Arty bit of Manchester much hyped because it is hip.
However whenever we have been it has been pretty dirty: rubbish everywhere, some of it from cafes, has resident winos and smells.
The only good place is The Buddhist Cafe, great value food plus I was called "man" for the 1st time since the 60's.

www.earthcafe.co.uk/
6-20 Turner Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester M4 1DZ
0161 834 1996

Google map: tinyurl.com/yepueww

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Mr Scruffs Tea shop in the Northern Quarter.
Nice idea but slow service, so much so that I've never been able to buy anything.

53-55 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester M4 1NA

Google map: tinyurl.com/yeaodz4

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We spent a lovely afternoon in Cup yesterday. Cool sounds and delicious freshly made food. Soup and toasted sandwiches, great for a chilly autumn day. The Aretha Franklin smoothy was fantastic. Went there for lunch and then returned for a pot of tea and cake. The carrot cake was yummy but the flourless chocolate cake was amazing. Found out lots of interesting stuff about tea, we'll be going back next time we're in Manchester.

53-55 Thomas Street, Northern Quarter, Manchester, Greater Manchester M4 1NA

Google map: tinyurl.com/yga2fby

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Lovely little cafe next to the Mersey Valley visitor centre. Great quiches, pizzas and sandwiches. Home made breads and cakes. Great veggie breakfast (served all day) - yum. Small and friendly and will go that extra yard to suit your wishes.
Walk or bike from Chorlton and cross the meadows.
Scrumptious.
Super for lunch.

Sale Water Park, M33 2LX. Just off the M60.
tel: 01619696775

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A fantastic venue for a wonderful lunch. I highly recommend this award-winning cafe, run by 'The Modern Caterer'. The menu is packed with a number of mouth-watering choices, all of which are home made. A main course plus a drink will cost around £5-£6 so not expensive for good food. Great to call in just for a coffee to take in the pleasent atmosphere. Also during fine weather outside tables are available to enjoy your meal alfresco.

Located inside the Whitworth Art Gallery, Oxford Rd, Manchester M15 6ER and opposite the MRI Hospital

Opening times:
Mon to Sat 10am till 4.30pm
Sun 12noon till 3.30pm

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This is a little gem located in Morley Green just outside Wilmslow and a short distance from Manchester Airport. I recommend the all-day brunch. Not exactly cafe prices but this is not your average cafe, it's an upmarket version. Good service and excellent home-produced fayre.

Morely Green, Wilmslow, SK9 5NU 5mins drive from Manchester Airport, 10 mins from Hale Barns

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Great place, wrong location, Joe's cafe bar on Oldham Street is a little gem lying in the mud.

Decked out in leather sofas and dark wood tables it could fall into the trap of being yet another Bar 38 or Pitcher & Piano but it's all saved by well cooked food and service that just falls neatly into place.

Get in there and pretend you're in St Anne's Square. It's just as far, as owld Will Mossop would no doubt pipe up.

Oldham Street

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A Manchester institution, serving students and other fans on this site since 1972. Delicious old-skool wholesome and filling veggie and vegan food, with some lighter alternatives these days, legendary salad dressing. They aren't shy about putting their recipes on the web so you can make them in slightly smaller quantities at home. There's a great food shop upstairs, too.

Eighth Day,
111 Oxford Road,
Manchester,
M1 7DU.

www.eighth-day.co.uk

9.30am 'til 7.30pm Monday to Saturday
Closed Sundays and Bank Holidays

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Lovely little pocket of restaurants and bars in a happy, well looked-after area of Manchester.

The parks are very enjoyable when hungover the morning after, before a bacon sandwich in one of the many coffee shops.

M20 area 15 mins from Manchester city centre

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This is a very interactive and informative museum, charting the history of the working classes in Britain. Lots to do for people of all ages, and a good cafe and bookshop too.

www.phm.org.uk
Bridge St, off Deansgate.

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Great healthy cafe in the Northern Quarter - lovely decor and good quality wholesome vegetarian wholefood served by friendly gentle people. Good value - two people can eat for under £15. I think it's closed Mondays.

Manchester Buddhist Centre
16-20 Turner Street
Manchester M4 1DZ
United Kingdom
t 0161 834 9232
f 0870 134 7356
www.manchesterbuddhistcentre.org.uk

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It's an easygoing exploration of the architectural sights of Manchester city centre. Will also take you past some very nice bars, restaurants and shops.

Be spontaneous if you can and pick a sunny day, start at about 11am. Manchester doesn't get much more rain than most of the Southern English cities (and certainly less than Wales, Scotland and South West England) so there should be plenty of opportunities!

Start at Sackville Street and explore that area first. There are some magnificent buildings and if you are new to the city you will find yourself confused - it often reminds me of continental European cities (particularly northern Europe) with its mix of rich Victorian and gothic styles. Walk through Canal Street (Gay Village) as well, not far from Sackville Street and make your way towards Oxford Road.

Take a look at the magnificent Palace Hotel and have a drink at the Cornerhouse bar (on the first floor) which also gives a good view of the surrounding hustle and bustle. Then head towards the Central Library (the round pantheon-like building next to the Town Hall) and have a good look at the surroundings. You will be stunned by the variety of styles and ages of the architecture. Explore the various side streets around there and the Town Hall.

Then head to Cross Street and walk down towards Victoria Station from the top of Cross Street (where it crosses Princess Street/John Dalton Street). You will go past the various shops and bars. But when you first get to Cross Street, have a coffee at Caffe Nero near the start: to me it feels like Milan in Manchester!

Once you get to the end of Cross Street you are at the heart of the city centre main shops: Selfridges, Harvey Nichols, all that is in that area. Have a look at Urbis and Victoria Station, which you can spot from the area behind Selfridges (it has a big screen across a shopping centre called the Triangle). If you are hungry by then, try a late lunch at Wagamama (outside the Printworks, across the road from Urbis). From there walk past Harvey Nichols which is by the Manchester Cathedral and head towards St Anne's Square to take in the continuing varied architecture. You have a medieval looking church (St Anne's I think) in the middle of a Victorian architecture shopping centre.

Just before the church is the Royal Exchange Theatre in the middle of the square to the left. Go in and have a look. When you are inside the main building and look up at the very tall ceiling, you will be stunned! I won't spoil the surprise though. Anyway, go up to King Street past the Church, explore the boutiques and then take a right and head to Deansgate (a few yards’ walk) and then turn left and head towards the new Beetham Tower skyscraper.

Once you get there, there is a nice restaurant called Dimitri's that does Spanish and Greek Food. If it's summer sit outside at the back. It's lovely. And then finally finish your architectural walking tour by transporting yourself thousands of years back to Roman times at the Roman ruins and remains of the old wall just off Liverpool Road (which is where the Museum of Science and Industry is). From Deansgate, if you are tired of walking, you can get the number 2 free bus that takes you back to just outside the Cornerhouse - not far from where you started at 11 am!

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