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10 of the Best Fast Food Joints in Manchester
Busy bees (aka us Mancunians) still need to eat, because, well, we still get hungry. However, the struggle to find time for chopping up ingredients and cooking is real.
Sitting down in a posh or casual restaurant isn’t a workable option either, since the waiting time isn’t worth the bother if you’ll be late for something else! So, we’re left with one thing: fast food joints in jolly old Manchester!
To save you more time, we put our daily potter around town to good use and surveyed which restaurants in the area are best for quick bites. Read on!
Northern Soul Grilled Cheese Tib St
Media from Northern Soul Manchester
Address: Unit G20-21, 44 Tib St, Northern Quarter
Contact details: 0793 967 8258
Operating Hours:
- Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday – 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Some say that the grilled cheese sandwich was invented here in jolly old England, but I think most will agree that the ‘toastie’ really became popular in the US. Nonetheless, you can always get your daily dose of grilled, cheesy, toasty goodness at Northern Soul.
Customers are greeted with an American South-looking establishment, lively music, with the aroma and sizzle of sandwiches and deep-fried goodies from Northern Soul’s kitchen.
So while you’re here, grab the “Soul,” the house speciality made with sourdough and a top-secret blend of three choice cheeses. For the more adventurous, the brilliant, cult-favourite mozzarella sticks with spicy Korean sauce might pique your interest.
| Pro tip: Whether you’re nursing a hangover the next day or really simply a long-time fan of toasties, eating at Northern Soul will surely be satisfying. Just don’t forget that it closes quite early in the evening! |
Archie’s – 115 Oxford Road
Media from ARCHIE’S
Address: 115 Oxford Rd
Contact details: 0161 464 3654
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 8:00 AM to 2:00 AM
- Friday – 8:00 AM to 3:00 AM
- Saturday – 9:00 AM to 3:00 AM
- Sunday – 9:00 AM to 2:00 AM
Pricing: £
Let’s clear up things as early as now—there are two Archie’s branches along Oxford Road. However, only one of these is a sit-down restaurant, as the other actually only does takeaway.
As we assume you’re still not as sleep-deprived as the usual Oxford Road student, we hope you don’t get lost looking for the correct Archie’s! (Of course, there’s nothing wrong if you fancy just picking up your food on the till.)
Now for the grub—although Archie’s is a burger joint, its most popular menu offering are the waffles. They’re all sweet—yes, but with the three flavours available (Oreo, Maltesers, and Kinder-based), they’re worth the repeat visits.
| Pro tip: Archie’s 115 Oxford Road branch’s great location and fan base are good reasons to consider timing any visit properly. There’s even a queue sometimes! |
Bundobust Manchester Piccadilly
Media from Bundobust
Address: 61 Piccadilly
Contact details: 0161 359 6757
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 12:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: £
We’re pretty sure that it isn’t your first time hearing the name “Bundobust” in any Mancunian foodie’s list of top-tier restaurants.
The fusion street food joint is technically an Indian version of a tapas restaurant—and we’re not complaining! It’s always serving up tasty, great-for-sharing dishes, fast.
To fully enjoy Bundobust, follow the ordering instructions on the menu. First, get a snack (rice puffs or the restaurant’s version of trail mix, all with a pint). Next, once you’ve got your fill, follow through with a ‘combo’ meal (this is where the ‘small plates’ part comes in).
Last, don’t forget the most important detail—any meal here is best savoured with a friend, or two!
| Pro tip: Are you one of those people who are very wary of okra? Do not, and I mean, DO NOT skip the okra fries! You’ll thank us later. |
Almost Famous NQ
Media from Almost Famous
Address: 49-51 Edge St, Northern Quarter
Contact details: 0161 244 9422
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 12:00 PM to 9:30 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pricing: £
We still do not know why this burger shop is called “almost,” because it is actually famous! It closed its doors for a few months last year (2024), but we’re very grateful for its new lease of life after being acquired by a new company in early 2025.
Why? It’s because Almost Famous is one of our team’s go-to spots in the Northern Quarter for American-style burgers.
Although we’re not too keen on the Manchester exclusive Unabomber burger—given the controversial name and that event which shook our city decades ago—it’s one of the joint’s best offerings. Worth a try, especially if you love the (strong) kick of jalapeños.
| Pro tip: If you’re not in the mood for a burger, there’s always the fried chicken to fall back to. Grab crispy wings or boneless tenders as a satisfying alternative. |
Barburrito – Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Media from Barburrito
Address: 1 Piccadilly Gardens
Contact details: 0161 28 6479
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Pricing: £
Piccadilly Gardens is a Manchester City icon that’s chock-full of culinary delights. One of these is Barburrito, which whips up tasty Mexican delights.
It’s easy to know what it offers, given the straightforward name. With four types of burritos available (the ‘loaded’ one is our ultimate favourite), you’ll be leaving the shop with a full tum!
Another great thing about Barburrito is that it doesn’t skimp on providing customers with burrito toppings—something we can always get behind. Don’t forget to end your meal on a sweet note with some crispy hot churros.
| Pro tip: Like eating at Barburrito a lot? Download its official app to get discounts and join in its rewards program! |
So Famous
Media from @timaneats
Address: Unit D, Aldow Enterprise Park, Blackett St
Contact details: 0161 647 8000
Operating hours: Daily – 11:45 AM to 4:00 AM
Pricing: £
If you’re looking for a total takeaway experience, So Famous might just be right up your alley. This burger shop is in a unique location—in the middle of a small business park, and has a likewise unique operation that only allows for takeaway orders.
In short, prepare to eat So Famous’ grub in your car. Otherwise, enjoy it in the comfort of your own home via delivery.
So what’s our top pick for the food? We recommend having the Lord of the Rings smash burger—partly because of the literary reference, but mostly because of its tasty and masterful layering of beef patties, bread, and onion rings.
| Pro tip: The food at So Famous is certainly halal, so our friends with religious food restrictions are 100% free to enjoy the great bites here! |
Bird of Prey (BoP)
Media from BoP – Bird of Prey
Address: 49A Charles St
Contact details: 0161 523 8825
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Thursday and Friday – 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Saturday – 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM
Pricing: ££
Bird of Prey, a.k.a. BoP, is a chicken shop with a very intriguing (read: ironic) name.
Aren’t chickens the last thing you’ll think of when describing hunting birds? Yet, the shop somehow describes itself correctly—once tasted, one would definitely ‘hunt’ for its chickens again and again!
Most of its menu consists of burgers, but since our fast food list is already brimming with those, we’ll suggest that you take a fancy to the fried bird itself.
BoP’s platter of fried chicken wings is available coated with any of its signature sauces, or plain with two dips—proper banging for lunch or dinner!
| Pro tip: BoP’s ‘flightless birds’ menu is a quirky and light alternative to its meat-based plates. Get a halloumi or plant-based burger if you’re looking for a light meal or are on a veg diet. |
0161 Flamin’ Grill
Media from @0161flamingrill
Address: 88 Portland St
Contact details: 0161 459 8497
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 2:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Pricing: £
0161 Flamin Grill is primarily a burger joint, with halal offerings. Although it’s fairly new, having opened its doors to business just last year (2024), 0161 is already becoming a trailblazer for quick, fiery bites.
The menu here is vast, with options heavily featuring American, Mexican, and Indian flavours. There are burgers, rice meals, and wraps—great for anyone looking to mix up their carb options.
However, we think the current star of the menu is the lamb chops. If you order a plate, you’ll get four pieces of freshly grilled chops paired with chips, rice, or a half serving of both.
| Pro tip: Since every order is made fresh, have a bit more patience for the good food. |
Mr Fries – Cheetham Hill
Media from MR FRIES
Address: 53 Great Ducie St, Cheetham Hill
Contact details: 0161 222 4747
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Friday – 3:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Saturday – 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
Pricing: £
Mr Fries, albeit the name, of course, has non-fry (chip) items in its menu—but the entire experience of dining here wouldn’t feel right if you don’t get any fries, innit?
So, when heading out to this restaurant, definitely consider getting the lasagne fries, which is a novel version of overloaded fries with lots of meat, cheese, and tomato sauce. A meatier option (still with lots of fries) is the doner, which is just as banging.
Too bad Mr Fries closes at midnight, so it’s not really a feasible option for some after-pub-crawl bites, but we guess we’ll just enjoy the guilty goodness of its fries the next day.
| Pro tip: Be sure to bring some cash (or have your bank account topped up and ready for a transfer), as you can’t use a credit card to pay for your Mr Fries order when dining in. |
Listo Burrito Manchester
Media from Listo Burrito Manchester
Address: St James’s Bldg, 91-93 Oxford St
Contact details: 07354 911244
Operating hours:
- Monday – 11:30 AM to 7:30 PM
- Tuesday to Saturday – 11:30 AM to 8:30 PM
- Sunday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Listo Burrito has come a long way from its roots way back in 2013. From being known as ‘Changos’ then, it successfully reinvented itself and earned lots of new fans of its hearty burritos and nachos.
Eating here is a great experience, firstly because of the pleasant design and ambiance of the place—simple yet feeling very much alive with its orange and teal colours together with the luchador (Mexican wrestler) mural.
For the star product, the burritos here are available in the typical tortilla-wrapped variant and in a burrito bowl version (which the shop calls a ‘solo’). Plus points, too, for the six types of burrito fillings to choose from.
| Pro tip: Listo Burrito only accepts card payments. Unfortunately, cash isn’t king here. |
