Food Tour of Manchester. Helping communities.
A food tour of Manchester not only takes you to hidden gems and places in Manchester. When you do a food tour you are also helping heaps of local businesses along the way. Think about it. A normal walking tour of any city is full of fun facts and interesting stories. During the experience your tour guide points out cool things and you learn a thing or two. But once the tour is over you have not actually impacted anyone along the way.
Taking a food tour not only gives you all of the fascinating stories, interesting facts and shows you hidden gems. A food tour also supports all of the local food businesses that you visit.
Helping our local food community
On our “Food that feeds the City” tour we visit 6 different food heroes. At each stop our guests are treated to a tasting (all included in the price). Each tasting tells a part of Manchester’s story. For example we visit an Italian cafe and learn about the Italian community that thrived in and around Ancoats after the war. We will try one of their home made bites and the chef tells us about her family history and how they made it in Manchester.
Manchester has so many different ethnic communities and we are blessed with some serious food heroes from them. West Indian patties, Chinese dumplings, South Asian curries and our very own Mancunian creations can be found all over the city. It’s our job to showcase the best of these to you on your food tour.
We often find that guests enjoy a certain place along the tour route. They will sometimes go back or even tell friends about this place This way we are not only helping the restaurants when we drop by during the food tour but also afterwards as well.
Constantly changing Manchester
Manchester is an ever changing city. Area’s that were once derelict and run down are now buzzing with new apartments, exciting businesses and artisan eateries. Just look at Ancoats. Whether this is your first trip to Manchester or you’re a local Mancunian there’s always new things to see and do.
Taking one of our Manchester food tours keeps you in touch with the latest new places. Our guides are walking, talking fountains of Mancunian knowledge. We are always updating our food tour routes to keep up with the changing times. If you’ve never done a tour of Manchester before come and try us out. We promise you not only heaps of Manchester’s best food but also tonnes of stories, facts, and some secret tips along the way.
How to book your Food tour of Manchester
You can easily book our food tour of Manchester by going to https://manchesterbites.com/our-tours/the-food-that-feeds-the-city-tour/
We are also not charging any extra fees at the moment for a private tour (minimum 2 people maximum 5). If you’d prefer to stay in your social bubble send an email to info@manchesterbites.com and we will arrange a private food tour just for your group.
Tour of Manchester. Some recommendations of the best tours.
Taking a tour of Manchester is a must do for any new visitor to the city. Here in England we love our story telling and Manchester is full of some of the best. It’s also an ever changing city so even if this isn’t your first trip here, a tour is a perfect way to get underneath the skin.
A few reasons to book a tour of Manchester.
Like many of the UK’s cities, Manchester can be tricky to get around. We don’t rely on the grid systems that are commonly seen in more modern city centres. Some of our streets date back to Roman times. A tour of Manchester is a perfect way to get your bearings when you first arrive here. It will save you a lot of time and effort for the remainder of your stay.
Another reason to tour the city is that it is full of ever changing shops, bars, restaurants and other businesses. Meaning that if it’s your first visit to Manchester for a while, it has definitely changed. Our food tours of Manchester are a prime example of this. We are constantly keeping pace with new restaurants and eateries popping up, moving location or closing. Our food tour will show you places you may never have known existed. Or even places you knew before but have since moved.
But of course the main reason to take a city tour in Manchester is for the history and culture. Manchester has one of the most fascinating stories of any city. From our Roman beginnings, through the Industrial revolution to the modern metropolis we are today. We are a city that explodes with passion when it comes to music. Our sports teams are (sometimes) the envy of the world. We have changed politics on a global scale and invented more things than we can remember. Taking a tour of Manchester is always going to be full of amazing facts and stories.
Some of the best Manchester tours.
Well most visitors to Manchester flock to the footballing Mecca that is Old Trafford. You can enjoy a stadium tour that also takes in the museum and trophy room.
John Costerdine runs Manchester taxi tours. You can hire him and his taxi and do his rock and goal tour which takes in some iconic music and football sites.
If you really want to go deep into the music side check out https://manchestermusictours.com/. They were set up by the drummer of Inspiral carpets Craig Gill.
And of course our Food that feeds the city tour is a must for all you foodies whether visiting or locals. You can find our more details here.
If you’re planning a trip to Manchester and need some help, drop us an email at info@manchesterbites.com.
The Manchester Food and Drink Festival is back.
Good news. The Manchester food and drink festival is back. The festival will take place from 24th September to 5th October. With all that has happened this year there will obviously be some changes to what we are used to. Praise must go to the organising committee for not giving in. And for keeping Manchester at the forefront of the UK food scene.
About the Manchester food and drink festival
More good news is that the festival will remain a free event. You can come along and enjoy the fun and food any day. Also a special app is being created to enhance your eating experience.
The Manchester food and drink festival hub will be at cathedral gardens. There are new social distancing measure in place and the site will be made up of 2 sections. The feasting quarter and the festival market. If you’d like to book a table there is a small charge of £5 per guest. This way you will not have to queue for any of the delicious food on offer. You can enjoy table service and only ever need to get up to loosen your belt.
More music, more local brews
Beer lovers are catered for again this year with the MFDF beer bar. There’ll be a whole host of ales, lagers and stouts on offer from across the region. The festival’s music stage is concentrating on acoustic this year. Some of the area’s best bands and musicians will be entertaining the crowds as they eat and drink. Over 40 different traders will have stalls at the festival market. You are guaranteed to take some fresh regional produce home with you from the festival. Of course, this years market is the biggest one yet. And yes, there’ll be plenty of hand sanitizers and space for everyone to enjoy in safety and comfort.
Across the 12 days of the festival look out for special menus, cocktails and events at Manchester’s bars and restaurants. It’s been an incredibly tough year for the food and beverage industry in Manchester. This autumn we can all show some support and enjoy some of our regions best dishes together.
How you can enjoy the festival
For more information about the Manchester food and drink festival you can visit http://foodanddrinkfestival.com/
If you’d like to explore Manchester and it’s incredible food scene on one of our food tours head to www.manchesterbites.com
Altrincham Market House: Things to Do in Manchester
A Community Revitalised…
The revival of the Altrincham Market is nothing short of remarkable. From 1290 (yes, 1290!) the market had been at the centre of community life in Altrincham. Throughout the centuries, the market would have been where townsfolk gathered to buy goods, make a living, and spend time in the company of their neighbours.
And yet, the second half of the 20th century brought a period of stagnation. With the fortunes of the town on the downturn and the population size decreasing year over year, the historic market was being run by the council with little love or care. In fact, around a decade ago, Altrincham was voted as having the worse high street in Britain.
So, what has changed?
Well, Nick Johnson came onto the scene. Nick was a property developer and saw something in Altrincham that others failed to spot. In 2013, he won the contract to run the market and quickly set about changing the face of it and in turn Altrincham.
Listen to Nick’s fascinating account of how he came to the project in the excellent documentary below.
Nick gave the Victorian building a makeover. Cleaning it from top to bottom and restoring some features that had been neglected. He then got to work contacting some of the area’s best, local food vendors.
Nick did the same in Manchester city centre with the Mackie Mayor food hall, the big sister of Altrincham Market House. We previously wrote about Mackie Mayor here.
Food and Drink at Altrincham Market House
Since it reopened in 2014, locals and visitors have filled the food hall week after week, and it should come as no surprise – the food on offer is second to none!
Market House is home to 10 indie food stalls, including Honest Crust, Wolfhouse Kitchen, Tender Cow, Jack in the Box, Reserve Wines, Great North Pie Co., Sam Joseph, and Market House Coffee.
Jack in the Box is an award-winning producer of real ale and cider that operate across the Mackie Mayor and Altrincham Market Houe locations. Serving tasty beers from the Blackjack Brewing Co. and other guest breweries, Jack in the Box is the perfect place to catch up with a friend while enjoying a locally-produced brew.
Meanwhile, Honest Crust serves up magnificent sourdough pizzas cooked in a tiled oven imported from Italy. While there is now a wealth of options for great pizza in Manchester, Honest Crust has proved themselves to be stalwarts of the scene. If you fancy eating a perfectly cooked pizza in an atmospheric setting, look no further than Honest Crust at Altrincham Market House.
Looking to eat some traditional northern fare while in the Manchester area? You can’t go wrong with the Great North Pie Co. at the Alty. Having started in a residential kitchen, the Great North Pie Co. has bloomed into one of England’s best producers of pies, having amassed several awards and nominations along the way. Cold day out? There’s no better English comfort food than a serving of pie and mash!
Shops and Events at Altrincham Market
A big part of Altrincham market’s success story is in how the market has really brought a fresh buzz to the town. In fact, Altrincham was recently voted as one of the best places to live in the UK and the market has surely played a part in that.
Throughout the week, you can buy food from local food suppliers, including award-winning butchers, greengrocers, bakers, and fishmongers.
Additionally, there are other regular stalls selling clothes, hand-crafted jewellery, furniture, and much else besides.
Each weekend, Altrincham Market has a different theme, providing locals and visitors alike with plenty of variety throughout the year. Themes include craft and design, vintage, and food (similarly, focused themes apply to the days of the week too) – head to Altrincham Market’s Facebook page for the latest events listings.
Getting to Altrincham Market
Located eight miles outside of Manchester, the Altrincham Market is well connected and easily accessible.
The fastest and most convenient way to get from Manchester city centre to Altrincham is by tram. Altrincham is on the Metrolink’s A and B. The journey from Manchester city centre will take around 30 minutes.
If you prefer to take the bus from Manchester city centre, the 16, 41, 108, 263, and 264 services all head to Altrincham. The journey will take you around an hour.
Trains are also fairly regular, with departures taking place each hour from Manchester Piccadilly on the Mid Cheshire line.
Finally, if you are driving, the journey should take no more than 30 minutes.
When is Altrincham Market Open
The Altrincham Market House (Food Hall) is open Tuesday – Saturday 9 am – 10 pm, and Sunday 9 am – 6 pm.
Alty Market (Outdoor Market Section) is open from 8 am to 4 pm on Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday. 8 am to 3 pm on Thursday. 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.
This brings an end to our short guide on Altrincham Market House. If you have any questions or queries, don’t hesitate to get in touch!
A Manchester food institution. This and That cafe.
One of our favourite places to visit in Manchester’s Northern Quarter is the This and That cafe. This and That has been a Manchester institution since it opened in 1984. Not only does it serve some of the city’s best curry dishes. It also epitomises the entrepreneur spirit of Manchester. Telling the story of South Asian immigrants introducing their flavours to us Mancunians.
A hidden gem in the Northern Quarter
This and That is hidden. It lies up a dark and dingy backstreet that looks like it’s been derelict for decades. Ironically this street is called soap street. There’s a small sign outside the restaurant that tells you you’re in the right place but apart from that, nothing.
The restaurant opened in 1984 and became famous for serving rice and three. Basically a big helping of pilau rice and 3 different curries
At the time the area was mostly used by the cloth trade which was heavily run by Pakistani immigrants. It made sense to open a restaurant nearby to feed the hungry workers. It didn’t take long for word to get out and soon enough the locals were eager to try the new flavours.
A bit of this and some of that
Indian and Pakistani food wasn’t well known in the 80’s like it is today. Most English customers used to just point at the dishes and say “I’ll have a bit of this, and some of that.” Hence the restaurant is called the This and That cafe.
In 2016 the restaurant received a bit of a makeover. The seating was extended to cope with the lunchtime crowds. Owner Ismail Mallu still works behind the counter dishing out the home made curries everyday.
If you’d like to explore Manchester and find places like This and That, book a food tour with us today. www.manchesterbites.com
Manchester food tours. The Eccles Cake.
On our Manchester food tours we love showing off home grown Manchester food creations. The Eccles cake is perfect for a snack or even as a desert. So here’s the story of one of our favourite Manchester foods.
What is an Eccles Cake?
An eccles cake is a small butter pastry cake filled with currants and some spices. Cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves are commonly used. It’s more of a pastry than a cake but we call it a cake. The Eccles cake will often be covered in sugar for that extra sweet taste. Traditionally in Eccles they would be eaten with a few slices of Lancashire cheese. They go well together you should try it.
The history of the Eccles cake
People have been scoffing down eccles cakes since the 1600’s. The cakes are named after the town Eccles which is about 2 miles west of Manchester city centre.
It is believed that they were made to celebrate St Mary’s day. The church of St Mary in Eccles used to hold large festivals in those times. They were called the Eccles Wakes and it was here that the Eccles cake was born.
The cakes became so popular that during the Puritan years (where basically fun was illegal) they were banned. Oliver Cromwell even brought in an act of parliament threatening imprisonment for anyone seen eating an Eccles cake.
The cake that need a health and safety warning
In more recent years the Eccles cake has come to fame for causing a rise in home kitchen fires. The Lancashire fire brigade had to warn the public not to microwave them. The sugar topping was exploding in the microwaves and causing kitchens to burn down.
One of the most famous producers of the cakes are Real Lancashire Eccles Cakes. They make the cakes here in Manchester and ship them all over the world. You can find their cakes in most supermarkets in Manchester.
Manchesterbites food tours are the best tours to explore Manchester and it’s food. If you’d like to book a tour go to www.manchesterbites.com/tours
