Eggs Benedict at TROVE
Years of grafting down in Levenshulme, pretty much carrying the torch for the entire area that continues to be dubbed ‘the next Chorlton’, TROVE certainly know a thing or two about brunch. That’s why their classic Eggs Benedict (£10.50) is hard to beat, and with their foray into the city centre, more people can get this beauty delivered straight to their house. Bacon, poached eggs and sourdough – you know the score, but with a special chive hollandaise and capers pinged on top – TROVE’s version is the one to beat.
Salted Peanut, Chocolate + Caramel Cruffin at Pollen
Some mornings call for something naughty and they don’t get much naughtier than a CRUFFIN. The ultimate pastry, a cruffin is a hybrid of a croissant and a muffin. This particular one (£4) is filled with salted peanut, chocolate and caramel and you’ll probably dream about it.
Hot Cabana at Cocoa Cabana
Hopefully you don’t just think that Cocoa Cabana do chocolate and cakes, because if you do – you’re missing out on some seriously good savoury brunch dishes. Much like their Hot Cabana (£11), a massive plateful of delights, with pork chipolatas, bacon and a potato hash, served alongside garlic pesto-sauteed mushrooms and spinach, cherry vine tomatoes and topped with poached eggs. It’s hearty, it’s healthy (ish) and it’s utterly delicious.
Smashed Pumpkin on Toast at Ezra & Gil
In a time when the only thing people were ‘smashing’ onto sourdough was avocados, Ezra & Gil dared to be different and created their own twist on the classic dish. They created their very own Smashed Pumpkin on Toast (£9.50), which is a LOT tastier than it sounds and comes topped with baby spinach, crumbled feta, scrambled eggs and toasted pine nuts. The whole thing is then served up on a massive slab of sourdough alongside their homemade beetroot hummus. Absolutely mega.
Steak & Eggs at Federal
The ultimate brunch treat, Steak & Eggs shouldn’t really be eaten for breakfast, and it’s way too extravagant for lunch, but when it’s Brunch-time – it’s seemingly okay to scoff. Not that I’m complaining – it’s typically one of the best dishes to grace any brunch menu – and this one from Federal (£16) is outstanding. A perfectly cooked, juicy 8oz sirloin steak topped with a couple of fried eggs (runny yolks ahoy!) and a special Federal spiced tomato sauce that they make in-house. Finished off with salsa verde this dish will put a spring in your step after any weekend hangover.
Autumn Spiced Hash Rosti at The Green Lab NQ
Another vegan delight on the list is NQ newbie Green Lab’s colourful and tasty Stacked Autumn Spiced Carrot and Sweet Potato Rosti (£7.95) served with wilted spinach and a garlic cashew cream. You can wash it down with one of their fantastic juices for an incredibly nutritious start to the day.
The Pancake One at Coffee B
Recent addition to the brunch scene in Manchester, Coffee B have a very impressive menu of classics, including topped toasts, pancakes, bagels and French toast. They’re all bloody brilliant, and it’s difficult to make a bad decision here, but personally – I’ll always go for their American-style Buttermilk Pancakes (£9.99). Not only do you get 5 thick-as-fuck pancakes, they’re also caked in tonnes of maple syrup, Nutella, cream, berries and sprinkled with icing sugar. Very naughty but on a weekend when you’re nursing a bad hangover and want to stay in bed – perfection.
Soul Breakfast at Soul Coffee
Ancoats or Northern Quarter? With Soul Coffee straddling the line between two of the city’s best and trendiest areas, they’re perfectly places to offer their brunch dishes to all of those new apartments that seem to have popped up all over the place in recent years. Which is great news because their offering is excellent, none more so that their Soul Breakfast – a Full English that’s perfectly designed for delivery. For £7.99 you’ll get 2x Sausage, 2x Bacon, Hash Brown, Beans, Egg and a thick slab of Cheesy Sourdough – and it’s fantastic.
Full Vertigo Breakfast at Vertigo Plant Based Eatery
There is quite literally no better meal than a full English breakfast, it trumps every other brunch dish every day of the week. Vertigo Plant Based Eatery do their whopping vegan version (£12) piled high with Beyond sausage, beans, scrambled tofu, griddled tomato, mushroom, hash browns and a delicious slice of toast. What’s better?
Oreo Peanut Butter Pancake Stack with Vanilla Ice Cream at Hampton & Vouis
A big old American style pancake stack topped with caramel sauce, peanut butter drizzle (filthy), crushed Oreos and a scoop of deliciously creamy vanilla ice cream.
Pastries from Another Heart to Feed
Keep things classy with a pastry and coffee in the morning. If you bob down to the NQ site on your daily walk you might struggle to leave without a bottle of wine for the evening from their bottle shop. They’ve got all the delicious buttery swirls you could want, including cinnamon rolls which are arguably the best type of pastry.
The Beast at Katsouris Deli
If you ever see anything called ‘The Beast’ on a menu – order it. No matter where you are, you’re guaranteed something that’s full of meat and will make your hands look like a toddlers when you’re holding it. Of course, most of the things that they cook up at Katsouris Deli on Deansgate are HUGE, that’s why it’s been so popular for so many years, and their ‘Beast’ (£4.50) is a true wonder of the modern food age. It’s a massive sandwich stuffed with bacon, fried eggs and sausages and it’s wonderful – even more so when it’s delivered straight to your face at home.
Greek Loukaniko at North Star Deli
A Chorlton favourite for absolutely bloody ages, North Star Deli offer up a diverse menu of classic and Greek dishes, and even though it’s strictly not something we’d have for brunch over here, their Greek Loukaniko (£9) is an absolute winner. They do a belting Full English in here, but this Greek sausage pulls no punches and is something everybody should have at some point in their little lives. Served with traditional Greek flatbread, tzatziki and salad, it’s not your usual brunch fare but you should definitely give it a try.
