Grillstock Festival completely lives up to its tagline: 'Meat. Music. Mayhem.' On a slightly…read moredrizzly and cool Saturday in Manchester the hordes swarmed to Albert Square and the stalls of carnivorous splendor. Entry was a very hefty £22.50 but you had to buy them online in advance and it had already sold out. You couldn't, therefore, just rock up there ticketless. I was fortunate and had a free ticket donated by a friend who couldn't make it - so I'm not sure I'd be willing to pay that much and not have at least a free burger, hotdog or couple of beers included. The range of options was pretty good, with the likes of Fire & Salt and Red's True BBQ joined with over 20 other vendors. Pretty much all the food was £4-6, with the smaller 'snacks' at around £3 each. The hotdogs from Street Dogs were huge and delicious (see pic). You could wash everything down with beer from Brooklyn Brewery and cloudy cider from Lazy Jacks (both were terrific) and if you had enough room after all that meat, you could get cheesecake or icecream. I failed miserably as I was too greedy after nailing a brisket burger. Rob Heron & The Teapad Orchestra kept us entertained from the main stage, then it was the crowd-pleasing chilli eating competition, with 10 challengers eating increasingly hot chillis that I'd never heard of. Most of them endured until quite far in, then all but two dropped like flies and reached for the milk (or sick bucket - nice). After eating a Trinidad Scorpion 'Butch T' from Australia which was 1.4 million on the Scoville scale of hotness, it ended somewhat anticlimactically with a 'fastest eater' round, much to the crowd's bemusement. The only downside I had, which is the same for every festival like this, is that there were too many people in there, not enough circulation space and only one entrance/exit. Other than that is was a great way to spend an afternoon and start your path towards a food coma!

Another year, another trip to Grillstock! Having been for the past two years, we couldn't resist…read morepurchasing the early bird tickets and signing up for another visit to BBQ heaven. Still located on Albert Square, the festival has expanded somewhat, meaning there was a shift around inside the square, with the main stage moving and appearing to provide much more space than previous years. The entrance (only one this time) was in a strange location and there was very little signage towards it, meaning I was slightly on the flustered side by the time we actually got in! We headed to the bar for a drink to walk around with and explore our options. Brewdog were the providers this years, meaning there were plenty of familiar options, the other half going for the Dead Pony Ale. The bar was also fully stocked with cider, wine and prosecco so we didn't have to bounce between bars - handy! There was also an 'I Heart Wine' van, separate Lazy Jack's bar, alcoholic iced tea, a spiced rum bar, plus a Jack Daniel's cocktail bar. So, something for all tastes! Probably my favourite thing about Grillstock is the opportunity to try food from some new vendors, many of which come from across the country. Ross&Ross were my first stop, serving up slow cooked lamb, which was absolutely delicious and the perfect thing to get the day going. We also had a burger from The Beefy Boys - great, very moist - and some hot wings from Lola's - personal favourite, and coming with some very handy wet wipes. Everything is around the £5-6 mark on top of your ticket price. Unfortunately all stalls serving ribs ran out very quickly - and by all stalls I mean the 2 that were actually serving them up. Shouldn't there be more? When you really take the stalls into account, burgers and hot dogs totally outweigh everything else. Probably says something about the UK's taste in BBQ... As ever, there was lots of entertainment in the form of music (Levi Roots and Grandmaster Flash, anyone?), circus performers, the grilling competition, hot dog/wing/chilli eat competitions, and the ever popular free photo booth, making it very family friendly and contributing to a very relaxed Saturday.

Just a quick shout out for the fruit stall on Deansgate at the entrance to House of Fraser…read moredepartment store. I had so much fun explaining to the stall owner why I wanted photos, and how I was going to put his fruit stall on the internet. He didn't even have a name for the business - so I hereby name this stall Deansgate Fruit Stall! Fruit from street vendors is invariably very fresh and uses as little packaging as you like, especially if you bring your own small bags as well as shopping bag. On the stall, we have the usual apples and oranges, cucumbers, avocado, etc plus whatever is in season (see photos). Also, some more unusual items such as fresh figs of a much better quality (luscious!) than I've ever seen in supermarket. Definitely make a special effort to visit during the soft fruit season - cherries, raspberries, etc, best bought little and often. The stall owner is a really friendly gentleman, and a little bit of rounding down of the grand total to the nearest whole pound sometimes happens - but let him do it!

New Yorker opened fairly recently on Portland Street in Manchester City centre, and thanks to the…read morestyle of the building it's part of, it looks straight from New York City itself. Originally seeming to be named New Yorker Diner, it doesn't have a diner vibe, so instead is now presenting itself as American Street Food, serving burgers, waffles and chicken, gourmet burgers, and some other American sides too, as well as milkshakes and Belgian Waffles. It doesn't have a huge range, but what it has it does well. As you descend the steps into the diner itself, it's got that industrial look that most of the Northern Quarter is doing at the moment, complete with bare brick walls, wood cladding, and filament bulbs. Definitely not the Ed's Easy Diner style 50's American diner. Also, it's not a full service restaurant, but in fact a counter-service place with a dining area. The menu is simple but appetising, with some really tasty offerings and at a price that is very reasonable for Manchester City Centre, especially with some of the lunch deals available. I went to the counter and ordered the "American Boy" burger with fries and a Cherry Coke. The friendly staff member gave me a flashing/buzzing box similar to what you get when waiting for seating at big chain restaurants on a Saturday night, and said it would buzz/flash when my meal was ready for me to collect. Handy. The food was ready, and what I got was very tasty indeed. The burger, although not pink, was cooked through, but still juicy, and the trimmings were perfect, although the 'Brooklyn Sauce' built up spice pretty quickly for me, so I'd probably skip that next time. The fries were really good! Properly hot and crisp, and seasoned perfectly meaning the sachets of salt I picked up were never touched! New Yorker is a simple affair, offering good simple food when you want it, at a good price. I'd go again

not bad fast food place - low price but seem to have wait a long time if you order anything majorread more

Oh, ever-optimistic Manchester. I love how you'll boldly hold a picnic in the middle of August…read moredespite the clouds looking increasingly angry and the breeze getting somewhat nippier these past few weeks. But this isn't just any picnic. This is The Manchester Picnic. Let the rain wash over us, for we are Mancs, we always carry a cagoule. It's actually been illegal not to do so since the Gallagher brothers first came to power. Imagine my surprise when I turned towards The Triangle and saw our very own Manchester Wheel and the surrounding Wellington and Sinclair's pubs bustling with multicoloured bunting, noise, rides and... *backs away suspiciously* CHILDREN?!? Then I actually walked INTO the shopping centre itself and was greeted with the ambient, if a little lounge/bar-esque sounds of a jazz pianist doing a few pleasant cover songs while people sat at makeshift wooden benches and on picnic rugs indoors. Marvellous, really. There was action all over the city from Castlefield to Cathedral Gardens (and even a Twitnic organised via Twitter on the Sunday in Spinningfields), but perhaps the most impressive spot was Piccadilly Gardens. It was like a festival without the bands. Stall upon stall of food, the air thick with Bratwurst (which I was paranoid about having cling to my hair as I was off out later that evening, then again I was en route to meet the film buff, he loves a good sausage), and so many cuisines to choose from. Healthy soups, burgers, wraps... I wandered through, eyes gorging on the visual deliciousness, and stopped upon the Hey Little Cupcake stall. I'm such a girl. To be fair, I've been stalking these guys fervently since their ad for their pop-up shop in Spinningfields right next to Pure Gym (talk about location location location, that's GENIUS) and I have it on good authority that the selection of cupcakes I chose to take to the film buff's Blog Birthday went down a treat the following day. I'll be over to their new shop later this week to check out the treats for myself. In the meantime, long live this fab new Mancunian piece of local flavour. Ensure you're in town for the next Manchester Picnic, and hey, it certainly bridges the gap between those wintery Food and Drink festivals!

The Manchester Picnic is back!…read more So, a few times in the year, Piccadilly Gardens becomes a nice place to be. The huge bonus is that it's currently sunny - extra points for Manchester! The Manchester Picnic is an array of food stalls and local vendors, some of which will change over the 3 days, and a range of entertainment. Today, the vendors included Castro, El Kantina, Martins Bakery, and Nandos (what?) - others that I don't remember the name of were a Tibetan van, Thai food and very popular sushi offerings. Everything smelt amazing, the smoke was flying, and it was busy busy busy. I went for El Kantina today; the service was slower than I could personally bear, with only one woman actually serving and the other just standing and smiling, but we got there eventually. And what did we get to? Pig Candy. And yes, this was my lunch. Pig Candy consisted of 2 small pancakes, topped with candied bacon and cinnamon dust, with a side of cheese sauce. I'm all for mixing salty and sweet, and this combination bought my American days flooding back. It's not for the faint hearted - I have a sweet tooth, but I'm desperately craving something salty now! Treats for the office consisted of a brownie and two smartie & choc chip cookies from Martins, who seem to trade frequently at The Lowry food market, and who I would buy again from in a heartbeat. The brownie was an instant hit, squidgy and sticky to the roof of your mouth, and the cookies have a real depth of flavour. At 3 for £3, it's not to be sniffed at! I'm planning on visiting again this weekend in order to soak up the atmosphere while Manchester is on form!

Our city's favourite indie street food events company has now moved into a much larger venue, after…read morea successful regular stint at Runaway Brewery. To be held weekly, every Saturday from noon until 10pm, the space at Alphabet Brewery has the advantage of being completely covered over - so as the wintry days approach, both traders and punters will be kept dry! North Western Street is in the grittier part of the city, shall we say, running alongside the impressive railway arches leading to Piccadilly station. The front area outside the brewery is where you'll find the street food traders every week (there'll be 5-6 with some firm favourites on regular rotation along with guest traders appearing too). Inside the brewery itself (which is double height and spacious) you have the newly-built cash-only bar, serving Alphabet's beery wares - and soon to have guest breweries and tap takeovers. Unisex toilets and sinks are upstairs (there's a disabled toilet next to the bar). The vibrant murals on the walls are by local artist Hammo (who's also designed all of their beer cans) - check out his website: http://www.thehammo.com/ Two long rows of bench seating along with smaller tables means there's plenty of room to sit down if you get down here early enough! By mid afternoon it was truly bustling. Less than a 10 minute walk from the station, this is a must visit for locals and visitors alike.

A really great new location for GRUB and one that I hope to be hitting regularly now that it's on…read more'my side' of Manchester at Alphabet Brewery. Yes - at first you might come out of the back of Piccadilly station and wonder quite where you're headed (this area was/is the red light area of Manchester but with HS2 coming soon and this area marked for redev it is probably gonna be a trendy part of town in a decade from now) As with all the GRUB events there was great food, drink and music. Plus the atmosphere always kicks ass. On this occasion the gyoza stall and MacDaddies (mac n' cheese) went down well with our table. The Alphabet session pale at 4% and £4 a pint went down just as good. Looking like a regular place we'll be heading to now it's on each Saturday and only 5 mins walk from the station.

I visit Manchester once a year for what seems like forever. Until covid and it has been nearly 3…read moreyears. My hosts love going to this food court in the Arndale Center. It is always easy to find something. This time I saw Viet Shack. I opted for the Lemongrass Chicken Burger. Man was this tasty. Very friendly service too.

The staff here are SO nice and excited to have you as a customer!…read more The food is excellent value - £3 for a banh mih and £2.80 for a king prawn summer roll (you get two). The banh mih had the flavour I felt was missing from I Am Pho's version, really beautiful blend of sweet and tangy. I do think Amir is right about the bread though, towards the end of the sandwich its "part baked" flavour started to overwhelm the deliciousness of the filling (also that end possibly needed a bit more filling in it). Summer rolls were great, I tried the peanut sauce with chilli added as suggested, which was yum. Next time I'll try their other chilli option. Overall a great addition to Manchester's lunchtime scene and I look forward to seeing them at street food events in the near future!

Really enjoyed the vegan Sunday event here. I was surprised to find it fairly warm inside (was…read moreprepared for the arctic conditions of its former home, Alphabet Brewery) and the space is beautiful, especially the giant arched window letting on gorgeous yellowy light as the sun set in the late afternoon. Food-wise, the offerings were impressive. Oh Mei Dumpling was great, the only bummer was they vastly under-budgeted and ran out while they still had a large queue some hours before closing. Luckily I got in there quickly! Ottomen was very popular too but had a very lengthy queue, apparently they take a long time explaining the offerings to each customer to make sure they get the ideal combo which is nice customer service except for the fact that customer has had to spend 30 minutes in a queue while their friends drink elsewhere - maybe some sort of explanatory blackboard or better labelling could speed things up. Macdaddies also did an impressive vegan offering - you def wouldn't know it's not cheese. Vendor wise, the vegan pies and arancini were both great, would definitely recommend those to take away for some tasty lunches post your Sunday come down. Drinks options include a decent variety of local beers, of course local doesn't necessarily mean good and it's mostly keg here but you'll find something drinkable. They also have some fancy soft drinks of varying quality, at least they are a bit different though!

TL;DR - New venue, still the same great food, drink and vibes…read more After a few years of moving back and forth between Mayfield in summer and Fairfield Street in winter, GRUB finally has a new year round home on Redbank. This should be their permanent home for the forseeable future, all year round. The new place has a bit of a different layout, since it's based in a two storey building - downstairs has an enlarged bar and seating area, a children's play area and the toilets; upstairs is a much larger seating area plus when we were there a wine bar, cakes and a DJ. Street food vendors are located outside, in the yard at the rear. Go out back and get some food, then head back inside to get some drinks and a seat. Other than the new venue though, this is still the same GRUB we know and love. Fantastic street food from an ever changing list of vendors, great local beers, great music and a relaxed vibe - and the whole place is family and dog friendly. Oh, and I nearly forgot - everything on Sundays is vegan!

The main draw for this hot dog stand is that it isn't Burger King, KFC or McDonalds. That's…read morehonestly about all there is to it in terms of real advantage. That said, this isn't knocking the place. This, like What A Potato up the road, is a good enough place to grab some food if you're in a mad dash or the wallet/purse is feeling a bit light. This rascal is located at the bottom of Market Street and the sausages are pretty massive, meaning that you could be still eating it after doing a couple of laps of the city centre (or not if you're a greedy guts like me). Its cheap food that will fill a hole in a relatively pleasing way and definitely better than the sort of bilge thrown out by the archetypal burger van. Give 'em a try.

£1.99 happy hour deal. Hot dog and drink - can of soft drink. Proper sausages. Tastes good. Nice…read morebite to eat while out shopping