Wolf at the Door is a late-night party bar that is easily one of the most affordable restaurants in Manchester.  They’re located in the middle of the Northern Quarter, which makes them easily accessible wherever you’re coming from.

Impressively, they have a short, straightforward menu that doesn’t disappoint our team! From tacos and fries to bao buns, there’s something for everyone here. 

Furthermore, we love that there are vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free alternatives available, and food is provided until late at night. This makes Wolf at the Door perfect for any post-night-out drinks.

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It’s also worth mentioning that they offer a creative cocktail menu, as well as over 150 whiskeys, specialty brews, and natural wines.

In addition, they have created unique twists on classics for the cocktail menu, such as a JD and Coke with handmade tamarind cola and a Clover Club riff with cardamom-infused gin and rose water.

So, if you’re thinking of getting pre-game drinks, you can also consider their mixes.

Prices start at £2 for a meal for two, and fillings include Berliner Currywurst, Scampi & Fries, and Jerk Chicken. Affordable, right?

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As for the premises, we think Wolf at the Door has pretty notable amenities. It has two floors, the ground floor bar offers 15 beer taps, including the city’s only permanent Omnipollo queue, and can be rented for private events.

The only downside is their long wait times. Most of the customers we spoke with mentioned that it takes a long time for them to get served because of how popular this place can be.

So, if you can come in early to avoid peak hours or call ahead to book a spot, Wolf at the Door is the best place to get cheap eats without compromising the quality of the food you’re getting.

Northern Soul is a small but cosy restaurant, they pride themselves as the UK’s first grilled cheese restaurant since they were established in 2014. Currently, this restaurant has two branches, but for this review, we’re focusing on its branch on Tib Street.

For us, the best thing about Northern Soul is their specialty — anything cheesy! Upon checking their menu, we love that their offerings are pretty straightforward and stay true to their brand.

As for their prices, Northern Soul’s cheapest grilled cheese sandwich costs £8.50, which is relatively cheap given how substantial their portions are.

On the other hand, the most expensive items on their menu run for £13.95, which is a massive sandwich that can serve two to three people.

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Another thing that customers would be happy to know is that they have vegetarian options on their menu as well. Also, you can customise your sandwiches to avoid any meat. 

We think it’s great that they have this because vegetarian options tend to be in the more expensive range, and it’s quite unexpected from a grilled cheese restaurant.

The only downside we found was that Northern Soul’s delivery items lacked quality.

From our surveys, most customers claimed that their food is not as good when it’s delivered as opposed to when they dine in at the restaurant.

We think this might be due to the time that it takes for the food to arrive. However, this can be an issue for busy individuals who don’t want to visit the venue.

Nonetheless, we still think they’re a great choice for cheap meals around the area and will surely not disappoint.

Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza is located in Ancoats, Manchester, which was originally known as Little Italy in the late 1800s.

What we love about this pizzeria is that they keep their ingredients fresh and simple. Also, customers can choose from an array of toppings guaranteed to be of great quality.

Their wine list has been thoughtfully chosen by Reserve Wines. We recommend the Cantine Sampietrana Brindisi which has a strong and punchy red that stands up to the tomato and chilli-based pizzas.

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A small selection of beers is available for around £4.50, with local favourites like Runaway and Blackjack leading the way. On the other hand, we found their dessert menu a bit limited.

There are a few selections of Dolce available, including their choc brownie, tiramisu, affogato, and three flavours of gelato. Despite the limited range—no matter how full you are of pizza, the choc brownie and affogato are a must-order.

All of these, coupled with excellent customer service, make for a great dining experience without breaking the bank.

Consequently, there are a lot of people who flock to this establishment because of their quality food at cheaper prices. This can make it difficult to get a slot for groups, especially during weekends and holidays.

Given these points, they are still a must-try if you’re looking for cheap Italian eats around Manchester.

Fig + Sparrow is an independent specialty coffee shop at Oldham St. that serves Climpson and Sons Estate blends.

They are a single-origin brew bar brewing coffees through V60, Chemex, and Aeropress. They also serve guest coffees from Climpsons, Girls Who Grind, and other roasters.

These aspects have made a great first impression on us because of the quality of the coffee that they use.

As for their food, the menu includes freshly cooked-to-order sandwiches that are served on Trove Bakery artisan bread and salads. They also offer substantial, fresh soup created in-house. 

In addition, they also serve delicious cakes and brownies that pair well with their coffee.

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For those on a plant-based diet, you’ll be happy to know that there are also vegan and vegetarian options.

Another thing that we love about them is that they have an app where you can order in advance, and it will be ready when you arrive at their location.

However, this can also be a challenge because, even if you’re at their location, you still need to use the app to order and pay when you get to the till.

This can be a hit or miss because we know that some customers prefer to order and pay upfront as they arrive.

Furthermore, based on our surveys, there are some claims of slow and incompetent service from their staff. This said, we think this is another downside to them and might ruin the whole dining experience with them.

We recommend going through their app before visiting their location to avoid any hassles when getting your orders.

Overall, they’re a great choice to get your daily dose of caffeine or if you’re looking for a cafe nook to spend your lazy afternoons without breaking the bank.

Habesha is a no-frills eatery that bills itself as Manchester’s only Ethiopian restaurant. Surprisingly, their entrance is hidden amongst nightclubs and bars and disguised as an Istanbul kebab shop, making this Ethiopian joint almost invisible from street level.

For those who are new to Ethiopian food, the cuisine focuses on injera. This sourdough flatbread is fermented for days to give it a robust and lemon-ey flavour.

The air-filled bread is a large shared plate serving various stews and vegetables. Extra injera is served on the side for diners to scoop up fillings with their fingers.

For vegetarians, you’ll be glad to know that their Yetsom Beyaynetu is primarily a dish of vegetables, with chunks of spinach, stewed cabbage, red lentils, and yellow split peas arranged neatly on the flatbread.

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According to our surveys, Habesha is highly praised for their dining experience. We love that their group-sharing setting creates a sense of community with their customers.

Customers should know that it’s normal for their dishes to be eaten with their hands. Although, we think this might be off-putting for those who are used to using cutlery.

However, for the most part, this is still part of the African and Ethiopian dining culture. They’re worth the try if you’re looking for something different yet affordable.