A small independent bakery in Manchester has been hit with its first one-star review – from a customer who hasn’t actually eaten there.
Factory Bake, which is a collaboration between Factory Coffee (home of Molly-Mae’s favourite coffee) and Wild Child Cakes, has taken the negative feedback very well though.
They wrote: “We’ve officially made it guys! Our first 1 star review!”
The lovely bakery on King Street West makes everything on site from scratch, with highlights (though they change often) including mini roast chicken focaccia bites and whiskey salted caramel brownies.
But the customer who has hit them with a one-star review was impressed by none of this – and also ate none of it.
They slammed Factory Bake for ‘never having anything decent available’ and said on their three visits there has only been two or three types of pastry behind the counter.
The reviewer also said that the bakes looked ‘as dry as the desert sand’ and said it could be renamed as ‘Pointless Baker’.
But in a post on Instagram Factory Bake has clarified that the reason they ‘never have anything available’ is because they are consistently selling out, which is the ‘best thing ever’.
Factory Bake in Manchester has responded to its first one-star reviewThe reviewer slammed Factory Bake for ‘never having anything decent available’ Credit: The Manc Group
They also wrote: “We do hope in the future for other amazing businesses you visit, you at least try their goods before reviewing.”
One person commented: “The fact I had the exact opposite problem in that there was TOO much to choose from?! How on Earth can I just buy one thing when it all looks so delicious.”
Someone else wrote: “Sounds like someone isn’t getting up early enough…”
And another said: “Yes! One less customer to fight for the goodies.”
Factory Bake shared on Instagram this week: “We’ve officially made it guys! Our first 1 star review!
“And to the customer in question all we can say is unfortunately we can’t apologise for selling out cause as a new little bakery this is the best thing ever!
“Though we do hope in the future for other amazing businesses you visit, you at least try their goods before reviewing. Cause our baker has a deep hatred for anything dry, which is why she usually slices up everything even when it’s still hot.”
The one-star review said: “They could also rename it as pointless baker.
“I went there three times, and they never had anything decent available. Just 2-3 types of pastries that looked as dry as desert sand. Caffé Nero’s pastries look more inviting than theirs…and also has a better choice.
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.
Daisy Jackson -
22nd February 2024 
