We absolutely love a brunch and casual coffee hangout here in Manchester, so we’re extremely excited as the prospect that popular London all-day dining restaurant group and coffee roastery Caravan is opening its first site in Manchester in the St John’s district this month.
With an award winning collection of restaurants across London, Caravan is renowned for its all day breakfast-to-cocktails offer, packed with vibrant, fresh ingredients; and exceptional coffee roasted in house. An opening date for the Manchester site has been revealed as August 20 and better still, keen beans can bag themselves 50% off their food bill during the kitchen test run.
Co-founders Chris Ammermann, Laura Harper Hinton and Miles Kirby, all native New Zealanders, brought Antipodean speciality coffee culture and a fresh take on all day dining to London in 2009 and now aim to point their sunshine northwards. Renowned as pioneers in all day, any way dining, bar and craft coffee, their upcoming Manchester location will combine all these things and more.
Guests can indulge in an eclectic, ‘well-travelled’ menu, spanning breakfast through to dinner. The brunch menu includes fresh fruit and grain bowls to fry ups, all elevated with globally-inspired flavours such as house favourite Korean Style Buttermilk Fried Chicken with kimchi pancakes and gochujang ketchup, and the ever popular, Fried Jalapeño Cornbread with fried egg, spinach, curd cheese, mojo verde and chilli butter. All accompanied by ethically and sustainably sourced, great-tasting Caravan coffee (served as espresso, or espresso martini – your call).
Operating as an all day venue, Caravan welcomes a varied crowd, from early morning gym-goers and those on office coffee runs, to after work socials and friendly get-togethers. An evening at Caravan includes a menu of freshly crafted cocktails, an extensive international wine list and selection of hand-picked local beers in a laid back and buzzy atmosphere.
The well travelled evening menu of seasoned rice bowls, slow fermented sourdough pizza and delicious small plates encouraged to share make for a flexible, inclusive dining experience.
The 200 cover space close to Manchester’s groundbreaking Aviva Studios and much lauded Fenix will house two all day dining rooms, a bar, a private dining room featuring a turntable and private sound system, two outside terraces, a takeout coffee brew bar and a dedicated coffee roastery. Inspired by the trail hiking huts and wool sheds ubiquitous in New Zealand it will provide a bright, airy space suffused with natural light, natural recycled materials and organic finishes.
Caravan is famed for its coffee programme with a roasting and online supply business focused heavily on sustainable, responsible sourcing and long term relationship building with farmers in coffee growing regions all over the world. The coffee team will establish their second roastery in Manchester, aiming to provide beans and specialist training to coffee shops and restaurants across the north of England.
Laura Harper-Hinton, co-founder and CEO of Caravan said of the opening: “We are so excited to be taking Caravan on the road to Manchester, but more importantly, we are really looking forward to spending more time in this incredible city. We’ve had nothing but great vibes and support from everyone we’ve come across so far.
“We’ve chosen a unique location which sits right next to the new Aviva Studios, behind the historic Granada Studios and right in the heart of a growing new district at St John’s. We hope to attract a real cross section of the city to our beautiful new restaurant and roastery […] We’ll be open morning, noon and night and you’re all welcome anytime that suits you!”
Mike Ingall of Allied London, the team behind the St John’s development, added: “Caravan are one of very few successful businesses that have managed to take a relaxed coffee house culture and develop a combined wholesome food, drink and restaurant offering whilst keeping that distinctive coffee culture.
“Bringing Caravan to our unique mix at St John’s was an obvious move for us bearing in mind what we are creating, and Caravan will be an operation I am sure Manchester will love…a place where people can come in the morning and stay all day and night…”
The new site will be open seven days a week from 8am on weekdays and 9am at weekends from August 20. However, Caravan will also be giving their kitchens a test run on Thursday 15th – Saturday 17th August and they’d love you to be there, giving you 50% off the food bill in exchange for your feedback. You can sign up here to be the first to know when bookings become available for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch and Dinner.