Food & Drink

All the free things you can get with a Great Manchester Run finisher’s medal this year

Danny Jones Danny Jones freebies for great manchester run 2025

What’s the best part about doing the Great Manchester Run, we hear you ask? All the freebies, of course. You’ll be glad to hear there are more free things than ever for finishers this year.

More than 35,000 runners are set to take on the challenge, be it the half marathon or the 10k, and we firmly believe every single one of these legends should be entitled to as much free stuff as possible.

If it were up to us, they wouldn’t pay for anything all day, but hey, we make don’t make the rules.

So yeah, without further ado, here are all the freebies you can get for taking part in the Great Manchester 2025.

Free stuff and offers for Great Manchester Runners to cop in 2025

Without further ado, here are a tonne of freebies, discounts and deals you can grab by simply flashing your finisher’s medals:

free cocktails great manchester run
salon madre cocktails
Credit: The Manc/Supplied
  • Dishoom – Complimentary 330ml Kingfisher/Kingfisher Zero (0.0%) for anyone with anyone dining with a finisher’s medal.
  • Blacklock – Free glass of fizz on us with your medal.
  • Maray –  Free glass of fizz/pint (or non-alcoholic beer/soft) for anyone with a medal who is dining on Sunday
  • Electric Shuffle – Free house wine, prosecco or pint for anyone with a 2025 medal.
  • Salon Madre – 2-4-1 margaritas all day Sunday for anyone with a race medal. 
  • Suki Suki – Free bao bun for anyone with a medal.
  • Refuge/Kimpton Clocktower Hotel – 100 free pints of Manchester Union Beer (first come, first served)
  • Hello Oriental – Discounted soft serve ice cream, plus a free beer or soft drink with any meal for all finishers
  • The Shack – Flash your medal to claim a free glass of Prosecco or beer, plus parties with medals get 20% off their food bill.
  • Dough Religion (House of Social) – half price slice at Manchester Jazz Festival on Sunday
Credit: The Manc Eats

Read more:

We’re sure a few free bits and bobs for half-marathon and 10k runners, but there are all the ones we’ve come across over the past week or so.

That being said, if you spot any, feel free to drop them in the comments and share the wisdom.

Last but not least, participants and spectators alike can find all the important information they need ahead of race day down below.

And just know, no matter how the day goes, we’re SO proud of you already!

Great Manchester Run guide 2025 – everything you need to know
Go and smash it.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

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