Aardvark Cafe

Goodness only knows why people go to the Starbucks across the road when they could go to Aardvark Café instead. The food here is delicious and freshly made — I’ve had the best coronation chicken sandwich of my life here, and today’s parma ham, mozzarella, tomato, rocket and pesto sandwich just blew most other lunchtime sandwiches out of the water. The café is small but there’s plenty of seating in the back room. It’s also light and airy with a good selection of hot and cold drinks and desserts.

The Aardvark café (that was Blackwell Bookshop/​Everyman Café) has moved across the Oxford Road to St Peter’s House. This was worrying as we all loved the old café but the new one is actually bigger and better and they are open for breakfast and stay opon until about 6.30. So now you can get bacon butties and porridge in the morning, go for lunch (fab salads and snacks), and have a coffee or a takeway before you go home. Same great staff plus they have wifi and comfy sofas now. Yay… happy days!

BROWNIE ALERT
Good lord these guys know how to pack some chocolate into a square. I’ve eaten a lot of brownies in my time, but these really take the biscuit (sorry).
Alongside the brownies the café has some great cakes, quiches and salads. If you’re looking for a good lunch somewhere on campus (presumably if you are loitering around Blackwell’s you will be a student), then the Aardvark Café is probably your tastiest option. I’d ignore the sandwiches in the fridge and hit the mixed salad, they stack your plate high with spicy beans, crunchy greens and sweet potatoes slathered in some kind of magical dressing. You can also get a wedge of quiche (hot or cold) to dab it all up with if you have any space left.
There are also some great smoothies, juices, snacks and coffees if you’re looking for something lighter.

The Café in the back of Blackwell’s, (or Everyman’s) is a favourite haunt of students, lecturers and shoppers alike, and is nearly always packed with customers, munching their way through plates mounded with salads, quiches, fish and fresh, warm bread.
When I first started at the University of Manchester, the Blackwell’s café quickly became a favourite haunt of mine for lunch away from the business of University Place. Although I only went once a week (if that), it was a much-​loved treat of mine, and friends, to meet for a splurge lunch in the Café. Unfortunately, the café is not particularly cheap, especially compared to the University eateries, but the quality and standard of food is very high, and you can be guaranteed a good meal.
The staff, although rushed off their feet, are friendly and accommodating, and will tailor a meal to suit your personal tastes. The venue, on the other hand, is small and cramped, and as one wall is effectively a big window, can get very, very hot when the sun is out. The greenhouse effect lives on in Blackwell’s café! Aside from that, it is well worth a visit!

Every good bookshop comes with a café to suit and Everyman’s is no exception. It’s taken me a good while to venture into Blackwell’s and then it’s counterpart café itself, but must say, glad to say I have stalked this place out finally.
Everyman’s is the perfect place to settle down with a book from the store or better still gaze out out of the big windows onto Oxford Road with some tea and cake. I’m particularly liking the flower art work arrangement on the wall also. Everyman’s does the usual sandwiches, quiches, salads and soups and a few main meals like chicken or salmon with some greens. The cakes look like heaven and there’s a range of fancy health juices too.
Definitely a great place to grab a lunch or tea break. Even better it’s a 10% discount if you want to just grab one of their delicious offerings and run.

Errr, yeah, it’s a great caff, but I’d like to know what Alfie’s definition of a ‘hidden gem’ is. This place certainly is not a hidden gem; it is pretty much full every lunch time, with students, uni staff and passersby.
Awhile back, this place was a bit crap. They did mad sandwiches and rubbish coffee, so I avoided it. Last week, however, I was jonesing for a soup and sandwich, and had to pick up a diary. After buying my cut-​price Moleskine, I was drawn to the café by a delicious smell, which turned out to be a rather delicious leek and potato soup, which I teamed with a chorizo ciabatta. Lush. Such is Everyman’s popularity, however, that I had to take out and eat it back at the office, as I couldn’t grab a table.
Prices here aren’t cheap, but they’re cheaper than the remarkably similar (in ethos and fare) Café Muse. Expect to pay around £5 for a soup and sarnie combo, and around £2 for one of their delicious cakes or muffins.
A truly lovely caff, yes, but hardly a hidden gem!

Great idea on Sam’s part to review this café. It’s a really really good place to sit for a quiet coffee and a read, a bit of a hidden gem.
You can also get snacks including some good cakes and everything is also available to take away.
Another great benefit is that if you’re buying books but aren’t sure which you want, you can sit and have a good review of them and a considered think before you choose.
Full of books lovers. A good place to work if the library is too quiet and a drum and bass club is too loud.

Located inside Blackwell’s bookshop in Manchester University, Everyman is a quiet little café full of light that’s a perfect place in which to grab a quick lunch or cup of tea in between lectures.
I spent a relaxing couple of hours here going through some notes and had a couple of their tasty smoothies (a couple of quid each) to keep me going.
What’s better is that whilst you’re here you’re always likely to get to listen to PhD students talking to each other about differentiating the quantum phase to the third degree of the reverse molecular metaphysical dimension. Or something.