Fancy food courts and Manchester’s ‘Mackie Mayor’

There seems to be a trend going round Europe at the moment for fancy food courts. Housed in impressive and beautifully renovated buildings, they are packed full of various street food options to be eaten and enjoyed at communal tables in a buzzing atmosphere. Paris has the poshest version with ‘La Grande Epicerie‘.

Its stylish and impressive decor, set over four floors, is focused less on being a food court and more on being the poshest supermarket ever. It’s packed with food and wine, all laid out beautifully, just calling out to be bought, but with also a few delicious food stands to sit and eat at, and an upscale restaurant under the light and airy atrium. Croydon, London, is home to a more laid-back but truly cool affair at ‘Boxpark Market‘, full of an amazing array of delicious food stands. In line with London’s cosmopolitan vibe it offers food from every corner of the globe. Lisbon has the ‘Time Out Market‘, located in the ‘Mercado da Ribeira‘ where various stands offer an incredible chance to taste food from local chefs, as well as cuisine from all over the world. And Florence, Italy, has the ‘Mercato Centrale’. The upper level of the old central market has been beautifully brought back to life with a vast array of restaurants and food stalls. Visit one of these hot spots with friends and take your pick of food. One of you can choose pizza, the other Chinese dumplings, and maybe someone else a bit of tapas!  And then you just reconvene, find a table, order a drink and relax.

And now one has arrived in Manchester, a city blossoming and expanding everyday. Cool bars keep appearing, great events are happening all over the city, converted mills and industrial buildings are being turned into trendy coffee shops all the time. Rooftop bars with views spanning out over the industrial city skyline, and now an incredibly cool new market. Located on the edge of the Northern Quarter near the fantastic music venue ‘Band on the Wall‘, this was once a no go area with crumbling buildings and dodgy late night takeouts only.  However, as the Northern Quarter has been transformed and gentrified, so too has the old meat market on Swan Street. Bought and renovated by the people responsible for the Altrincham market overhaul, which has transformed the sleepy provincial town on the outskirts of Manchester into a happening little spot for a bite to eat, Manchester’s ‘Mackie Mayor‘, is a larger and more impressive version.

Altrincham market has a small variety of food stands in the small traditional covered market area. Wooden tables throughout and bunting hanging from the ceiling give a fresh, relaxed vibe that extends through to the open air market which now has craft stalls a plenty on a Wednesday and Saturday, perfect for a bite to eat and a bit of shopping. The surrounding area, once home only to a solitary cocktail bar (the oh so cool Riddles), is now full of cool new eateries offering dishes such as tapas, fish, and there is a cute Italian restaurant.

However, ‘Mackie’ is even more special. Housed in an old Victorian meat market the decor is incredible. Its central communal tables sit under the vast expanse of the Victorian wrought iron architecture, surrounded by numerous food stalls to choose from. Upstairs the wrap around gallery  offers the perfect spot for people watching and more intimate dining. Unlike the chaotic arrangements of some food courts, here you pay at your chosen counter and then await your food at your table, which comes served on proper plates, it’s a great halfway house between street food and restaurant fare.  Calm and dignified, this method saves on the stress of standing around waiting for your food and wondering if you’ll get a seat.

West Didsbury’s resident wine shop ‘Reserve‘ has opened up shop here with a wine bar offering wine by the bottle or the glass, and the beer selection over at ‘Jack in the Box’ is impressive and plentiful. The bar is run by Blackjack Brewery, another local institution, and the friendly and knowledgable staff  happily let me have a few tasters before I opted for a soft and yet hoppy IPA. Food options include pizza and pasta, Thai, a Rotisserie, fish, and of course my favourite…a good old fashioned burger bar. In my recent visits I’ve had an amazing steak burger, cooked to perfection, as well as a half chicken from the rotisserie which was tender and delicious. Food isn’t cheap but it won’t break the bank either, and you’ll be hard pushed to find a better atmosphere than this. And if that’s not enough, dogs are welcome and they get a water bowl and sometimes even a few treats. Finding a cool spot to hang out in with your four-legged friend that doesn’t get too stressful is no mean feat, and anywhere that welcomes my best pal has won my heart already.