Pollen Bakery’s on the rise with move
POLLEN Bakery has moved from its spot under the railway arches near Piccadilly to a new site in Ancoats – and it’s a stunner.
Located right on the water’s edge of New Islington Marina, Pollen now feels like something you’d find in a foodie city like Copenhagen, though their winning formula of bakes and coffee will remain.
At the old site, which closed about two weeks ago, people would happily queue for an hour to get a taste of their homemade pastries – especially their legendary cruffins – a cross between a croissant and a muffin – and sourdough loaves.
Inside the new 27-cover café, which is part of Cotton Field Wharf, it’s all textured concrete and plywood, with huge windows instead of walls that allow light to pour in from all angles.
Things have been kept simple – there are a few paintings dotted around by local artist Guy Broadhurst, and a touch of navy blue paint, but otherwise it’s a minimalist, unfussy decor.
There are a few window seats, but the stars of the show are the long communal tables that were made by local craftsman Markus Krumins.
Food-wise, you can still expect to find enormous sourdough loaves and delicate pastries on the counters (from £1.80 to take away), but the menu will be expanded to include a range of lunches (from £5).
The seasonal lunch menu will change regularly, but will have homemade bread at its heart. There’ll be plenty of organic produce and simple ingredients served with Pollen’s baked goods.
It’s been a dream three-and-a-half years in the making for owners Chris Kelly and Hannah Calvert – and quite the transition from their grab-and-go operation on Sheffield Street.
Chris said, “This is what we’d planned all along. The arch was just a stop-gap. We rented the arch because we couldn’t find the perfect space.
“We definitely wanted to add customer seating. We want people to sit and enjoy coffee and pastry together.
“There’s still a lot we want to phase in. Coffee will all be espresso-based to begin with but we hope to add cold brews and pour-overs.”
It’s going to be dog-friendly too, with Pollen’s resident chow chow Maru making a regular appearance on site.
Pollen promises to be a welcome addition to the blossoming Ancoats scene. Chris and Hannah have already hosted their first pop-up event, a supper club with noodle queen PippyEats, for supporters of their Kickstarter campaign to help fund the move. There are also plans to host evenings with Manchester street food favourites VietShack.
The new Pollen Bakery is open five days a week: Wednesday to Friday, from 8am to 4pm, and from 10am to 4pm at weekends.