BaoBros23 and Banh Vi also join Adam Reid for food indies line-up
New Century (previously named New Century Hall) is almost finished. Gigs have been announced, the electrics have been fixed and now the foodie independents have been revealed. Topping the list will be Adam Reid of The French fame bringing a unique butty bar concept with Altrincham’s Banh Vi and Manchester newbies BaoBros23 also joining the party.
Three as of yet unannounced vendors will also join the New Century food roster, but you’ll have to wait a little bit longer for that announcement. The space is a biggy. The ground floor will comprise 10,000 sqft of kitchen space and will seat up to 300 people, with the six foodie independents sitting alongside New Century’s in-house coffee and grab ‘n’ go concepts.
The Butty Shop will bring specialist sandwiches, inspired by childhood bakery trips
The Grade II listed venue, located in the Green Quarter between Victoria Station and Shudehill, is currently nearing the end of its £10 million transformation. The three-floor venue will play host to a mixture of live music, entertainment and education events, and foodie independents.
The great British butty revival
Those familiar with Adam Reid’s fine dining restaurant The French at the Midland Hotel might raise an eyebrow when they hear of the Great British Menu winning chef’s latest venture.
The Butty Shop will bring specialist sandwiches, inspired by childhood bakery trips, to the venue with classic Northern flavours. In a move that brings to mind Brad Carter’s One Star Doner Bar, a low-key staple with a gastronomic twist, The Butty Shop will serve sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Channelling a familiar fine dining ethos of well-sourced, high-quality ingredients, the sandwiches (fillings yet to be announced) will be served alongside “classic bakery sides” including pickled eggs and potato salad.
Banh Vi and BaoBros23 bringing Asian-inspired flavours to Green Quarter
Also set for the New Century foodhall bill will be Altrincham favourites Banh Vi. The Asian-inspired vegan restaurant which currently has an outpost at Altrincham Market will bring its popular vegan takes on Thai and Vietnamese classics. Signature dishes include a plant-based take on the classic banh mi baguette as well as bowls of pho and summer rolls. Sweet, highly charged Vietnamese coffee also comes as standard.
Joining them will be the award-winning BaoBros23. The 2021 British Street Food Awards "People’s Choice" winner will be making its Manchester debut. The father-son team will bring their award-winning bao to the ground floor food hall space with variations on its current food truck and a festival menu including lobster "baodogs" as well as truffled halloumi fries.
The brand, best known for its pop-up at Riverhead Brewery Tap in Marsden, emphasises sustainably-sourced produce as well as a low-waste ethos. Menus change weekly with an everchanging selection of bao creations, loaded fries and indulgent desserts.
Both vendors will share space with New Century’s in-house bar which will serve beer, wine and a full cocktail menu as well as specialist coffee, tea, juices and smoothies.
Pizza, sushi and sustainably-sourced steak
If butties and bao weren’t enough, there’s more. Joining the ground floor independent food line-up will be three more vendors. Zumuku Sushi will bring fresh sushi to New Century, with the newest spot the seventh outlet for the Wilmslow-born restaurant. Co-founder and sushi chef Benjie has two years of sushi training under his belt in Japan and the newest site will be the first in the city centre.
Another addition will come in the form of sustainably-sourced meat indie, Tallow. The steakhouse-inspired concept, which will also serve burgers and sides, is the brainchild of classically trained chef Tom Lowe. Tallow will use only sustainably sourced, 28-day dry-aged beef with an emphasis on the well-bred and native.
Completing the latest trio will be an upgraded pizzeria concept from the heads behind Ply. Wild by Ply will be an exclusive collaboration with Wildfarmed chef Carl Fraenki-Retti. 24 hour slow proved dough made from biodynamic flour will form the bases for a seasonally-inspired pizza menu. Pizzas will be wood-fired in a custom-built oven with dough handmade and stretched on the premises daily.
The kitchens open at New Century on Friday 26 August.
In case you’ve missed them, the gig announcements have also started coming in thick and fast. Artists already announced for the new live space include Stereolab, Oliver Sim, Los Bitchos, Toro Y Mois with more set to be announced in the coming months.
New Century, Mayes St, Manchester M60 4ES
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