35,000 festival revellers headed down to Cathedral Gardens last weekend to enjoy Manchester Food and Drink Festival’s Festival Hub, and they’re returning this weekend for even more.
The Festival Hub – the free to enter, pop up food and drink village on Cathedral Gardens reopens to the public on Wednesday 22nd to Sunday 26th September. The Festival’s “Foodie HQ” is free to enter with no booking required.
With a gigantic beer bar, wine, gin bar, street food, artisan food market, banquets and live music it’s one big celebration of everything we love (and have missed) about the city’s excellent dining and drinking scene – and from Wednesday there’s a whole new raft of activity to keep food fans entertained.
Street Food
Halloumination
Professing to make you go ‘Weak at the knees for squeaky cheese’ since Jan 2018 the Halloumination team serve THE most delicious halloumi fries + halloumi burgers around.
The Spinn
Gatley-based indie restaurant & bar will be bringing their amazing trademark burgers to the festival.
I Knead Pizza
Stockport-based local food heroes serve up their woodfired pizza and amazing ‘pizza bites’.
Mezze Kitchen
A Cypriot inspired kitchen striving to represent the best flavours the Mediterranean has to offer!
Spoons Desserts
Cracking crepes made locally and featuring all the classic crepe toppings.
Alchemic Coffee Co
Speciality coffee and hot drinks served from a vintage Bedford rascal.
The Eat Well Kitchen at the Hub
Eat Well Kitchen at the Hub will see an amazing street food offering come to the festival courtesy of some fantastic chefs and collaborators.
Mama Z
Throughout the second weekend 24th – 26th Sept, chefs including Rice Over Everything, Mama Z and Blackbird Pantry will each take turns to host the kitchen serving up their own take on Festival fodder with all profits funding chef-made meals for people side-lined by poverty in Greater Manchester.
Just Eat Street Kitchen
La Bandera
Award winning, independent Spanish Restaurant La Bandera are bringing a beautiful collection of their favourite dishes to the Festival including Squid Ink Croquettes, Sea and Land Paella, mini Spanish Burgers and Padron Peppers.
JJ Vish and Chips
Vegan chip shop legends JJ Vish and Chips have curated the ultimate plant-based and veggie Chippy experience for the final weekend of the Festival including Battered ‘Sosage” “Tofish and Chips” and “Scam-Pi and Chips”. Plus there’s all the classic sides given a vegan twist – mushy peas, minty peas, vegan gravy, homemade tartar sauce and more
MFDF Artisan Markets
Companio Bakery
Ancoats’ neighbourhood, sourdough bakery will be serving up their fresh loaves to the festival customers.
Paradiso Authentic Italian
Freshly made, authentic Italian desserts including their famous flavoured Tiramisu… Bellissimo!
Chorlton Cheesemongers
Chorlton Cheesemongers will also join us for the second weekend of our Festival Market with their best quality farmhouse and artisan handmade cheeses, chutney and pickles.
The Gourmet Brownie Co
Gorgeous gooey brownies handmade and brought to the Festival to fulfil the needs of even the sweetest of tooths.
Ribble Valley Gin
Small batch, multi award winning gins brought to the Hub direct from the Ribble Valley.
HM Pasties
Pies and Pasties handmade in Bolton with the social mission of reducing re-offending by employing people with criminal convictions.
Crozier Drinks
Professional, premixed Artisan cocktails specialising in inventive combinations of fruits spirits and spices.
O’Donnell Moonshine
Handcrafted spirits and liqueurs presented in their now iconic glass jars. A throwback to American prohibition usually found at Hatch and coming to the Festival for the first time.
The Manchester Beer Bar
The biggest beer bar in town is back! The MFDF Manchester Beer Bar will serve up a beautiful bounty of the best beers from around the region, celebrating our incredible and inventive craft beer scene.
There’ll be tonnes of beers on site, locally brewed by the likes of Northern Monkey and Pomona Island Brewery (MFDF Award Nominees- Best Independent Drinks Producer), Burton Road Brewing, Bollington Brewery, Brightside, Blackedge, Thirst Class, Stubborn Mule, Bank Top and Silver Street.
City Life Stage
Dave Fidler
Thursday 23rd September
One of Manchester’s favourite singer-songwriters and Festival favourites, Dave Fidler takes to the stage
Albert Schloss Stage Takeover
Thursday 23rd September
An evening of top class Schloss entertainment including Schloss house band and roaming performers
Gypsies of Bohemia
Saturday 25th September
Manchester’s first jazz manouche non-purists, Gypsies of Bohemia are an acoustic group who perform modern pop favourites like you’ve never heard them before.
Flat Cap Brass
Sunday 26th September
Returning for the second weekend for more lively brass entertainment
Hattie Pearson
Sunday 26th September
Girls On Film founder and Hits Radio Presenter will be playing her usual charismatic set to keep the Sunday vibes going
……………………………………
For more information on everything that’s going on this weekend at Manchester Food & Drink Festival head to the MFDF site…
