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Fig + Sparrow

4.0 (42 reviews)
Open 8:00 am - 7:00 pm

Fig + Sparrow Photos

FIG + SPARROW ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Outdoor seating
Good for working

Recommended Reviews - Fig + Sparrow

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Cute latte
Laura F.

What a lovely find! Fig + Sparrow is a small, but cute and intimate coffee & tea shop located in the NQ. We came across here yesterday after a wander around the city and stayed for a coffee. We found a table close to the entrance and relaxed for a while, taking in the lovely decor and some of the very nice homeware / gifts and trinkets that were on sale there. I ordered a latte and Neil C. went for a flat white - both really good. The food menu looked small, but great and so did the cakes, scones and buns that were on sale near the counter! I resisted, as we had only just eaten, but next time i'd like to try the eats here.

Sandwich, salad, smoothie and cake whilst watching the world go by!
Sophie M.

Absolutely love this place. It's a cafe incorporated into a design and art shop. The ambiance is very relaxed and calm and the food and drink blew me away. What did we eat: Parma Ham, Mozzarella and Pesto on Fresh Wheat-free Sourdough and Fennel Seed homemade bread Pesto, Sunflower Seed, Mozzarella and rocket salad Slide of the cake of the day Espresso Cappuccino Pineapple, Mango and Banana Smoothie PROS Prices of food and drink are very reasonable Large portions Quiet inside Excellent location Friendly staff Seating at the front by the window or comfier chairs at the back near the till WiFi available Space for laptops You can have a look at the stuff to buy in between eating or drinking The food tastes AMAZING - very tasty and fresh Homemade bread came out warm, soft and tasted fantastic The sandwich was probably one of the best I've ever had in my life The sunflower seeds in the salad gave it texture and crunch - an excellent choice The cake was superb - sweetness came from a fruit flavour, it was moist, not heavy and they give you a big slice for what they charge Beautiful dishes and mugs to serve food in People watching at the front window is lots of fun! CONS A little bit cramped because of it being a cafe and shop but this didn't really cause an uncomfortable atmosphere. This is on a main high street amongst lots of music, vinyl and indie cafes and shops A great place to read, have a meeting, an afternoon break or some healthy lunch. Loved it here! Sophie

Jordanna E.

It's a cute little coffee shop in Manchester. We enjoyed everything we had but they were very slow. It wasn't busy, and there were four people working, but they took forever to fill orders, and I actually went up to ask about one of our items, as it was sitting there and they seemed to have forgotten where it went. I think they need to have clearly defined roles, and perhaps they will be more efficient. It was also so warm in there, perhaps a fan or two for the summer months? I would have sat outside, but it was dirty and people were smoking.

Rachael M.

Really lovely coffee shop and store. Peaceful and a lovely place to meet with friends. It's half coffee shop half store selling coffee machines mugs and ceramics which I wanted to buy one of each. Not a lot of seating and I'm guessing it gets really busy but worth a try :)

Flat white
Jonny Q.

When Fig+Sparrow first opened about 1 minute walk from my old office last year, I have to say it wasn't somewhere I could see myself hanging out in. The shop at the front was full of cool stuff that you could browse and look over but the coffee shop part looked a bit tacked on and not really somewhere that felt as nice as some of the places like North Tea or Home Sweet Home - plus the cakes just looked too healthy where somedays you just want to go somewhere and splurge on calories! Fast forward a few months and just randomly I thought I'd go and check it out again. I'm pleased that I did as it somehow felt warmer, more alive ( a good mix of people working, meeting and just taking a load off) there were friendly staff up for a chat and the cakes looked amazing! Unfortunately I'd just been for lunch and couldn't fit any in but I now know to go back here to enjoy some quality slabs of sugar! What's nice is that they're also getting more connected with the artisan producers of Manchester which is a real USP in terms of offering these to a wider audience. The brownies are made by The Browny Owl (always have to purchased from Levy market) and you can buy Trove (another Levy favourite) loaves to take away. At £2.50 a pop - I didn't hesitate at getting hold of one for my breakfast today! Overall it was a really pleasant experience and could be one of our cities best kept secrets - I'd recommend going and re-checking it out yourself!

Affagato
Jess F.

Such a cute place but not my favourite coffee. I walk past this little cafe and shop every day on my way to work and have wanted to try it for ages. I have been in twice now, once for a late afternoon drink and cheeky affogato then for emergency toast and peanut butter one morning. Both experiences were fine but not as good as I had hoped. The interior is lovely, a fair amount of seating and really nicely laid out. There is a good menu with plenty of choices and lots of nice hot and cold drinks. I had a jasmine tea with my affogato and it was over brewed for my taste which was a real shame. The espresso in the dessert was very strong (and I love a strong coffee, my favourite blend is called jail break) and didn't really work for me. I do love this place and I would keep giving it a chance as it's got a really great atmosphere and I love a little look round the shop.

Mackerel and beetroot salad
Victoria B.

Lovely little cafe and shop in the Northern Quarter close to Piccadilly gardens. They have a couple of seats outside as well as a bench in the window and table seating. I can't drink coffee unfortunately but I had a delicious oat-ly chocolate milk since it was a hot day- now I'm addicted to the stuff! I ordered the mackerel and beetroot salad which came with horseradish and was really good. The menu is small- they have soups, salads, sandwiches and a couple of breakfast items. Could have a few more options but all in all I liked what I ordered. The atmosphere inside is really nice as they have fairy lights etc, definitely recommend.

Ying L.

I have read lots of good reviews about this place and I love artsy stuff. My chance came today to seek shelter from the rain. Not sure if it was the mugginess outside, the fans were on inside and it was hot! A mixture of customers ranging from young families, the loner on the laptop and girlfriends enjoying a hot brew. I just had a normal brew as I was thirsty and a carrot cake. The tea was one of the best teas I've ever had, I just love a brew from a teapot and the carrot cake had plenty of filling and was very tasty. The let down was the teacup. It has this ridiculous small ring where I could barely put my finger in and I have slim fingers so I had to concentrate every time I picked up my cup in case I spilt it everywhere (I'm very clumsy). Despite the place being really hot, it was a cute place, friendly staff, great tunes from an old fashion speaker and a good atmosphere and vibe. Not as good as other places in NQ but definitely worth a visit. I can imagine this place holding special evenits where we can create arts and craft on those wooden tables.

One of the best flat whites with some beautiful latte art as standard.
Marie U.

I've been here several times now, and although the cute gift shop is lovely, what pulls me back time and time again is the coffee. I usually drink a flat white and at fig and sparrow they are always a perfectly balanced coffee- not too citrus and not too bitter, with ornate and beautiful latte art as a bonus. My boyfriend has had a few filter coffees (with a small selection of different beans which changes frequently) and also enjoyed his too. After visiting quite a few coffee places in Manchester, fig and sparrow is definitely my favourite.

Beetroot and lentil soup with Rosemary and olive bread
Katie H.

I arranged to meet a friend here on a Saturday afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find we could get a seat straightaway. There is a shop selling cool stuff at the front and then you sit at the back (although there are tables outside too). You order at the till at the back and then they bring the goodies over to you. There is a good selection cakes, including very healthy sounding courgette and lime cake. We went for the soup to begin begin with. £4.75 for a healthy portion of beetroot and lentil soup with some yoghurt garnish and bread on the side. You get a choice of bread. I had the olive and rosemary, my friend had fig and walnut. My friend had the Marrakech mint tea and I had the china green sencha, both very good and served in nice pots/cups. After the soup, we decided to have cake. I had a rocky road slice and my friend had the salted caramel slice, both very nice. One day I may try the healthier cake but today I needed calories! I had the jasmine green with the cake and it was very nice. Overall really like it and will be back again!

My Saturday breakfast with great music, lovely food and a perfect pick me up tea!
Abubakar A.

I remember when Fig+Sparrow first opened. I stumbled upon it accidentally and was wowed instantly. The front part is a shop selling cool things for the home that I've never actually seen anywhere else whilst the back half comprises of a cafe. The shop sells items such as cards, candles, baskets, kitchen supplies (cups, mugs etc), glassware. I once bought curtain hooks from there which totally complimented by newly decorated reception room. All the products are usually locally sourced and you won't find them anywhere else - at least I haven't, anyway. The cafe is small but provides an intimate warm environment. The music is fantastic - a perfect way to enjoy Saturday mornings with a book, coffee and some nice cake or food. They don't have a kitchen but they do provide some great salads and snacks. I personally love the cakes. They're unique and unlike anything I've ever had before. My personal favourite are the new Fig/Almond cake slices. The Trove loaves are scrumptious and you can even buy whole ones to take home with you. The staff are absolutely lovely and being a regular they owners now know me by name! We enjoy a great conversation before I proceed to the cafe to order my drink/food. It really is my favourite place in Manchester. It's the "Central Perk" to my life! I genuinely can't say a bad word about it.

Sat outside, having a rare gossip
Hannah M.

Oh, I am a fan of it here! My friend and I have tried to avoid this a little, as we like to believe we're too cool for hipster stuff, but let's be fair, they do tea and cake well. They have the "we aren't trying very hard and it just looks cool because we're cool" vibe going pretty well, and it's hard to tell whether or not they just fell into that category, or they spent weeks picking chairs that purposefully didn't match and complimented the aesthetic of the modern flat white drinking, moustachioed penny farthing rider (not that I'm adhering to stereotypes here) Indoor and outdoor seating (outdoor you are of course going to receive the odd homeless approach in Manchester) sexy as cake, and a good range of drinks. Cute little gift-y shop at the front, the brightly coloured taper candles are something I plan to fill my flat with, and they also sell coconut water that doesn't have that grainy taste like it was filtered through a sand paper factory, win! Try the toffee waffle cake too :)

Lovely interior decor
Dikla B.

Absolutely charming little find. First time in Manchester and just came across this place accidentally, walking past I couldn't help but notice how quaint and lovely this place looked so I walked right in! Place was very relaxed for a Wednesday morning, with the clientele consisting of students and people conducting business meetings by the looks of it. Place is perfect for it as it wasn't busy, the ambience I'd relaxed with soft chilled out music playing in the background and power sockets under the benches along the wall to plug your laptop or phone into. I popped in just before lunch time and treated myself to a late breakfast of Greek yogurt with honey and walnuts and a chai latte. The yogurt was delicious, serving size a bit small but it's quite cheap so I suppose you could probably pay a bit extra for a larger portion. I ordered the chai latte off the menu : it's not advertised, but as a chai enthusiast I had to at least ask. Was told they do "their version", meaning they don't have powder but they use tea leaves to brew their own. Now let's face it if you truly like your chais as I do you know this is actually way better than the powdery stuff! Authentic and delicious, though if you like your chai super sweet, make sure you ask for some honey in it :) All in all I really liked this place. Chai and yogurt came in at 5.20£ which I thought was decent, though if your order is less than 5£ bring cash, as there will be a 30p surcharge. In any case, staff were relaxed and friendly and the place gave off a really nice vibe. It felt like one of those trendy cafes that offers a great selection of coffees, teas and juices as well as a broad food menu. The breads also looked amazing, and they even have gluten free granola options with the yogurt. Despite the trendy feel there was absolutely no pose or pretentiousness whatsoever, so just a nice relaxing place to start your day! The decor was kind of old rustic charming and reminded me of a large country style kitchen much like my kitchen at home (city dweller though I am) which is definitely part of the appeal of this place. I'd definitely come back for a proper feed for brunch and the likes.

Iced tea at @figsparrow

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7 years ago

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12 years ago

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4 years ago

Great coffee shop! Nice inside and the coffee tastes great. Opens at 10am on Sundays fyi!

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11 years ago

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Super cute coffee shop. Proper espresso, good tea, yummy treats. Free wifi and a very welcoming atmosphere.

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Review Highlights - Fig + Sparrow

I ordered their date, walnut sourdough toast with chunky peanut butter, honey and butter.

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Northern Flower

Northern Flower

(19 reviews)

£££

Northern Quarter

Let's be honest, flowers can't erase a stupid argument or replace a family heirloom you've smashed…read more They can however, help you get out of the dog-house and back into your loved one's good books. The trick is, you need to buy as big a bouquet as you can carry and you need to hand-deliver them with a humble apology, a big hug and an even bigger kiss. I can't help you with the last three but I can recommend you get the flowers from The Northern Flower. Situated on Tib Street in the Northern Quarter, it's a cracking little florist that sells a small but brilliant selection of everything from roses, lillies and gerberas to birds of paradise, exotic flowers and big plants. Everything is reasonably priced, the staff are friendly and accomodating and they also sell a small selection of wine and champagne. Good luck and god speed!

If I need flowers I head here. They for a while had a tiny little pug puppy, being a man I usually…read moredon't fall for such pathetic things, but this thing is cute, like definition of cute. Any way northern flower is a small shop front that hosts all manner of lovely green matter. At different times of the year they keep all varietys of plants from orchids to the very cool carnivorous plants including pitcher plants and monkey traps (they dangle down and have been known to catch monkeys in their huge pitcher mouths). The folk behind the counter (always one girl whenever I'm there) knows her stuff inside out and can advise you on an easy to care for birthday present, gift for the girlfriend all the way to more technical beasts such as the before mentioned.

Thunder Egg

Thunder Egg

(25 reviews)

£££

Piccadilly

Got to be honest, I'm actually getting pretty sick of bleating on about how quirky, quaint and…read morefolksy every shop in the Northern Quarter is. I'm not a fucking pixie. I'm not setting up home with an elf. I'm not planning a vacation in Narnia- I don't need bricka brack, I don't need keepsakes, I don't need fecking chintz- that's why it's called chintz, if it was any use to me it would be called 'the essentials'!! The NQ has sold us a hippy dream that can never be. Being a boho mash head who sits in coffee shops talking about Neil Young, collects dolls and Japanese backpacks and is generally too arty to care about 'the system maaan' is an expensive past time so either these fakers are secretely high flying lawyers or daddy is a patient and giving man because the good ol' NQ is one of the most expensive and business minded monsters in Manchester! Sell me a dream I can achieve Thunder Egg!!

Until I checked out their website, I had no idea that Thunderegg was a shrine to all things…read moreJapanese.. but now it all makes sense. It is a cute little shop in the Northern Quarter selling clothes (Cutie, Gorgeous - brands like that- yes please), vinyl toys, plastic headbands and jewellery. The till area and near the fitting rooms are like if a harajuku girl started up her own branch of Accessorize. They sell Hello Kitty, Paul Frank, Emily Strange and the clothes aren't even that expensive - I tried on a spotty grey/ purple dress for £18. There was a fair amount of the old leopard print and plenty of sequins and sparkle for autumn parties ahead. Also towards the back I found a Herve Leger style bandage dress with an exposed zip. Ok, fair enough all the 'slebs were wearing those six months ago but I think in Normal-Time that's still a good buy.

Manchester Speciality Markets - Smells amazing

Manchester Speciality Markets

(2 reviews)

£

City Centre

The selection here is getting really good, especially later in the week. I bought 2 beautiful…read morefloral scarves I wear almost on a daily basis for £15 from Mandalay, definitely worth checking out. More recently I had the best banh mih I've had in the UK from a stall whose name I can't remember and which may have disappeared - argh! Grandma's Touch, despite the odd name, seems to be selling some interesting arepas (beef and plaintain - yes!) although sadly when I was there they had mostly run out (I think, they seemed a bit confused and kept mentioning the name of an arepa that wasn't on the sign I was looking at) and so I had the less interesting beans and cheese (the arepa itself seemed good though, and is gluten free). Other choices included grilled cheese sandwiches, Mexican, Spanish, Caribbean and pastries. SO NO PRET, YES?

I usually avoid Manchester on a Saturday for the sheer volume of people. That's where I've been…read moregoing wrong. I'm not sure which speciality market was on today but it was amazing. First off there's food. My favourite type of market. There's regional food, Lancashire beef, cumberland sausage, Cumbrian cheese. Stalls with Eastern cuisine and curry, looked really really good. Homemade fudge and toffee for the sweet toothed. A strange one: ostrich, kangaroo and wild boar burger stall, if you're feeling particularly curious. Then there's some homemade cupcake and chocolate stalls. A variety of homegrown foods here. Once your belly's satisfied you will find lots of craft and jewellery shops, some very pretty delicate pieces. Some Amazonia gifts perhaps? Lots of fairtrade items. Then there's the shubbery and plantation stalls if you're into your gardening. Once your food's part digested why not tuck into some home brewed beer, with the strangest of homemade labels, cat piss? shit stew? brain damage? At £3.50 a bottle, go try. So that was my day and observation at the markets. According to the website it was supposed to be the crafts and gifts market being the first Saturday of the month. Was much more than that today. Any who Manchester markets give good value, quality, local produce. Support.

WHSmith

WHSmith

(8 reviews)

££

Piccadilly

WHSmith at Manchester Piccadilly is a pretty good branch, especially for a travel store, the prices…read moremight be really high, to the point I can't understand why as there are multiple rivals nearby selling many of their items or similar items for less, but they do have a pretty good selection if you're in a rush, ahead of getting a train. I do like the special events they seem to have on here, they sell Airpods and more recently they brought the Carabao Cup here ahead of 2020, giving supporters the chance to get a selfie with the trophy, this was a pretty cool experience to lift the trophy right before Manchester City defeated Aston Villa to retain the trophy for the third year in a row at Wembley back in 2020. (This was an experience offered by Carabao as part of their trophy store, but it is nice to see the store arranging experiences like that) They do also sell the IRN-BRU Energy drink range here, they are one of the few stores outside of Scotland to do so, I think it tastes terrible and at 2.5x the price of Carabao, it isn't worth it, but if you do love IRN-Bru, you'll probably like it. 4* - For a travel location, this branch of WHSmith is good, although I do prefer grabbing my drinks and travel stuff from the Co-Op just outside the station as the store looks a little better inside and is much cheaper.

The Observer? Tick Sunday Times? Tick…read moreTelegraph? Tick Mojo magazine? Tick Elle magazine? Tick Food and Travel? Out of stock. Thanks WH Smith for almost making my Sunday afternoon.

Fig + Sparrow - coffee - Updated May 2026

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