‘Tis certainly the season for all things naughty and nice, at least, according to Manchester’s restaurant scene. Going hard on the festive flavours for the occasion, the city’s innovative chefs have come up with some absolute corkers this Christmas – from festive-themed burgers to actual Christmas dinners on a pizza. We warned you it’d be weird and wonderful. Without further ado… Here’s some of the best festive food to try in Manchester this December.
1. Almost Famous’ Christmas Special
Almost Famous’s naughty-but-nice Christmas special is back – with plenty of indulgent festive treats piled up to enjoy. Think smashed patties oozing with melted American cheese, fried chicken, a festive roll and even a pig and blanket on top. It’s messy, but so worth it. Plus, returning this year is Santa’s Little Helper, Almost Famous’ plant based Christmas special. Loaded with hash browns, a Heuro Foods chicken patty, drenched in AFVC gravy, bacon bacon mayo, cranberry ketchup and Christmas slaw, it’s also pretty magical.
You can also get your hands on the likes of Son of a Nutcracker, Tinsel Town and Stars Hollow Special, all of which mix and match the best bits of Christmas all in a burger. PLUS, you can even book yourself in for a Christmas bottomless brunch in Manchester, which includes the burgers… what more could you want from your festive food?! Almost Famous, Unit 2, Great Northern, Peter St, M3 4EN | 100-102 High St, M4 1HP.
2. The Blues Kitchen Tur-duck-en Burger
Get into the festive spirit at The Blues Kitchen this Christmas by indulging in their brand-new burger, the Tur-duck-en Burger, named after the famous olde worlde three-bird roast, ‘Tur-duck-en’. The magnificent creation features a duck leg cured with orange, cinnamon, pink peppercorns and salt, which is confit and shredded.
The duck leg is then encased in chicken and turkey mince, before it’s wrapped in chicken skin and fried to perfection to give a crispy finish. The festive burger is then stacked with all the trimmings including brie, cranberry sauce, crispy bacon, spinach and shallot mayo. The end result, one of the finest Christmas burgers this side of Lapland. The Blues Kitchen, 13 Quay St, Manchester M3 3HN.
3. Crazy Pedros Brie Little Pigs pizza
Available to order at both Crazy Pedro’s sites all. month. long, the tasty, new Christmas addition to the menu boasts a Pedro’s return with its very own white sauce base, which Neapolitan pizza lovers are gonna absolutely lose their shit over. Aptly named, ‘Brie Little Pigs‘, this pizza special features not only classic Christmas dinner ingredients but also Ped’s innovative Brie Wedges, which seem the perfect way to enjoy the festive period. The best way for festive food and pizza lovers to enjoy the taste of Christmas in Manchester. Crazy Pedro’s, 55-57 Bridge St, M3 3BQ | Short St, M4 1AA.
4. Bundobust’s Sprout Bhajis
After the success of their green, pumpkin-filled samosas during Halloween, avid visitors of Bundobust have been busting to know what their festive menu entails. And low and behold, headlining the Bundobust Christmas menu is their sprout bhajis. Served with cranberry chutney, Bundobust has fused together the controversial festive vegetable into their Indian fried snacks by mixing Brussel sprouts, broccoli and onion into a bhaji, featuring a spice mix of fennel and chilli. So, whether you’re a sprout lover or not this might be a way of convincing yourself to eat more vegetables as the restaurant takes the Christmas dinner staple up a notch by packing it with plenty of flavour and spice. In addition, you have to try the Biryani Bhaji Balls and Mince Pie Paratha for something a bit different this Christmas. Bundobust, 61 Piccadilly, M1 2AG | St James Building, 61-69 Oxford Street, M1 6EQ.
5. Slap and Pickle All I Want For Christmas burger
Slap and Pickle is taking festive food to the next level this Christmas, with not one – but two festive burgers on their menu (albeit, one is for the vegans among us) at Society in Manchester. Piling up two Swaledale beef patties, the All I Want For Christmas burger is finished off with a number of delicious, Christmassy toppings, including beef fat-fried Christmas pudding, smoked bacon, Paxo mayo and cranberry mostarda. For the vegan edition, hungry Mancs can expect a delicious Moving Mountains patty, complete with vegan cranberry Wensleydale, ‘bacon’ lardons, fried vegan Christmas pudding, Paxo mayo and cranberry mostarda in a festive green bun.
You can also try the All The Trimmings Fries, featuring Pigs-In-Blankets Rain, Cranberry Wensleydale, Paxo Mayo, Cranberry Mostarda, Root Veg Crisps all loaded on top of the Slap and Pickle Signature Scoop Fries – tuck in! Slap and Pickle, Society, Basement, 100 Barbirolli Square, M2 3BD.
6. Little Bao Boy festive bao buns
North Bar has been pouring some of the best beers and Little Bao Boy serving Asian food for a year now, and has quickly become a fan favourite bar in the city. The new Christmas items on the Little Bao Boy menu are enough to get the biggest Christmas enthusiasts excited with highlights including chicken and stuffing bao buns topped with a cranberry mayo, and panko brussels sprouts served with a spicy cranberry dip. North Taproom, 7 Nobel Way, Manchester M1 7FU.
7. What The Pitta Christmas Gyros
After fans (vegans and meat-eaters) going wild at the premise of for this festive gyro at What The Pitta, it’s back and it’s at their new spot at Hatch too. What The Pitta has created a tasty looking Christmas Gyros, filled with fries, red cabbage, chick’n pieces, sage and onion stuffing, cranberry sauce and warm gravy. What The Pitta, 42 Back Turner St, M4 1FR | Hatch, 103 Oxford Rd, M1 7ED.
8. Stockport County Football Club Christmas Dinner in a cup
There’s a winter warmer coming back to Stockport County, aiming to fill the stands of Edgeley Park with festive cheer by creating the nation’s first Christmas dinner in a cup. Dripping in gravy, this tasty match day must-have from one of Greater Manchester’s football clubs has been created to deliver some festive magic on and off the pitch. Packed to the brim with all the festive trimmings you’d expect to see on Christmas day including roast turkey, pigs in blankets, mash potato, gravy, stuffing, and a Brussels sprout, the fan favourite is back to celebrate the 1st birthday of the County Courtyard at Edgeley Park. Edgeley Park, 16 Hardcastle Rd, Edgeley, Stockport SK3 9DD.
9. Porky Pig Yorkshire Pudding Wrap
Porky Pig has returned to the annual Christmas markets, bringing back their beloved Yorkshire pudding wraps for everyone to enjoy, including a vegetarian option so the veggies can join in on the fun. Boasting a roast dinner inside a massive Yorkie pud, guests can chow down on a meat of their choice with all the trimmings, alongside a generous drizzle of gravy to finish it off. A Manchester institution. Porky Pig can be found at the Manchester Christmas Markets this winter.
10. The Botanist Christmas Hanging Kebab
The Botanist‘s festive menu is particularly show-stopping, with the return of the festive hanging kebab stealing the limelight. Boasting a hanging turkey kebab with a cranberry and orange glaze plus all the trimmings, of course, The Botanist aims to wow this season – with plenty of festive dishes on the menu to enjoy. From pigs in blankets starters to huge festive sharing boards packed with party favourites, guests won’t be disappointed by the diversity on offer this year.
The festive drinks packages are also available to enjoy on arrival, including wine packages, beer buckets and even the option to build your own. There are plenty of choices to make your Christmas celebration merry and make sure everyone enjoys their time at The Botanist. The Botanist, 78 Deansgate, M3 2FW.