After a scandalous end to June, we venture into a pink-skied, event-packed July – moving one step closer to hugging your friends goodbye in the pub without the eyes of a fluorescent yellow vest lurking over your shoulder. And with ‘Freedom Day’ lurking just around the corner, Greater Manchester has some stunning new food offerings coming up too, from talent that can only be found up North. Read on to find out more…
For the bustling, city-hustling coffee lovers out there, say ‘Good Morning!’ to Lättsam, Manchester’s answer to Scandinavian cafe culture. From the founder of Beatnikz Republic comes an exciting new coffee and cake spot, serving up local beans from none other than Grindsmith Coffee Roasters.
On top of that, Lättsam will be offering a hand-selected cocktail and spirits menu, as well a mouth-watering collection of home-baked, European-inspired pastries and cakes. Sink your teeth into a Pärlsocker-dusted cinnamon bun, or an apple and almond danish, and sip the sugar away with speciality Manchester coffee. Or why not try their range of house beers, perfect for that after-work tipple? Partnered with a white and yellow minimalist interior, Lättsam is set to be coolest coffee shop on the block.
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Hidden in the picturesque little village of Marple Bridge in Stockport, Libby’s Bread and Wine kicks off the summer with a whole new menu, inspired by dishes from around the globe.
Tuck into the yoghurt-roasted Monkfish with Israeli couscous, devour the indulgent pancetta and asparagus risotto, or tear apart a duck and hoisin 12’’ pizza. Whatever you choose, no two dishes are anywhere near the same, each one dedicated to their returning customers.
Sweet tooths can delve into Nutella-stuffed croissants, white chocolate cruffins and Libby’s speciality brioche, as well as a range of homemade desserts on an evening. Believe us when we tell you: these cakes are to die for.
The star of the show, and the staff’s favourite new addition, is the slow-cooked Sri Lankan Pork Belly curry, which is already an instant hit with local diners. Accompanied by a stellar wine and cocktail menu, food like this could only be produced with an abundance of raw talent and skill – and maybe a little bit of magic.
Boulangerie by day, small-plate wine bar by night – Libby’s Bread and Wine cements Stockport as the next food and drink hotspot in all of the boroughs. With an outright gorgeous interior – and an even more breath-taking terrace – you haven’t dined until you’ve dined here.
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Although having opened only very recently, Kim’s Kitchen has well and truly established itself as a Hulme institution already, serving up some of the best scran in the city. Cooking with only the finest local ingredients, Kim’s Kitchen boasts an impressive mixed menu of cuisine and comfort dishes, including pan-fried trout and garlic new potatoes, a jalapeño Mac and cheese that’ll melt your socks off, Jerk-seasoned pork loin served with plantain, sweet potato and rice, and potentially the best Full English we’ve ever seen. And they’ve got great vegan options too.
The new cafe-bar hopes to provide a hub for the local community, offering a safe space for people to enjoy and express themselves freely. Going one step further, owners of Kim’s use a special ‘fundraising formula’ to donate regularly to various local charities. In fact, 10p from every cuppa they sell goes to Venture Arts – a local charity that helps people with learning disabilities through visual arts. From Manchester, for Manchester. Find the full menu on their instagram.
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As if their menu couldn’t get any better, plant-based Indian takeaway This Charming Naan have hit it out of the park with their latest dish. Combining traditional ingredients, the world’s favourite food and a deep passion for The Smiths, This Charming Naan have created the ‘Johnny Marr-inara”: a 100% plant-based pizza, made with Naan bread and vegan Mozzarella.
Honestly, to die by this pizza, would be a very heavenly way to die – light to hold but with the taste of a warm hug; it’s the kind of meal you’d have no problem sabotaging a diet for, without even blinking. Find them on Saville Street – you won’t regret it.
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- Words:
- Sophie Cunningham
- Published on:
- Sun 11 Jul 2021
After a bleak start to the summer, new kid on the block KAMPUS is hoping to lift Manchester’s spirits with ‘A Kinda Summer Beer Thing’ – a month-long event celebrating all things bright and beery. Hosting an impressive range of local and national breweries, Summer Beer Thing have collaborated with Salt Beer Factory and Sipsmith Gin to create a bar with eight draught taps, an excellent selection of natural wines and some incredibly inviting cocktails too – and it’s completely free entry.
Having relocated from The Pilcrow Pub by Victoria Station (which has now sadly closed its doors for good), Summer Beer Thing is taking great advantage of its new home at KAMPUS, welcoming friends Kong’s Chicken Shop, Nell’s Ice Cream sandwiches, and Cornerstone beer and pizza parlour.
Kong’s has earned immense success in the past few months, having only opened its doors in April this year. On the menu: vegan chicken ‘tendies’ made from deep-fried (and wonderfully seasoned) oyster mushrooms, and the most drool-worthy crispy chicken sarnies, finished off with crispy chicken crackling and a potato brioche bun. On the other hand, Cornerstone will be serving up some of the finest Neapolitan pizza in town, which is undoubtedly the best companion for a frosty pint.
And you can enjoy all of this in a stunning beer garden, right by the canal, with hand-picked DJs playing the soundtrack to your evening. Doesn’t get much better than that does it?