Northern Soul Manchester Piccadilly

“Banging out killer eats and rare soul beats” seems to have done the trick as, where once there was one lone outpost in the Church Street “market”, now there’s a string of Northern Soul get-ups, each as cheesy as the last – and that, in spatula-brandishing world, is a compliment.

These guys are the first name in cheese on toast. Not any old cheese on toast, mind; Northern Soul cheese on toast – or grilled cheese sandwich, natch – is up there at the same dizzying melted heights as the French croque monsieur or the Alpine fondue (technically not cheese on toast, but toast in cheese). And it’s all about a secret recipe (isn’t it always?), a three-cheese blend that is slathered onto sourdough and served with a sliced pickled gherkin and house slaw to create “The Soul”, which then gets all kinds of extras thrown at it to become “The Classic”(with caramelised onion chutney), “The Boon” (hot peppers and hot sauce), “The Ham & Swiss” (guess) and so on. On the menu there’s also mac’n’cheese three ways and loaded fries that knock the socks of your sexy chips, plus chicken tenders and chilli poppers, and all manner of specials such as the Sunday Roast on Toast.

Knock it all back with a can of Brooklyn lager or draft IPA, or go soft with a root beer or Oreo milkshake, then top it off with a slice of proper New York-inspired baked cheesecake. It’s Sheldon’s, apparently (obviously not Leonard’s; he’s lactose intolerant).

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