Sweet & savory: 5 traditional dishes to try in Manchester, the UK

Pasty Barm. Photo from https://www.facebook.com/pieministeruk

For the first suggestion, we decided to bring out big, carb-loaded guns – pasty barm. Originated in Bolton of Greater Manchester, this treat is probably as hearty as a triple English breakfast. According to a common belief, the pie was invented by local schoolboys back in the 50s as an affordable meal. Voted as the city’s favorite snack in 2010, the legendary comfort food can be found at small joints as well as elegant restaurants, having lost its status of cheap fare decades ago.

So what exactly is this Herculean culinary challenge everyone is so obsessed with? Imagine a crescent-shaped Karaim pie with meat and potatoes. Looks pretty safe, doesn't it? Well, that is just the filling of a fluffy buttered dough cloud – like an edible version of a nesting doll. Some brave people, not frightened by the starch hit, have pasty barm with mushy peas, cheese, and jalapeño. Our ideal combo recommendation: a generously portioned breakfast and a long country hike up Kinder Scout.

Pies are as British as Helen Mirren or the food equivalent of Downton Abbey, and no one bakes them better than Pieminister. It is the brainchild of two Bristol-born mates, Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon, who after traveling extensively around Australia and enjoying savory quiches in their twenties, decided to come back home and reinvent the humble pie. What started as a small shop in Stokes Croft, Bristol in 2003, has today turned into a chain of bistros spread all across the United Kingdom.

The Deansgate location in Manchester is where you will find the best version of pasty barm along with a variety of fillings. You can either go for the classic with meat and potato, or choose creative ones, such as goat cheese with spinach, steak & ale, tofu with leek, creamy mushrooms with garlic, chicken with broccoli, and buttery mash topped with crispy onions. All the dishes come with gravy and some sides like smoked baked beans, cabbage slaw, and mint mushy peas. Pair your meal with a cold glass of beer, wine, prosecco, or refreshing cocktails.

Average bill – $23

Parched peas Image by Freepik.com

Let’s take it down a notch in terms of calories count and explore a more conventional staple – parched peas. This traditional North England dish is usually prepared for Bonfire Night on November 5th when people across the country gather united by the anniversary of the failed attempt of Guy Fawkes to blow up the Houses of Parliament in London with a gunpowder plot in 1605. During the wet, chilly autumn evening of lanterns and sparks, there is nothing better than a warming and comforting bowl of this thick, mushy indulgence.

The authentic Lancashire recipe includes several steps and requires some time since you’ll have to soak black peas for 24 hours before boiling them with cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Though considered mostly a type of festival or fair food, the specialty can be often enjoyed as a star dish at many local restaurants.

For the perfect bowl of parched peas, head over to the Northern Quarter district and visit Turtle Bay. It is a happening and quirky Jamaican chain of venues that bring a piece of the Caribbean to the historical streets of Manchester. From the outside, the premises may look polished and sophisticated, while inside, you are greeted by a large vibrant industrial space full of colors, greenery, music, art, and sounds of fire pits and cocktail shakers, as well as a massive oval open bar.

The kitchen presents a comforting brunch and dinner menu featuring unique preparations with a West Indies twist. Guests can sample scrumptious creations, such as jerk sausages with bacon, fire-roasted prawns with charred watermelon, slow-cooked barbeque ribs with coconut rice, chargrilled pork belly with creamy sweet potato mash, chicken katsu curry with asparagus, coconut chili prawns in garlic sauce, and crispy chili squid with jerk mayo. There is also an extensive drinks list made up of fruity cocktails, rum specialties, craft beers, wines, and in-house soft drinks.

Average bill – $44 (without drinks)

English breakfast with black pudding. Photo by Jasper Garratt on Unsplash

The fundamental ingredient of every English breakfast in several country’s regions, black pudding is nothing else than a blood sausage made from meat, mostly pork or beef (although you will find vegetarian options as well), fat, and grains. While the name might seem a bit confusing, since it’s usually linked to a creamy dessert, the word has derived from Latin and means small sausage.

You will be surprised to learn that the earliest mention of this food type in literature can be noticed in Homer’s Odyssey dating back almost 2800 years. In medieval times, adding blood to the dish was not a fancy way to enhance the flavor but a preparation technique to make sure that nothing gets wasted. The first blood sausage in England was sold in 1810 in the town of Bury, forever tying its origin story with Greater Manchester. There even is the annual World Black Pudding Throwing Championship taking place in Ramsbottom, reanimating the 1400s battlefield occurrence during the Wars of the Roses, when soldiers ran out of weapons and had to throw their rations at each other.

Nestled right at the heart of Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter, Fig + Sparrow is an intimate space that is part lifestyle shop and part coffee place. The first half of the area is the retail arm where visitors can purchase handmade soaps, works by local artists, stocking cards, bath bombs, and craft supplies. The second part features the café, complete with wooden floorboards, whitewashed walls and ceilings, multiple Edison bulbs, and quiet serene music in the background.

Fig + Sparrow specializes in an espresso-based menu revolving around beans from London’s Climpson and Sons. The single-origin coffees are served through AeroPress, Chemex, and V60 filters, along with a few cold brews. If you do not fancy a silky cappuccino, there is also a wide selection of teas, with a variety of green leaves like Jade Monkey and Sencha. The food offering includes brunch specialties: bacon muffins in bloody mary ketchup, Turkish eggs in chili butter, truffle feta toast, and their signature English breakfast with baked beans, grilled mushrooms, toast, black pudding, potatoes, and bacon.

Average bill – $26

Eccles cake. Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash

From failed revolution attempts and bizarre war strategies, our Manchester dish guide narrative shifts towards a sweeter alternative – desserts. Named after the eponymous town, Eccles cake has been pampering the palates of local foodies for centuries. It is made of flaky dough loaded with currants and sprinkled with golden demerara sugar.

While the creative mind behind the recipe remains unknown, we can easily identify the first person to turn Eccles cakes into a commercial success. It was James Birch, who started selling these round pockets of delight at his shop in 1793. For a fully authentic experience, we suggest trying the pastry paired with Lancashire cheese – this sweet and savory duo will tantalize your taste buds.

Pollen Bakery, founded by Hannah Calvert and Chris Kelly, is one of the most trending and acclaimed kitchens in Manchester. With three locations spread across the city, their entrances always have people queuing up to relish the indulgent Eccles cake. Though all the outlets are great, we recommend visiting the flagship space under an archway near Piccadilly.

Besides the divine legend, you can sample fantastic delights, including chocolate fondant Danish, pain aux raisins, almond brownies, lemon meringue pie, pain au chocolat, and cruffin – a croissant-muffin amalgamation with blackberry, crème fraîche, or elderflower filling. If you prefer more savory options then try their dine-in menu of classic brunch items like egg Benedict, ham hock bun, grilled cheese pastrami sandwich, sourdough slice with roasted mushrooms, and smoked harissa hummus. Like every café, Pollen Bakery features hot and cold beverages to accompany your meal.

Average bill – $19

Manchester tart. Photo by azerbaijan_stockers on Freepik.com

Manchester tart (the food, not the other nasty meaning) is the city’s major sugary heritage. For locals, it is a bite of sweet nostalgic memories, bringing them back to their careless childhood years when the dessert was a school canteen staple. The pastry, filled with raspberry compôte and custard, is usually topped with coconut flakes and a Maraschino cherry.

The recipe was published in Mrs. Isabella Beeton’s cookbook in 1831, but this culinary research has often been criticized for lacking authenticity, and her biographer has proven that much of those works were plagiarized from Eliza Acton’s book, Modern Cookery for Private Families (1845). Today, people get to relish a myriad of reimagined versions of the creamy icon, including Manchester tarts with bananas, fresh raspberries, exotic fruits, etc. The only challenge is to try them all and pick your favorite. We encourage you to start this tasting marathon at Albert’s Shed.

Albert’s Shed is a stylish Manchester institution located at the center of the Castlefield Canal basin. Named after the former occupant of the building, it opened in 2004 and quickly became one of the best dining destinations in the city. The interiors are elegant and welcoming in atmosphere, adorned with a red brick façade, wooden parquet flooring, modern chandelier lights, velvety soft banquettes, and comfortable sofa chairs. There is also an outdoor seating that resembles a greenhouse with lush creepers enveloping the space.

The culinary team presents a fusion menu of Italian and English cuisine prepared using French cooking techniques. Some of the exquisite delicacies you can relish here are sautéed king prawns in lemon butter emulsion with garlic toast, monkfish thermidor with buttered spinach, medallions of filet steaks in a creamy mushroom sauce, pan-fried miso sea bass with sesame pak choy, and lamb croquettes with harissa dip. Leave some room for decadent dessert items like sticky toffee pudding, Manchester tart, and cinnamon dough balls in salted caramel sauce.

Average bill – $52
Two-course menu – $18

After sneak peeking at Manchester’s most beloved specialties, you might be interested in further exploration of the contemporary culinary tendencies in this vibrant, multicultural city. For more information on the highest-rated restaurants, check out the following pieces:

The Finest 5 Michelin-Awarded Restaurants in Manchester, UK
The 5 best restaurants in Manchester, the UK right now