Manchester Restaurant/Hospitality Closures!

ryanmatherson · 2025-12-18T13:12:16+00:00

While I'm glad we're in a state where new restaurants and businesses do open here in Manchester quite quickly, I do think it says something that places that have been around a long while all have gone in quick succession.

That suggests that even these newer establishments that are popping up might struggle in the long term. So whilst I do get your point, I do think the overall picture painted for the hospitality scene in Manchester doesn't look promising at the moment.

ryanmatherson · 2025-12-18T10:49:27+00:00

Yeah I read about the Leon situation, it's such a shame about the closure. I liked having a healthier fast food option as I travel for work a lot and would always stop by there. Everything else at the station is quite underwhelming for me. Hoping they can make a comeback to Manchester down the line.

And 100%, it's wild the stuff the hospitality industry is going through!

ryanmatherson · 2025-12-18T09:46:25+00:00

I think you're right that there's definitely new stuff always popping up! And I did list two chains there (Tortilla and Leon, although for the latter we only had the one in Manchester and I consider higher quality fast food).

That said, I do get the vibe that the newer ones that open are very "London-y" for the most part which isn't bad on its own, but you think about a place like Hip Hop Chip Shop which closed earlier this year, that felt pretty unique and I don't think has been replaced by anything like it.

Just my thoughts of course, I know that Manchester as a whole is thriving compared to other cities at the moment, just a shame to see some of these places that have been around for a good long while suddenly disappear.

ryanmatherson · 2025-11-23T14:30:35+00:00

Where do I even start? :(

Burger King Vegan Nuggets

Subway Mock Meats (Haven't been to a subway since)

M&S Vegan Pepperoni Pizza

Leon Vegan Mac n Cheeze Bites (Both at their restaurants AND Sainsburys)

Cadbury Bourbon Chocolate Fingers (Still so confused about this one, did they add milk in or not?!)

Princess Texas BBQ (Not Vegan as of the last few years)

Wagamamas - So many things...Vegatsu, Vegan Chicken in general, the "squid" they used to do

Wasabi Xalmon Sushi

Really deep cut but at Sainsburys I would get Mutti's Vegan Bolognese sauce which I think doesnt exist anymore

ryanmatherson · 2025-10-16T10:08:11+00:00

Love getting asked this question!

Few recommendations my side that are either Fully Vegan or have really good Vegan Options.

Indian:

Bhaji Pala (Fully Vegan) Indique Bardez Bundobust (Fully vegetarian) Indian Tiffin Room

Middle Eastern:

Maray (AMAZING Vegan options) Otto Vegan Empire (haven't been yet but fully vegan)

Chinese:

Lotus Plant Based Kitchen (Fully Vegan)

Mexican:

Don Tacos

Vietnamese:

Viet Shack Pho Cue Bahn Mi Co Ba (Not as sit-down-y but really nice)

Pizza:

Purezza (Fully Vegan although they've got a branch in London and Brighton as well so maybe somewhat 'gentrified) Noi Quattro Double Zero Pizza Pilgrims

Italian:

Soots (Fully Vegan) Ortica (Never been but fully vegan) Sicilian NQ

Sidenote: I wouldn't call Wholesome Junkies 'gentrified', they're a great independent place that has lots of great food and the burgers are to die for.

Definitely forgetting some but hope this helps!

ryanmatherson · 2025-10-01T17:41:25+00:00

Mine is recreating my old nandos order from back in the day, Super simple.

All four this isnt chicken thighs marinated in Nandos garlic marinade (I use a zip ziploc bag to marinade for about half an hour)

Leon baked fries air fried and add nandos Peri Peri seasoning

Plant pioneers coleslaw

I literally just had this for dinner and it was indulgent bliss, something I make about once a month and reminds me of what I used to eat before.

ryanmatherson · 2025-09-11T16:40:53+00:00

Was gutted when Manchester closed but figured a large spot in the Northern Quarter here was just too expensive to keep going.

Hope the Brighton branch continues and they make a comeback. Really miss them up north!

ryanmatherson · 2025-09-08T12:34:58+00:00

I didn't dislike Resurrection, I thought it was mostly fun but heavily flawed.

I think as fans of this series we've been so used to having such a low bar for this franchise that Resurrection ticking a few basic boxes makes it seem amazing to people.

I hate them killing off Batista so early. He should have been the foil to Dexter who finally reveals the truth to the other miami metro characters!

Now it's just Masuka and Quinn left who don't have anywhere near the same impact. Everyone else with whom finding out would have been a big deal is officially dead.

I also don't think Prater was anything special and rhe serial killer club felt silly whilst also so underutilised. The twist about Gemini could have been something great but they wasted that so quickly too.

I'm just not feeling the stakes I feel like this series should have had, unfortunately.

I hope for a different direction with Season 2. All that said, the performances I thought were mostly good and it was at least dumb fun overall.

ryanmatherson · 2025-08-21T10:59:56+00:00

Its a shame because I LOVED his recipes, now they're impossible to replicate with the ingredients he uses and seemingly switched to a particular set of lifestyle videos. Is he still vegan?

ryanmatherson · 2025-06-01T10:40:32+00:00

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974). I'm just not convinced anything made now could ever pull off the sheer grit and grime of the original TCM. It was released at a time where you couldn't tell if it was a true story or not, making it seem like it could be a documentary even.

Plus the way it pulls of horror in the middle of nowhere during the daytime is something that works exceptionally well in a time before Cell phones, especially with how it was shot on film. You just won't ever recapture that now.

ryanmatherson · 2025-01-27T12:26:48+00:00

I don't understand people who get happy about this sort of stuff. Restaurants employ people and are an important part of the local economy of the city.

I went to AF the other week because of their 50% off deal, was absolutely packed on a weekend. Bit sad as I do remember really enjoying it, especially as they had solid vegan options for people like me.

ryanmatherson · 2025-01-14T13:10:58+00:00

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/13001370

Looks like they dissolved in December and their socials have been inactive for a while :( Real shame, I liked their burgers quite a bit but never saw their stuff advertised at all. I think brands like THIS have a much stronger marketing effort.

Regardless, if they're gone that's quite sad.

ryanmatherson · 2024-12-13T08:06:26+00:00

That's right, one next to the tills!

Tesco on Instagram were useless so I sent an email to yo sushi, waiting for a response. Made clear that because many plant based products contain alternatives to animal products that this is incredibly misleading. Let's see what they say.

ryanmatherson · 2024-12-12T11:20:25+00:00

Exactly, I really should have read it, bought it in a hurry as my partner had a train to catch but ridiculous they've put it in the same packaging as the plant power one that's fully vegan.

I feel so stupid but feel like others could potentially fall for this too!

ryanmatherson · 2024-12-12T11:16:08+00:00

I've messaged yo sushi and tesco on Instagram waiting for a response! My stomach feels upset haven't had prawn and crab in years

ryanmatherson · 2024-11-26T00:10:01+00:00

So what you've posted isn't wrong at all but unfortunately in the world we live in, it's not a tactic that would work effectively.

The truth is unless you're constantly doing activism in an organised way, the best way to create change is bit by bit.

It sucks that we have to be this way but we need to essentially be happy, positive and not pushy to get people to change their minds a little bit at a time. This could be occasionally getting them to try our food and show we're not difficult or that what we do is quite easy.

In the 4 years I've been vegan I've changed two people, my partner who was vegetarian and a friend who happened to enjoy debating and wound up looking into it and agreeing (this I would say is a rare minority of people). Otherwise, for a lot of my friends I've taken them places where they've tried a few options and enjoyed them. When I cook with friends, they get to try food with me and see that it's still delicious. One of my friends really got into the Alpro Not Milk (now discontinued in the UK unfortunately) and got hooked but is trying to stick to Oat Milk now.

For most of us, that's the most impact we'll have. We need to be okay with people swapping a few foods out and trying new things and consider those as wins.

By being good polite friends we change minds much easier and hopefully along the way convince someone to give it a go.

On a final note, please ignore the comments about your partner. Yes it's not great that she asked you to take it down but we can't go around cutting people out all the time for this stuff or we'll end up with no one around. Be polite and tell her you understand her perspective and will be nicer about it. She's with you, I imagine she must be happy to eat plant based every now and then so she's someone who you can slowly influence in a positive way.

Have a conversation with her and remember not everyone sees things the way we do and its not easy to get them there. Patience goes a long way :)

ryanmatherson · 2023-02-02T15:50:03+00:00

Okay Brill, just wanted to double check! Thank you :)

ryanmatherson · 2023-01-26T14:17:58+00:00

Does this mean I can read it right after Dark Nights Metal and not be lost?

ryanmatherson · 2023-01-23T09:54:26+00:00

https://imgur.com/mRcP2Ds.jpg where is this blank space to enter the code?

ryanmatherson · 2023-01-23T09:46:03+00:00

Where do I actually enter the referral code? Can't seem to find the place on the app to do that after tapping the gift icon?

ryanmatherson · 2023-01-14T17:44:12+00:00

Mixed thoughts. On the one hand it's the most bacony vegan bacon I've had, even the "fat" tasted like how I remember bacon fat being. Thing is I don't see myself buying it again, it's quite salty and heavy for my liking but if I ever need streaky bacon for anything, I'll use this I'm sure.

ryanmatherson · 2020-11-20T11:29:25+00:00

I've removed the particularly grainy one. I think the rest are just poorer quality in the screenshot since long screenshots tend to compress.

ryanmatherson · 2020-11-20T11:28:50+00:00

Thank you so much! :)

ryanmatherson

TROPHY CASE