Manchester Food & Drink round-up – ft. Idle Hands, Piccadilly Beer Mile + Mish Mash

This week’s food & drink round-up features a crisis (of sorts), an urban ale trail and a diverse new restaurant for Chorlton…

Idle Hands handles midlife crisis well
Three months in to its fixed-term contract on Piccadilly station approach, independent coffee house Idle Hands is marking the mid-way point with three special events this week. On Thursday evening, it hosts a vegetarian/vegan supper club (menu pictured, 7pm, £20 / £27 with matched drinks, eventbrite.co.uk), curated by Fil Fil Falafel and paired with Cloudwater beer and coffee cocktails, while on Friday, two members of post-rock outfit 65daysofstatic will be performing solo sets on Idle Hands’ mezzanine (8pm, £4, eventbrite.co.uk). And to top the week off, it’s hosting a good, old-fashioned party (8pm, FREE – register at eventbrite.co.uk) – open to everyone who wants to get involved. Not so much a midlife crisis then; more a coming of age celebration.
Thu 23 – Sat 25 Jul, Idle Hands, 8A Gateway House, Station Approach, Piccadilly, M21 2GH, times and prices vary, www.idlehandscoffee.com

Piccadilly Beer Mile open for business from this Saturday
The city centre is spoilt for choice when it comes to breweries – be they Blackjack, Marble and Runaway in the Green Quarter, First Chop Brewing Arm just off Trinity Way, or the growing number of breweries setting up shop close to Piccadilly station. Four of the latter – including familiar names Track, Alphabet, Chorlton and Squawk brewing companies – are opening their doors (or shutters) from this Saturday for the Piccadilly Beer Mile, a new urban ale trail, offering the fruits of their labour direct from the source. The microbreweries – plus distributor Cave Direct, which will offer further options from down south – have even produced a handy Google Map to smooth your beery way.
Saturdays from Sat 25 Jul, times vary

Mish Mash to mix things up on Beech Road
Chorlton’s foodie hub Beech Road welcomes a new name this week, as Mish Mash opens in the former Methodist chapel on Saturday. Owner James Plant, who has previous run Restaurant Bar & Grill in Alderley Edge and Dinks in Wilmslow, says the 60-cover restaurant will combine British-with-a-twist with international and quirky dishes – with its diverse menu featuring smoked salmon with Earl Grey dressing, Thai meatballs and mojito chicken, plus a wide range of vegetarian options. The drinks list is set to include spirit infusions, plus a beer menu showcasing breweries from around the area.
From Sat 25 Jul, Mish Mash, 133 Beech Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester, M21 9EQ, mishmashbars.com