Places To Eat In Manchester: Federal Cafe & Bar

This morning I want to bring you the first of two ‘Places To Eat In’ reviews from Manchester where I spent a couple of days at a conference a few weeks ago. After a meat-fuelled evening at Red’s True Barbecue (a wonderful meal with fantastic service, sadly my pictures did not come out as well as I would have hoped) the next morning we walked into the Northern Quarter to find breakfast somewhere that came greatly recommended by readers, Instagram followers and other bloggers: Federal Bar and Cafe, a small little Aussie inspired all-day spot tucked away just past one of the city’s main shopping streets.
Brunch at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Brunch Menu at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Coffee at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Condiments at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Monday Mornings at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Poached Eggs, Bacon, Avocado, Tomato Relish & Sourdough at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps

After settling down with steaming cups of coffee (look how pretty that cappuccino was, makes me wish for a moment I actually liked the taste of coffee!) and peppermint tea we ordered a little bit of what each of us fancied. Something we noticed our whole time in Manchester was that everyone who served us in cafes, shops, bars and restaurants was so friendly, such a change coming from London, and genuine (here is looking at you otherwise faultless customer service in Los Angeles!) To that end, when I was trying to add a load of add ons to my eggs and toast (so I could still have avocado and bacon, but keep hold of the tempting tomato relish that came with just eggs), up at the counter where we ordered the girl just suggested I get the bacon avocado toast – and they’d send some of the relish out for me on the side! My breakfast was just what I was after; delicious and filling (that relish is worth getting hold of), my poached eggs with the most perfect, gloriously orange yolks, everything full of flavour setting me up for a busy day.
Toasted Bagel with Crunchy Peanut Butter at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps

Looking for something a bit lighter and simpler first thing in the morning (I do like a good breakfast spot where one of you can go big even when the other person is not really feeling it) my breakfast date had the toasted bagel with crunchy peanut butter and a good pat of butter. This and good coffee makes this a great spot to stop by any time of the day for a snack and a good book if you’re feeling rather peckish (though, do look at the cake and sandwich cabinet below – and these are avalible to take away in case there are not seats!)
Cake Counter at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps
Kitchen Pass at Federal Bar & Cafe, Manchester | www.rachelphipps.com @rachelphipps

Federal Bar & Cafe is a great little spot which while you’ll no doubt already know about if you’re a local, I wanted to flag with you if you’ve just arrived in Manchester as a new student, or you’re like me and visiting from elsewhere. It is small, with no reservations and always busy so be prepared to wait a little for a table (we only had to wait for 5 minutes at about 10:30 on a Monday morning), perhaps on one of the tables outside with a cup of coffee or a mug of hot chocolate to keep you warm? Otherwise, I’ve got another breakfast/ brunch/ all day spot just around the corner to share with you all, so stay tuned!

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