This Farmers Market was recommended to me by fellow Yelper Gareth H who lives around these parts…read more Ashton Farmers Market takes place on the last Sunday of every month, 9.00am to 3.00pm, although in hardcore market tradition the action is better earlier in the day, with packing up starting as early as 1.30pm or whenever the stall in question has more or less sold out of stock. The stalls are housed outside in the shelters that are otherwise home to the outdoor section of Ashton Market, and indeed the indoor market opens for the earlier part of the Farmers Sunday, plus there are a few of the three dishtowels for £1 outdoor stalls open and looking to cash in on some of the trade passing to the farmers stalls! While there are some good artisan foodie markets in Manchester, I still think Ashton Farmers Market is worth a visit from further afield. While there are good cheese and chutney companies and cupcake makers here, you can tell from the ruddy faces, manner and vehicles of the majority of the stallholders that these are authentic diversified farm businesses or at least rural cottage industries. There is an impressive amount of cooking done from scratch on grill plates and the odd chargriller fashioned from an oil drum cut in half! Vegetarian choice is at least adequate, I would say - even farmers seem to be moving with the times, or at least this forward-looking bunch have. Other stalls include a tea stall with urn (£1 a cuppa), seasonal fruit and veg straight from the farm, garden plants, hand knitted goods and some other random stuff, all of which are done with a lot more TLC than your average high street store. Business is brisk, I was pleased to note. Stating the obvious, but if it is a proper rugged Farmers Market you are after, you need to get out a bit from the centre of the city. For example, Ashton seems to be on a circuit of Farmers Markets which include Todmorden and Hebden Bridge. And there seems to be a similar circuit down Cheshire way, taking place once a month in places like Lymm. Do let me know if you have experiences of good farmers anywhere near Manchester or in Lancashire. If you live anywhere near, or are passing near Ashton and looking for a bit of local flavour, Ashton Farmers Market is definitely worth a visit.

Well that was an enjoyable couple of hours spent at the farners market today…read more There is lots of stalls at this one which is always a plus,and it was the usual fare,lots of nice looking cakes,some seriously good pies and breads,lots of meats,from the usual beef to wild boar and venison. We tried some seriously good cheeses making it hard to decide which ones to buy! The star of this market and any other market they appear at was Robinsons Bakery,seriously it should be made a crime to not buy something from them,their goods are so nice and they are such lovely people. Mrs Z bought some bread and a Manchester tart from them and I had a Vienese finger (ooer!) because they are seriously addictive! Also from the market we bought what can only be described as a slab of meat and potato pie and a walnut batard. It would've been easy to buy more stuff,but we would run out of room! Held on the last sunday of every month this is one Farmers Market that is well worth a visit....

Went to the Northern Quarter Markets for a mooch around this afternoon and really enjoyed it. The…read moremarket is monthly and is run by the people behind the excellent Levenshulme market. The Northen Quarter market is on Stevenson Square and is quite small but all the stalls are selling good quality stuff and it's well worth a visit especially if you're a foodie or into vintage. There was an excellent handmade chocolate stall, a stall selling gourmet marshmallows, a place selling macaroons as well as cheese, vintage clothing, handmade jewellery and furniture stalls. The Soup Kitchen were also there with a Jamaican BBQ and there was a street food place selling wraps and sandwiches. A great way to spend a lazy Sunday.

The Northern Quarter market is great for a bit of browsing on a lazy Sunday. In the past I've…read morebought handmade single origin chocolate, crazy over-the-top cakes, and amazing pop-up gift cards.

Just been to the cafe with my son. Service was poor. Staff wandering around ignoring customers who…read moreare standing waiting to be served at the counter. I ordered 2 sandwiches and coffees which came to £34! I ordered a hot beef sandwich with caramelised onions and gravy. This is what came out. A dry ciabatta with half of it filled with roast beef. No onions and a dribble of gravy! The service and food definitely wasn't worth how much it cost. I won't be going again and I'll make sure I will be telling family and friends about this crappy experience.

Iv been to Albion farm shop many times over the years, and after yesterday's breakfast, felt it was…read moretime to review! Firstly- a great concept. Not only is this a little farm style cafe, it's also a local farm inspired shop, with a deli, butchery and organic food choices shop. They always give out samples of pies, scotch eggs, cheese and meats, whilst you can browse the many aisles of unique foods. Amazing section of chocolates and treats too, with a huge range from the popular slatteries. Eating at the cafe is always lovely, although i enjoy the breakfasts more than the lunch options. Iv had the jacket potatoes, pies and open sandwiches here before, but nothing beats the breakfasts! They are huge and come with lots of options of add ons, like extra toast and black pudding. Great range of milkshakes, cakes, biscuits and coffees too. One thing that lets it down: no dairy alternatives. Which means I miss out on the coffee. Come on Albion farm, get with the times!

Ramsbottom farmers market, is a monthly occasion with a variety of stalls with fresh ( still with…read moremoist mud ) fruit and veg , fresh meat and fish on ice A few of the stalls sell fresh fruit tarts and meat pies and quiches There are also a variety of stalls that ready made hot meals . The stalls are centred around the wine jug at the top of the road. All in all the stalls are there and sell your basics of a farmers market. There is additionally a bit now in the civic centre slightly further up the hill but this is mainly focused on arts and craft types with the odd food stall thrown in for good measure It stretches the legs on a Sunday morning . But parking can be an issue

Like Ange,i'm going to also give the market 3 stars,but only because the number of stalls has…read moredrastically decreased as the months have gone on (Not the markets fault) and not because what is on offer isn't good,because it is. Last sunday we came home with some flavoured loose leaf tea,2 really nice malteaser chocolate cakes,a vanilla slice,a smoked cheese and onion pie and a really,really nice feta and spinach calzone (Had it last night and it really was lovely!!). And to our delight the hog roast was back! There is nothing like a pork and stuffing butty at half ten on a sunday morning! Really,there isn't.. Hopefully when winter is out of the way the stalls that have gone elsewhere may return and any updates I do will also see the number of stars increas too..

The first Sunday of every month brings a touch of glee to our lives as we look forward to a…read morehangover cure of juicy, succulent pig from the hog roast stall at Royton's food fayre followed by tastings galore of yummy delights and the purchase of pies, cakes, bread and anything else that grabs our fancy...that is, when we actually remember it's on! This weekend we remembered and lured by the chance to worship the sweet, sweet piggy meat and to stock up the fridge, we set off bright and early. Imagine our horror then as we arrived to find not only the lack of roast porcine in a bun, but a serious lack of stalls! Undaunted we wandered through the throngs (well maybe throngs is an exaggeration) of shoppers, stopping at every stall to oooh and aaah at the epicurean offerings. Amongst others we sampled cakes, chutneys and beer and made purchases of hummous (delicious and spiked generously with garlic and lemon), vanilla slices (heaven in an iced puff pastry shell), cherry strudel (Mr Z said yum!), prawn spring rolls (yet to be tried), bacon, leek and potato pie (tea tonight) and some haloumi ('slight' addiction to this) We could have bought more, believe me I would have purchased the whole cheese stall if we had the fridge room, and we could have tasted more, but we came away satisfied. I will recommend the black peas and ham though,(it's a Lancashire thing!) doused with vinegar and black pepper they warmed the cockles of my eternally hungry belly and kept me from mourning the lack of pork crackling on a unseasonally sunny Sunday.

Found this farm shop and cafe by pure chance and it has quickly become one of my favourite places…read moreto eat a small snack or meal at. The farm shop is quite small but they sell their own beef (mince, steaks etc), lamb (chops etc), eggs, veg, pies (beef and cheese and onion), sausages as well as local preserves and chutney. Their main business is their cafe, which has a fantastic selection of small snacks (sandwiches, tea cakes, homemade soup, cream scones etc) to larger meals including salads, all day breakfasts, homemade beef and lamb burgers and daily specials. The food is all either from their own produce and meat at the farm or locally grown and sourced when possible. You can taste the difference and all the food is fresh and tasty. Their selection of cakes is fantastic, all home made and yummy. Last time I went they had crumbles, fruit pies, chocolate biscuit cake, sticky toffee pudding and many more I can't remember. But the one thing that I adore the most about this place is their own homemade ice cream! It is the best ice cream I have ever come across, it's not overly sweet and the flavours are great quality. The choice is huge and changes nearly every week but they can include: cherry and yogurt, strawberry cheesecake, sticky toffee pudding, hot cross bun, double chocolate chip, chocolate mint chip, strawberry, toffee fudge, sherry trifle, grandma's special (sweets perfect for kids), farmhouse vanilla, cookies and cream, liquorice... the list goes one. They also do sobets. As well as this huge selection you can buy cakes to take home, anything that's in the cake counter as well as homemade scones and cookies. It has a large outdoor area for kids to play with lots of toys and slides while adults can sit nearby in the sunshine watching the nearby cows and sheep in a field. The whole place just has a wonderful, friendly feel. Only caution I would suggest is if like me you don't have kids and like a bit of peace and quiet, either go early (before 12pm) on weekends and avoid on bank holiday Mondays as it gets very busy with families.

We called in here on the off chance as my other half has an obsession with fish and reptiles. I do…read morenot live far from here but only recently have they turned this farm into a proper visitor place. I was a bit unsure at first because of all the stories escalating around about farms. But as soon as we parked up, we walked over to the pig sty and I instantly fell in love with the little pigs wandering around with their parents in their little den. Then we went into the massive store area and there are unreal amounts of fish in here. If you are a massive fan of tropical fish then this is the place you should go. It is clean, presentable and well organised. They also have reptiles such as snakes and mini-dragons and if you have never had a pet like this before, there are loads of staff around to help you out. Also they have a large range of books to help you raise certain species. Originally this was a farm that sold food produce. Now it has expanded beyond recognition. They still have food stock such as meat, eggs and juices etc. Also they have a cafe inside so if you want a cup of tea or a scone, then you can here. What I really enjoyed though about this place is that if you pay a pound each you can through into the stables and feed the pets in there. They have goats, llamas, sheep and bulls. I was a bit unsure at first but as soon as I started feeding them, I just fell in love with them all instantly. They were so cute trying to jump over the fences and lick your hands. This farm is really clean and extremely well run. I enjoyed the time we spent here, it was fun and exciting. I would recommend this twice over. Go and have fun!

Went to Cockfields Farm 3rd December 2011 to top up my tank with some new additions, as we were…read morelooking at the tanks , we noticed a DEAD fish floating on the top, so I informed a member of staff who joked that it was asleep and they always went pale and lifeless and floated when they were resting !!!! I thought this comment was inappropriate and not called for... we continued our now short visit by seeing another two tanks containing DEAD fish, I find this unacceptable and will not be going back there again. as there are many better fish shops with more pleasant staff within the Oldham area.

It was a pleasant visit to West Didsbury Makers Market, situated at Withington Community Hospital,…read morea few Sundays ago. The Makers Market can be found at various sport around Manchester on specific days of the month, and on the last Sunday of the month, it can be found here. As well as a variety of stalls selling homemade trinkets, and artwork, it had a couple of food vendors that are regular attendees at many streetfood / food market events across Manchester, such as Wallace and Sons, who sell one of the most delicious Pork Baos I have ever tasted, and What's Your Beef, who do an amazing Fiery Chorizo Burger. It also had a few other food options, so plenty to offer. Other stalls, included cheese vendors, pie sellers, chutney & marmalade makers, so again, plenty of variety, and sure to be something there for everyone. Especially The Weird & Wonderful Cheese Co, who have such a variety of "weird & wonderful" cheeses, from spicy cheese to fruity cheese. I recommend this, and be warned, you will probably walk away with half wheel of cheese when you visit. Definitely worth a stroll around when it is next on in West Didsbury..

I've been coming to Withington community hospital for Physio sessions recenetly but made a trip…read morethere for a very different reason last saturday. West Didsbury makers market captures the essence of all that is West Didsbury. It's the kinda place Northern Quarter folk will probably end up in their late 30's? Think Vegan prams and dogs doing yoga? Kidding aside this is a great little market, a slightly bigger version of the Levenshulme market, with local vendors showing off their produce. It's an eclectic mix of everything from animal charity stands, to hand made basket stalls and ofcourse plenty of foodie offerings. There's also live music and plenty on offer for those with a sweet tooth. Most of all the appeal lay in the sensational weather on offer. If anything it's worth just to come here soak up the sun and atmosphere. That's precisely what we did. To be honest despite all the delicious foodie stuff on offer I actually only bought some cakes. The place was far too busy for a sit down/enjoy your food scenario and our eventual decision to eat at Pomegranate turned out to be the right one. On a sunny day this place is ideal to enjoy an afternoon, followed by a meal at pomegranate and some drinks somehwere on Burton road. So come check it out, you won't regret it :)

A lovely little farm shop hidden away in Dunham village. We only found it by going to the Axe and…read morecleaver pub and it being up the same road. When you go in you are greeted by fresh veg, packs of lovely meat from their only animals and a friendly face. The meat from here is absolutely fantastic and we use them for our Christmas joint as it is so good. I should really use it more often as the bacon and sausages are amazing!!

From the owner: We are a family run, traditional Farm Shop, in Dunham Massey village, near Altrincham and…read moreManchester. Providing Red Tractor Food assured Beef & local seasonal produce. Throughout the year we stock our own fresh Aberdeen Angus and Hereford Beef and local, free range Pork and Lamb. We exclusively stock Venison from Dunham Massey Park between September and January. Watch out for updates on the website and twitter. We also sell homemade gluten-free and plain pork Sausages, homemade Beef, Pork and Lamb burgers, Gammon and Bacon. We are happy to accept orders of any size and any cut and we sell Turkeys at Christmas time to our customers. We hope to see you soon, the Jones family

Oh, you will know when you're nearly here. All that fish. You'd have to be trying pretty hard not…read moreto realise. This oval shaped steel and glass 'Market Hall' is the centre of the sprawling, but still World Famous, Bury Market. The atmosphere is really chirpy and fun; there is lots of banter between the salesmen/ fishermen?? Do they catch the fish? Probably not. Anyway they definitely know their stuff. I was once sent out, the day before Christmas Eve, no less to get some turbot that my mother had decided would be her contribution to the dysfunctional big family Christmas dinner at my Aunty's house. (Don't ask, the reason involves a funny bit in a Lindsay Davis Falco novel). Unfortunately I arrived too late i.e. about lunchtime so had to settle for some plaice - similar but not as exotic, I'm sure you'll agree. But the fishmongers made fun of me whilst being pretty helpful at the same time. So, if you are into your fish and meat get there early before their stock all runs out..

Thank Gawd they renovated the Fish bit of Bury Market. It used to be stage right away from the…read morebeloved Goslings Sweet and Confectionary stall, which was just such a heart ache when you'd be drooling over your sugar fix and the smell of fish would whiff up your snout. Now, well now the fish and meat hall has it's own partitioned section to keep the smell out. I'm sure the reasons are for cooling and freshness of produce, but for the rest of the indoor market folk who sell food like sweets, or clothing, and don't want the whiff to put off potential customers, the Fish and Meat Hall is a welcome saviour. It's actually rather swish and stylish for a Fish and Meat hall, and well, it does exactly what it says on the tin. The men in the markets know their produce, it's often a family affair, and they will happily engage you in conversation and inform you of the bestest deals to be had, whilst assuring you the fish they sell is the freshest. Pucker products and pucker service, you get what you pay for, good rates and good quality.