Cardinal Rule

It’s probably best to get one thing straight before we go any further — these are not scones. They’re biscuits. The kind found on Southern breakfast tables from Virginia to Texas: golden, flaky, buttery and built to hold serious fillings. And at Cardinal Rule, tucked inside Northern Monk Refectory on Tariff Street, they’re getting the love they deserve.

Run by Virginia-born couple Gab and Dustin, the pop-up has quietly become one of Manchester’s most talked-about food spots — and one bite of their fried chicken biscuit explains why. The chicken is brined overnight in buttermilk before hitting the fryer, emerging crisp, juicy and full of flavour. It’s stacked inside freshly baked biscuits that split perfectly in the middle, ready to cradle whatever combination of fillings you’re brave enough to take on.

The menu is short, sharp and, frankly, stacked with hits. The Cowboy piles on candied jalapeños, bacon and barbecue sauce; the Hometown goes full Southern comfort with pimento cheese and pickles; while Miss Honey balances chipotle mayo and spiced honey with fried chicken so good it should probably be illegal. Their bestseller, The Hot Take, delivers exactly what it promises — heat, crunch and cool ranch in every bite. For breakfast, The Nice One swaps chicken for bacon, egg, cheese and chipotle mayo, proving that biscuits belong at the breakfast table just as much as at dinner.

You’ll also find weekend gravy specials — rich, peppery and poured over biscuits like a warm hug — plus Birdies, bite-sized biscuit doughnuts tossed in cinnamon sugar.