The original Church Street branch of this fast food-style joint has become known for its inventive, elevated grilled cheese sandwiches. Now they have brought the action to Piccadilly, accompanied by the same cool, toe-tapping Northern Soul and Motown soundtrack.
It’s a comfortable enough space, with enough room to eat in if you don’t want to take away and a good spot for people watching along Station Approach, but the focus really lies on the food. The base of all Northern Soul’s toasties is their three-cheese blend, consisting of sharp cheddar, melty mozzarella and rich gruyère. They’re then piled up with a choice of fillings, from creamy mac and cheese to spiced Mancunian pork sausage.
All the sandwiches are accompanied by a freshly made Asian-style slaw to cut through the fattiness, or there’s a range of mac and cheese pots served with toasted garlic and rosemary sourdough.
There’s no booze, but a range of homemade shakes – think Oreo and chocolate or espresso and amaretto, all made with plenty of cream. Nostalgic sparkling options include root beer or dandelion and burdock. It’s a simple menu, but one done exceptionally well.