There’s plenty of events going on to keep you occupied with food and drink around Manchester in the coming months. Festival season doesn’t just mean music and mud, as Manchester welcomes Festival Square back as part of MiF, and Festa Italiana returns for a third year to Cathedral Gardens this July whilst Huddersfield Way sees Magic Rock return with their Vegan Festival. There are masterclasses with free lager at Tapeo & Wine, as well a new sushi restaurant up Oldham Road, and a Scottish import coming to the old Roc & Rye spot. There’s also a new Brewdog just open and news of Wagamama coming to East Didsbury.
Tapeo & Wine Mahou Masterclasses
Every Tuesday for the next five weeks, Tapeo & Wine will be joining forces with Spanish lager brewers Mahou to bring a taste of Madrid to Deansgate. Every masterclass is free to enter and features a talk on a different aspect of Madrid culture from tapas, to photography, to DJing. You also get to pour yourself a free pint of Mahou. More information can be found in our preview.
Every Tuesday until Tue 23 Jul, Tapeo & Wine, 209 Deansgate, M3 3NW 6pm & 7pm, Free, email: elena@tapeoandwine.com
Magic Rock Vegan Festival
Huddersfield brewing heroes Magic Rock have long been making a name for themselves for their weekend festivals and brewtaps, and their vegan festival has proven such a hit they are bringing it back for a third year. The 2019 edition of the festival packs a plant-based punch with a line-up including The Peppercorn, Huddersfield’s premier vegan cafe, Fritto Italian Street Food, a social enterprise that aims to tackle disadvantage whilst also providing superb Italian treats, and the pun-tastic Doner Summer providing, kebabs, obviously, and plenty more. Alongside Magic Rock’s usual array of beers, Huddersfield’s first natural wine shop, Kwas, will be on hand to provide wine to drink in or takeaway.
Sun 7 Jul, Magic Rock Vegan Festival, Willow Park Business Centre, Willow Ln, Huddersfield HD1 5EB, Free entry, 12-7pm, www.magicrockbrewing.com
Sushi Marvel
Oldham Road can often be missed when thinking of places to go out for food but with a run of Vietnamese restaurants including Glamorous and a host of Vietnamese and Chinese shops, it's gathered its very own food culture. Now Sushi Marvel, beloved by pop-star Megan Trainor has joined them from Chorlton to increase the food density. With a huge sushi menu including platters for under £20 or, if you’re feeling flush, £15 for a couple of Wagyu Nigri. There are also more reasonable and substantial rice don bowls, as well as vegetarian and vegan options. If Sushi Marvel gets you in the fish mood, there’s a new fishmonger right next door too.
Sushi Marvel, Oldham Road, Manchester, www.sushimarvel.co.uk
MiF Festival Square Line-Up Announced
Manchester International Festival’s biannual return to the city centre also means the highly anticipated return of Festival Square, a two week celebration of food, drink, and art. Whilst most of the buzz is around the big name artists such as Janelle Monáe, Yoko Ono, and Idris Elba rolling into town, the festival square is the hub of all the action. Joining the likes of new bistro Kala with a pop-up are Yes locals Firebird Hope, Idle Hands adding some booze to their coffee with espresso martinis and, of course, Ginger’s ice cream emporium. Alongside all the food and drink this year will be live performances from The Black Madonna, Stealing Sheep, DJ sets from Dave Haslam and plenty more.
Fri 5 Jul - Sun 21st Jul, MiF Festival Square, Albert Square, M60 2LA, www.mif.co.uk
Festa Italiana
If you are already worried what you will do when the MiF Festival Square closes, then worry no more as Festa Italiana will be there the weekend after to sate your weekend al fresco desires. Over at Cathedral Gardens, the festival of all things Italian will be returning for its third year with a huge array of chefs, vendors, and musicians. From July 26th there will be food from Salvi’s, founders of the festival, as well as Rosso, Proove, the Pasta Factory, and Hatch old boys, T'arricrii providing arancini. Salford’s Taste It will be providing gelato and there will be classic Italian drinks such as Peroni, Aperol Spritz, and Limoncello. If you want a sit down meal then Salvi’s will be teaming up with Tre Cicco for an Italian banquet on Saturday July 27. As well as food and drink, there will be music including Mowtown classics, and a special Bambini area for children.
Fri 26-Sun 28 July, Festa Italiana, Cathedral Gardens, Corporation St, Manchester M4 3BG, www.festaitalianauk.com
Wagamama East Didsbury
Wagamama is set to head to South Manchester, with Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre the ones to welcome the Asian influenced chain’s newest site. Replacing the empty Chiquito’s spot, the restaurant will open in September for anyone who wants some gyoza with their laser quest or ten pin bowling.
Open September, Unit 4, Parrs Wood Entertainment Centre, Manchester M20 5PG, www.wagamama.com
SixByNico
The spot recently vacated by Roc & Rye has already got itself a new tenant in the form of a fourth home for Scottish restaurant SixByNico. The restaurant’s concept is of a themed six course menu that changes every six weeks, but this is not just a faddy restaurant, chef Nico Simeone has a respected fine dining background. With three SixByNico concepts already, in Edinburgh, Belfast, and his hometown of Glasgow, Simeone made his name with 111 by Nico with its lauded (and cheap!) tasting menus, before opening the first SixByNico a couple of years ago. The latest in the restaurant’s sites will open in July with space for 66 covers.
Opening July, SixByNico, 60 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BQ, www.sixbynico.co.uk
Manchester’s Best Picnic Spot?
Al Fresco dining, picnic baskets and fresh air might not always be the first things that come to mind when one thinks of Piccadilly Gardens but a food magazine begs to differ. Olive Magazine, based a bit further South in London, had suggested picnic lovers could nip to Pollen, nearly 20 mins away, before settling down amongst the concrete. Seeing as this has now been removed from the list, it may suggest they have seen the error of their ways.
Angkor Soul Comes to Produce Hall
Stockport’s Produce Hall, another market hall turned food venue that got into some controversy over whether it was as independent as it suggested, has added a definite second indie to its roster. Angkor Soul, the Cambodian and South East Asian restaurant, is opening a third spot in Produce Hall , following its sites in Altrincham and Marple. The market hall will welcome the much raved about restaurant, including praise from Jay Rayner, on July 1st, with the Angkour Soul owner saying on Facebook that they will bring, ‘[the] Same quality food in a fun, casual space in the heart of historic Stockport.’
Open Mon 1 Jul, Angkor Soul, Produce Hall, 24A Market Pl, Stockport SK1 1EU, www.angkorsoul.co.uk
Brewdog Outpost Now Open
Beer punk behemoths Brewdog have opened the second site of their indie beer chain in Manchester. The 90th Brewdog bar worldwide is only the second UK brewpub from the Scottish brewers - meaning it will brew beer directly on site. The Oxford Road site will crowdsource the elements of the first beer brewed over the weekend, asking customers to vote on what they would like the new beer to feature. As well as the 10hl brewery, Brewdog Outpost will offer a Beer School with guided tours of the brewery and tasting sessions from a Ciccerone trained expert. Of course, customers will also be able to get their hands on all their favourite of the brewing giant’s beers including Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, as well as plenty of special editions.
Open Tue 25 June, Brewdog Outpost, 144 Oxford Road, M13 9GP, www.facebook.com/BrewDogOutpostManchester
