Following their major reopening earlier this year, Contact, Oxford Road’s iconic contemporary theatre and arts venue, is launching their new bar and kitchen in partnership with Manchester’s biggest street food venue, GRUB.
Based at Red Ban, in Manchester’s Green Quarter, GRUB has built a reputation for being the place to go in Manchester to support a wide range of independent street food vendors. They are also responsible for the UK’s first vegan street food event as well as monthly gluten-free nights, cocktail master classes and more.
GRUB hosts an amazing industrial events space incorporating an independent cinema and a cosy hidden garden. The focus of their events is always providing an inclusive, festival-style atmosphere supported by exceptional food and drink supplied by truly independent producers and chefs. In addition to this, GRUB is committed to assisting and mentoring street food traders to support the grass-roots food & drinks community in Manchester.
Grub’s director Jason Bailey said, “We are delighted to partner up with Contact on this new venture. We have worked closely with the team at Contact to create a bespoke and sustainable, locally sourced food and beverage offering which we are excited to open to the public”
Being in the top 1% of sustainable public buildings in the UK, environmentally friendly produce and systems are very important in everything Contact does. This partnership with GRUB will continue to show both companies’ commitment to environmentally friendly operations.
The Contact Theatre Manchester was established in 1972 but reinvented itself in 1999 as a multi-disciplinary creative space providing opportunities for young people aged 13 to 30. Today, Contact is recognised as a game-changer in the field of youth leadership and creativity, placing young people’s decision-making at the heart of everything from deciding the artistic programme, making staff appointments and acting as full Board members.
Simon Stephens, Head of Commercial & Visitor Experience, Contact said, “We’re incredibly excited to be working with GRUB on the new Contact Bar & Kitchen. This is the final piece in the puzzle following our major refurbishment and, with their inclusive ethic, championing of local independent produce and commitment to sustainability, GRUB are the perfect fit for Contact”
The new kitchen opened in December 2022 with an all-day menu curated by street food specialist Michael Anderson from Tikka Chance on Me whose dishes are both fiercely Northern and globally-inspired.
Anderson’s evening menu includes a range of Indian-inspired burgers and small plates such as sticky tamarind wings, while a lunchtime menu features cold wraps, toasted sandwiches, loaded fries and more. The bar will offer a wide selection of beers from independent breweries such as Green Quarter’s Runaway Brewery, Manchester Union, Fierce Beer, and a unique range of cocktails created by GRUB’s in-house mixologists.
Contact Bar & Kitchen at The Contact Theatre, Oxford Road, Manchester, M15 6JA
Opening hours will be 10am to 8pm each day.
Further details of events and the venue can be found at www.contactmcr.com
Keep up to date with all of the latest from the Bar and Kitchen at @contactbarkitchen on Facebook and Instagram and @contactbarkitch on Twitter.