The influx of Liverpool businesses opening a branch in Manchester started as a trickle and is now a definite rumble - and that can only be a good thing. Both cities are chock full of talented independent operators and reenforce the idea that the North can hold its own when it comes to great food and drink.
Graffiti Spirits Group have successfully brought two of their brands to Cross Street; Salt Dog Slims and Bold Street Coffee which has just announced it is to open a second site on University Green. Middle-Eastern restaurant Maray is teaming up with Bruntwood to open a site on Brazennose Street and, after a successful two year residency at Escape to Freight Island, Mexican taqueria Madre is opening a restaurant and bar at Kampus neighbourhood.
Happily, it works the other way too. Albert’s Schloss is planning to open a Liverpool site soon. El Gato Negro and Rudy’s Pizza both have successful restaurants in the city and the Manchester-born New World Trading Company have opened a number of different brands in Liverpool.
The latest Liverpool-born business to announce it will be opening in Manchester is Yum Cha, owned by brothers Adam and Neil Wan. The popular and well-established dim sum kitchen based on Liverpool’s Lark Lane serves delicious authentic Chinese small plates, roasted meats and Chinese tea. Yum Cha will be opening at Kampus in the spring, and this will be their first expansion outside of their hometown.
“People can expect honest, authentic Chinese food, packed with flavour and made for sharing with friends and family,” promises Adam Wan, Yum Cha Co-founder. “More than ever, people are craving spending quality time with loved ones. Yum Cha is the tradition, passed down over centuries, of gathering to swap stories over tea and food. We’re bringing a piece of that ancient culture, to a laid back but stylish space in the heart of Manchester.
“We’ve always had big dreams to expand Yum Cha and bring our delicious, home-cooked Dim Sum to new communities and Kampus couldn’t be more perfect. We’ll be among a family of foodies in one of the most amazing places in the city."
Yum Cha at Kampus will be open seven days a week. The interior has been described as industrial chic with polished concrete, softened with lanterns, wood carvings from China and neon lighting. The menu will feature steamed, pan-fried and deep-fried small plates served in bamboo steamers. Diners can also enjoy Chinese roasted meats and flavour-packed large plates including curries and noodles, with a comprehensive selection of vegan alternatives to popular Asian dishes.
Yum Cha the latest in a long line of new and expanding independents joining the community, including recently announced Madre, Cloudwater Brewery, Beeswing, Great North Pies and Pollen Bakery as neighbours following Nell’s New York pizzeria and bar which was the first venue to open there back in November 2021.
Adam Brady at HBD, the developers behind Kampus says, “Not only is Kampus shaping up to be one of the best collections of indie operators in Manchester, but it’s a really eclectic offering that’ll keep people visiting time and time again. Yum Cha are exactly what we’re all about – delicious food, an effortlessly stylish venue and spaces custom built for people coming together as a community. We’re chuffed to be adding another business, born in the North West, to the neighbourhood.”
The Kampus collection of old and new buildings offers a melting pot of architectural styles and builds on a rich cultural heritage, making use of historic buildings that lay derelict for years, right next to the famous Canal Street in Manchester’s Gay Village and just minutes from Piccadilly Station.
The Kampus gardens and Bungalow are the central feature of the community and are permanently open to the public, with the Bungalow operating as a village hall for pop-up events and community groups. The neighbourhood is alive with events and will be home to local independent bars, restaurants, cafés and retail from brands.
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Also read: MADRE TO OPEN A MEXICAL TAQUERIA AT KAMPUS THIS SUMMER
