A new summer pop-up has taken over the kitchen at Cane & Grain in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, bringing a menu heavily influenced by Los Angeles street food and Mexican culinary traditions. The Cantina pop-up is serving a distinct mix of LA-style tacos, green chilli smash burgers, and thick-cut Texas toast sandwiches to Manchester diners looking for Mexi-Cali flavours.
Texas toast and cheese croquettes
The centrepiece of the new menu revolves around oversized slabs of Texas toast served on brioche bread. Diners can order these heavy-duty sandwiches loaded with smashed beef patties, sweet fried chicken, or a vegetarian mushroom alternative. Alongside the sandwiches and green chilli smash burgers, the kitchen is turning out deep-fried croquettes, which yield a massive, stretching cheese pull when broken apart.
The kitchen serves up varied taco options, including birria-style tacos served with a warm dipping broth, and lighter variations topped with fresh diced onions, coriander, crumbled cheese, and brightly coloured salsas. These sit alongside classic staples like bowls of tortilla chips paired with fresh guacamole and lime wedges.
Cantina: the Mexi-Cali summer takeover in Manchester
The Mexi-Cali summer takeover at Cane & Grain was developed following a tequila-focused research trip through Guadalajara and Mexico City. This influence extends directly to the drinks menu, which pairs the street food with ice-cold Mexican lagers and margaritas. One of the signature margaritas is served with a functional garnish described as a “tortilla hat”—a small wooden lid resting on the rim of the glass holding tortilla chips and a portion of guacamole for dipping.
Diners at Cantina can also sit on the outdoor benches at the Northern Quarter venue to tuck into plates of traditional and modern Mexican-inspired dishes. The Cantina menu operates out of Cane & Grain seven days a week throughout the summer.
Find out more here.
📍Cantina, Cane & Grain, 49-51 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1NA
