Something about Grano I can't put my finger on. Like it was designed by a committee. I have a feeling it may in fact be an MMU Union venture, I wouldn't be surprised.
It's a new cafe, come salad bar, come after hours bar in the new Vine House on the Birley Fields campus of MMU. Facing on Stretford Rd.
It has the appearance of a NQ esque coffee shop, with lots of wood features, repurposed school desks and unfinished industrial heating. What it seems to lack for me is that care taken to produce quality food or drinks. It's clearly been put here to give the campus a less union/cafeteria option, but is so close to a dressed up cafeteria that it falls flat. Most unusual is the option to be open after business hours as a bar. They have 3 keg lines (2 currently offering Staropramen) and two cask lines both currently with cider. It may be quite a good option for those in the uni student accommodation in the same building with no desire to wander further afield. But I think these guys are even likely to wander to Oxford Rd at least. So I expect these extended hours to die off rather quickly.
I'm sure it's more than sustainable in it's location with decent foot traffic from Oxford Rd to the new uni buildings. But I certainly wouldn't walk out of my way go here.
I only grabbed a coffee to go,so it may deserve a more discerning look. Though the coffee wasn't great either. read more