French onion, Polish grzybowa, Japanese ramen and more
When life gives you darkness at 3pm and a whole load of crap weather, a bowl of steaming soup with some white carbs is a foolproof go-to. Served in the perfect hearty bowl, with an oversized tablespoon, and an obligatory fresh bread roll, soup is always a shout.
Whilst every foodie haunt probably has some kind of soupy offering on the menu, separating the hearty men from the watery boys is a tough task. However, whether you’re a chunky veg stew lover or a smooth ramen stock fan, these soups will bowl you over and keep you full 'til teatime.
Read on for 10 of Manchester’s best soups, broths and bisques that’ll keep you slurping ‘til spring.
What: Brooklyn lager, cheddar and onion
How much: £5.50
Where: SOUP
Proof that a liquid lunch doesn’t always have to involve a pint of pilsner, this tipple-based soup is served up by a joint that is soup by name, soup by nature. By the way, you may know SOUP by its former name of Soup Kitchen. With all the soups at SOUP coming in at just over a fiver, the Brooklyn lager, cheddar and spring onion addition is a highlight on this liquid-based menu. Also featuring a moreish minestrone and a hot and sour tom yum, SOUP’s blended servings are giving Tesco’s Finest a serious run for its money.
Soup, 31-33 Spear St, Manchester M1 1DF
What: Butternut squash soup
How much: £6
Where: North Tea Power
Although North Tea Power is mainly known for its Assam and Earl Grey, the liquid goodness doesn’t stop there as this tea-based hangout also has a butternut squash special on its Autumnal menu. Nailing the perfect balance between sugar and spice and all things nice, this soup consists of butternut squash, fresh hot chillies, and a dash of cream cheese. With NTP's sandwiches priced at six quid with various fillings, you can have soup and sarnie for supper straight through the winter.
North Tea Power, 36 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LA
What: Jewish chicken soup
How much: £3.95 - £4.95
Where: JS On the Corner
Nothing warms the cockles and cures the sniffles quite like a traditional Jewish chicken soup, and after Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi’s chicken-based collab, this kosher spot is serving up a pretty close second. Available either a regular or large serving size and accompanied by lokshen and kneidel, you can get this chicken soup delivered straight to your door throughout the week. JS also offers a fresh soup of the day and some bangin’ falafel and hummus.
JS On The Corner, 27 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 9JY
What: ‘French’ onion soup
How much: £7.50
Where: Albert’s Schloss
Bringing a little pièce de résistance to Peter Street, Albert’s Schloss’ ‘French’ onion soup is a comforting classic that’ll transport you straight to Clermont-Ferrand. With an intense vegetable stock base, roscoff onions, melting gruyère and a dash of Schwarzbier, this soup is served in a haus baked sourdough roll with a side of cosy Alpine service. Guaranteed to generate some cheese-pull Instagram content, this Schloss favourite could well be the perfect seasonal soup for you.
Albert’s Schloss, 27 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
What: Grzybowa soup
How much: £5
Where: Platzki
A lot easier to devour than it is to pronounce, this Polish soup is made with porcini and forest mushrooms, fresh vegetables, and a thick garnish of double cream to balance out the earthy goodness. A key component of the modern Polish menu that Platzki plays host to, grzybowa soup may not be your classic Heinz cream of tomato, but it is a European winter warmer that wins every time. Receiving a pretty hefty thumbs up from Confidentials back in 2020, "the welcome here is so warm and the food is so good" - what's not to love?
Platzki, 229 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN
What: KuiTiew Namtok Moo
How much: £12
Where: Siam Smiles Thai Café
You know it’s good soup when it gets its own poetic ode in our October round-up of the best things to eat in Manchester. Bringing some moo to the mews, this broth from Siam Smiles consists of rice noodles, pork fillet, pork balls, and mixed vegetables, all served up in a steaming bowl of Thai-style meat broth. With other menu highlights including a chicken Kuitiew Gai and a pork and prawn Kiew Goong Moo Dang, Siam Smiles is a soupy success to add to your to-eat list.
Siam Smiles Thai Café, Deansgate Mews Unit G Upper Level Great Northern, 253 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 4EN
What: Rich seafood bisque
How much: £15
Where: Street Urchin
There’s something seriously fishy about the lack of sea-based soups in Manchester. Luckily though, Street Urchin's market diner is providing Mancunians with a remedy for this dilemma with its rich seafood bisque. Bringing a taste of the ocean to Great Ancoats Street, the bisque consists of mussels, grilled fish, battered calamari and smoked haddock. Holding onto its Confidentials-proclaimed title as "a pescatarian wet dream", this seafood bisque is keeping Manchester’s squid game alive one bowl at a time.
Street Urchin, 72 Great Ancoats St, Manchester M4 5BG
What: Roasted cauliflower soup
How much: £6
Where: Masons
Although roasted cauliflower may seem a big meh compared to French soup in sourdough and polish dried mushrooms, you can’t beat a good old winter veg blend. Served up with crispy sage leaves and parsnip crisps, this cauliflower concoction could be the perfect starter before your steak and stout pie, or a whole dinner in itself when served with warm breads and a baked welsh goats’ cheese. Masons' cauliflower soup is also suitable for veggies and general veg lovers alike.
Masons Restaurant Bar, Ground Floor, Manchester Hall, 36 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BT
What: Today’s seasonal soup
How much: £5.95
Where: Blanchflower Bakery and Kitchen
With seasonal soups that change every day, you’ll never settle for a tin of Campbell’s again thanks to the Blanchflower bakery and kitchen in Altrincham. Flavours range from colcannon with crispy bacon, pea with a soft-boiled egg, Thai sweet potato with a prawn cracker, and roast celeriac with apple and hazelnut pesto. All served up in some quirky ceramics with a side of house sourdough, these seasonal soups will keep things steamy and wholesome for many lunchtimes to come.
Blanchflower, 12-14 Shaw’s Rd, Altrincham WA14 1QU
What: White natural ramen
How much: £13.90
Where: Shoryu Ramen
Loosely resembling one of those rose petal milk baths, but with way more Asian flavour, the white natural ramen from Shoryu is the definition of food for the soup-loving soul. With a unique tonyu soy milk base, miso, konbu and shiitake broth, atsuage fried tofu, kikurage mushrooms, menma bamboo shoots, spring onion, tender broccoli and nori seaweed, the ingredient list is as long as our spoon-wielding arm. A healthy and hearty alternative to Shoryu’s signature pork broth, it's a one-stop-shop for slurpy, vegan nourishment this winter.
Shoryu Ramen, 1 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 1RG
Read next: The Whitworth's Frost Fair is back
Read again: The 10 best Christmas dine-at-home experiences in Manchester
Don't miss out
Get the latest food & drink news and exclusive offers by email.
