It's been a while since I’ve written a blog post and so I thought I'd share what it's been like living in Manchester for the past year. I can say with my hand on my heart that this truly is a magical city . There are a few things that I truly love - football, food and good coffee. Manchester has all of these things in abundance; something which has drained my bank over the last year but also given me immense happiness.
I know writing about football may seem slightly out of place on a food and travel blog but it’s a big reason why people visit Manchester and I can see why. I was a regular at the Academy Stadium and watching the popularity of the women's game grow after the Lionesses success at the Euros was pretty inspiring (p.s. Lauren Hemp is even more rapid in person - something I didn't think was possible.) Watching their rivals at the Theatre of Dreams was also super cool and being able to watch the opening game of the Women's Euros there as well is a memory I'll cherish forever.I enjoyed every second of football that I witnessed live this year. Well maybe not 'every' second. As a Chelsea fan- watching Mahrez rifle in a free kick against us in the FA Cup and having to celebrate it because I forgot that my seat was in the City section was a bit of a lowlight.
Well that's enough about football. Now onto the star of the show- the food! Manchester is the place to be if you're a foodie like me, with amazing and unique restaurants and cafes everywhere you turn. I've always loved trying different cuisines and seeing how much love people have for their cooking. You can so easily see how much pride people have in their cooking here- from the incredible focaccia toasties with mortadella and burrata in Conni's Focacceria to the mac and cheese from Pastan- you can taste the love! I'd be here forever if I told you all the food I enjoyed this year but I'll be listing some of my favourites at the end so you'll have to keep reading ;).
Onto coffee and a realisation from this year is that nothing can beat the smell of a coffee shop. I was brought up on Starbucks so living here has opened my eyes to the world of coffee out there. Going to shops and baristas explaining the different flavours that come with different beans/roasts is a new experience- but one that I've loved! If I'm being honest, I can't completely taste the difference yet- but I'm edging ever closer with each oat milk cappuccino that I drink! I have, once again, listed some of my favourites below so keep reading for just a little bit longer...
I'm going to close out this blog now before I start crying from the realisation of how much I'm going to miss this city. The people have welcomed me with open arms (even though I'm a southerner) and are some of the kindest people I've ever met. They help each other out whenever they can and stick together always- that's something this world needs more of. That's one of the things that I'll definitely miss the most- soon I'll be back in London and apologising to someone even though they knocked me over. So give Manchester a visit- I promise you won't regret it. I'll certainly be back, maybe to actually witness a Chelsea win at the Etihad (ok maybe that's a bit too far fetched at the moment).
Restaurants:
Mackie Mayor
Pastan
Tast
Jane Eyre
Noi Quattro
Trof
Another Heart to Feed
Elnecot
The Blackfriar
Conni's Foccaceria
Coffee Shops:
200 Degrees
Ditto
Factory Coffee
Ezra and Gill
Michael's Coffee House
Bold Street Coffee
Foundation Coffee
Just Between Friends
Pot Kettle Black
Pollen
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