I went here after viewing it on my feeds for a while. This…read moreyear I haven't been able to get up to Manchester as often as I'd liked but when I did manage to get up there I knew I had to try soul coffee. I went pretty early so was the only one in at the time and I was super happy with everything ... the layout was gorgeous ... the ambiance was amazing and I loved it all. There was sanitiser as I went in, mask mandate, and the NHS scan code. The food was exceptional and the coffee was one of the nicest I've had and the cutlery and crockery added a very nice touch. I went for the matcha waffle and a latte and OMG ... it was so good. I can't wait to get back up to Manchester to try more of the menu (oh and the gelato was in house made and amazing)

Visit the place last month. Amazing coffee with amazing staff service. I will visit again when i…read morewill back in town

One of the top spots I found in Manchester. they have a huge selection of single origin beans from…read moreall over the world which they take pride in preparing for obtaining optimal flavor profile. Super friendly and knowledgeable staff with the cafe on one side and a short walk next door to the roaster. Spoke with the roasters and they were very passionate about their beans. I highly recommend this place to any coffee aficionado.

What a wonderful cafe! Its new and adds something a little extra to Ashton. It is modern,…read moreattractive and appealing and has a wonderful latte. Not only that, the place is quite big spreading out over two rooms and there is a lot of room too. The tables are huge so you have loads of space. I like a baguette from here or the traditional cheese and beans. Yummy. What is also great about here is that they sell local art and you can see it all over the cafe and on the walls. Go and see their menu, I assure you it is fantastic.

ABSOLUTLEY APPALLING, I have just had a bacon and sausage muffin which consisted of one full slice…read moreof bacon and some bits of fat which was all burnt to a crisp and one sausage, and I paid £2.20 for this. Now I dont mind paying that money but would expect 2 full slices of bacon not tasting like burnt offerings and a portion of sausage meaning 2. I would not recommend this cafe if you were feeding a dog

The wonders of technology are allowing me to draft a review for the Holden Tea Room just as my…read moregigantic coffee pot has yielded its fourth, read, FOURTH cup of delicious coffee. However these wonders of technology take something of a back seat in this beautiful, delightful pop-up tearoom. Each lovely and friendly member of staff is dressed head-to-toe (okay, maybe not head and toe - some lovely quirky haircuts and glasses obvs. This IS Manchester after all) in 1930s tearoom staff finery. A proper working gramophone takes pride of place, providing the kind of soundtrack that makes the Northern Quarter's retro vintage cafés sound like they've got Now 56 blaring out, and I'm currently seated on a plush leather sofa in front of an aviary. With real tweeting birdies. But there are cheeky nods to the present day too. My choice of cake (officially the best cake choice I've ever made in my life - not even joking) was a delicious slab of Americana amidst all this quintessentially English tradition... a peanut butter and jam cake. Listen here, I spent part of my time devouring it, part trying to figure out how the hell I could replicate it. I'm reckoning it's standard Vicky sponge, but it would appear that a layer of crunchy PB has been baked into the base. The topping is a jam icing, similar to the one Jamie Oliver got us all to make one Red Nose Day where he smushed up strawberries with icing sugar... but even better than that, somehow. Does this frosting have butter in it? I don't know! But I need this cake in my life again. So why am I so desperate to replicate it? Because I'm already in mourning. This place is only open until Friday 10th Feb 2012 and I am utterly devastated. I want to try everything on the menu. I've not even started on the vast selection of teas available. There are more cakes than you can shake a hungry fork at. And about that coffee. When did you last get - let me just check - FIVE cups for £1.50? Out of your own coffeemaker at home perhaps? I want to start a petition to keep this place going, permanently. As in, it always needs to be final year art degree money-raising project time. The only thing that sucks about all Manchester's amazing pop-ups? That they're not forever! I don't want to be *that girl* holding somebody's ankles begging them not to go, but if Holden Tea Room had legs, well, hand me my best grabbing gloves please. Seriously, no pride. Stay. Don't leave us. We love you.

Run by Manchester City Council's Markets New Smithfield…read moreMarket is the largest wholesale market in the North West of England occupying a 35 acre site just 2.5 miles from Manchester City Centre (in Openshaw). Want cheap Fruit, Veg & Meats. Well here at New Smithfield Market is where you want to go. If you buy your fruit or veg from a greengrocer or meat/fish from a Butcher/Fish Monger then beat them to the punch and buy it from here before they do. Yes most local companies will normally buy from here. Most of the action is based in C/D Hallway and the Fish Market. It does look like it is still stuck in 70's and could do with a rejuvenation (unfortunately the market lost a £30m grant to redevelop it due to the cuts)

Its difficult to comment on Manchester Markets as a whole as they cover such a large area of the…read morecity and sell so many different things. From handmade jewellery to homemade soup, the Manchester Markets have so much to offer if you know where (and when) to look. My top three are the Food Market, The Plant and Flower Market and the Fashion Market (for full details and all of the other markets check out the Manchester Markets website). The farmer's Market is easy to stumble across as it is held bi-weekly in Piccadilly Gardens. There is a mix of locally sourced and continental produce for you to try (I tend to make my way along the cheese stand and take advantage of their free testers). I'd highly recommend the Savin Hill Farm butchers stall which sells fresh meats from their traditional, ethical farm. There is a lovely little soup stand which always has something warm and tasty, and definitely pop over to Trevor Duerden's fine fudges for a treat (their gift boxes also make great presents). The Food Market is held twice monthly, on the second and fourth weekend (Friday and Saturday) of each month between 10am and 6pm. The Flower and Plant Market often accompanies the Food Market and has some really interesting things on offer for anyone green fingered. From a fresh cut bouquet of roses to an ancient Bonsai Tree, there is something here for nearly everyone. The market is held every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, opening between 10am and 6pm. The Fashion Market is held on Tib Street (just off Piccadilly) every Saturday. The stalls comprise of local shops and boutiques (like Rags to Bitches) as well as independent designers and jewellers. There is always something new to look at here, and plenty of bargains on offer if you're willing to haggle. I'd recommend deciding how much money you want to spend in a day and not taking any more with you or it will disappear before your eyes. Not as cheap as more traditional markets (such as the Longsight Market), Tib Street's Fashion Market is focused on quality over quantity and is worth every penny.

I popped into this cozy cafe/bistro/tea bar late Sunday afternoon to find some caffeine and fight…read moretrans-Atlantic jet lag. I took up residence in the dimly lit back area, where the cheerful waitstaff promptly took my order of a blood orange hot chocolate made with almond milk (!) The drink came out frothy and light, with a cloud of chocolate-dusted milk foam atop subtle, smooth chocolate. No bitter or artificial aftertaste. While bopping along to the background music and working on my laptop, I was informed that Leaf would close early at 19h instead of 20h, so I seized the opportunity to order dinner as well: the jerk lamb rump, and an order of jasmine pearl tea. The waiter helped me verify that the lamb was free of dairy, and soon I was chowing down on succulent roast lamb and garlicky roast beans. The mango jam was a perfect accompaniment to the meat, but I found the coconut/coriander rice too mushy to my taste. It helped me to imagine them as mashed potatoes instead, haha. The tea was sensuously fragrant, and I welcomed the scented fog clouding my glasses. I wish I could have stayed there longer, but I might return for brunch or tea - Leaf is truly a serene, wonderful establishment.

J love thus place, mostly because I live tea, and I'm really not a coffee drinker, where so many…read morecoffee shops tea is an afterthought, leaf is clearly dedicated to my fave, with a vast list of choices. Id also like to give props to the brownies. So many are disappointing and dry, but these are lovely and a generous square

my friends were craving something sweet after our late lunch & wanted to find a cake shop in…read morenorthern quarter then we landed here! the atmosphere inside was very mellow & somewhat calm/regular cafe vibe! we seated ourselves at a table & a worker promptly supplied us with more menus & told us come up to the counter when we were ready to order! we looked at the desserts on the counter as well but decided on scones! they also ordered tea along with their scones since that's the proper way to do it haha! when they ordered, the worker put it in as cream tea which was like a bundle of scone/tea which did save them a bit of money! however, after we finished ordering, we were notified that they were out of scones & asked if we wanted to wait 20-25 minutes for the new batch--which we did since we had time (we arrived around 4pm & they close at 6pm). they did ask if we wanted our teas now or later & after they brought of my friend's teas, the worker asked if i wanted another cup so i could share the teas with my friends which was kind of them to ask! once the scones were out & served, i came to the late decision of wanting one for myself as well, however, when i ordered, they said they were all sold out again (a man had bought them all)!! it was disappointing but my friends gave me a few bites of theirs & shared their tea with me;; overall, it was a nice atmosphere, not too crowded or loud--nice place to catch up with friends or to study! i wished they could have saved/planned their quantity a bit better though! it would've been nice to have tried scones for the first time properly!

FIVE STARS REINSTATED. Oh yes. After a brief lovers' tiff, Teacup and I reignited our passion with…read moreaplomb after I visited twice recently. What a difference a holiday makes! Or rather, what a difference their effort makes. The entire back area of the space has opened up to create a whole new dining experience. If you don't believe me, check out their deconstructed evening menu. http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Food-and-Drink/Coffee-Shops/Teacup-Launches-Evening-Menu Just ruddy look at it. What even is that. Brilliance, that's what it is. What looks like something beyond what you'd get at Room or Australasia in the nouveau cuisine stakes is brought to casual dining, in a casual environment at thoroughly casual prices. I've had some utterly lovely meetings and social experiences in here recently and its reclaimed its crown as Norther Quarter Big Daddy. No, wait. There are too many contenders to that crown. Let me get my Game of Thrones geek on. You know how in the second book there are seven folks claiming themselves king? If you don't, seriously, get involved. Anyway, Teacup feels like one of the more rightful contenders. Kind of like a Stannis Baratheon. Willing to experiment with new things. Determined and full of effort. Takes things seriously. Might have had a dip in popularity at some point, but heck, that does not keep a rightful king down. Teacup has totes re-stolen my heart. You know how quite a few Yelp reviews complain about certain things? Particularly Claire I's whereby the manager treated her meanly - well, fear no more. The manager she mentioned is gawn. In his place is an environment that feels so welcoming and friendly that it's like going into your best friend's front room for a brew. Their coffee is still one of the finest blends in all NQdom. It's time to wipe the slate clean. I for one cannot WAIT to taste this new evening menu. Supper and a cuppa, yes PLEASE!

Lovely 'little' place to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.This may have been possibly the…read moresmallest coffee shop I have ever visited but my goodness I may just fallen in love with coffee as well as Tea. Relax and listen to the fine selection of music or you can watch and listen to the water installation just outside. On a sunny day why not sit outside and realise what a beautiful city we live in. -Today I tried their latte Artisan coffee in Manchester at its best

Ever since seeing 'Grindsmith' on kickstarter months ago, an uber-cool urban eco-pod of a coffee…read morehouse, I had been eager to venture to Greengate Square to give it a try. I was adamant that given the compact-wooden-pod nature of the place, I should only go in extreme weather conditions in order to make the trip all the more exciting. In beloved but rainy Manchester, blue-skies and sunshine qualifies as extreme conditions. As such, during a sunny June Sunday, I seized the opportunity to sip on a 'Grindsmith' flat white, with sunshine beaming through the open façade (almost entirely made of glass) - I was not disappointed. An excellent decision on my part to go when sunny and excellent brewing skills from Grindsmith as far as kick-ass flat white's are concerned. Grindsmith offers little when it comes to food, there was a very small selection of baked goods but they looked rustic and appealing. I wasn't expecting an extensive food menu, nor was I disappointed by its lack. What is pretty darn cool however, is that Grindsmith stock 'Ginger's Comfort Emporium' ice-cream - absolutely the best ice-cream I have ever tasted! (See my review of the cafe in Affleks palace) Marry this with a Grindsmith espresso and you've got an Affogato sent directly from heaven. £3 well spent I'd say - a delightful weekend treat. Take a walk to Greengate Square. Look, I know the Premiere Inn there is really ugly and a bit of an off-putter, but once inside Grindsmith's coffee haven, you'll forget such an architectural disaster ever happened. You can read more of what I have to say about Grindsmith (and other places) on my new blog: http://thehungrygiraffe.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/grindsmith-espresso-and-brewbar.html

By far one of the best coffee shops I've visited! Very trendy decor with filter coffee being served…read morein a cool science beaker! There is a good variety of coffee and filtered coffees; I had ordered a fruity filtered coffee which tasted really nice. They have a few other varieties as well, in addition to the regular fair of lattes, cappuccinos etc. and their iced counterparts. A huge bonus of Black Sheep is that they have a few Matcha teas on the menu; regular unsweetened matcha, matcha latte and turmeric matcha latte. Nitrogen coffee is a new thing I came across here and having not tried it before, they gave a sample of it. As a regular coffee drinker it wasn't to my taste, but it's an interesting concept and worth a try if you're feeling adventurous. The service is excellent; staff were very polite and efficient. The inside of the cafe is pretty spacious with a number of small and large tables, and also some single person bar seats. Black sheep feels a bit like a coffee bar than a cafe, but with it's assortment of strong flavourful coffees, central location right near Manchester Piccadilly Station and cool vibe, it's not one to be missed.

Fantastic coffee: no bland lattes here. They have some massive hotdogs (strangely enough), but the…read morebest is their robusto espresso. Easily worth the extra charge.

Tucked a bit away, it's a small coffee shop with lovely character. We decided to have food here…read more I ordered the grilled cheese and there was a mixture of vegetables cooked in. It was a surprisingly filling sandwich. I couldn't finish it from feeling so full. My skinny mocha was good. I don't know that I can judge much other than to say it was a good coffee drink. Staff is friendly. Plenty of seating including open tables. I wish I had tried a baked good cuz they looked amazing, but just didn't have the room.

I've been here a handful of times, with others, and on my own. I like a fancy tea shop with poncey…read morecakes and dainty china, but this is the Northern quarter. I'd rather be in here than a behemoth chain, as it's quite a good place for little design business meetings. Brunch is quite nice, plus I'm a fan of almost anywhere where I can get pastrami. I'm a tea drinker, not coffee, but they do a good range of both. Banana flapjack is a simple but tasty favourite. And I had the wine poached chicken once too, which was rather good, also.