8 Places to Eat, Drink and Be Scary this Halloween

As Halloween descends on Manchester, you’ll need some fuel to get you through the fear and, if you’re the partying spirit, the beer. But whether you’re partying or not this Halloween, there is plenty of fearsome food and drink around to get your teeth into. It’s a great opportunity to sample unique and limited edition creations, including some crazy flavours! So why not check out these petrifying places to eat and drink and some of their special offers specially selected by Emily Oldfield…

1. Infamous Diner

Expect super-scary burgers on a black bun at this great American-style joint on the 31^st October. They are offering themed food for one day only so get down there for unique and freaky food! The Halloween burger is a steak patty complete with king prawns, pumpkin coleslaw and spiced blood ketchup, and you can follow with some deliciously dark brownies. Drinks include creations such as Hocus Pocus – a milkshake which brings together vanilla, mint choc chip and pumpkin marshmallow! And with cocktails as spooky as The Slimer and The Vampire Slayer -said to contain real garlic to ward off vampires – there really is something for everyone. You’ve just got to get down and discover it.

3-5 Basil Chambers Nicholas Croft, Basil Chambers, Manchester M4 1EY

2. The Pen and Pencil

This quirky Northern Quarter bar is promising big celebration on October 31st combining Halloween with the Mexican Day of The Dead. Great themed cocktails for £5, including Beetlejuice Margarita and Toffee Apple Punch and a chance to win a £50 bar tab prize, for the best carved pumpkin. Bring your own carved creation in on the night for a chance to win!

57 Hilton Street, Manchester M1 2EJ

3. The Beagle

The Day of The Deadfest range of specials are already well underway at this fun filled Chorlton retro pub and eatery! Look out for Screaming Steak Torta – a steak piled-high with avocado, chipotle mayo, salsa and lettuce and served up Mexican style. Or get your hands on – or into -Devil’s Pockets. These bad boys are seriously good ancho stuffed chillies packed with chorizo mince, black beans, charred corn and salsa. Finish off with the Killer Margarita Cheesecake or just scare yourself silly with a Hell Diablo cocktail – expect plenty of tequila and chillies! With a number of frightful cocktails and food options available, it seems the dark side just got a whole lot more delicious.

458 Barlow Moor Rd, Manchester M21 0BQ

4. Cult Sauce with the Dirty Food Revolution

The pop up cult-cinema café is hosting a horror night on Halloween itself with a screening of Tim Burton’s fabulous film, Beetlejuice and food from The Dirty Food Revolution, a seriously good street food provider. Want to see bacon get bad? The Betelgeuse – Betelgeuse – Betelgeuse is a super-spicy jalapeno deep-fried and wrapped in bacon, filled with cheese and served up with a syringe of exorcism hot sauce! And if that isn’t freaky enough, how about their Showtime Flies which offer plenty for a fiver – skin-on fries with jalapeno chillies, nacho cheese dip, tortilla crumb and holy guacamole! The thrill of the chills -and chillies – is certainly worth sampling, and there’s desert, too – including pretty sweet sounding brownies with a pumpkin spice frosting! Remember, the best and most outrageous outfits get you free food!

5. Bon Bon Chocolate Boutique

This quirky Northern quarter chocolatier is combining sweet and scary – with chocolate sure to rattle those bones and tickle those taste buds. Chocolatier Sharon has been creating four flavours of special chocolate skulls for Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead. Available in lemon & cocoa nib, Aztec spice, Mexican spice and geranium & spice flavours. Dare you sample the heat of a chocolate treat? They look brilliant, too!

John St, Manchester M4 1EQ

6. Hula (West Didsbury)

Hula is the place to be on Friday 30^th October for the Day of the Dead Party with frozen margaritas (Mexican, see?) £5 all night, two cocktails for £10 till 10, and a bottle of El Jimador for the best dressed. And on Saturday there’s a Zombie Luau Party with 3 Jagerbombs for a tenner all night and prizes for the best dressed.

158 Burton Road, West Didsbury, M20 1LH

7. The Fitzgerald

On Saturday, spooky cocktails and concoctions are on offer at 2 for £10 plus free ‘brain haemorrhage’ at a very special Night of the Bone Shakers Halloween spectacular with DJ Tobin Lochrie, a special Halloween electric swing and dance set and fantastic horror movie visuals. Free entry. On Sunday, cocktails are 2 for £10 plus free popcorn and a screening of The Lost Boys at 7pm. Free entry.

11 Stevenson Square, Manchester M1 1DB

8. Leo’s Fish Bar

Although the fish and chips here are far from frightful (they are actually quite delicious), staff will be in fancy dress for the Halloween period. Leo’s is a great place for keeping up the Halloween mood and to see you through the darkest hours – it’s been known to stay open until 5 am on Saturdays. Ideal if you turn into a zombie after a particularly heavy night out!

12 Oldham St, Manchester M1 1JQ