The humble butty gets the cheffy treatment

Adam Reid – whose eponymous restaurant ‘at The French’ in Manchester’s Midland Hotel is probably the grandest restaurant in the city – will throw a light on humbler tastes with his latest project, The Butty Shop, which opens next Friday, 26 August, in the smart New Century Hall food court.

The Butty Shop will celebrate the northern flavours Adam remembers from childhood visits to bakeries, including sides such as pickled eggs and potato salad.

It is one of six independent kitchens which will operate in a 10,000 sq ft food court accommodating 300 people at New Century House and Hall, a Grade II listed Modernist tower block in north Manchester, restored at a cost of ÂŁ10 million after being empty for 10 years. Completed in 1962 as the headquarters of the Co-operative Insurance Company, it incorporated a concert hall which hosted stars of the era including the Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix.

The other five kitchens are: Banh Vi, vegetarian Vietnamese and Thai food from Altrincham Market House; BaoBros23, father-and-son team Iain and Daniel Woodhead’s nostalgic take on Asian-inspired food; Zumuku Sushi from Wilmslow; Tallow ‘native beef’ steakhouse; and Northern Quarter favourites Ply, who use biodynamic flour to create ‘wild’ pizza.

Diners will be able to dance off the calories after eating if they head upstairs to the Hall, with its famous sprung dance floor and a newly designed ceiling.

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