What began with Daniela and Enrico making Italian sandwiches from their Northern Quarter flat, Ad Maiora has gone from strength to strength, or should I say, sempre più forte. From kitchens in food hall Kargo MKT in Salford Quays and on Radium Street in Ancoats, Ad Maoira has now opened its very own, brick and mortar sandwich shop in Manchester for the first time.
Dedicated to homemade sandwiches using schiacciata (an airy, crispy-edged Tuscan flatbread) filled with premium, Italian ingredients reminiscent of those found in the likes of Florence, there isn’t a sandwich shop in Manchester quite like it. Ad Maiora has now returned to the Northern Quarter, back where it all started, with their permanent spot now open on Tib Street where lunch-goers will be able to buy a schiacciata sandwich and watch it be made before their eyes.
From salami to sun-dried tomatoes, marinated artichokes to mortadella, porchetta to pesto, the sandwiches at Ad Maiora are made fresh to order and generously filled with everything you would expect from an Italian deli. Best-sellers on their menu include the Colosseo (Parma ham, mozzarella, basil, mayo, tomatoes and rocket), Regina (mortadella, burrata, pistachios, pesto and rocket) and Inferno (fennel salami, ‘nduja, gorgonzola, aubergines and rocket). You’ll also find a vegan-friendly sandwich on the menu, La Nonna, which consists of red tapenade, artichokes, peppers, chilli oil and rocket.
Ad Maiora has become a go-to lunch spot for many for the past couple of years including big names like Erling Haaland and the Manchester City football team. The Man City striker is such a fan of the Italian sandwich shop that he has had a sandwich named after him, which features his favourite ingredients – Parma ham, burrata, pesto, truffle oil, sun-dried tomatoes, pistachios and rocket.
And for those with a sweet tooth, you can even order a Nutella schiacciata or one filled with pistachio cream. From Mondays to Thursdays, Ad Maoira also has a lunchtime deal where you can get a schiacciata and a drink for £10.90.
📍Ad Maiora, 84 Tib St, Manchester, M4 1LG | Kargo MKT, The Quays, Salford, M50 3AG.