Bank Holiday GRUB at Runaway
If you’re planning your upcoming bank holiday weekend in Manchester, fit this into your schedule. The now regular GRUB Food Fair is shifting its date to the last Saturday of the month so it can party with the best of you. Held at Runaway Brewery, all of its local beer will be flowing straight from the source. There’s a fantastic food presence at the do, with debut outings from What The Truck?, Oh Mei Dumpling and Scoop Up, plus local favourites Mac Daddies and The Hip Hop Chip Shop completing the line-up. DJs will provide the soundtrack all day. Head down to start your weekend – just remember to take cash with you.
Sat 27 Aug, The Runaway Brewery, 4 Millgate, Dantzic Street, Manchester, M4 4JW, Tel: 0161 832 2628, FREE, 12pm – 10pm, www.facebook.com

The Gin Society at Manchester Cathedral
A whole festival, based on a society of gin. In these strange times, this is the kind of society to concentrate on. With over 70 gins from the UK and across Europe, tickets include entry to the festival with a guide and goblet, to learn and drink from, respectively. Live entertainment and food will accompany some serious gin sampling, all housed in the magnificence of Manchester Cathedral. Tickets are £7.50 for evening sessions and a pound cheaper for the day session.
Fri 2 & Sat 3 Sep, Manchester Cathedral, Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1SX, Fri 6.30pm – 11pm, Sat 1pm – 4pm and 6.30pm – 11pm, £6.50/£7.50, www.eventbrite.co.uk

Original café in the mills
In the ever-expanding Ancoats area of town is Café Cotton. Although not a new kid on the block, the foodie owners have been quietly feeding locals delicious Swiss breakfasts or a mean Full English, comforting lunches along the lines of baked sweet potatoes with chicken and chorizo, hearty salads, and caffeinating the public before it was cool. A recent special from midweek included broccoli and Roquefort soup, with a green bean or Greek salad. Weekend menus contain both virtuous and more gluttonous options, plus the cakes are consistently outstanding. Well worth a visit to the neighbourhood.
Café Cotton, Flint Glass Wharf, 35 Radium Street, Manchester, M4 6AD, Mon – Fri 7am – 4,30pm, Sat & Sun 9am – 3pm, www.cafecotton.co.uk

Olympics menu at Cottonopolis
Are you wanting to show your support for the incredible dedication of the athletes competing in the Olympics? The best way to do that is probably by tasting the special Japanese menu created by Cottonopolis. From the Olympic Nikkei menu, expect Pacamanca (chipotle teriyaki glazed ribs), Barraguita de Chanchito (crispy pork, nashi pear and tomato salad) and Ceviche (scallop and avocado with wasabi tigersmilk). Veggies and non-sport-food-themed fans, fear not: there is the usual menu to choose from to suit you, too.
Cottonopolis, 16 Newton Street, Manchester, M1 2AE, Tel: 0161 236 5144, www.facebook.com

Sat 27 Aug - Sat 3 Sep
Words:
Kate Holmes
Published on:
Tue 16 Aug 2016