Mentioned by Confidential Guides
Street food - Top Restaurants
"If you’re on the look out for fresh artisan coffee in minimalist, Nordic-inspired surroundings, then stark, hipster hangout Takk is probably the place for you. Undoubtedly a NQ favourite, the coffee at Takk is just as good as the atmosphere, serving ‘North Projekt’ – a Bristol-roasted Nordic Style espresso that forms the basis of all their drinks. It’s definitely a brew to keep the mind sharp, but I heard they feature regular guest espresso too!"
"Pop into Takk on a weekday, and it looks like an Apple store that’s let itself go. It’s the preferred working space for media types in the Northern Quarter, a testament to its top notch offering of brews and bites. Coffee fans should also head to Takk's latest launch on Oxford Road's own indie shopping site Hatch, where where they serve brews shoulder-to-shoulder with a stellar line up of local food traders."
"Nordic inspired Takk on Tariff Street is one of the longer standing coffee shops on this list. Takk is a firm favourite of ours for grabbing a coffee before or after a trip to Piccadilly station. It’s also a great spot to while away an afternoon over good coffee and even better cake."
"A boutique-styled café tucked in the Barton arcade has earned the position of one of the best Manchester City Centre coffee shops. It is situated in a beautiful Victorian building in the famous Barton Arcade, and something you may not know, the popular Manchester coffee shop is owned by Rugby League’s Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan. You can get all types of coffee here from standard espresso, Piccolo, Flat While, Latte and Cappuccino."
"Set up by two St Helen’s rugby players, PKB is forward thinking coffee house with a health-conscious edge. Owners Jon Wilkin and Mark Flanagan run a tight ship, with staff serving up an impressive range of brews. Andif the caffeine hit isn’t enough to wake you up in the morning, they also run PKBlasters workout sessions - an energising workout to start the day,"
"Pot Kettle Black is an award-winning speciality coffee store based on the ground floor of No.1 Spinningfields. As well as tasty brunch dishes, they’re passionate about coffee and dedicated to quality. Looking for something different?"
"The name is somewhat deceptive; although these guys know how to make a good brew, they are also highly trained baristas, and know how to serve up an awesome coffee. The pastries, and baked goods on offer are delicious, as are the sandwiches, which you can enjoy warm, or cold. With 2 seater tables, a large centre wooden table, high top bar, and an outdoor area, find your favourite spot, and relax."
"One of the OG’s of the Northern Quarter craft coffee scene, North Tea Power have been tucked away on Tib Street since 2010. Home to proper coffee, proper brunch, great cakes and cosy coffee shop vibes. Their retail shelves are a coffee lover’s dream, stocked up with all the gadgets and accessories you need to make a decent brew at home."
"North Tea Power, in the centre of Manchester, is dead easy to find. Start at the Market Street tram stop. Turn your back on the Costa and Nero that face you as you step off the tram and gird your loins when you see the Starbucks on the other side of the road."
"The water bowl by the door signifies that dogs are welcome at Ezra & Gil, so clearly babies are no big deal. You do have to negotiate a few steps to get inside – the Stevenson Square entrance is the more manageable of the two – but once inside you’re all set for a hassle-free visit: there’s a cracking brunch menu, plenty of spots to stow your buggy, high chairs and sturdy baby change facilities. Service is generally quick, even when the place is packed out with weekend crowds – invaluable when you’ve got an impatient babe with you – and the music/chatter’s just loud enough that any kiddie kick-offs will be largely drowned out (I am absolutely speaking from personal experience here)."
"A true contender for the best brunch spot in Manchester, Ezra & Gil offers a lively vibe with coffee, large brunch plates and small snacks for those visiting to socialise. Naturally, it attracts freelancers and remote workers by the bucket load, but on a weekend, it becomes a bustling neighbourhood hotspot for those seeking a hangover cure. The place is super urban (and prides itself on being so!), and offers a wide range of hot drinks to relax with."
"Let’s start this list with one of my all-time favourite places in the Northern Quarter: Ezra & Gil. The number of hours I’ve spent here with my laptop sipping away at a second or third americano… Crazy!. Their website says Ezra & Gil is a “true neighbourhood hang-out” and I couldn’t agree more."
"Grindsmith has expanded rapidly since its successful Kickstarter launched the pod just three short years ago. The third of its (for now) four branches is in Media City, which opened six months ago, following on from the original Pod and Deansgate. Media City is the probably the most traditional coffee shop setting of all four (the Pod is, well, a Pod, while the other two, Deansgate and Cross Street share space with other organisations. Meanwhile, this one stands alone on a corner to the west of the new Media City development in Salford."
"Whether you own a bar, restaurant, pub, club, private hire space, pop-up and/or run events, you can take advantage of our full suite of products. Explore one or more from the below."
"At the top, look inside St Michael’s Church, which commands the Market Place and can be seen across the town. Although the church was almost completely rebuilt at the start of the 20th century it is highly regarded for its two historic chapels. Here you’ll encounter what is considered to be Cheshire’s richest collection of alabaster effigies, produced in the 16th and 17th centuries for the Legh and Savage families."
"The award winning museum explores how our lives have been shaped by war, from a soldier’s last letter home, to the fall of New York City's World Trade Center. Address: The Quays, Wharf Road, M17 1TZ. Telephone: 0161 836 4000"
"The Clayton Hall Living History Museum dates back to the 15th century and you will therefore not see the global moated medieval buildings. The Museum is in the Grade II category. Volunteers have restored it back to its original look and it is now open to the public twice a month."
"People’s History Museum, Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER - Visit now. Recent winner of the national “Kids In Museums” award, visit this national museum of democracy for interactive family galleries and regularly changing creative events. It’s never to early to learn about past struggles and ‘there have always been ideas worth fighting for’."
"As the cradle of the industrial revolution, and the incubator of movements from communism to women’s suffrage, Manchester has a rich history of progressive and radical thinking. The People’s History Museum takes visitors on a march through time, charting the centuries-long struggle for equality and democracy through the largest collection of political material in Britain. Fittingly, entry is free."