ONCE Deansgate seemed to be all about the Spanish conquest. On and around you could mount an impressive tapas crawl across half a dozen venues. Those places haven’t gone away but these days the higher profile is with quality coffee.
Caffeine-fuelling stars already in situ include Pot Kettle Black, Federal and Grindsmith (Bridge Street). Now they are joined by an impressive newcomer at 111 Deansgate, Over Under, and it’s not just about smelling the coffee. Evening cocktails are as much a part of the offering.
The coffee/cocktail template was developed at their two London outlets in Earls Court and West Brompton and they’ll be importing their beans from the same award-winning idie roasters in Brixton – Assembly Coffee. Over Under coffee is sustainably sourced from Columbia via the Red Associations programme which guarantees a stable and fair price for single producer farmers there.
Brunch, as you’d expect, will be a big deal, offering American-style pancakes, smashed avocado, chorizo hash and rueben toasties. Suppliers include Brades Farm Dairy in Lancaster, Brownie Owl for cakes in Stockport and Williams of Flint butchers in Flint.
Come evening the cocktails kick in. Using clever design techniques which involve flipping table tops and changing wall setups, they create a night vibe.
The cocktail menu has been devised by J. Riviera from Brooklyn Gin and runs to coffee-inspired cocktails such as the Coffee Choco Negroni and Irish B*stard. The evening small plates selection complements the drinks on offer. Expect burrata with sourdough and green pesto and crab sliders.
The young entrepreneur behind Over Under Ed Barry told us: ‘‘In Manchester we see a unique opportunity to create something original and exciting. We’re appealing to coffee lovers, cocktail fans and people who want a relaxed place to chill with friends or colleagues in the day or evening.
“We have a whole host of artists signed up to play over the summer as part of our ‘Live Sessions’, and we look forward to welcoming those from the local area and further afield to check them out.”
Over Under, 111 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BQ. Mon-Tue 7am-4.30pm; Wed-Sun 7am-4.30pm, 5.30pm-11.30pm.