Over thirty years old, as the name suggests this hidden Manchester taverna really comes to life at night
Manchester’s Princess Street is a veritable treasure trove of underrated and overlooked restaurants, not least hidden Greek taverna Bouzouki By Night.
It might appear no more than a takeaway stand from the street, but venture underground and you’ll discover a huge Meditteranean restaurant complete with checkered tablecloths, colourful fairy lights and expansive landscapes of the Aegean Sea.
When we visit, owner Photis Nasaris is perched on a chair outside smoking a cigarette, an ashtray and half-empty coffee cup balanced on what, we assume, is his car bonnet.
We’ve come for some traditional Greek wraps, in search of a quick and cheap lunchtime fix. Little did we know we’d find a huge restaurant underneath to transport us to sunnier climes.
A fixture here for over thirty years, during the day students and office workers flock to Bouzouki’s Little Greek shopfront for warm spinach and filo pastries, sweet baklava, affordable souvlaki and gyros.
Stuffed with your choice of pork, chicken, halloumi, kofta or falafel, plus chips, salad, hummus, tzatziki and chilli sauce, they’re quite the lunchtime steal at £5.30 a pop – and filling too.
But come nightfall it’s a different story altogether, as the name not so subtly suggests. Locals in the know head down every Friday and Saturday for a taste of Bouzouki’s signature spanakopites, dolmathes (stuffed meat vine leaves) and mousaka, and a spot of post-dinner dancing.
On Fridays and Saturdays Bouzouki also serves a special Greek meze banquet packed with hot pitta, greek salad, houmous, tzatziki, halloumi, chicken skewers, kofta, rice, spanakopita, stifado and more.
Meat dishes can also be replaced for vegetarian options like garlic mushroom, chickpea stew, veg moussaka and stuffed tomato feta, so there is something on offer for everyone.
Bouzouki also carries a wide selection of dry, fruity Greek wines, perfect for getting you in the party mood.
Once diners are done with their meal, the fun really starts. Everyone is invited to get up and join the “big fat Greek good time” on the restaurant’s makeshift dancefloor, with plenty of singing and silliness carrying on late into the night.
Read more: This Manchester bar is doing a Spanish bottomless brunch with paella and endless sangria
Whether you simply fancy a good knees-up, or are hankering after some tasty Greek classics, Bouzouki is worth a look-in. To find out more and book a table, visit the restaurant’s website here.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Hyssop, the Michelin-recommended Glossop pub loved by local foodies, has been forced to close its doors following a devastating fire that destroyed its entire top floor.
The fire was started by a tumble drier on Wednesday night and has completely decimated the restaurant, leading owners to describe the ordeal as ‘quite easily the worst day of our lives’.
Whilst no one was harmed and the staff all managed to escape unscathed, its owners were understandably heartbroken as they took to Instagram to explain that they would be closed for the forseaable future.
Sharing the news of the devastating fire on Hyssop’s social media channels, owners wrote: “We can’t figure out a way to start this post as it’s not something we ever thought we’d have to write.
“Yesterday was quite easily the worst day of our lives. Our whole top floor of the restaurant went up in flames and we’ve lost the lot.
“Thankfully Paul and all of the staff managed to escape unharmed. No lives were lost and that is the most important thing.
“We are trying our best to contact all of our bookings and we are obviously trying to figure out the next stages.
” Please bare with us, we are still trying to process what’s happened and along with trying to keep our business afloat financially, it’s going to be a long road ahead.
“Thank you for all of your kind messages. We have to get through this. Lots of love x”
Owners have now launched a Crowdfunder to help get them trading again, and thanks to the generosity of the pub’s foodie fans it’s already raised £5,000 at the time of writing.
The appeal reads: “We are trying to raise some funds to enable us to make part of our space functionable in order to trade in some way, shape or form, in order to keep things ticking.
“We are so grateful for everybody’s kind words and offerings, we are completely overwhelmed. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
Read more: Inside Bouzouki By Night, Manchester’s hidden underground Greek taverna
If you would like to support Hyssop and donate to its Crowdfunder you can do so here.
Feature image – High Peak TV Youtube
Fatboy Slim has announced a huge tour for 2023, that will see the superstar DJ kick things off in Newcastle before heading to Manchester for not one but two special headline shows.
As part of the 11-date UK tour, the DJ will play a number of shows across the country, heading to Manchester for two nights on 10 and 11 March 2023.
Taking over Manchester 02 Victoria Warehouse in Trafford, the ‘Y’all Are The Music, We’re Just The DJs’ tour will see Norman Cook take to the decks with a host of floor-filling house music favourites.
Speaking in a statement about the run of new tour dates, Norman Cook said: “Coming out of COVID I have played many different types of shows from arenas to the Gas Tower at Glastonbury and i just find the closer I am to the audience the more I love it… this is what this tour brings.”
The announcement arrives on the heels of Fatboy Slim’s latest album Right Here, Right Then.
A celebration of the 20th anniversary of the infamous Big Beach Boutique event, the album is available in multiple formats and features multiple recordings of the original set, a brand new DJ mix, DVD of the original concert, 48 page 12” book with photos and foreword by Fatboy Slim and more.
20 years after those historic, era-defining gatherings, Fatboy Slim continues to push the envelope and remain one of the most in demand DJ’s and purveyor of quality beats in the world.
The DJ will play a number of shows in Manchester, London, Brighton, Birmingham, Cardiff and Bournemouth as part of the 2023 tour, with tickets available on 23 September via Fatboyslim.net If March 2023 is too long to wait, Fatboy Slim’s All Back To Minehead will kick off its inaugural event at Butlin’s Minehead across the weekend of 18-21 November.
Read more: The best gigs, club nights and event tickets in Manchester this September
With three days of love, dancing and laughter and unusual amounts of fun, there will be DJ sets from Groove Armada, Everything, Idris Elba, Horse Meat Disco, The 2 Bears Rave, Jodie Harsh and Norman himself.
UK Headline Tour Dates – March 2023 2nd March – Newcastle O2 City Hall 3rd March – Birmingham O2 Academy 4th March – Birmingham O2 Academy 9th March – Edinburgh O2 Academy 10th March – Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse 11th March – Manchester O2 Victoria Warehouse 15th March – Brighton Centre 17th March – London O2 Academy Brixton 18th March – London O2 Academy Brixton 24th March – Cardiff Motorpoint Arena 25th March – Bournemouth International Centre
Feature image – Fatboy Slim
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