Mackie Mayor is the perfect spot to eat in when you just can’t decide what kind of cuisine you fancy, and you want a little of everything (or when you’re with a huge group of friends and you can’t settle on a particular restaurant).
Smithfield’s Grade II-listed Victorian market in Manchester’s Northern Quarter was overhauled by the people behind Altrincham’s Market House – and the result is impressive. Holding almost 500 people, the beautiful structure has been carefully restored to open up the ground and upper floors, with a glass ceiling allowing natural light to pour across communal bench seating. Enter the building, choose your seat in the vast food hall, and then set off exploring the many street-food options dotted around the venue.
Mackie Mayor’s independently owned vendors change regularly, but there have been some recurring favourites throughout the year that keep customers coming back again and again. Pico’s Tacos, for instance, offers a colourful range of tacos and frozen margaritas that are a fun sharer option (there are breakfast tacos too!). Honest Crust Sourdough serves up classic sourdough pizzas with a range of toppings, and New Wave Ramen a gorgeous selection of ramen and noodles, and some fun sides like Japanese fried chicken with Yuzu mayo. Speaking of fried chicken, Mumma’s Fried Chicken serves it up in practically every way you could imagine. If you’re not meat-inclined, there’s also a great range of vegetarian and vegan options across most stalls. In short, you’ve got a lot of options at Mackie Mayor – hopefully you’re not the type to be paralysed by choice!
Once you’ve ordered, your food will be brought to you as and when it’s ready, and you can feel free to keep ordering as you go along. The power is all in your hands.
The beauty of Mackie Mayor is that you don’t have to settle on one type of food. Just take a seat with your loved ones, order a selection of plates from different vendors, and munch away to your heart’s content.