Freight Island

Food hall meets music festival is how we’d describe Escape to Freight Island to anyone confused about what they’ll find at this regenerated rail depot beyond Piccadilly Station.

A team that includes key players from Festival No.6, Albert Hall, and Refuge, have taken a desolate industrial space and transformed it into something quite wonderful: a place that brings together exciting food with top DJs with family events with cultural ’happenings’ with cocktail and craft beer shenanigans.

Below is a list of the vendors you can currently find at Freight Island.

Freight Island Bar

As you might have guessed from the name, this is Freight Island’s house bar. Here you can enjoy experimental nitro-infused cocktails, as well as classics and modern twists on all your favourites. There’s a good selection of wine and beer available, too.

Burgerism

Grade A chuck beef is used in every smash burger served, and turkey bacon replaces pork at this halal-friendly joint. Try a popular ‘Beefed’ burger featuring all the usual suspects – lettuce, tomato, pickle and onion with a homemade special Burgerism sauce. Or go for fried chicken with spicy oil, “comeback” sauce and freshly made coleslaw.

Smoking Coal

Specialising in beef brisket, lamb shoulder and pork belly that’s been slow-smoked for 18 hours, Smoking Coal is a carnivore’s dream. It’s served up in flatbreads and buns, or used to top their poutine. Open Thursday-Sunday.

Voodoo Ray’s 

Voodoo Ray’s at Escape to Freight Island is the first opening outside the capital for these sell-‘em-by-the-slice pizza pushers. Order two slices of their giant 22” pizza pies and it’s the equivalent of a full 11-inch pie.

The Tap Room

You’ll find The Tap Room tucked away underneath the Jane Eyre bar. It’s cosy and welcoming and they have a decent selection of rotational craft beers and ciders on tap.

Payals

Exclusive to Freight Island, Payals are experts in eye-catching Indian cuisine. Expect lots of flavour and an aesthetically pleasing plate of food that’s almost too good to eat. Open Thursday-Sunday.

The Jane Eyre Cocktail Bar

As well as wow-ing Ancoats and Chorlton with their beautifully balanced cocktails, Jane Eyre (no, not that one) has a dedicated cocktail bar in Freight Island. Sit back and let the drinks come to you with relaxed table service.

Mega Gyros

Is there anything better than a warm pita filled with char grill chicken and fresh salad? Yes, when you throw tzatziki-covered chips into the mix. Expect Mediterranean starters and sides as well as the main event. Open Thursday-Sunday.

Forever Changes

Specialising in vino and small plates, this low-intervention bistro has over 100 bottled wines to choose from. Pair your favourite with artisan cheese and cured meats or enjoy free oysters when you buy a glass of wine on a Thursday (from 4pm).

Lazy Tony’s Lasagnaria

At Manchester’s first dedicated ‘Lasagnaria’, you can buy deep fried five-layer slabs of the stuff. There’s also loaded fries, garlic bread, stuffed subs and huge mozzarella sticks. Open Thursday-Sunday.

Patel’s Pies

Patel’s fuses Indian and British cuisine with their homemade curry pies. Try their desi chicken – a creamy, mildly spiced chicken pie, or their paneer and chickpea – chana masala curry, paneer and spinach.

Camden Town Brewery

This northern outpost of Camden Town Brewery has a £4-a-pint happy hour that’s worth the trip in its own right. Their always-fresh, never pasteurised lager and ales are sold on tap, plus there’s one-off limited edition beers available too.

Fuku

Popular across Manchester, Fuku’s Asian Fusion cuisine is inspired by family recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation, Think traditional dishes in a street food format.

Mia’s Arepas

Mia’s Arepas brings this traditional Venezuelan side and street food to Manchester. An arepa is a gluten-free corn flour flatbread filled with chicken, tuna, plantain, avocado, cheese – whatever you like in fact.

Kopparberg Bar

The popular Swedish cider brand has its own spot in the Plant Room at Freight Island. Go during their happy hour (4pm-7pm Thursdays and Fridays) and treat yourself to £6 cocktails, £4 pints, £2.50 shots and £20 bottles of house wine.

Koko Sushi

The expert chefs will create beautifully-presented, flavoursome sushi designed to transport your tastebuds to Japan. Traditional dishes like Sando, Yakitori and Nigiri are just some of your options.

Oh My Cheesecake

What’s better than a slice of cheesecake? Cheesecake on a stick. Choose from flavours including Biscoff and Kinder Bueno. They also make waffles and milkshakes.

The Sports Bar

One for the gamers, The Sports Bar has over 20 arcade machines including all-time-faves Guitar Hero and Dance Nation. You can also watch screenings of all major tournaments like the Premier League, Six Nations, Eurovision and Wimbledon.