I have an admission to make – and if you follow me on manic socials, you’ll mutter “No shit Sherlock” – I like eating out. It has to be gluten free as I’m a common grey coeliac.
I’m lucky too, following marital separation in December, that I left the city of Norwich for somewhere larger, more exciting and diverse – Manchester. It’s a place surrounded by national parks, with a brilliant road and rail network, a superb city centre and natives, as well, of course, cultural diversity with 220 languages spoken here.
That cosmopolitan nature carries over to its leisure, retail and hospitality scenes but as a simple working class 58 year old from Doncaster, fish and chips (gluten free as I’m coeliac) still excites me. Why? Because they made me ill until diagnosis at 38 and are still relatively difficult to find.
Manchester has two.
- Chips @ Number 8 in Prestwich
- Northern Fisheries on Tib Street, in the Northern Quarter
I am going to post too about cuisines other than fish and chips as I eat out most days, now single, with Imran, Mark, Steve, Rachel, Charlie and others.
But fish and chips is the title of this post so let’s begin.
Chips @ Number 8
This sits on Clifton Lane, Prestwich with its side famously adorned with a Mark E Smith mural. It’s off Bury New Road, I think, with the Prestwich Metrolink stop opposite, just a short walk away. Dan Edwards is the friendly owner.
All gluten free are cooked separately, with generous portions, superb quality. The gluten free vinegar is sprayed on by the lovely staff and it’s dog friendly – meaning you and your mutt can eat in.
Open from 4.30 pm too with gluten free always available.
Northern Fisheries
Tib Street, Eamon and Destinia own it. Lovely couple and ambience. Again cooked separately and I’ve never been glutened here or at Chips @ No 8.
Open 5 or 6 days a week from lunch (dinner if you’re working class) to evening (for tea or dinner, again depending on your class!)
Can eat in too and the vinegar on all tables is gluten free – a nice touch.
Firmly sitting on the fence, I love both.
I live and work from home on the edge of Ancoats, in the Apple Building, Miles Platting so can walk down Oldham Road waving at the staff who know me in Pho No 1 and Ernest in Headmaster Guru. I cross the junction at the Crown and Kettle (I sometimes wish I did drink as that pub looks sick) and head down Tib Street, where Northern Fisheries is on the right.
Prestwich is a drive or tram ride away from Shudehill to Prestwich with a short walk through to the soon to be demolished precinct to Clifton Lane. However, I often combine a trip out there to Heaton Park with an off peak day Metrolink ticket (Zones 1 to 3 I recall) and kill two birds with one stone – dog walk and gluten free haddock, chips and mushy peas.
For now, Dan and Eamon are the best two I’ve found close to the city centre.
Regardless of dietary requirements too, we should all support these and other cafés and restaurants as running costs (gas, electricity, rents, price of supplies) are driving many to the edge. No one bats an eyelid at a round of drinks costing £20 so a meal for two for £20 is a no brainer!
In my next blog, I’m looking at Pakistani food as me and my mate Imran Younus meet up every Thursday without fail for food in Chorlton, Didsbury, Longsight, Levenshulme and Rusholme, with many wonderful gluten free meals experienced there.
