Chorlton Street Market

Held on the third Saturday of each month, Chorlton Market is worth a visit in its own right as the biggest and best on the South Manchester Street Market circuit. And although the newbie Castlefield Artisan Market just shades Chorlton in terms of the quality of the stalls (as I’m vegetarian YMMV) and has the benefit of the outstanding canalside location, Chorlton Street Market is still number one for me as a ‘must do’ trip. Because the Chorlton suburb is ‘Bohemian Like You’ and there are lots of other great businesses right next to the market.
A case in point was the three-​course lunch I put together for myself on my most recent visit to Chorlton Market. First up, a deep-​fried Brazilian savoury ‘apim’ — imagine a croquette the size and shape of a sweet potato, but made from processed cassava flavoured with chives, filled with mozzarella and covered in breadcumbs — £2.95 (see photo). Next up, an almond & raspberry tart from Trove, £1.70 (see photo). Ending with split pea and rosemary soup to go from Unicorn, probably £1.50 or so. At a total cost of just over £6, that is one interesting, fresh and high quality meal, I can tell you!
Trove I have already reviewed under the business listing for their Levenshulme café. But the Brazilian business is a stand-​out street food offering. They call themselves ‘Brazilia Snacks, Manchester’s first Brazilian Pasteleria’. Basically, it is the old story — English guy goes to Brazil, falls in love with a Brazilian beauty and persuades her to come back to England with him. And, boy, can she cook Brazilian food! However, he was telling me that the Brazilian taste is for tons of salt and sugar, so they have nicely toned down their offerings to be more in tune with the English palate. They mould the croquettes and other savouries the night before, but cook them on the spot in front of you — ace tasting!
Even sticking to the stretch of Manchester Road between the swimming baths and the library/​market, you have Crema, Unicorn, Barbakan (polish deli, and they cook sausage and veg curries out the front on Saturdays), Tea Hive, Marble, take your pick. And lots more stuff at the market which isn’t for me as a lacto-​vegetarian, but might be for you — Pudding & Pie Café with traditional pies straight off the farm, another stall based around Spanish tortilla and soups, mini-​pasties over there, cupcakes, cheeses, you name it. (Actually, almost all those business do have something for me, such as Pudding & Pie’s cheese and potato slab pie — and you would need to be a farm worker to finish that thing!)
Four stars because I feel this is just the beginning. Now that Manchester Markets have established the street markets, I would expect even more exciting new stallholders to feel it worth their while to participate. And then some stalls that do really well moving into permanent premises — Tea Hive is a graduate of the south Manchester Street Markets, I think.