A raft of exciting new independent traders have been added to Deliveroo’s platform this month – and we’re pleased to see that some of our absolute favourites have made the list.
From Sopranos-themed hoagie slingers Bada Bing to modern Chinese takeaway heroes Salt and Pepper, there are some ace new additions to liven up your next lazy takeaway night.
Whether you’re after old school cakes loaded with custard or a proper pie delivering to your door, we’ve broken down our favourite new indie additions below to save you from endlessly (and hungrily) scrolling through.
Keep reading for some new takeaway inspiration.
Salt & Pepper – Manchester
Run by brother and sister Cash and Chloe Yung, Salt & Pepper has become one of the most popular takeaways in Manchester over the past few years. From chicken strips and wings to shredded beef, king prawns and tofu, everything here gets the Cantonese salt and pepper treatment. Order yours with salt and pepper chips, jasmine rice or mini flatbreads.
Image: Bada Bing
Bada Bing – Manchester
These two-fisted Sopranos-inspired hoagies are already legendary in Manchester, despite the fact that founders Meg and Sam have been running the business for less than a year. Stuffed to the brim with meats, cheeses, homemade pickles and sauces, no one can accuse them of being stingy with the fillings here. There’s also regularly changing specials, with an option for vegans and veggies always on the menu.
Yara – Chorlton
Lebanese restaurant Yara took over the former Cask & Kiln site in Chorlton in July last year. Since then, they’ve proven very popular with locals for their delicious marinated meat dishes, with the homemade hummus also getting a special shout out. Already well established in Altrincham, Cheadle and Stockport, the restaurant’s made a great addition to Chorlton.
Seoul Chikin in Moston is a little dark kitchen pushing out punchy flavours / Image: Edible Bible
Seoul Chikin – Moston
Inspired by the vibrant flavours of Seoul street food, Moston’s Seoul Chikin mixes punchy Korean sauces with juicy triple-breaded chicken fillets – all cooked freshly to order. With a mix of K wings and K burgers on offer, in classic Korean style kimchi can be found in spades stuffed into a number of Seoul Chikin’s burgers to add that extra spicy, fermented tang to proceedings.
Oriental City – Manchester
Serving a mix of cuisines ranging from Cantonese to Sichuan and Chinese, the menu here at Oriental City is pretty vast spanning curry, seafood, noodles and more. Chef’s specials include deep-fried duck, chicken and prawn dishes as well as Hong Kong-style char sui and crispy shredded meats in Cantonese sauce.
With a huge selection of waffles, pancakes, milk cakes, cookie dough and more, if you want a good-looking dessert then the Little Dessert Shop in Cheetham Hill is absolutely the spot. Absolutely indulgence is guaranteed, no matter what you’re after they’ve probably got it. From sundaes to cheesecake, brownies, bakes, patisserie and school favourites like cornflake tarts and retro sprinkles, we’re obsessed.
NaNa’s Cafe & Grill – Sale
From sharing platters to fry ups, wraps, wings and burgers, NaNa’s in Sale can carry you through from morning til night with their all-day menu. Flame-grilled chicken features heavily here, with the option to order different portion sizes with drinks and sides packaged in. There’s also some tasty-looking smash burgers on the menu.
The buttermilk chicken, bacon and somerset brie pie here is perfect for the season / Image: The Merlin
The Merlin – Alderley Edge
Swanky Alderley Edge venue The Merlin is another new indie addition to Deliveroo this month, offering a mixture of small plates, rotisserie and classics, alongside pizzas, burgers and desserts, Bringing its full restaurant experience to you at home, tuck into the likes of deep-fried brie; king prawn, crab and chorizo linguine; and buttermilk chicken, bacon and somerset brie pie for the ultimate treat night in.
Havana Burgers & Shakes – Oldham
Image: MDog Manchester
Dogs n Dough
American as it comes, Dogs n Dough offers exactly what it says on the tin. If you want loaded hot dogs and pizzas, you cannot go wrong here. A longstanding favourite in the city, choices include the likes of their ‘Hawaiin’ and ‘Chilli Cheese’ dogs alongside classic pizzas, burgers and a huge dirty fries selection that essentially loads all those toppings onto a big fat portion of chips. Cheeky.
Oldham’s burger and shakes joint is a great go-to for a quick scran, dishing up flame-grilled chicken burgers and wings, wraps and more. There are some great family deals here on buckets too, with prices starting from just £14.
Bollywood Spice – Ashton
For lovers of a good Indian takeaway, Bollywood Spice is one to put on your list. Here you’ll find Balti dishes from northern Pakistan, Indian tandoori and special shashlik kebabs served alongside a selection of popular British-style curries. There’s also a full donner section for those who just can’t get enough.
Feature image – Salt & Pepper
News
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025
Emily Sergeant
Rochdale has officially been named Greater Manchester’s Town of Culture for 2025.
Taking over the reins from Bolton – which held the title in 2024 – and following in the footsteps of Stockport before that, which held the title in 2023, and even hosted a massive ‘Town of Culture Weekender’ festival with 50+ free events to celebrate and bring its title year to a close, it’s now the turn of the north-eastern Greater Manchester borough of Rochdale.
Rochdale’s year will build on the town’s already-rich cultural history and international reputation as the home of the co-operative movement.
More than 35 arts organisations will be bringing together an ambitious programme of festivals, exhibitions, events, and performances throughout the year.
Unfamiliar with what the ‘Greater Manchester Town of Culture’ title is all about? It’s an accolade that’s handed out every year to different boroughs across the region.
Bury was the inaugural title-holder 2020 and held onto it in 2021 too due to the COVID pandemic, before being followed by Stalybridge in 2022, Stockport in 2023, and of course, Bolton in the year just gone.
The title celebrates Greater Manchester’s culture and heritage.
As well as getting a new title to shout about, it also sees the towns given a grant from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) culture fund to help develop a programme of cultural events and activities throughout the year.
Rochdale has been named Greater Manchester’s ‘Town of Culture’ for 2025 / Credit: The Manc Group | Rochdale Council
In Rochdale’s case, you can expect the ‘very best local talent’, as this year is promising to put ‘people power’ centre stage, with residents helping to plan, develop, and deliver a lineup of creative activities, alongside a number of major events.
This includes the popular free days out for families, an exciting new urban arts festival, two different food and drink festivals, a lantern parade, the Ignite Fire Festival, a Pride parade, and so much more.
You can also expect live music performances, a new people’s gallery, and even some major international collaborations that are yet to be announced.
Rochdale is taking over the reins from Bolton, which held the title in 2024 / Credit: Rochdale Council
“Rochdale is a place with a rich cultural history, so it is great to name it Greater Manchester’s town of culture as it’s town hall and town centre enter a new era,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham as the borough was crowned this week.
“Rochdale submitted a fantastic bid for this which, was incredibly exciting and ambitious, while being firmly rooted in its local talent and deep history.
“We are definitely going to see the very best of what Rochdale has to offer over the next 12 months and people will come from far and wide to see it.”
Featured Image – Rochdale Council
News
The Lowry Theatre undergoes revamp following Biffa Award grant
Danny Jones
The Lowry in Salford Quays has had a bit of TLC with one of its biggest theatre spaces undergoing a pretty significant refurb this past month.
Following a well-deserved grant distributed via the Biffa Award, a multi-million-pound fund that helps to build communities and transform lives through community and environmental projects across the UK, the legendary local theatre received nearly £75k last year.
As a result, all 440 seats and various other aspects of The Lowry‘s Quays Theatre have now been renovated and refurbished.
The short story is, she looks more gorgeous than ever – see for yourself:
Being initially handed over in March 2024, The Lowry was awarded a total of £74,816 to reupholster seating in the venue’s Quays Theatre with new padding and fabric.
After almost 25 years of constant use as one of the most popular theatres in the North, the seats in the Quays Theatre were much in need of a refurb, and with work completed in December, Lowry visitors can now enjoy watching the venue’s wide range of theatre, dance, comedy and drama in comfort.
The work was actually carried out between July and December, with seats being carefully removed in batches and reupholstered off-site.
This was made possible due to the Biffa Award’s most recent ‘Cultural Facilities’ theme, which aims to improve recreation, interest and education, drawing funds from the UK government’s wider Landfill Communities Fund.
The old fabric and padding were disposed of sustainably, with lots of it being repurposed where possible to minimise waste and all the new materials used meet current guidance for safety and quality.
The Lowry’s Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Development, Gwen Oakden, said of the long overdue update:“It is so important that our audiences are able to enjoy our world-class performing arts programme in a comfortable and welcoming space.
“For many visitors to the Quays Theatre, this is their first experience of live performance – often to see a family show or as part of a school trip. We really want it to be the best experience possible, and for them to begin a lifelong relationship with Lowry.
“As a registered charity, without the generous support of this Biffa Award, for which we’re hugely grateful, we couldn’t have carried out this important work for our audiences.
As we head into our 25th Anniversary year, we are delighted to be able to welcome audiences and visitors can enjoy the beautiful and revived Quays Theatre.”
As for the Biffa side of things, Grants Manager Rachel Maidment added: “We are delighted to have supported The Lowry in refurbishing the Quays Theatre seating, ensuring audiences can continue to enjoy performances in comfort.
“Through Biffa’s Cultural Facilities theme, we fund projects that provide engaging and inspiring spaces for communities. The Lowry is a key cultural venue, and we’re proud that our funding, made possible through the government Fund, has helped enhance the experience for visitors for years to come.”
Like most Mancs, we love The Lowry, so here’s to hosting countless more theatregoers in the most comfortable seats possible for generations to come.
We’ve been to some brilliant performances around here of late.
Georgina Pellant -
22nd September 2021 
