/FOOD&DRINK

SIOP Shop is the first cafe from local bakery Blawd, and from their backstreet Northern Quarter unit, they’re serving some of the best doughnuts in Manchester. Couple Iwan Roberts and Lucy Jackson grew their business by selling their refined cakes in indie cafes across the city, carefully selecting their outlets to cultivate a loyal following of dough-fans and sweet-seekers who appreciate the geekier side of a good bake.

Born in the basement of Common, it’s inevitable that Siop Shop has that same DIY, designconscious ethos that the Northern Quarter stalwart is known for. As Iwan told me when they first opened, in some ways this café is an ode to Common.

There’s a homely feel to Siop Shop, in part, because Iwan and Lucy wanted to create a cosy space for their friends and customers. The white walls are granted pops of colour thanks to artwork by the couple’s mates, plywood tables and benches are hand-made, and a Cass McCombs track crackles through the needle of a record player. Kitsch, toungein-cheek humour is also a big part of the decor - with ‘Dawson Leery crying meme’ mugs, and artist David Bailey’s wonderfully bizarre toilet art letting us know that Siop Shop is up for a laugh - as much as a cafe can be, anyway.

Now, anonymity is the preferred route when reviewing, but I have to come clean - it was impossible with Siop Shop. When I arrive, my fella is sat with owner Iwan, catching up. We’re offered a couple of doughnuts on the house, which we accepted, obviously. Maybe we shouldn’t have, but I challenge anyone to turn down a free doughnut.

It’s lunch first though, and Siop Shop has a select menu, using stellar ingredients such bread from superstar bakers Pollen. A small sandwich selection has some good veggie options including a flavourful roasted red pepper, aubergine and hummus (£5). A hearty stew with generously sliced Pollen bread (£6) is strewn with shredded chicken, soft red pepper and is hugely satisfying on these chilly winter days.

And then there’s doughnuts - it’s where Iwan gets serious.

“This doughnut thing won’t last long, only the best will survive,” he tells me. “We need to be timeless in our doughnuts.”

And timeless they are. The plain glazed doughnut is soft as a feather pillow, and drenched in glossy sugar which fractures like crackled porcelain. The raspberry doughnut oozes rich red jam; it’s speckled with seeds, and rolled in sugar. Both are made with perfectly light dough, puffed full of air bubbles.

The coffee is hard to beat, too. Flat whites are bob on (£2.40). There’s a promise of alcohol in the not-too-distant future, but it’s not here yet. It’s just another reason for me to visit again soon. That, and to pick up a Dawson’s Creek mug.

Siop Shop, 53 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LS / @siopshop