Plus a chance to win free burgers for a year - the most shareable social content in MCR

Today's the day you can finally sit in your garden with up to six pals from different households (no limit on numbers from just two). 

Expect sales of canned G&T and cool boxes to go through the roof - for the next two weeks at least til beer gardens reopen. A coolie bottle full of one of the Manchester booze centred cocktails (featured on last weekend's Sunday Brunch) in the back yard with your mum sounds like a plan too.

Scroll on for those cocktail recipes and more in our weekly round-up of the best funny, filthy, full-fat social media content from Manchester's food and drink scene. 

Manchester bee

The bee has been a symbol of hard workers in Manchester since 1842. Those who chose it as our city's symbol probably didn't expect it to be adopted for use in tattoos, graffiti and beer can graphics in the 2000s. But regardless of their u-bee-quity, it's hard to fall out with these stripey-jumpered, essential pollinators. We're excited to follow what the folks from Where The Light Gets In are up to over at their car park turned allotment, The Landing, including this video of their very own bees.

Cheesecake croissant

From Manchester bee to PKB, this croissant from the team over at the Royal Exchange - and now baking from their new gaff Half A Dozen Other in Salford - combines two of the greatest indulgences: croissants and strawberry cheesecake. It looks like a work of art too. 

Rule of six

Continuing on the pastry theme, we'd walk over hot coals for these pain au raisin, look at them! Their sexy shape is a nice reminder of today's 'rule of six' renaissance too. 

For your sins

Easter weekend is imminent and what better way to mark the crucifixion and resurrection of the (alleged) son of God than by stuffing your face with doughnuts? If you're more about Eostre and the celebration of spring and all its fertility, the good old creme egg perched on top of this one from Glazed might be all the license you need to indulge.  

Cocktails in the garden

We loved the fabulous recipe from Pritesh Mody on this morning’s Sunday Brunch. Give it a try! Mix 50ml Strawberry &...
Posted by Didsbury Gin on Sunday, 28 March 2021

Moving on from the sweet stuff to the hard stuff. Two Manchester booze barons featured on Sunday Brunch at the weekend. Didsbury Gin knocked up this seasonal libation which is just begging to be invited into your six-person garden gang (if you’re lucky enough to have a garden). 

Banana-rum-a

If you prefer your drinks darker and spicier but just as sweet, Sunday Brunch also provided some inspo for how to level up this banana spiced rum from another Manchester rum brand, Rockstar Spirits. Mmm!

Clubhouse looking for a new house

You have probably heard the news that several bars have had their contracts ended at Hatch. One of them is punk rock dive bar Clubhouse who famously served a condom with one of their cocktails in the pre-lockdown days. If anyone can give these lads a space to pop up in, give them a shout.

Size o' them Yorkies!

Too much sweet stuff this week? Probably. But get a load of these glorious Yorkshire puds from Elnecot. 

Free burgers

There's a new burger gaff called Smash Inn opening soon in Manchester and they're hoping to make friends by running a competition over on Instagram to win a year's worth of free burgers from them. 

Paulie Walnuts

Could this be the best name for a sandwich ever? This veggie feast of mushroom 'shwarma', walnuts, artichokes, balsamic onions, rocket, truffle mayo, basil salsa verde and gouda from newbies Badabing looks pretty fantastic too.

Read next: Top 50 Gastropubs 2021: Which pubs in the North are included?

Read again: Hashtag Manchester: Korean corndogs, reimagined Pot Noodles