Our Man in Milliways Eating on-the-go in Manchester
Created | Updated Jun 16, 2010
Eating On The Go In Manchester
"See the wonders of the Universe for less than 30 Altarian Dollars a day" : that's what The Guide's for. The Milliways column however, seems to be more about fine food that'll leave you over and above 50 pounds out of pocket. Not this week though.
This week I'll be taking you on a short culinary trip around Manchester, showing some of my favourite places to eat on the cheap. First up is a little place around the corner from my office that's perfect to grab something quick and filling.
Wong Wong's Bakery
As well as having the best name ever, Wong Wong's has a great selection of Chinese baked goods on offer for about a pound each. My personal favourites are the crispy and probably deep fried Beef Curry Bun and the interestingly-textured Ham and Egg Bun. Despite being savoury, most items have a slightly sweet texture with a sesame oil aftertaste, but at a pound a throw, you can't really argue.
Wong Wong's: Corner of Princess St and George St
Price per meal: £1-3
Eat in? No
Earth Cafe
A strange choice for a committed carnivore and avowed atheist, Earth Cafe is a vegetarian cafe and juice bar run by members of the Manchester Buddhist Centre. Don't expect limp salads and heated debates on the nature of religion though: Earth Cafe's all about a welcoming, laid-back atmosphere and tasty, filling food. The menu mainly consists of whatever's in season (The Autumn Vegetable Pie is a fantastic winter warmer), but their fantastic Spanish Beanburgers are available all year round. A Beanburger, roast autumn veg, vegan gravy and a cup of Tiger Chai will set you back £6.35, but you'll definitely be infused with a sense of spiritual and physical wellbeing.
Earth Café: Turner Street, Northern Quarter
Price per meal: £5-10
Eat in? Yes
Arndale Indoor Market
If I could point to one single place in Manchester that symbolises the city's post-IRA regeneration, it'd be The Arndale Centre's Indoor Market. My childhood memories of it are a slightly grimy, underground tunnel where you could buy terrible pork pies, worse chicken legs and some sort of awful pastry products. Nowadays you're torn between Greek, Brazilian, Chinese and Italian eateries, as well as the Chinese/Caribbean/British grocery store, the Polish mini-market, English Beer Stall and two shops selling some of the best (and strangest) cheeses on the market. While it's easy to go mad and spend a fortune on Butler's Blacksticks Blue, fresh Welsh lamb and some sort of Norwegian fudge/cheese hybrid, you can just as easily tuck into Sardinian Meatballs, Brazilian Lamb Stew, Greek Keftedes or Hong Kong Roast Belly Pork for under a fiver. Just bear in mind that you'll have a hard time finding a seat.
Arndale Market: The Arndale Centre
Price per meal : Varies
Eat in? Yes, but competition for tables is fierce.
Allen's Fried Chicken
While I've deliberately refrained from mentioning the American chains that dominate food courts and high streets around the city, I couldn't really do this review without mentioning Allen's Fried Chicken. Apparently, back in the 90s, a close friend of Colonel Sanders called Ray Allen1 decided the good people of Manchester needed a local purveyor of battery-farmed chicken dunked in hot grease. I wouldn't "recommend" AFC as such, but I will note that eating there while drunk will leave you feeling slightly less guilty than eating at its global colossus of a cousin.
Allen's Fried Chicken: Various Locations
Price per meal: £4-5
Eat in? Yes.
So there you have it, now you poor penniless Hitchers need not starve to death or resort to chains while you're passing through the Capital of Northern England. There's plenty I've missed off this list, so make sure you pass on any recommendations!
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