The best: cheap eats in Manchester ft. Northern Soul Grilled Cheese, Pepperoni Playboy and more

With various locations across the city (including hubs on Church Street, Tib Street and Piccadilly Approach), Northern Soul Grilled Cheese is one of the most well-loved cheap eat options in Manchester. Their gloriously over-the-top grilled cheese sandwiches are literally spilling over with sumptuous fillings like chicken, BBQ pulled pork and mustard glazed beef patties. Each sandwich will only set you back around £7 – and a variety of sides like mac and cheese pots, loaded fries and frickles (deep fried pickles) are also available.

There’s little to not like at Bundobust, a venue that specialises in adding modern tweaks to traditional Indian street food dishes. Located down a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it doorway just off Piccadilly Gardens, once inside customers are bathed in light from the space’s grandiose glass skylight. Designed to be enjoyed tapas-style, you’ll find items like crunchy okra fries, hearty bhajis and signature dishes like their deep-fried mashed potato burger the Vada Pav on a cheap-as-chips menu. In fact, if you’re extra hungry you can buy everything they have for just £78. Throw in their expert selection of craft beers and you’d be hard-pressed to find a better value cheap eats spot in Manchester city centre.

Oxford Road venue Yes has quickly become a hotspot for students and music lovers thanks to its Instagrammable pink room live music space. However stay on the ground floor and you’ll find a variety of bargain pizza slices from their in-house restaurant, Pepperoni Playboy. Every day from noon until late, you’ll find these guys serving up a variety of pizzas by-the-slice, with plenty of vegan and vegetarian options available. Happy hour deals are on offer daily, making this hole in the wall eatery the perfect place to grab a quick bite to eat.

Manchester has no shortage of burrito spots – but if you’re spending most of your time on Oxford Road’s student corridor, you’ll certainly want to drop by Listo Burrito. With two venues in town (one by Oxford Road station, another in Manchester University’s Student Union), you’ve got double the opportunity to sample their generously packed burritos, nachos and sides. You’ll find all your favourite fillings on their menu – like chicken, pork and slow cooked beef – with a regularly changing vegetarian option also available. Beers are also on-hand to enjoy with your order.

Vibrant and airy shipping container space Hatch is perhaps perfectly suited for these new socially distanced times we find ourselves in. Located mainly outside under a concrete overpass, it’s home to some of Manchester’s best innovative (and cheap) street food and drink vendors. As you might imagine, its proximity to the city’s universities makes it a popular choice for students – but it also welcomes audiences of all ages (and their dogs) who are all keen to sample food from the likes of chicken parm pros Parmageddon, the award winning Grandad’s Sausages and more.

Beyond the hustle and bustle of Oxford Road and nestled upon Ancoats’ popular marina is where you’ll find Pollen Bakery. These much-loved purveyors of artisan bread, sour doughs loaves, freshly baked patisseries and delicious local coffee attract food-fans from across town, all eager to sample their produce. Their sandwiches made with fluffy sour dough bread will fill your belly without emptying your wallet at around £6 each, while their croissants and picturesque pastries will look right at home on your Instagram account before you tuck in!