The Oast House has already started getting into the Christmas spirit with the return of its famous winter tipi.
Arguably one of the most festive parts of the city centre each year and billed as a “winter escape in the heart of Spinningfields”, the Curious Tipi never fails to be a massive hit – with thousands of Mancunians and visitors to the city taking refuge from the cold and descending upon venue to enjoy a steaming mug of mulled wine and some good hearty grub next to an open fireplace.
And this year will be no exception.
After the much-loved event sadly had to be closed for a big chunk of the festive season last year, “Manchester’s original and most loved” tipi is back, and there’s plenty of exciting things lined up.
Manchester’s original and most loved tipi is back at The Oast House / Credit: Instagram (@theoasthousemcr)
In case you didn’t already know, The Oast House is currently celebrating its 10th birthday, and has been throwing a series of special parties to celebrate this big milestone.
The venue is throwing 10 parties with the aim of raising £10,000 each for 10 worthy local charities.
The next party on the list is ‘Oastoberfest’ – the pub’s take on Oktoberfest, with Back Chat Brass, lots of bratwurst, and endless tankards of its signature lager, Budvar – which is happening this Friday 15 October, and then the week after that on 21 October, there’ll be a special ‘Hanging Kebabs Showcase’ the week.
To round off this month’s busy events schedule, there’ll be a party celebrating both old and new Oast House staff members on 29 October.
The Curious Tipi never fails to be a massive hit, with thousands of people descending upon the venue each year / Credit: Instagram (@theoasthousemcr)
Speaking on the events taking place over the next couple of weeks, The Oast House’s Matt Lewty said: “We’re super excited to bring back Manchester’s original – and most loved – Tipi [and] I’m looking forward to seeing old faces from days gone by for The Oast House staff celebration on October 29th.
“If you’ve ever done a shift behind the bar, hung a kebab, greeted guests, played the stage or ran around the floor helping customers, we’d love to see you.”
Throughout the winter, there will also be a number of Christmassy events taking place – including the iconic cinema nights, wreath making classes, and more.
The Curious Tipi will also be available to hire out for functions and staff Christmas throughout the festive period.
You can find more information about Christmas 2021 at The Oast House here.
Featured Image – The Oast House
Food & Drink
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 -
12th October 2021 
