MANCHESTER'S TOP 10 CAFFS
FROM GREASY SPOONS ON SHUDEHILL TO DESIGNER LUNCHES IN THE NORTHERN QUARTER, LUVTHECITY REVEALS MANCHESTER'S TASTIEST CAFFS
1. Abergeldie
40 Shudehill, Manchester, M4 4AA
Putting the Abergeldie at the top of our favourite greasy spoons may seem like a cliched and obvious choice, but in a city sadly bereft of authentic caffs, this place stands out a mile. The decor is straight out of a 1960s Wimpy Bar, all white vinyl seats and Formica tables, and the menus are fantastic. Hidden behind dirty wipe-proof covers, these plastic menus display the biggest range of breakfast combos in Manchester, and when the food arrives it's on the biggest plate you'll ever see. Sometimes a language barrier means you get more/less/different food than you ordered and the chips can be a bit crap sometimes, but that's all part of the charm. It's as Mancunian as Morrissey, only it's stayed where it belongs (ooohhh... handbag!)
2. Koffee Pot
21 Hilton Street, Manchester, M1 1JJ
Located in the heart of the Northern Quarter, Koffee Pot is one of the finest greasy spoons we've even seen; a messy, down-at-heel but fashionable caff full of eccentric customers. Occasionally it feels a little too sure of itself, but you can't beat the fantastic food. There are different pies each day, fabulous puddings, special order lunches and the finest Spam, Chips & Beans we've ever tasted
3. An Outlet
Carver’s Warehouse, 77 Dale Street, Manchester, M1 2HG
Love Saves The Day, Manchester's most famous deli chain has had a rough few years, most recently with the closure of both the Deansgate and Thomas Street branches - but it's been rebranded as An Outlet and the concept behind LSTD is alive and well. It's very much a greasy spoon for the Northern Quarter brigade, a fantastic menu with interesting breakfast combinations and the nicest of interiors with the company's trademark black walls and chalk-written menus. When we were last here we got the finest and most cheerful service we've seen in Manchester
4. Katsouris
113 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BQ
Located on the corner of John Dalton Street, Katsouris is the poshest greasy spoon in town. The menu is huge, with big breakfasts, fresh coffee and big fat chocolate cake. This branch of Katsouris has less of a Greek slant to it than its more famous sister branch in Bury Market, but you can still notice the influence. After a few too many pints the night before, you may be tempted to go for the Big Breakfast, but our top tip is the recession-busting Little Kitten breakfast. Sometimes one big sausage is enough
5. Mod Pop Cafe (RIP Cafe Pop!)
34-36 Oldham Street, Manchester, M1 1JN
Cafe Pop (now called Mod Pop Cafe) has changed considerably over the years, from a bustling ground-floor cafe with a punky clientele and steaming coffee machines, to a lower-ground floor unit with vinyl chairs and a strict vegan menu. But lately it's returned to its roots with good, hearty vegetarian breakfasts and one of the most eclectic menus in town. They no longer serve Marshmallows with their Horlicks, but we forgive them!
6. Atlas
376 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4LY
Atlas isn't a greasy spoon, but it does a fantastic breakfast on a Sunday and it's served this once derelict area of the city centre years before it became fashionable, so it's a worthy inclusion in our top 10. Located underneath Deansgate Station, Atlas is a great space, there's a wonderful decked terrace at the back (for the 3 days of sunshine we get every year) and a fully-stocked bar from the night before, should you want a Bloody Mary with your breakfast (and if you've been drinking in Atlas the night before, you may just need it!)
7. Arch Bridge Cafe
95 Chapel Street, Salford, M3 5DF
Located on Chapel Street to the west of Deansgate, the Arch Bridge Cafe is a bright, sunny caff with a wide range of superb value food. Rachel and the team are the friendliest bunch in town and the breakfasts are huge and fantastic value. You'll see more builders in here than any other caff in town, and there's no better recommendation than that! (Plus, it's Luvthecity's local caff, and we know a good bacon butty when we see one)
8. Essys
21-23 John Dalton Street, Manchester, M2 6FW
When the legendary John Dalton Street Cafe was closed down in the mid-1990s and turned into a bl**dy hairdressers, we were hopping mad. So we're delighted to see it return in a different guise as Essys, an old-fashioned greasy spoon with much the same food as before. It's located a few doors down from Katsouris (see No. 4, above), so which caff you choose really says a lot about what's important to you in the world of bacon & eggs
9. Bowlers
2 Mount Street, Manchester, M2 5WQ
Despite being in the middle of town, hardly anyone seems to have heard of this hidden gem. We were quite keen to keep it that way (we like having a big table to ourselves on a Saturday morning) - but here we are, telling you about it! Bowlers is opposite the Town Hall, the Central Library and St. Peter's Square, so there's no excuse not to pop in for a round of toast
10. Aspin Lane Cafe
4 Aspin Lane, Manchester, M4 4DP
When the Luvthecity team last visited the Aspin Lane Cafe is was closed and up for sale, so we shouldn't really put it on our Top 10 list, but we're hoping its inclusion here will persuade someone to buy it, re-open it and bring back one of Manchester's finest greasy spoons. The Aspin Lane Cafe served this part of east Manchester for years with great breakfasts, big mugs of tea and buttery toast - so it's ironic that it closed before the area filled with the few thousand people that now live in the nearby Greenquarter. Come back Aspin Lane Cafe - your people need you!
AND ONE FOR THE ROAD...
Gatley Griddle & Grill
45 Gatley Green, Gatley, Cheshire, SK8 4NF
There are no Mancunian cafes mentioned in Adrian Maddox's 2003 seminal book 'Classic Cafes', but if there were, The Gatley Griddle & Grill would be right at the top. Despite being a 20 minute drive out of town, we've added it to our Top 10 Greasy Spoons because to live in Manchester and never visit would be a crime. It hasn't changed since the mid 1960s and the interior is charming and authentic, from the Formica tables to the Swedish wooden benchs. Even if historic interiors aren't your thing, it's still worth a trip to see the fantastic plastic menu and eat the unbeatable toast and two slices of bacon
Don't Agree?
If you don't agree with our choice of Manchester's Top 10 Caffs we're always open to new ideas! Send us your suggestions
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