The Lodge

Winter in the UK rocks. Tipi tents pop up all over the place, offering cockle-​warming food and beverages in surroundings that give you that fuzzy Christmassy feeling. The Lodge succeeds in doing just that.
Situated in the heart of Salford’s MediaCityUK, The Lodge offers a good selection of beers and a small but really well priced food menu. We opted for German specialities; Schnitzel (chargrilled breaded chicken, salad and lemon dressing in a burger bun, £4) and Choucroute (sauerkraut smoked pork belly, shredded ham hock and cured sausage with herbed butter and new potatoes, also £4).
These provided the perfect lunch time snack and where better to tuck into such tasty, good value treats than next to a roaring fire in a fairy-​lit tipi?

The Lodge is a cosy pop-​up Bierkeller (beer cellar) on the piazza of MediaCityUK and was organised by the team behind The Dockyard (
). My love for what these guys are doing increases month by month.
Taking the form of a series of large brown conical teepees, they certainly act as a beacon for the inquisitive.
When you enter, the bar is at the front, selling beers from local breweries Seven Bro7hers and Runaway, as well as Warsteiner, which keeps the Bavarian vibe going. Soft drinks are also available so it’s family-​friendly.
The floor is covered with bark chippings, exposed beams are wrapped in lights and the seating takes the form of long benches with tables. If it’s chilly they have a box of blankets for customers which I thought was a nice touch — there’ll be ‘fights’ over those as the temperature continues to drop I reckon ;)
Half-​way down is the small kitchen, more of a giant BBQ really, where they cook exceedingly tasty 12″ hotdogs for £4.50 (fried onions and American cheese are 50p each extra). They take your order at the drinks bar and then shout out your number so keep an ear open.
At the back is a small fire pit and more comfortable seats, so if you’re early enough head there and bagsy a spot in the warmth.
It’s a terrific addition to MCUK, but unfortunately only a temporary one (they stay open until just before Christmas) as well as the ice rink next to it.