Food & drink news ft. The Clink Charity, Woolly Mammoth, BrewDog + Foodies Fest

Featuring a restaurant in a prison, a vegan supperclub, a food festival and a chance to be named Homebrew Champ, this week’s food & drink round-up has something for everyone…

Dine on quality food in a prison
A prison might not be the first place you think to go to when you’re after some quality fare, but The Clink Charity (pictured) at Styal Prison has had some impressive reviews so far. Part of a nationwide programme, and with branches in Brixton and Cardiff, the restaurant offers female prisoners the chance to gain experience and NVQs in cooking and service. The menu reflects the seasons, with light starters like citrus gravlax and a spring salad with asparagus and fresh peas. Mains are grilled sardines, duck breast and spring veg tagliatelle, with local cheese or a selection of sweeter desserts to finish. There’s no booze, however, and it’s only open for breakfast or lunch.
The Clink Charity, HMP Styal, Wilmslow, Cheshire East, SK9 4HR, 01625 553 146, theclinkcharity.org

Woolly Mammoth charity supperclub
Blending health and wellbeing with knitting (!), the guys at Woolly Mammoth are hosting a three-course supperclub this Wednesday at Trove in Levenshulme. As well as healthy vegan dishes and a welcome cocktail, there will also be a pop-up Knit Shop, where you can buy handmade brooches. All proceeds go to Manchester Mind, Mind and Diabetes UK.
Wed 20 May, Trove, 1032 Stockport Road, Levenshulme, M19 3WX, 7.30pm, £25 inc booking fee, www.eventbrite.co.uk

Great Northwest home brew off at BrewDog
Budding beer-makers, get fermenting now if you want to stand a chance of winning BrewDog’s homebrewing contest in June. The brewery wants you to bring a bottle of your finest produce to its Manchester bar to be judged by a panel of local experts – including brewers from TicketyBrew, Magic Rock and more – for tasting, feedback and the chance to be crowned Northwest Homebrew Champ!
Sat 13 Jun, BrewDog, 35 Peter Street, M2 5BG. Tel: 0161 832 1922, www.brewdog.com

Tatton Park Foodies Festival
In July, the UK’s largest food and drink festival returns to Tatton Park for the sixth year in a row. Every year it’s bigger than the last, with a growing list of culinary experiences to keep the thousands of visitors happy. This time around there’ll be a new Tasting Theatre, with masterclasses in everything from oyster shucking and beekeeping, to Japanese cuisine and raw food. There are also dedicated tents for wine and champagne and another for beer, so you can bet the selection’s going to be pretty extensive.
Fri 18 – Sun 20 Jul, Tatton Park, Knutsford, WA16 6QN, 10am – 6pm daily, Weekend ticket £18, Fri £10, Sat or Sun £12, www.foodiesfestival.com