Supermarket meal deals ain't got nothing on these seasonal Christmas sarnies
In 2021 you’d think we’d have whacked just about everything between two slices of bread in the name of Xmas, but that’s where you’re wrong. Every year across Greater Manchester there are new festive concoctions courtesy of our fave delis and sarnie spots that continue to tempt and surprise us.
Giving your Boxing Day leftovers sandwich a serious run for its money, these butties, subs and Christmas kebabs are Wham!-packed with innovative ingredient combos and festive feels. Featuring the likes of gravy dipping sauce, a side of sprout smiley faces, and a superior seitan “turkey”, these butties have got you covered for breakfast, lunch and dinner all throughout December.
Read on for Manchester’s must-try Christmas butties that are sleighing the seasonal food scene.
What: Christmas babs
How much: £10-£13.50
Where: BAB NQ
Although there’s always something slightly odd about enjoying a kebab both sober and before 2am, BAB NQ makes the whole thing feel almost bougie with its range of fresh kebabs and inspired ingredients. Seeing as though it’s time to wholeheartedly step into Christmas, BAB has prepared accordingly with feel-good festive food all wrapped up in a flatbread. The three kings of Xmas babs are a roast turkey bab with cranberry and chilli sauce, pigs in blankets, sprouts and melted brie, a lamb chop bab with green peas and mint sauce, and a veggie grand finale in the form of a butternut squash bab with beetroot and cheese sauce, pomegranate, and a shredded sprout garnish for good measure.
BAB NQ, 14 Little Lever St, Manchester M1 1HR
What: Festive sandwich
How Much: £9.50
Where: Alvarium
Providing the people of Manchester with a purely plant-powered Xmas butty, Alvarium presents all the classic Christmas fillings sandwiched between two hefty slabs of sourdough from Companio Bakery. With not a stuffed bird in sight, Alvarium’s festive sandwich contains succulent lemon and herb seitan “turkey”, sage and onion stuffing, squashed crispy roast potatoes, and homemade cranberry sauce. This vegan hangout also offers you a pot of homemade vegan gravy for all your dunking needs, and an extra special vegan Bailey’s hot choc to swill down all the stuffing and seitan.
Alvarium, 8 Dorsey St, Manchester M4 1LU
What: Fried Camembert bagel
How much: £8
Where: Triple B Bagel
We’ll always have a soft spot for a bagel-based sarnie but chuck on a whole deep-fried camembert and we’re there with jingle bells on. Guaranteed to generate some quality cheese-pull content, this Triple B bagel is also lathered with port and onion chutney, winter slaw, stilton mayo, and tomato sauce. Also part of the whole festive Xmas feast, you can get a side of mini roast potatoes with roast turkey gravy or aged cheddar sauce, and an After Eight shake with homemade After Eight vodka – take that, Tesco meal deal.
Triple B Bagels, 24 Bury New Road, Prestwich, M25 0LD
What: Ho, F*ckin’ Ho
How much: £9.50 + 50p for bacon
Where: Badabing
Its Binggggmaaasss. A round-up of festive butties would just feel wrong without an ode to Ancoats’ top sarnie spot Badabing, and it’s keeping up its superior streak with a Ho, F*ckin’ Ho Christmas special. Generously filled with roast turkey, bubble and squeak croquette, Nanna Barry’s famous braised red cabbage, spiced cranberry sauce, paté, and a whole pot of dunk-able gravy, this buttie is basically the whole festive ordeal in one Italian white roll. With the option to add bacon for “that piggy blanket vibe”, you can’t go wrong with a butty from Badabing for some lunchtime seasonal stodge.
Badabing, Ancoats General Store, 57 Great Ancoats Street, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 5AB
What: Meat one and vegan one
How much: £8
Where: Batch bottlestore & deli
Stocking everything from craft beer to charcuterie as well as natural wine and deli sandwiches, Batch was bound to have some must-try butties worth shouting about this Christmas. For 2021 advent, Batch has a meat option consisting of apricot and pistachio sausage meat wrapped in bacon with brussels sprouts, pine nuts, cranberry sauce, mayo, and rocket. The vegan alternative then swaps out the bacon-wrapped sausage for crispy bubble and squeak, creating the perfect carb-loaded, veg-filled butty that’ll keep you full 'til tea-time.
Batch bottlestore & deli, Unit 6, Kings Court, Railway Street, Altrincham, Manchester WA14 2RD
What: Turkey and brie butty on date and walnut bread
How much: £5.50
Where: Barbakan Delicatessen Ltd.
A long time Chorlton fave, Barbakan Deli is your one-stop-shop for European bakes, deli fare and fresh, hearty sarnies. This Xmas, stuffed between homemade date and walnut bread is a combo of turkey, fresh rocket salad, Brie de Meaux, homemade Christmas chutney, cheesy mayo, and serrano crisps. Serving Monday – Friday from 8 til 5:30 and Saturdays 8:30 til 5, this award-winning continental spot is always worth the lunch-time commute.
Barbakan Delicatessen, 67-71 Manchester Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9PW
What: Turkey and Stuffing Christmas Shawarma
How much: Around £10
Where: One Star Döner Bar at Escape to Freight Island
Christmas kebabs seem to be this year’s trendiest stocking filler and One Star Döner Bar is never one to miss out on some holiday hype. After our trip to Brad Carter’s döner den, we proclaimed it to be “undeniably good gear for £10 (give or take)”. Banging out a Christmas kebab made up of turkey and stuffing shawarma, Paxo mayonnaise, cranberry hot sauce, shredded sprouts, onions and cabbage, it’s definitely a spot to hit up for some Xmas grub - and, gurning? If you’re feeling extra peckish, a side order of festive potato smileys with fried sprouts, lemon, and black pepper will seal the deal for a Christmas-fuelled kebab coma.
One Star Doner Bar, Escape to Freight Island, 11 Baring Street, Manchester M1 2PZ
What: Range of festive specials
How much: £5.90 - £9.50
Where: Northern Soul
Cheese is the absolute heart and soul of Christmas cuisine so a wad of Northern Soul's three-cheese blend on fresh sourdough with oozy brie, smoked streaky bacon, and sweet cranberry sauce should calm your curdy cravings 'til Xmas eve. Northern Soul also has a Crimbo dinner buttie with turkey, gravy, Pink Lady stuffing, and a, er, gravy-soaked lollipop. A festive feta option with spicy griddled veg, candied cranberries, and crumbled feta should satisfy any sausage-dodgers and there's also an aptly-named Ham-amazing Grace option with Andrew's honey roast ham, sticky festive chutney, and bursts of wholegrain mustard. Sack off the M&S Boxing Day triple and treat yourself to something dripping in Northern cheese for Xmas.
Northern Soul, Unit G20, 44 Tib Street, Manchester M4 1LA
What: Roast Beef Sandwich
How much: £9.50
Where: Ducie St Warehouse
Taking roast beef and Yorkshire pudding to the next level, this buttie has got carbs in all the right places. Known for knocking up a pretty special Sunday roast (it made it into our roasts round-up), Ducie Street is sticking its Sunday dinner between two slices of fluffy Yorkshire pud and dousing it in gravy - why have we never thought of that before? The roast beef sandwich also contains horseradish for that iconic peppery flavour and promises to bring a dose of “Sunday perfection” to your Xmas season.
Ducie St Warehouse, Manchester M1 2TP
What: Roast turkey sandwich
How Much: £7
Where: Batard
Keeping things plain and simple with a sarnie that could be used as a doorstop, Batard bakery and kitchen is serving up a classic roast turkey effort at the Seesaw creative space on Princess Street. With locally sourced butter roast turkey from Littlewoods Butchers, pickled red cabbage, stuffing mayo, and a generous helping of rocket, this buttie is deemed “proper gear” and served up daily ‘til 4pm. Not ones to mess about when it comes to bread and bakes, this turkey stack is served on Batard’s very own supreme sourdough.
Batard, Seesaw, 86 Princess St, Manchester M1 6NG
Read next: Ways to support local Manchester charities this Christmas
Read again: The Hot 50: the most popular restaurants in Manchester
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