Cafes in Manchester

Since CR is no longer going to be CN in Manchester (except when he and Real Madrid come over for a Northern England weekend), we thought it would be a good idea to look at what's going to happen to the city's cafe culture - for while CR was not a big cake man, he is widely reported to have been seen enjoying a skimmed latte of a Saturday morning perambulation.

New arrivals in the United football squad include MO, who will almost certainly fancy a trip, cultured man as he is (having been in Newcastle) to the Cornerhouse cafe. Not that the vending machine at Old Trafford isn't a good bet too, but he won't be able to check out the latest contemporary visual arts and film in the changing rooms, and nor should he have to.

I've become increasingly veg-leaning of late. But when the offer of coffee and a spot of lunch at the Buddhist founded Earth Café arose, the decision to snub the office coffee machine and that five pack of chocolate éclairs came relatively easy.

Earth Café lies on Turner St. north Manchester, arguably a somewhat unexpected location for this humble vegan retreat. As expressed on their website , their exclusively vegan menu is regarded as 'an expression of the fundamental Buddhist principle of not harming living beings,' and so you can imagine that the food is prepared on site, with great care and thought - and the atmosphere is suitably chilled. Where Earth Cafe really succeeds is in it's ability to appeal to the average Joe like me, the kind of guy who would easily choose an e-number calculated to the nth degree before eating an apple. The menu offers meat-free sausage rolls and pasties, noodles and satay, and a veritable slew of modestly priced desserts that are wicked enough to tempt Karmas payment right through the cat-flap.

Did the Almighty have a hand in this? Not trying to convert anyone, but in terms of serious quality vegetarian fare, you could do a lot worse than worship at this culinary altar. Nearly a thousand organic products are on offer, and as you sit sipping your dandelion coffee you'll feel the macrobiotically controlled atmosphere infiltrate your system. You'll leave feeling healthy and full, a rare combination in the North West.

Fresh cooked food is what we're all after, and this sandwicherie-cum-cafeteria has it in spades. Heavyweight succulent quiches, full-bodied salads bursting with crispness, this is the place for Didsbury-bound perambulators of the empty-belly variety. Fantastic cream teas - and you can take the scones and jam home with you if you're late for feeding the cat.

This is the kind of place you want to hole up for a few days and write your novel. And if it's a novel that's been taking a while to come out, don't worry, you'll have just as fruitful a time watching the world go by and loving the atmosphere. Chain cafés like Starbucks and co. may know how to make easy reliable coffee for people who have left their imagination at home, but when you visit the Art of Tea, you'll remember what going to cafes is all about. Nice drink, nice people, and a seat you'll want to make your own.

Visitors to Manchester nowadays rarely conceive of a visit to the Museum. It's one of the chief signs of our times. We're not interested in history, we'd rather see Ronaldo, or the pub where Frank Gallagher drinks, or the set of Coronation Street. But if by some chance you fancy getting to grips with Manchester's fascinating industrial past, or delving even further back to the discovery of the Lindow Bog Man, then make sure you plan enough time to have a Danish lunch in the café here. A perfect accompaniment to a Mancunian cultural day out.

Full of tacky tat and dodgy wallpaper. But the upside is that while you're wishing you'd chosen your colour scheme more carefully before heading out for a bohemian shopping spree in Oldham (note to self: next time make sure to wear polka-dot false eyelashes and chevron tights), you can thank your stars that you could never be quite so confused in your tastes as the owners of this days of happy 1950s yore eatery, and that they reliably provide good cheap food and a colourful clientele for you to ogle. Oh, and champion vege nosh to boot.

We Love Local features reviews by customers who have used services or visited businesses in Manchester and throughout the UK. So if you're looking for great places to eat then check out their Manchester Cafe Reviews.