OPENING just in time for the New Year detox, wholesome food brand Itsu will bring its ‘eat beautiful’ menu to Hardman Square - in the former Samsi site - on Wednesday 27 January. With over 50 stores and two restaurants in the South East, the popular fast food chain is now setting its sights on health-conscious northerners, ahead of plans to capitalise on the growing trend towards Japanese cuisine and attain the nationwide ubiquity of its cousin Pret.
Itsu’s speedy meals promise to be ‘protein packed, low carb’ and relatively guilt free
The brainchild of Pret a Manger’s early pioneers, Itsu was born in 1997, after founder Julian Metcalfe saw ‘hundreds of skilled people prepare thousands of boxes.... always fresh, always delicious, always beautiful, each day’ in the department stores of Japan. While ‘fast food’ invariably conjures up images of greasy fries and pallid doner kebabs, Itsu’s speedy meals promise to be ‘protein packed, low carb’ and relatively guilt free.
Customers at the Spinningfields store can expect 64 nutritious dishes; including sushi and sashimi, brown rice pots and hot chicken noodle soup. Fresh ‘beautysmoothies’ and juices will also be available, alongside new hot food range ‘miso with (health) benefits’; comprising classics like lucky duck, dumpling melt and classic miso soup.
Harried commuters may appreciate the hot breakfast menu, which spans poached eggs to porridge, and offers a free banana with every coffee or tea. For those who like to graze, the chain’s grocery range includes snacks like chocolate-covered rice cakes, wasabi peas and five flavours of popcorn.
Said Takhamt, Director of Development, commented, “Manchester felt like a natural progression for us when deciding on our next location. The city’s food and drink scene has truly exploded in recent years, offering better quality and more diversity than ever before and we are looking forward to becoming part of that mix.”
More info at itsu.com
