Greater Manchester has dominated the North West category in the list of finalists for this year’s British Takeaway Awards.
We’ve arguably relied on takeaway services more than ever over this past year, and now thousands of takeaways from right across the country have been narrowed down to just five independent businesses in each of the 12 regional categories.
And when it comes to the North West category, three food businesses in the borough of Stockport have been named as fan-favourites following a public vote.
Takeaways in Liverpool and Warrington have also been shortlisted.
Who’s made the cut then?
Sitting proudly on the list of finalists at the 2021 edition of “the Oscars of the takeaway world” – which aims to celebrate Britain’s best local takeaways and the people behind them – is Gatley- based restaurant The Spinn, which is headed up by Emmerdale Star Adam Thomas, and is loved by the region’s foodies thanks to its extensive menu of burgers, wraps, small plates and brunch offering.
You may remember that the restaurant hit headlines late last year when it poked fun the government with a three-tier ‘Boris Burger’ and paid to have it advertised on local billboards.
Stockport takeaways have dominated the list of North West finalists / Credit: The Spinn | LAPD Food
Also listed as a North West finalist is LAPD Food – a delivery-only joint that sells burgers, pizzas and fried chicken, and delivers it to hungry residents across Stockport in a head turning American-style police car.
Rounding out the top three Stockport takeaways in the North West section of the finals is the Bun & Bones Club in Hazel Grove, which specialises in everything from burgers and wings, to loaded fries, a wide range of sides, and even the stand-out foodie favourite ‘Mancake’ – which is two beef patties, American cheese, smoked streaky bacon and maple syrup on top of two fluffy American pancakes.
Bun & Bones Club in Hazel Grove has also made the list of finalists / Credit: Bun & Bones Club
Speaking on the shortlist of finalists for this year’s British Takeaway Awards, Andrew Kenny – Managing Director of Just Eat – said: “We’re thrilled to be back with the British Takeaway Awards for the sixth year running.
“Each year we’re amazed by the standard of entries and this year is no different, with a huge range of restaurants up for the awards, from family run takeaways to small chains.
“Celebrating the fantastic takeaways across the UK is particularly important this year after many turned to their local restaurants for a lift throughout the lockdowns [so] the UK has been voting in force to give back to their local takeaway heroes and we can’t wait to honour the winners at the awards ceremony in September.”
___
The British Takeaway Awards 2021 will take place in September, with a £1,000 prize for each regional winner, and a whopping £5,000 for the business crowned the ‘Best Takeaway in Britain’.
Lively Irish pub Nancy Spains set to open in Manchester for the first time
Daisy Jackson
An Irish bar famed for its live music is heading up to Manchester for the first time, and is promising £2.50 pints to lure us in.
Nancy Spains will be venturing out of London for the first time promising to bring the ‘ultimate traditional Irish pub experience’ to the Northern Quarter.
If you were to ask what the hottest trend in hospitality is right now the answer would, apparently, be Guinness. We’re drowning in the stuff.
This latest opening is more about Murphy’s, another Irish stout, than Guinness (they actually won’t serve Guinness at all) but the craic will be much the same.
Nancy Spains is actually set to open almost directly opposite the aforementioned Salmon of Knowledge, taking over the former Corner Boy unit on Stevenson Square in the heart of Manchester.
To celebrate its opening, the pub will be serving its first 5000 pints of Murphy’s for just £2.50, so that it can show off the atmosphere that’s established it as ‘one of London’s favourite pubs’.
They’re promising an array of Irish whiskeys behind the bar, live music performances, and a lively late-night setting.
Nancy Spains was set up by three brothers who travelled all over their home county of rural Kerry researching Irish pubs, before launching two venues down in London.
They want it to balance a traditional pub with the vibrancy of the city.
Peter O’Halloran, co-founder of Nancy Spains commented, “We’re so excited to be launching in Manchester, bringing Nancy Spains to the heart of the Northern Quarter.
“After the success of our two venues in London, it was only right to bring Nancy Spains’ infectious spirit and Irish pride to Manchester. Slainte!”
Nancy Spains will open its first Manchester pub on Saturday 15 March at 21 Hilton Street.
Lucky Mama’s – The Italian restaurant serving pasta in a dough bowl and ‘pregnant’ pizzas
Daisy Jackson
Lucky Mama’s is a local sensation, thanks to its slightly whacky but delicious Italian creations like pasta served in a bowl made of pizza dough and its latest offering, a ‘pregnant’ pizza.
What on Earth is a pregnant pizza, you ask? Firstly we should stress this is a nickname we’ve bestowed upon the dish, rather than Lucky Mama’s chosen branding.
But essentially it’s a helping of fresh pasta that’s folded into the bubble crust of the pizza, like a half-calzone.
Lucky Mama’s started life when founders Mamadou Dhiam and Gaby Santos set up a trailer in their backyard in Eccles in the depths of lockdown.
But thanks to a formidably loyal following that’s spread the word of Lucky Mama’s far and wide, it now has two pretty pink restaurants in Greater Manchester.
Back in 2022, they threw open the doors to their Chorlton restaurant, before returning back to home turf for spot number two in Monton in 2024.
The recipes are fresh and pretty authentically Italian up until the last step, when they throw a curveball by loading their pasta into unconventional vessels.
‘Pregnant’ pizzas at Lucky Mama’sTraditional Roman pizzasLucky Mama’s pink restaurant in Chorlton
Their pasta pizza bowls are what they’re best known for and they fly out of the kitchen – this is where pizza dough is placed around a metal bowl before being baked in an oven.
Then it’s piled high with freshly made pasta, with popular flavours like cacio e pepe, mushroom alfredo, and rasta pasta.
Pasta is available in a regular ceramic bowl too.
You’ll find Lucky Mama’s at 565 Barlow Moor Road in Chorlton; and 217 Monton Road in Eccles.
Emily Sergeant -
28th May 2021 
