Burgers, Booze & A Spider-Man Glow-Up: A Manchester Pride Food Diary

🐔💸 The Chicken Was Half, But the Tragedy Was Whole.

You ever find yourself in that moment where you feel like you've absolutely nailed the plan?

I did.

I’d been raving to Garrick about Tartuffe at Side Street – specifically their ½ Rotisserie Chicken with 2 sides & 1 sauce for £16 lunch deal. The menu read like the more refined, flavour-packed cousin of a certain cheeky high-street favourite. I’d done my research (this time), even cross-referenced the PDF menu like I was prepping for trial. Convinced Garrick to come along with that classic line: “Trust me.”

We show up.
We sit down.
We open the menu.

Now, you know the story — Chicken Little thought the sky was falling.
Well, this little chicken looked up… and saw the prices rising.

£21.

Staring at the hard copy like it just slapped my mother.
Got the waiter’s attention, politely, and they confirmed what I already feared – the website hadn’t been updated yet. “New menu.” Honest answer, fair enough. But Garrick and I shared one look — the kind that says, “We’re not mad, we’re just disappointed.”

We got up and left.
(I have since checked. Website’s now aligned. No false advertising claims were issued. I remain free to walk the streets unbothered.)

🍔😉 Sometimes You Just Need a Good Smash

With National Burger Day approaching (21st August – mark it down like your nan’s birthday), it only made sense to pivot. Enter: Meatworks – home to a £10 Smashburger & Fries lunch deal (12pm–5pm daily) that’s been flooding my socials like they’re paying rent in my algorithm.

We made our way over to Circle Square, a space that feels like Manchester’s answer to a Pinterest board. The interior felt like a modern, medically-clean café. The kind of place where you half expect someone to offer you a vitamin drip with your fries. Sleek, spotless, and seriously well-lit, it gave the burger the presentation it deserved. You could actually see what you were eating (a rare treat in most dimly lit spots), and the staff were faultless — warm, welcoming, and clearly proud of the place.
(Just look at this post – I mean, come on.)

Sat down. Ate. Loved it.

The burger was everything I wanted Tartuffe’s chicken to be: reliable, satisfying, well-dressed. A pickle-infused dipping sauce showed up like an uninvited guest that everyone ended up loving. And for a tenner? It’s a yes from me.
Crisis: resolved. Appetite: appeased. Confidence in Manchester’s lunch scene: restored.

🍕🥂Pizza, Professionals & Pride (Not in That Order)

Fast-forward to Wednesday evening, the start of Manchester Pride weekend.
Eleanor & I were heading to a Pride Social hosted by Manchester Young Professionals & Myerson Solicitors at Nell’s Pizza (Kampus). The setting? Casual. Crowd? Lovely. The ratio of lawyers to pizza? Surprisingly balanced.

Now, Nell’s usually offer a £7.77 14” pizza deal (12pm–4pm weekdays) — but this wasn’t that kind of event.
Evening slot. Complimentary pizza and drinks with the ticket. We were here for vibes, not discounts.

Rich (MYP – met him playing padel, naturally) and Joe (Myersons – crossed paths through my other job) were hosting and instantly got us involved. First the booze. Then the people.

In full transparency, I barely tasted the pizza. Not because it was bad, but because by the time I got to it, it had been left out long enough to qualify for residency. I’d been too busy doing the rounds, like I was running for office, and by the time I circled back, the pizza was more room-temp than rave-worthy. I am a pizza person. I wanted to be wowed. But I let it go cold on me.
That one’s on me.
Social score: 9.
Pizza score: Unfair to judge after prolonged neglect.

🕷️🎨Afternoon Tea, Face Paint & Web-Slinging

To close out a colourful, carb-filled week, I headed back into town for a Manchester Pride Afternoon Tea at Peter Street Kitchen with Emma, hosted by the lovely folks at Manchester Law Society (shoutout Carla for the flawless planning).

The energy in Manchester on Saturday? Electric. Flags, music, joy – Pride in full, unapologetic swing. I walked into Peter Street and was immediately greeted by the friendliest faces & the sight of a face painter who was doing absolute artistry. I joined the queue. Then got distracted. Rejoined. Distracted again. Eventually, I made it to the front.

As Nathalie (long-time friend, first time meeting) was getting her face done, I joked about asking for Spider-Man. When it was my turn, I dramatically requested to be painted like one of her French girls. She looked me dead in the eye and said, “Oh no – I heard you earlier. You’re getting Spider-Man.”

Reader, I was reborn.
What I received was drag-inspired Spider glam – bold, intricate, fabulous. I could’ve swung from building to building with that look.
Felt proud. Felt powered. Is this what swingers feel like?

After some heroic selfies and parade-watching from a perfect vantage point, we headed in for Afternoon Tea. The Organic lemon-roasted corn-fed chicken with truffle mayo stole the show, followed by an elite Quiche Lorraine and an above-average Sausage Roll. I declined the tea (standard) but couldn’t fault the setting, the service, or the experience. Peter Street continues to deliver. Solid.

Final Thoughts

This week was a tale of mispriced chicken, budget burgers, mingled-over pizza, and drag-spun superheroes.
Sometimes food doesn’t go to plan. Sometimes websites forget to update.
But with the right people and a bit of flexibility, you always end up where you’re meant to be — preferably with a good drink, a great deal, and a Spider-Man face paint you never knew you needed.

Spotted a food deal? Got an event tip?
I’m always looking for my next story. Hit me up — or better yet, explore FindDining.co.uk and find your next one.