Neighbourhood bar Nordie has been a great addition to Levenshulme’s burgeoning food and drink scene since it opened in March 2019. It joined the likes of popular bakery Trove and craft beer bar Station Hop to cement the south Manchester suburb’s reputation as a hive of thriving independents.
The small keg bar took on a corner site which used to be a former tyre repairs shop only a short walk from Levenshulme train station. Nordie has done a roaring trade in rotating craft beer, natural and organic wine, and a small list of unique cocktails like their ‘Nordie Collins’ with home-made fruit and herb shrub. During the day it has been offering coffee and homemade bakes.
Nordie is the first venture from Oddie McClintock, former manager of The Pilcrow pub at Noma and his partner Megan Hyland. The stripped back concrete and natural wood interior has room for up to 60 covers with further outdoor seating to the rear.
Since the launch they’ve been taking the time to get to know the locals. “Somewhere along the way we realised we needed more space to grow,” says Oddie, “so we expanded into an unused part of the building and added a bigger kitchen and additional seating.”
Since they expanded the kitchen Nordie has been able to offer a full breakfast and brunch menu for walk-in customers, Friday-Sunday 10am-3pm (they don’t take bookings.) They also began a small evening menu of wine friendly small plates.
Now Nordie has drafted in acclaimed chef, Chorley-born Heath Linn who has worked in highly esteemed restaurants such as Roots in York, The Black Swan in Oldstead, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Great Milton and Saint Crispin in Melbourne.
Heath’s new dishes, best enjoyed when shared with friends or family, are carefully thought out and ever evolving to showcase the best available seasonal ingredients.
Some of Nordie’s most recent dishes include chicken, black garlic puree, hen of the woods, salsify and hispi cabbage; Jerusalem artichoke, onion puree, shimeji; Salt-baked beetroot, linseed, soured cream, dill, horseradish; and Vadouvan spiced lentils with heritage carrot and brown butter curd.
Nordie uses Littlewoods Butchers for all their meats, The Crafty Cheeseman for cheese, dairy and antipasti, and Half Dozen Other for their bread and pastries.
“We’ve been looking forward to welcoming diners in the evening for a long time, so it’s exciting to finally share what we’ve been working on,” says Oddie.
"We've always tried to make good hearty food - delicious and moreish, but nothing too complicated. It's a lot easier to accomplish this when you're working with good ingredients so we're pleased to be able to work with some really great local suppliers."
Nordie’s new evening menu service is available Thursday-Saturday 5-9pm.Nordie, 1044 Stockport Rd, Manchester, M19 3WX
Instagram & Twitter: @nordiemcr or follow Nordie on Facebook
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