It might seem premature to be discussing roast dinners given that we haven’t quite made the transition to autumn yet, but Manchester’s latest addition is worth being hasty about. While this Sunday pastime might conjure up an image of a country pub with a roaring fire and a nice glass of red, this new spot is eschewing tradition in a big way.
When Escape to Freight Island - the former railway depot turned outdoor urban beer garden and food hall - welcomed a new host of operators earlier this year, Manchester’s foodie community was desperate to try one in particular. Replacing Ramsbottom’s Basque-inspired eatery Baratxuri - which has been a firm favourite there since the venue launched in 2020 - Carnival, an open-fire concept from lauded chef Richard Turner, really got people talking - and for all the right reasons.
Turner has been behind the scenes at the likes of Hawksmoor and famed barbeque spot Pitt Cue, and was trained by the likes of the Roux brothers, Pierre Koffmann and Marco Pierre White. And his latest venture, which has brought him up north, is the result of a collaboration with the team behind Liverpool’s Belzan.
