LOTS of places have been labelled the bread basket of the world – the Ukraine, Canada, California. Now step forward Ancoats. Not that there’ll be fields of billowing wheat about New Islington Marina any time soon. No, it’s just that this cool quarter will soon be home to arguably the two best bakers in town.
Levenshulme cafe and bakery Trove has revealed plans to open a second site there after its success along Stockport Road (pictured below). And it’s a race to see whether it will be in situ ahead of Pollen Bakery, which is making the short switch from alongside Piccadilly Station in search of larger premises.
Trove’s new outlet will be in Manchester Life’s Sawmill Court residential development, a light-filled cafe space. Perhaps it will help them further pursue their recently launched small plates evening menu with natural wines and local beers with ample space, too, to bake their loaves and pastries for the daytime cafe and to take away.
Could this be the start of Sourdough Wars this summer with relocated Pollen only a four minute walk away in the Cotton Field Wharf development?
Trove plan to open from 8am to 7pm, continuing the Levy casual food template that won them Best Coffee Shop in the 2017 Manchester Food and Drink Awards. They will join a growing food and drink scene in Ancoats, including the established Rudy's Pizza, Seven Bro7hers and Elnecot and on the way Sugo Pasta Kitchen, Hip Hop Chip Ship Cask beer bar and neighbourhood bar Jane Eyre.