Speciality coffee bar launches brand new grown-up food menu well worth trying

Not so long ago, people were happy with filter coffee and flat whites weren’t even a thing. Mancunians were drinking watery lattes served in tall pointy glasses and spelling espresso with an x. If you still do, let’s just pretend you don’t. It’s not five years ago and coffee is now like chocolate and fine wine – a gourmet food thing.

The coffee at PKB is probably some of the best in Manchester. They recently launched a new menu in time for spring so we popped down on a relatively dry Manchester afternoon to check it all out.

Let’s start with the key to any coffee shop. The coffee. Owner Mark Flanagan decided that he wanted to bring some of the Ozzy flair for coffee to Manchester and, their simple but quality menu delivers just that.

The coffee ranges from simple espresso (£2.20) to coconut Wilson (£3.50) and every single shot pulled receives the staff’s complete focus and expert attention. The milk is carefully foamed and poured just so to create that signature floret that you see all over Instagram.

From the food menu I opted for the poached eggs with avocado (£8.50). If you’re a fan of avo toast, this one is a real game changer. Lashings of creamy green goodness sprinkled with chilli flakes, basil and plenty of lime zest for an extra kick, all heaped onto a generous portion of sourdough toast, and then topped with two perfectly poached eggs. It’s an oldie but a goodie.

Breakfast is served all day. The breakfast roll (£6) is new on the menu. A beautifully seasoned pork and fennel patty topped with salty streaky smoked bacon, eggs, cheddar cheese and a tangy tamarind relish. If Carlsberg did breakfast rolls…

For anyone wanting to opt for a slightly healthier option, the bircher muesli (£5) comes with delicious fresh fruit, hazelnuts and almond milk. It’s vegan for those of you who want to steer clear of all animal products and stick to a plant based diet. If you fancy getting your hands on some masterfully crafted porridge, PKB delivers a pretty snazzy coconut version (£5), which comes with rhubarb, apple and crunchy cinnamon sugar. It’s also vegan and also delicious.

For lunch there’s fried tofu tacos (£9.50), pork belly (£10), hanger steak (£13.50) and one hell of a tasty Buddha bowl (£9). The salt beef and root vegetable hash (£11) is the perfect mid-afternoon pick-me-up. It’s a plate of steaming mouth-watering deliciousness served with pickled onions, mustard, hollandaise and a crispy fried duck egg. It’s a protein packed dish that certainly doesn’t slack on flavour. If you’re a fan of all things salt beef, this dish doesn’t disappoint.

To end your brekky, lunch, brunch or anything in between, opt for a sweet treat or two from the pastry and brownie menu. The salted caramel is always a winner but, for me, the Oreo cookie brownie really took the biscuit. And there’s a ton of vegan options to help squash your sugar cravings and help you stay dairy-free.

You’re more than welcome to try the vegan pecan brownie (£2.95) but I suggest indulging in something with a bit more oomph like the superfood balls (£3.00). They’re made from raw cashews, oats, cinnamon, maple syrup, vanilla pod and other goodies. It’s the kind of dessert you can feel good about eating.

Pot Kettle Black is a top java joint that dishes out a heck of a lot more that your standard croissants, run of the mill muffins and a couple of uninspiring lunch-time Paninis. The new menu is chock-full of lunchtime goodness for your to try out on your next lunch break. It’s so good in fact, you might just forget to go back to work. But don’t.

14, Barton Arcade, Deansgate, Manchester M3 2BW