Weekend Getaway Guide | Manchester

13-04-2016 Local Black Book48h, city guide, getaway, Manchester, travel, UK, weekend4 Comments

Oh Manchester! What a city!

So little time, so much to see, do, explore (and most important of all, EAT!!).

So much in fact that it can be a bit overwhelming… But fear not, I went and did all the leg work (quite litterally, see below), so you don’t have to!

Ready for the ultimate weekend getaway guide to Manchester?

How to get there:

From London, you can jump on a train (departing from Euston station) and you’ll be there in just under 2 hours. Easy-Peasy.

Where to stay:

Location, location, location! I can’t quite stress how truly brilliant it is to only be 5 min away from bed when you’re trying to get home with a belly full of burgers and one too many delicious cocktails. And the same obviously goes for excellent coffee / pastries / brunch the next morning. Because priorities.

We stayed in a great room in the Northern Quarter that we rented through Airbnb. Our hosts were lovely, the price was reasonable and the location was absolutely amazing and I highly recommend you give them a shout if you’re heading to Manchester any time soon and are looking for a place to stay!

Transports:

Manchester has a very efficient (and cheap! You can get a weekend tram pass for about £6!) public transport network.

But then again, you can very well walk to all those places (and get one more slice of cake thanks to all the money + calories you’ll be saving! #winwin)

What to see + do / A few highlights:

Explore the reds & blues of Manchester: As for many cities, my favourite thing to do is just to wander the tiny streets and try to get a feel of what it would be like to live there. And Manchester is perfect for meandering!

If you’re a bit of an architecture nerd (or as much in love with red bricks as I am), Manchester will steal your heart within seconds!

Weekend Getaway Guide to Manchester | What to see / do / eat in 48h

The whole city is an absolute architectural gem.

Most major buildings are built in a Gothic style, but there’s also a few interesting contemporary buildings out there…

And then the street art situation isn’t bad either…

Bookworms:

Manchester, home to the oldest public library in the English-speaking world, has many historic libraries and each is more beautiful than the next.

From Chetham’s medieval building, to John Rylands’ Victorian neo-gothic architecture, the Portico Library’s stunning 19th century design and Manchester Central Library’s recent refurbishment, a tour of the Mancunian libraries is a must for book and history aficionado alike!

(very Game of Thrones, don’t you think?)

Football fanatics: Football is somewhat of a religion in Manchester and if you’re into it, you’ll be in heaven!

Weekend Getaway Guide to Manchester | What to see / do / eat in 48h

Whether you’re supporting the Red Devils or the Citizens, there’s nothing quite like watching a live game at home. And if there’s no game when you visit, the Museum of Football makes for a great alternative!

Where to eat + drink:

For brunch: Evelyn’s

Evelyn’s is a small but perfectly formed café in the heart of Manchester’s hipster-dreamland Northern Quarter.

Utterly flooded with light, it’s an Instagrammer’s paradise!

Oh, and they also happen to serve up a near-perfect brunch… AND they take bookings! #miracleshappen Read more

For lunch: Soup Kitchen

Soup Kitchen, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Serving up freshly prepared, delicious British café food (think soup, sanwiches, jacket potatoes…), Soup Kitchen is a neighbourhood gem and a Mancurian (and now mine!) favourite come lunchtime! Read more

For tea: Proper Tea

Located right opposite the Cathedral, it’s the most adorable little tea house you’ll ever find.

They serve up fantastic tea & fabulous homemade cakes, making them the perfect spot to rest your worn-out feet (and make good use of all those calories you burnt!!) Read more

For a special occasion: Hawksmoor

Mancurian outpost of London’s famous Hawksmoor group, there’s no better place to go for top-knotch steak & along with all other fancy dinner sheninigang.

Really good cocktails too. And the most indulgent of side dishes (looking at you, pulled pork mac’!! ?)

For burgers: Almost Famous

Possibly the best burgers I’ve ever had anywhere in the world. And god knows I’ve had A LOT!! Read more

For drinks: Dusk til Pawn

One of Manchester’s top cocktail bars, Dusk til Pawn’s creative concoctions are the perfect start (or end!) to an epic night out! Read more

For a snack: Lunya

Part deli, part tapas restaurant, Lunya is any foodie’s dream.

If you’re particularly fond of Spanish food (I like you), then you’ll love it as much as I did.

Here you can buy anything you’d find in your local spanish tienda…

Perfect for a light snack or buying provisions for a picnic!

Anyhting I’ve missed? I’m already noting down ideas for my next trip to Manchester, so let me know!

Almost Famous, Manchester

12-04-2016 Local Black BookAlmost Famous, best burgers, Burger, burgers, Manchester, Northern Quarter, recommendation, Restaurant, review, travel, UK2 Comments

The best nights out start with brilliant cocktails and finish with even better burgers.

And there’s only ONE place to go for the most EPIC burgers in Manchester: Almost Famous.

Almost Famous, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Up a spooky staircase, along a graffiti covered coridor and across a bar area that could have been designed by Willy Wonka himself, you’ll find the ultimate grown-up playground.

Almost Famous, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Complete with loads of colourful, witty artwork…

Almost Famous, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

A table full of candy (#homegoals right there!!)…

And many a roll of kitchen towel!!

The menu is any child’s dream come true (and any calorie-counter’s worst nightmare).

Now, I’m a bit of a burger connoisseur (a.k.a. I eat burgers far too often for my own good) and I happen to live just across the street from one of London’s best burgers, so I had my doubts…

…but they quickly fadded away!

Johnny Mac.

Double beef patty, Applewood & cheddar cheese, streaky bacon, trailer trash onions, Cool Doritos, Million Island sauce & Winning ketchup.

A true beast with a lil’ mac & cheese ball on top! (def. get your greedy hands on some more of those if you can!!)

Down & Out (in Beverly Hills)

American & cheddar cheese, Wonderdust hotdog melt, trailer trash onions, French’s mustard, Winning ketchup Million Island sauce.

Hot dog melt! It’s a thing, people!! (and a delicious, delicious one at that!!)

Phoenix fries. A.k.a. fries on steroids (and with more cheese on top).

So bad but soooooooo gooooood!

And a tiny lil’ bit of coleslaw for the vitamin intake (LOL!)

And with the whole thing just coming up to £25, going back to reality was quite harsh if perfectly signaled!

My only regret? That I didn’t get to try more things.

Don’t do the same mistake. Grab all your favourite people (or at least the ones that’ll let you try their food!), go early and order it all!

And make sure you tag me (@sndguerin) in all your drool-worthy pics! Or if you’re looking for an extra person and you don’t mind me gobble-ing down all the mac & cheese balls, I’ll be more than happy to help out!

Almost Famous, 100-102 High St, Manchester M4 1HP

Dusk til Pawn, Manchester

11-04-2016 Local Black Bookbar, cocktail, cocktail bar, drinks, Dusk til Pawn, gin, Manchester, recommendation, review, travel, UK, whisky2 Comments

Manchester is a great city by day, but it only comes truly alive at night.

Famous across the country for its buzzy nightlife and eclectic music scene, Mancurian bars & clubs are second to none and a visit to one of the city’s top cocktail bars is an absolute weekend must-do.

Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter is full of great places to spend the night, but top of my list is Dusk til Pawn.

Find the big ‘Pawn Shop’ sign in the window and make a beeline for one of Manchester’s coolest speakeasy bars.

Popular with locals and visitors alike, Dusk til Pawn is famous for both its creative cocktail menu & its great atmosphere.

… not to mention its impressive liquor collection (and that’s not even all of it!)!

Grab a seat at the bar, pick your poison and watch in awe as the bartenders work their magic, stirring, mixing and shaking glass after glass of delicious creations for you to taste.

Favourites included The Sinnerman (Bourbon, cinnamon, cherry juice)

The Bail Bond (House celery gin, elderflower, rosemary, tonic)

The Brass Ball (Whisky, marmelade, ginger, bitters)

Make sure you also order ‘A Million Dollars’.

You might not end up quite as rich as you’d expect, but you certainly are in for a treat…

… And a bit of a show!

Dusk til Pawn, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Let the oak smoke infuse into the barrel-aged fig old fashioned for as long as you can bare it.

Then delight in the strong smokey notes, balancing perfectly against the sweetness of the fig.

Another highlight was the Diamond Glove (Gin, rhubarb, rosemary, grapefruit).

And even if you’re late to make it for your restaurant reservation (#truestory), you must have a Hustle (oh, the irony!)

Combining house plum gin, bail, lime and pomegranate, it’s one of the most surprising cocktails I’ve ever tasted.

Quite worth the risk of ending up without a table to be honest…

So whether you live there all year round or are just visiting for a couple of days, make sure you include Dusk til Pawn into your Manchester weekend plans.

And in case you were wondering, yes, we did make it in time for our dinner booking in the end.

But that my friends is a (burger full) story for another day (tomorrow)…

Dusk til Pawn, Stevenson Square, Northern Quarter, Manchester M1 1FB

Proper Tea, Manchester

10-04-2016 Local Black BookAfternoon Tea, cake, cream tea, Manchester, Proper Tea, scone, tea, travle, UK4 Comments

We had been walking around Manchester all day when we stumbled upon the signs below.

Proper Tea, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

It was like it had been put on our way on purpose.

I mean, helloooo, cake and tea, have you met me ever? #CakeDiva

We followed the signs to the cutest little tea house there ever was.

Proper Tea, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Nestled behind the cathedral, Proper Tea is the coziest place you could imagine.

Perfect for resting your worn-out feet with a nice cuppa and a slice of homemade cake from the counter.

Once you’ve made your choice, put your feet up, all that’s left to do is pour yourself a nice, hot cup of tea.

Proper Tea, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Soon, the lovely staff will bring plate after plate of incredible goodies to have with your tea.

The best thing to do is covering the whole table with plates of homemade cakes and scones.

Including gigantic fluffy heart-shaped scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam.

And slices of whatever cake the charming staff recommends.

For us, it was this incredible pistachio & rose cake.

Absolutely scrumptious.

Slather the scones with just a bit too much cream & jam and enjoy the time being.

A brilliant place for a spot of proper tea (!!) with some of your favourite people.

And the perfect break before continuing your exploration of Manchester’s most beautiful sights, including the nearby cathedral.

A true gothic gem with glorious late-medieval wooden furnishing.

Cake, tea and architecture; an afternoon well spent indeed!

Find Proper Tea on Cathedral Yard, Manchester M3 1SQ

Evelyn’s Cafe Bar, Manchester

08-04-2016 Local Black Bookbrunch, croissant, Evelyn's, Evelyn's Cafe Bar, Korean fried chicken, Manchester, Restaurant, review, shakshuka, travel, UK4 Comments

Soooo… I might not be the most organised of travel bloggers (for that, you might want to check Silverspoon London!).

To be completely honest, a large part of my travel plans is always dedicated to ‘wandering around’ and ‘exploring the tiny streets’.

But one thing I always, always make extensive research on is restaurants.

And after a looooot of time on Pinterest, I stumbled upon Evelyn’s and I knew we had to go.

Evelyn’s is a small but perfectly formed café in the heart of Manchester’s hipster-dreamland Northern Quarter.

Evelyn's Cafe Bar, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Utterly flooded with light, it’s an Instagrammer’s paradise!

Complete with a plant hanging wall…

… copper (or should I say rose gold?) salt & pepper shakers…

Evelyn's Cafe Bar, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

… and enough white bricks to compete with Pinterest’s finest examples of hipster interiors!

There’s obviously an extensive menu of smoothies and other green juices available!

But we started things off with some ‘fancy’ water (much needed after a few too many cocktails at Dusk til Pawn…)

Orange juice for him, grapefruit for me.

Just what the doctor ordered!

And a couple of croissants while waiting for the rest of the food to be ready.

Not sure how the proverbial doctor would feel about that…

But then again, the croissants were so light, fluffy and buttery all at once that I don’t really care!

Shakshuka.

Aheavenly Middle Eastern classic of eggs poached in spicy tomato sauce with harissa and fresh herbs.

And plenty of toasted sourdough bread to mop it all up!

Fried Korean chicken roll.

A.k.a. the best egg sandwich I have ever experienced.

But then topping something good with some spicy fried chicken is a sure-fire way to make it even better, isn’t it?

^The Money Shot^

Unfortunately, they were not serving their dessert menu as the time we visited, so no Chocolate tart with cherries, Yuzu posset or Matcha crème brulée this time around.

I think that truly justifies the need for me to visit again some time soon.

The only question is, will you beat me to it?

Book a table (!! #godblessEvelyns) and drool over the menu on Evelyn’s website

(make sure you tag me @sndguerin in all your Insta pics when you go!!)

Evelyn’s Cafe Bar, G18 Tib Street, Manchester M4

Soup Kitchen, Manchester

05-04-2016 Local Black Booklunch, Manchester, MCR, Northern Quarter, recommendation, Restaurant, review, salad, soup, Soup Kitchen, travel, UK1 Comment

The first thing people asked me about after my weekend getaway in Manchester was how the food was.

To which I answered that some of it (Wetherspoon’s chips) was truly aweful and some was absolutely brilliant.

And the Soup Kitchen is definitely on the truly great side of things!

Soup Kitchen, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Serving up freshly prepared, delicious British café food (think soup, sanwiches, jacket potatoes…), it’s a neighbourhood gem and Mancurian favourite come lunchtime!

Soup Kitchen, Manchester | Cake + Whisky

Come early and set camp on one of the long wooden communal tables with some coffee while the kitchen get the last of the lunch prep ready.

Within minutes, the room fills up with regulars coming in for a taste of the Soup Kitchen’s delicious food (and Pinterest-worthy decor).

Old crockery, a collection of cookbooks, honey-coloured wood everywhere and enough knick-knacks to keep your eyes busy for days, Soup Kitchen feels just like home (a much better organised and instagramable home, that is!)

Plus, no need to slave away in the kitchen to get something nice and healthy on the table, Soup Kitchen’s lovely staff got it covered!

There are fresh, vibrant salads.

Perfectly cooked, steaming hot jacket potatoes.

Juicy & spicy jerk chicken waiting to be piled high onto plates.

And a few other Jamaican-inspired delicacies in case you’re feeling a bit peckish!

But the main event? The Soup, obviously!

Thick, creamy, flavourful concoctions generously ladled into enamel bowls and the Soup Kitchen’s best seller.

Get a bit of everything onto a tray, hurry back to your table and get tucked in without any delay!

Velvety Tomato & paprika soup.

An absolute dream on a cold day!

Jerk chicken ‘dumpling’ with coleslaw.

Crunchy, spicy, wholesome and comforting all at once!

And a gigantic Saltcod & veggie fritter.

Surely one of the best dippers that was ever invented!

Now, if only the Soup Kitchen could set store near my office so I could keep going back for delicious goodness in a bowl (and a side of fluffy bread roll smothered in salted butter)…

In the meantime, I’ll definitely go back next time I go up North (and so should you!)

Find them here

Soup Kitchen, 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF

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Manchester

Weekend Getaway Guide | Manchester

Almost Famous, Manchester

Dusk til Pawn, Manchester

Proper Tea, Manchester

Evelyn’s Cafe Bar, Manchester

Soup Kitchen, Manchester