‘The biggest food offering in the North’ announces incredible line up of vendors

With a tastebud-tantalising 20 kitchens offering the best in world food, Kargo MKT will consist of a food hall with a capacity of 400 seats, a 2,000 square foot outdoor terrace, five waterside shipping container kitchens, and a shipping container bar, all looking out to the iconic and cultural landmarks of Old Trafford and the Imperial War Museum.

Kargo MKT

Kargo MKT will showcase the best in up-and-coming food and drink talent in Salford and the wider region.

And that’s not all. They are offering kids east for free during the school holidays, so children and their families can come and experience a new culinary adventures while exploring all the kids’ activities at Central Bay and the wider Quays area.

As well as family deals, visitors and locals can take advantage of regular £6 lunch deals from all kitchens Monday to Friday, £5 bottomless batch brew coffee and tea, happy hour deals, bottomless brunch, 20% student discount, and handy workspace.

So not bad going! Here’s what they will be cooking up for you.

Kargo MKT’s line-up

Ad Maiora

A hidden gem run by Italian couple Enrico and Daniela, who offer the most raved-about schiacciata sandwiches in Manchester from their one-bedroom flat in Northern Quarter are coming to Kargo Mkt! Schiacciata is a crunchy bread stuffed with the most premium quality fresh ingredients. One of the most popular street foods in Italy, it’s made from flour, yeast, salt, extra virgin oil and water (and a pinch of love).

Bab K

Bab K is run by power duo Mike and Gina, who converted a horse trailer into a food trailer offering the best Korean food at festivals and events in Manchester. Bab K uses a mixture of traditional Korean and local ingredients to make their tasty Bibimbabs. Taste buds are set for a symphony of colours, textures, and intense flavours!

Baity Palestinian Kitchen

Since opening the very first Palestinian restaurant in the North five years ago, visionary owner Ali has brought authentic flavours, passion and the rich heritage of his homeland to Manchester!

Originally based in Didsbury, Baity has become a firm favourite on the south Manchester food scene and now foodies can enjoy their viral Palestinian-inspired Sunday roast, featuring 9 hours of slow-roasted pomegranate lamb and moist Miramiya Chicken at Kargo Mkt!

Boba Cha

Owner Sharna was amazed by the bubble tea concept during her visit to Hong Kong and wanted to bring the idea to the UK so everyone can enjoy the uniqueness of bubble tea.

Originating in Taiwan in the early 1980s, bubble tea has taken the world by storm and now, bringing all of your bubble tea dreams to Kargo this summer, BobaCha has everything from authentic milk tea to sweet and refreshing fruit teas.

Chuan Chuan

Chuan Chuan 串串, the literal translation of “skewers” in Chinese, brings the dynamic world of Asian street food to Kargo MKT.  Visitors can expect deep-fried skewered delights, a staple across Asia, where wood sticks hold together a tantalizing mix of meat and vegetables, creating an explosion of flavours with every bite.

Skewering meat and veggies enhances their natural flavours, and at Chuan Chuan, this tradition is taken to an extraordinary level. With a variety of marinated meat cuts and fresh veggies, their skewers offer a symphony of taste and texture. Each skewer boasts its unique palette of flavours, making every choice a delightful adventure.

But here’s the fun part: the skewers are colour-coordinated, each colour indicating a different price point. After selecting the level of spice, the chef at Chuan Chuan gets to work, deep-frying the customer’s chosen skewers to perfection. Then comes the seasoning – a generous dusting of their special spice blend that promises an explosion of flavour with every single bite.

FEED

Born out of lockdown, where owner Jamie’s Friday FEEDs for family and friends took social media by storm, FEED is now ready to bring a new concept, ‘Super Fry Guys’, to Kargo Mkt.

Offering a modern-day chippy filled with traditional and global flavours, FEED uses local suppliers to bring Mancs the best seasonal ingredients, cooking up great-tasting food that leaves you wanting more.=

Hot & Wild

Your tastebuds are in for a wild trip! Hot & Wild is all about Hawaiian-Japanese fusion poké bowls with a modern twist. After discovering the poké bowl on her travels, owner Lucia knew she had to bring the colourful concept back to Manchester, where she created a poké bowl packed with fish, rice and vegetables that will make people feel comfortable but still adventurous enough to try something new!

Whether you need a nutritious lunch during a short lunch break or are simply looking to try something new that’s packed with fresh and colourful ingredients, Hot & Wild is the perfect shout!

House of Habesha

Crowned ‘Best Food Trader 2022’ at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards, House of Habesha is ready to bring the incredible flavours of Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine to Kargo Mkt.

Expect nothing but hearty, healthy, and tantalising food prepared using traditional Eritrean and Ethiopian methods.

From spicy Timtimo, a blend of red lentils stewed in a fragrant mix of onion, garlic, ginger and berbere spice herbs to the hearty Kulwa Keyh, finely sliced lamb cooked to perfection with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and the rich flavours of berbere spice, you are definitely in for a treat.

Plus, there’s something for everyone at House of Habesha with a range of vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and meat-based dishes on offer.

Jerk Junction

Long-standing Caribbean takeaway Jerk Junction, originally situated in the heart of Chorlton, comes to Kargo Mkt with a menu boasting authentic Caribbean dishes, featuring the mouth-watering jerk chicken with aromatic rice and peas that commands attention and ignites conversations.

Every bite is an explosion of flavours and a testament to their speciality, and the regular’s favourite curry goat is freshly cooked to perfection. Offering hearty portions and food made with big love, this is the ultimate comfort food. 

Leopard Pie

Get ready, as Manchester’s finest pizzeria is making its way to Kargo Mkt! Leopard Pie, a game-changer in the UK pizza scene, understand the city’s profound love for garlic bread, which is why they proudly introduced their trademarked HBR (Honey Butter Rings) alongside their Neapolitan pizzas.

Leopard Pie holds itself to the highest standards, sourcing only the finest ingredients imported from various regions of Italy.

From the best flour to exquisite meats and top-tier cheeses, every element of their products is carefully selected to ensure unparalleled quality.

Locale Coffee

Locale Coffee is a fresh concept from the team behind Cuppers Choice.

On a shoestring budget, Jasper, Harley, and Thomas launched coffee roasters into the pandemic and came out the other side among the top names in the UK speciality industry.

It’s with the same confidence and commitment to quality they bring a brand-new vision to Kargo MKT.

Expect some of the world’s finest coffees, brewed without compromise, and served without complication.

Nila’s Burmese Kitchen

Offering Burmese food bursting with flavours, with curries influenced by India and stir-fries inspired by China, alongside Nila’s staple dishes such as Laphet Thoke – a salad made with fermented tea leaves and crispy fried peanuts to achieve a balance between salty, sour, crunchy, bitter and that spicy kick (optional)!

Nila’s dishes are all inspired by family recipes and there’s no other place in the world where tea leaves are fermented and eaten this way – until now!

Nori

Get ready to indulge in premium-quality sushi and sashimi in Salford without breaking the bank!

After working in neighbouring restaurants near Piccadilly Station and developing their business plan over lunch, fellow chefs Kirk and Tony joined forces with the love of Japanese food to bring top-notch sushi to Kargo Mkt!

Kirk and Tony are passionate about bringing delicious and high-quality sushi to everyone without compromising on taste or affordability –  Donburi, Urumaki, Nigiri, Sashimi, Katsu are just some of the standouts on their menu!

Rio Mex

Michelin-trained super chef and regular to the BBC’s Great British Menu, Caroline Martins brings her taqueria concept – RIO MEX to Kargo. RIO-MEX is a Brazillian-Mexican fusion street food project combined with inspiration from Tex-Mex cuisines during her time living in Texas.

The menu will include Brazillian snacks known as ‘salgadinhos’, traditionally served in Rio de Janeiro pubs (botecos), as well as delicious tacos, nachos and burritos.

Their tacos are made from yellow corn meal and blue corn meal, therefore natural and gluten-free!

Toppings vary from Chilli Con Carne, Beef Barbacoa, and Baja Fish to Vegan Halloumi.

Rottu Kadai Dosa

“Good Food, Good Talk” is a mantra that Rottu Kadai Dosa hold dearly, and you’re in for a ride with their all-time favourite South Indian dishes.

Embark on a journey full of world-famous dosa, a crispy pancake made from a batter of ground rice and urad dhal, served with tomato and coconut chutney.

Each dosa is packed with a unique stuffing, from savoury to sweet, celebrating the culinary heritage of Tamil Nadu in South India.

TANG

Motto, the chef behind TANG is bringing his unique concept from his hometown in China – making Central Bay one of the very few places serving TANG in Manchester.

TANG literal translation is soup, taken from the word Ma-La-Tang, which means numbing hot soup that originates from Sichuan.

Malatang is a common type of Chinese street food from Motto’s hometown that’s fast, fresh food to eat on the go and flavour that slaps.

In a pick-and-mix style, customers will be offered a bowl and tongs and a choice of over 80 ingredients from the TANG fridge.

Once full, the bowl then gets weighed, before a soup base and spicy level are chosen, ranging from none to mega HOT!

Thatziki

Two brothers, Jack and Luke, quit their 9-5 and bought their famous Thatziki blue food truck and started slinging gyros in a dimly lit car park in Worsley.

Their food took off and their food truck went viral. Fast forward to today they now have one shop in Chorlton, one in Leeds and soon a place in Kargo!

The brothers take so much pride in their work, making almost everything from scratch including their secret marinade, fresh tzatziki and sauces prepared daily.

No frozen meat or additives just a bit of graft and big flavours.

Thatziki get their produce straight from Greece including their pitta breads and feta to make their offer a real taste of the Greek islands.

Vnam

Vnam was the very first restaurant to bring authentic Vietnamese food to Manchester back in 2010.

Inspired by his heritage, owner Jason uses family recipes that have been passed down through generations to create traditional dishes bursting with fresh flavours.

Their speciality is the Pho, (pronounced ‘fuh’), which is basically flat rice noodles served in their famous hearty broth, simmered for 12-18 hours to ensure depth of flavour.

What’s Your Beef

Manchester burger lads Eddie and Neil put their heart and soul into crafting the perfect burger mix, and after eight months of experimentation, they found a recipe that made their taste buds dance, and they knew it was “the one”.

Quality has always been their top priority and they don’t spare any expense when it comes to sourcing the finest ingredients, with their utmost priority being the beef itself – sourced from a local butcher.

Wong Dumplings

Having spent lockdown cooking up elaborate meals with all the food he’d missed from home, Hong Kong-born Jensen set up Wong Dumplings with fellow foodie Ste to bring mancunions a taste of Asia.

Serving dumplings, noodles and roast meats, all of their food is made fresh from scratch by hand, and to ensure the highest quality of food they use the harshest critics they could possibly get – his Asian family!

Matt Bigland, founder and CEO at Blend Family said: “We take great pride in curating exciting culinary experiences for people and this is one of the most exciting line-ups of world food we’ve ever put together.

“We can’t wait to open the doors in partnership with Quayside MediaCity and see the smiles on faces as everyone enjoys the incredible plates these kitchens are going to serve.”

As well as an incredible array of food and drink experiences, Kargo MKT will have lots of exciting events, live music and dance performances, and celebrations of the cultures represented in the Kargo MKT food offering.

Central Bay will be one of the biggest independent food and drink operations in the North; it will house four new independent restaurants, 20 food hall and street vendor kitchens, a new bard and microbrewery, pop-up events, indie markets, live music performances and recreation space for children.

And with more than 2,000 square feet of south-facing outside terrace space to enjoy, up to 600 visitors to Central Bay will be able to enjoy unrivalled views of some of Manchester’s most iconic landmarks – including Old Trafford football ground.