Annies is the tearoom and restaurant
owned by Jennie McAlpine (who we know and love as Fiz) with her partner Chris
Farr and her Dad, Tom. I arrived there in desperate need of a decent breakfast after
attending a wedding the night before. And that is exactly what I got.
Living in London, I’m used to paying over
a tenner for breakie and still feeling hungry afterwards, so I fired off my
order for “The Big Breakfast” (at £9.95) without a second thought. Alas, my
eyes proved bigger than my stomach before almost popping out of my head when
the food arrived.
Seriously – the plates weren't round – they
were oval. And on mine sat two eggs, two rashers of bacon, two sausages, black
pudding, hash brown, beans, tomato AND four slices of thick toast. It was absolutely
delicious and soaked the booze up a treat.
Generally, the prices at Annies are very
reasonable and my breakfast was excellent value for money. It was cooked to
perfection. The mushrooms in particular were seasoned beautifully. But the rave
reviews since Annies opened eighteen months ago are not just for the food. It
is the whole experience.
Upon arrival, diners can expect to be
greeted by enthusiastic and friendly staff who clearly love working there. The
Manager, Richard Wisdom, will enthusiastically recount the history of the building,
which sits in Manchester’s iconic Royal Exchange underneath the famous theatre.
He also tells a brilliant anecdote about delivering food to ‘Sally Webster’ one
night before turning round to see ‘Sophie Webster’ at another table. It sounds
like a scene in The Bistro!
Annies is much larger than you might
think from outside. The décor is wonderfully ornate – regal, almost. In the
restaurant downstairs, think Parisian red curtains with top hats on the walls
and a piano in the corner from which live music emanates of a Friday evening.
It exudes a strong cabaret vibe, which is exactly the idea. The tearoom
upstairs is cosier, and immaculately wallpapered in floral prints. Even the
toilet is tastefully decorated; the sure sign of a classy establishment.
A miniature Rovers Return housed in a glass
cabinet is the only piece of Corrie memorabilia on display. However, a living,
breathing link to Coronation Street exists in Jennie McAlpine who can often be seen
keeping an eye on things and amiably chatting away to customers. I was fortunate
enough to spend some time with Jennie and Chris who were very happy to talk to the
Coronation Street Blog.
Previously Annies had been the
Conservatory, a swanky cellar bar, which was subsequently renamed but had run into
disrepair by the time it closed in the 90s. It lay derelict before they took
the venture on. Annies is now stunning inside and out. A great deal of work has
gone into this and both Jennie and Chris are delighted with how things are
going.
Much of the original design has remained
in place, retaining a classic feel. According to Jennie, they “wanted it to
feel like it hadn’t just been done. It was never the idea to put a modern twist
on the building”. Most of the chairs are therefore originals that have been
reupholstered. And very comfy they are too!
Annies is located in St Ann’s Square, an
area of Manchester famous for its markets. In times gone by, cotton would be traded at the Royal
Exchange, often referred to as ‘Annie’s Market’. “It’s in keeping with the
history”, enthuses Jennie.
But the name ‘Annies’ is about more than
that; it is also the spirit of the place, evoking as it does a sense of home.
Lots of people have told Jennie and Chris “they had an Auntie Annie or their
Mum is Annie”. The aim, Jennie explains, is for customers “to feel at home, not
like a stranger”. I can safely say this has been achieved.
Described by many as a ‘hidden gem’ or an
‘oasis of calm’, Annies is in the middle of Manchester, yet Jennie notes that “people
say it doesn’t quite feel like they’re in the city centre … it feels a bit of
an escape.” Chris tells how mothers will come in with their buggies for some
tea and tranquillity following a stressful trip round the shops. When they sit
down, “you can see it lift off them and they just feel relaxed”.
Although I was there for breakfast, Jennie
tells me people can “come in and have anything from a cup of tea and a piece of
cake to a full three course dinner”. Chris points out that afternoon tea is
popular, especially with champers. I imagine they’ve done a roaring trade of
late with Corrie fans travelling to Manchester for the tour.
It’s not just Corrie fans who frequent
Annies, mind; they have a long line of regular customers and first-time
visitors. You never know; some might not have even heard of Weatherfield! Annies prides itself on a warm welcome and heart-warming traditional
British cuisine and “hopefully people want to come back”, says Jennie.
There is a definite Lancastrian
emphasis, as ‘Lancashire Rarebit’ sits alongside ‘Annie’s Hotpot’ on the menu.
The latter is, of course, a nod to Betty but as Jennie points out, hotpot is “a
very traditional dish in this area”. It is therefore natural that a traditional
restaurant in Manchester would provide it.
At Annies, the classic lamb and vegetable
dish is topped with crunchy sliced potatoes and served with homemade red
cabbage. But Jennie “would never dare say it’s anywhere near as good as Betty’s
hotpot… we don’t have the secret ingredient!” As well as traditional local fare,
national favourites such as cottage pie, fish and chips and sirloin steak are
offered up, and traditional roasts on a Sunday.
The ‘Fizz Bomb’ intrigues me; an ice
cream pudding covered in chocolate and containing popping candy… hence the
fizz. “It’s nothing to do with anything else”, winks Jennie. Those kinds of
dessert are often known as ‘bombs’ or have ‘fizz’ in the title somewhere but
the link to our beloved Fiz is a nice touch.
Jennie is at Annies as often as possible
and genuinely enjoys meeting customers - “that’s the best bit about it”, she
says. While quick to praise Chris for the hard work he puts in, and the “great
team” around them, Jennie is not afraid to muck in herself. “I’ve been known to
carry a tray – I served a cup of tea yesterday – I made a big meal of it and I
wanted a round of applause afterwards but I did do it”, says Jennie self-effacingly.
She only serves sparingly because Jennie
considers herself “the clumsiest person ever”. Chris confesses to feeling slightly
uneasy whenever he sees Jennie limbering up to carry something. But despite
denigrating her own waitressing skills, Jennie worked in cafes and restaurants before
becoming an actress and would practice by carrying things around the house. I praise
this dedication to her craft and without missing a beat she quips, “Always
rehearsing!”
On Friday nights, “cabaret kind of
songs” are performed around the piano. Jennie generally only sings “for charity
or when pushed”. One such occasion was New Year’s Eve when she was persuaded to
get up and perform, fittingly, the song “Cabaret”. “My musical taste is the
same as my taste in décor and my taste in teacups”, laughs Jennie, “nothing (made)
after about 1950”.
Annies really is a terrific place and I
will make a point of popping in whenever I am in Manchester. Anyone going on
the Corrie tour must seek this place out. But if you can’t get to Annies, you can
now bring Annies to you! Annies has just launched a range of products to buy
online as well as in store. The online shop launched earlier this week and is looking
great. Check it out here.
Jennie explains that it is all about
“bottling” their products so that “people can take a bit of Annies home with
them”. And those who can’t make it to Manchester can “have a little bit of
(Annies) at home”. The range includes Annies jam, pickles, tea, biscuits,
sweets and cakes. It’ll certainly make it easier to find Chrimbo prezzies for
Corrie-loving relatives.
It’s an exciting time at Annies. Jennie and
Chris joke that they’ve “not quite discovered how to send a hotpot through the
post yet” but “there will be a way”. I suggest a moped for deliveries but as Chris rightly points out, a bicycle with a basket on the front
would be more appropriate. “Good idea”, says Jennie… “We’ll start that Monday”.
Jennie and Chris are so passionate about
what they are doing at Annies; that I wouldn’t bet against takeaway hotpots
coming on stream before the year is out. But there are plenty of delicious, yet
more transportable products, available in the meantime. I look forward to buying some in.
Suffice to say, the Coronation Street
tour was fantastic. And if it weren’t for having to catch a train back to THAT LONDON,
a return visit to Annies for tea would have rounded off the weekend perfectly. It really is that good.
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