Withington Street Markets

In the pecking order of Manchester street markets, I would rank Withington’s market on the second Saturday of each month below Chorlton, Castlefield Artisan and the twice-​monthly Real Food Market in Piccadilly. However, all the stall are proper artisan, local flavour stuff, which puts this little capsule market ahead of some of the grosser and commercialised elements of the Christmas Markets, for example.
It’s OK, but there aren’t really enough stalls at this one to make it worth a special trip. So more of a market for the Withington locals, unless you have become hooked on the goods from one of the stalls and need your weekly fix. And there are definitely worse things addicted to than Dough-​It-​Yourself artisan pizza bases, Traditionally Cheesy artisan cheeses (with vegetarian cheeses clearly marked), Trove Foods baked goods and jams and a few others. Plus at least one Withington community organisation stall, which I think I would find pleasantly mumsy if I was a student living in the area! :-)
But if you only make one visit in the month to the south Manchester street market circuit, then Chorlton on the third Saturday is your best bet.
Disclaimer: Be aware that street markets and street food are undergoing something of a revival, and that an obvious next step for Manchester markets would be for more of the stallholders who show at the Chorlton and other markets to roll up to Withington for one day in the month. So — keep an eye on things, and also ‘Be the change you want to see in the world’ and all that, if you are a market fan!

The great thing about the Manchester Street Markets is a) they take place in my neighbourhood (they’re all South Manchester suburb-​based), and b) you can always get something a little different at each of them. After checking out Northenden’s offering I was delighted to see the familiar faces of The Butterfly Cupcakery and I recognised the awesome Mint & Garlic who I’d met previously at one of the Farmers Markets at Piccadilly Gardens.
So what else to do at such a gorgeous market but shop? There were tasty-​smelling fresh soups, a butcher and a fishmonger, preserves and cheeses as well as cakes, and as well as this you can get some bags, gifts and suchlike. Bex and I treated ourselves to a choccy brownie and a slab of carrot cake respectively from Butterfly, then I did a wee bit of shopping from Mint & Garlic next door. My swag included three large, delightfully turquoise duck eggs (I’ve never had duck eggs before and am looking forward to making them into a quiche this week!), a punnet of strawberries that smelled incredible and tasted even better, a sweet potato whereby I was advised that you should always go for the long, thin ones as they harbour the most sweetness, and a vine of plum tomatoes whose rich depth of flavour made for brilliant roasting.
There’s a really lovely vibe to Copson Street so early on a Saturday morning, and a great eclectic mix of student types, young professionals and locals. I’m definitely going to be coming back here for some more grocery shopping, I was muchly impressed.