Mackie Mayor

The Grade II listed Mackie Mayor used to be one of Manchester‘s most beautiful but neglected buildings. But a few years back this grand space reopened after a huge refurbishment and is now one of the key fixtures in the ever-growing Northern Quarter food and drink scene.

An ornate, voluminous, early-Victorian, Grade II-listed, purpose-built meat market

Previously owned by Manchester City Council, in the last few decades this ornate, voluminous, early-Victorian, Grade II-listed, purpose-built meat market (opened by Mayor Mackie in 1858 as part of Europe’s biggest fresh produce market) has variously acted as a training centre for unemployed youngsters, a shopmobility centre and even a skateboard park. At one point there were plans to turn it into a £12m archives centre, but this idea fell through, leading to it falling into disrepair, rife with pigeons and mold.

And so it lay empty for years. Vacant but never forgotten,  with constant chatter about when and if it would be brought back to former glories. Thankfully, the team behind Altrincham Market swept in to deliver a total facelift, turning it into a glass-roofed marketplace, packed with the city’s finest food and drink merchants, with room enough for hundreds of diners and drinkers.

Those with half an eye on Manchester’s history will be delighted at the rebirth of this symbol of the city’s illustrious past. And for those who couldn’t care less about architecture and simply fancy a bite to eat, the range of vendors on offer will be a big enough draw to return again and again. Expect freshly made Lamb Tantanmen ramen, in deliciously creamy broth from Taiko Ramen, high-end coffee from Eagle St. Coffee, crispy fried chicken in honey sauce from Mamma’s Fried Chicken and a whole host of others.

Either sit inside the huge dining hall or head outside to the canopy. Long benches stretched out from one side to the other, safely under the protection of a glass roof. The perfect little beer garden for any kind of weather.

On this showing, it’s clear that Mackie Mayor won’t be leaving again anytime soon.