‘Welcoming and good fun’: Animaid cafe, Afflecks reviewed

What: Animaid Cafe

Where: 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW

Food/ Drink type: Milkshakes, ice cream sundaes, waffles

When: Monday to Friday 10:30am - 6pm, Saturday 10am - 6pm, Sunday 11am - 5pm

Independent or chain: Independent

Decor

Tucked away in one of Afflecks’ many nooks and crannies, you’ll find the Animaid cafe on the second floor. From the outside, it's adorned with cherry blossom flowers and the odd figurine displayed in glass boxes. 

Take a step further inside and you’re met by shelf after shelf of anime and Japanese cartoon merchandise, games, gadgets and gizmos ticking off Sailor Moon to One Piece to Chainsaw Man and everything in between. 

Customers can pop in to stock up on trinkets from their favourite shows, or stay a little longer and visit the cafe at the back of the shop which is adorned with manga sketches and brightly coloured umbrellas all across the ceiling. Like most of the stores inside Afflecks, it’s like stepping into a whole other world, one that’s an Otaku’s (Japanese phrase for someone who loves anime) paradise.

The Main Event

The current menu is pretty concise and consists of a range of themed milkshakes, milk teas and fruit teas, two types of waffle options and three different sundaes. Each drink is centred around a character from different animes with the toppings corresponding to a signature look or feel, for example, the Gudetama drink (which I decided to go for) comes with little fried egg sweets on top.

We were intrigued by the ‘Kawaii Maid Supreme Full Set’ option which includes one drink, one dessert, one game or gift and a polaroid picture with the maids, so we ordered one of those along with a separate drink from the milkshake menu; the Zero Two - a strawberry shake with extra strawberry sauce, strawberry boba and strawberry Pocky for good measure.

Both drinks looked adorable and very Instagram-friendly. They tasted very sweet, too - one of these bad boys packs plenty of sugar, so it’s maybe best to keep them as a treat rather than a drink you’d have one after the other.

Unfortunately, the decorative waffles were unavailable at the time of our visit so we shared a chocolate sundae instead. The sundae looked cute and came with miniature marshmallows. Now, sundae’s aren’t a dessert I’d usually go for - I’m not a massive ice cream fan and much prefer a warm, baked dessert, like a slice of fresh apple pie, alongside my ice cream if I’m having it - but it was a warm day so quickly became a welcome treat. 

We had to act fast before the sundae melted, being careful not to subject ourselves to brain freeze in the process. 

Since we’d curiously opted for the ‘Kawaii Maid Supreme Full Set’, we received a small gift in the form of a Hello Kitty-branded keychain and had our photo taken with one of the maids on shift. A unique twist that you don’t get in most cafes, but felt very fitting here. 

Judgement Day

The staff at the Animaid Cafe are incredibly warm and friendly, ready with recommendations if you’re unsure what to order from the menu. It’s an inclusive space with plenty of boardgames, magazines and memorabilia to browse through during your visit. 

The food and drink isn’t the star of the show here, the wonderfully playful decor and anime elements are, but that’s not to say you won’t really enjoy dining here if you have a sweet tooth like I do.

Anime lovers, and those just looking for a welcoming space to grab a drink and chill out, will certainly feel comfortable and at home here. They’ve since expanded their offering, too, so there’s even more themed menu items to choose from.

Animaid Cafe, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW

Follow Harley Young on X @Harley__Young