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    Jaffa Restaurant

    3.9 (19 reviews)
    Open 11:00 am - 12:00 AM (Next day)

    Jaffa Restaurant Photos

    JAFFA RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Very loud
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Jaffa Restaurant

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    Murvah I.

    Jaffa is my favourite eatery on the curry mile! The quality of food choices on the curry mile has deteriorated over the years, however Jaffa has remained great. The middle eastern cuisine has a very traditional feel to it and attracts customers from all over Manchester! I will happily drive 30 or more minutes just for Jaffa! I normally go for the chicken fatayers which are freshly prepared and the bread it is baked on is delicious. There are a wide variety of salad choices from the mezze selection which are all tasty. The kebabs and shawarmas are also definitely worth a try! Apparently it has been voted the 5th best kebab shop in the U.K. The service is always great and they take your order without noting anything down and somehow never forget anything! The prices are very cheap. I recently went and ordered 2 chicken fatayers a pizza and large mezze salad all coming to £13. I wouldn't go for the pizza again, as I think the other items on the menu are much better! Jaffa is definitely a hidden gem of Manchester, and I would highly recommend it to anyone for a quick, cheap and satisfying bite to eat!

    Large mix mezze - £3.80.
    William G.

    Only some Middle Eastern cafés and kebab houses are suitable for vegetarians, and Jaffa is one of these. The pizza and fatayer are cooked fresh on the premises, although the pitta bread are bought in. To the fresh bread, we can add homemade falafel and the extensive choice of mezze from Jaffa's display fridge which are all vegetarian. I ordered Spinach Fatayer (£3), Falafel (£2.50 for six pieces) and Large Mix Mezze (3.80) which was enough to feed two people at lunch for £9.30. The fatayer is the same dough as the pizza, just folded differently and was light and fluffy. My preference is for crispier and chewier breads, but this was still OK with me. The cheese and spinach topping was just OK, but then I am continually frustrated by tinned/frozen/overcooked spinach when eating out. Falafel were fairly plain and a little tough - but worked well with the yoghurt dip accompaniment and the mezze ordered separately. Mezze were hummus, tabbouleh, tomato salsa, salad vegetable mixes in yoghurt, pickled whole jalapeno - which merged together on the plate into a mild, yoghurty ensemble, but with enough texture from the salad and whole chickpeas to keep it interesting. One of my tests for healthy food is how I feel the day after. Going by this standard, I am finding some Middle Eastern or Mediterranean cafés impressively healthy, Jaffa amongst them. The simple, wholesome, homecooked food tradition seems to be to the fore in these countries along with good olive oil. One thing I would like to see is vegetarian versions of the hot daily specials over rice featured in Jaffa and elsewhere in Rusholme - green beans, aubergine and chickpeas over rice, anyone? As it was Ramadan and also the university holiday period, it was quiet when I visited. Ramadan and holidays aside, Jaffa is known amongst friends *always* to be full, and when passing previously I've noticed a really nice mixed crowd of students, Muslim families, white locals, everyone - if you want to eat with a cross-section of Manchester, with an ethnic slant, Jaffa is a good place with a very relaxed atmosphere. The décor is basic café standard but clean. One thing worth noting is the huge amount of seating upstairs - hard to conceive of ever not being able to find a seat in here, and could be good for an informal group meal or an intimate one away from the crowds. Toilets are on the second floor and therefore not really disabled-friendly. I would say that nearby Falafel (see Yelp) does a better, leafier falafel for eating straight and a better homemade pitta, but the respective mezze are swings and roundabouts. Not going on a whole lot of visits, but I feel Jaffa is the more relaxed, multi-cultural hangout for the westerner.

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    Review Highlights - Jaffa Restaurant

    The quality of food choices on the curry mile has deteriorated over the years, however Jaffa has remained great.

    Mentioned in 8 reviews

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    Bouzouki By Night - Hot pitta, beetroot salad, potato salad, lentil and bean salads, humous and tzaiki! Heaven!

    Bouzouki By Night

    4.4(10 reviews)
    1.6 miOxford Road Corridor
    ££

    Well, what can I say..... Wow!!…read more As a previous yelper has said this isn't the place for squirt romantic date....! This is a full on Greek experience, dancing on the tables, everyone up on their feet, shots of ouzo and getting involved type night! I came here with a drink who had a Groupon voucher for a 20 dish meat meze. DO NOT EAT BEFORE YOU COME HERE!!!I have never seen so much food in my life its great! There is no set menu here you either order the meat or veggie platter and the courses just keep rolling!! Starters: hummus, tsasiki, hot pitta, beetroot salad, potato salad Hot starters: feta parcels, stuffed tomatoes, etc there are so many dishes! Mains:sifado, moussaka, garlic mushroom, rice, chicken stew, chicken dishes All great big portions to share with extra sides! Drinks were very reasonable- they also have mythos beer which is such a tasty option! In terms of after you eat they get everyone up dancing round the restaurant so you will either love it or hate it! Be prepared for a crazy night of being told how to dance by the crazy host, lots of good food and cold beer!!

    I originally came here a few years back when I spotted a Groupon deal. At the time it was with my…read moreboyfriend so we were expecting a nice chilled romantic Greek meal . However this place is really NOT for that. This is the sort place where groups of people come to join in with crazy dancing and interact with the staff.. SO with that now in my mind we arranged a hen party to take place here. Having booked beforehand with £5 deposit each we were led by a waiter to our table. All of these were crammed closely together. I could not take note of any decor as it was dark , lighten with dim disco lights. Having ordered a bottle of rose the first set of food arrived. Lentils, olives , beetroot yoghurt dip, hummus, and tomato butterbeans. A large quantity of pitta bread was provided to shovel this in our mouths.. Next course cheese ricotta samosas, stuffed vine leaves, calamari, and chicken kebabs...Another course followed of stewed beef? moussaka, roast chicken and various rice...then finally a filo pastry dessert which toffee and icecream. The food overrall was of standard quality but the quantity you got was good. Food snaffled, the party began, everyone in the restaurant (apart from a couple trying to be romantic) got up and did a bongo train...After things got chaotic I grabbed a Mythos beer from the bar and watched the mad dancing continue. My friend was the third bride to be that night and so she was made to dance on a table solo, and with a member of staff ..followed by a shot of ouzo.. Other strange activities later ensued, including men pouring cups of water down each others throats, and swinging heavy tables with their mouths.. Everyone overrall enjoyed the crazy dynamic experience , if you are into this kind of party atmosphere then this is for you. I personally like nice restaurants/pubs with good food and a nice chilled out atmosphere where I can converse with ease...

    Photos
    Bouzouki By Night
    Bouzouki By Night
    Bouzouki By Night

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    Rozafa

    Rozafa

    3.7(14 reviews)
    1.9 miChinatown
    ££

    We went for an early bird deal just after lunchtime, and quite enjoyed our time there. The food was…read morerich, full of flavour, affordable, and different to what I would normally have. As it was an 'early bird' time there were not many other people, and the service was quick. A great place to start (or continue) your acquaintance with Greek and Cypriot cuisine!

    After spending some time traveling from London to Manchester, my family and I were eager for some…read moredifferent food, namely Greek. At home, Mediterranean food is our favorite. From the beginning of our experience in Rozafa to the end, we were very, very disappointed with the service. The service was poor. They barely came to our table. When I asked our server to explain the dish, he acted like he didn't understand me and put it down for my order. We ordered a first course of pita bread and hummus for 3, and we were given 2 slices of pita bread while other tables were given 6 (for two people, btw). Once our dinner came, we didn't see the server for another hour. Yes, we were at this restaurant for almost an hour and a half and most of it entailed waiting to be acknowledged. We didn't see this with the other tables, and it has lead us to believe that they targeted us as Americans. We did not show them disrespect. We asked questions, and we tried to be unassuming. Needless to say, but it is not high on my recommendations. Ohh...and the food was okay.

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    Rozafa
    Rozafa - Enjoying some Greek music whilst waiting for our food!

    Enjoying some Greek music whilst waiting for our food!

    Rozafa - Early dinner in a sunny day

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    Early dinner in a sunny day

    Insolito - Siciliana

    Insolito

    4.7(3 reviews)
    1.9 miCity Centre

    Great deal on Monday nights here (two for one pizza) and I would definitely recommend the…read moregorgonzola, parma ham and pear combo. Pizzas were cooked perhaps a hair too long and the toppings ended pretty far from the edge leaving you with quite a lot of crunchy base but overall they are a good example of authentic Italian pizzas. I'd like to come back and try one of the risottos - they had some really interesting options. Service was fine - a little slow on some things and inevitably given the size limitations of a pizza oven, not everybody's food came out at once (for a large group I'd recommend getting some snacks to share to stave off hanger). Unfortunately the restaurant became almost unbearably hot as the night wore on and it filled up - I actually had to go outside at one point (and I don't normally overheat). Hope they can figure out some way to combat that.

    Amazing pizza! I took advantage of Insolito's 2-4-1 deal on a Monday night (between 5pm and 7pm)…read morewith my Italian friend, as we are on the hunt for the best pizza in Manchester. This is certainly a prime contender for that title. The menu has a spectacular selection of classic pizzas and on this occasion I opted for the Siciliana, which was tomato sauce, mozzarella, onions, salame napoli, origano, and olive chilly, with chilli flakes sprinkled all over it. The dough was a compromise between Neopolitan and Roman, but cooked well, although in an electric oven - my preference is always Roman. I love a thin and crispy crust. The pizza itself was ginormous! I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it had a great combination of fresh flavour from the mozzarella, salame and olives with the prefect level of spice. One of the things I loved about Insolito is the Italian authenticity - it is managed and staff by Italians and is really pleasant to see, and the staff are extremely friendly and provide great service. The pizzeria is situated perfectly on Mosley Street opposite the Manchester Art Gallery and near the recently re-developed St. Peter's Square. Inside, it's eloquently decorated with large floor to ceiling windows, which opens up the pizzeria.

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    Insolito - Pizzas

    Pizzas

    Insolito - Wooooow

    Wooooow

    Insolito

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    Bab - Full house even on a weekday

    Bab

    3.6(5 reviews)
    2.0 miNorthern Quarter

    Great food. Great people. Great service. Our first night in Manchester we found this place. We were…read morea party of 6 and they were able to seat us with no wait time.

    Went to BAB other week - this is a new kebab place which opened a few months ago in Northern…read moreQuarter in Manchester. It was one of the many restaurants in Manchester which had a January deal - not quite as good as the 50% off deals you see in some restaurants - it was 30% off the kebabs on the menu. The menu mainly consists of kebabs with a couple other main non-kebab dishes and then several things which are more starters/sharing type dishes. While we were deciding on what to order for main course, we got some hummus to share. Really nice! The kebabs all sounded good and it was a tough decision which one to go for. Was tempted by the monkfish one but that was sold out. Ended up sharing a kebab - we each got a kebab and cut in half. So shared the beef cheek one and the hanger steak one.  We also got some fries "for the table". So got Greek Fries and Paprika Fries. Greek Fries are fries with tzatziki, feta, olives and chilli sauce. Paprika Fries are simpler - just fries with paprika seasoning. The kebab tasted delicious. Amongst the group, I think some had the pork souviaki one and someone had the lamb adana one and everyone enjoyed the food. Even better than the kebab was 30% off. Looking forward to going again and try more of the kebabs!

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    Bab
    Bab - Every bite was amazing

    Every bite was amazing

    Bab

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    Canto

    Canto

    4.0(1 review)
    2.1 miAncoats, Petersfield

    Went to Canto last week with friends - ever since it opened end of 2018 wanted to visit. Especially…read morewith the people behind Canto being El Gato Negro which is really good. (I need to go to El Gato Negro again - only been the once but it was great. And its won awards including the Michelin Guide UK Bib Gourmand. Canto is a Mediterranean tapas in Ancoats area of Manchester. Its a more casual restaurant than El Gato Negro. When we arrived it was quiet with just about a couple other tables occupied. It was early to be fair - 630pm on a Thursday. But when we left about 815pm it was busy - always good to see a restaurant busy - better atmosphere and of course means they are doing well. I had looked at the menu before visiting - of course - and had in mind what I wanted already. But the specials potentially could have changed things - but didn't. Canto have a 3 dishes for £15 deal which is for most of the things on the menu. The only things not really in the deal is the seafood dishes - although king prawns are. I went for the king prawns (with garlic and chilli) - delicious. Had lots of garlic, not too much chilli. (Having king prawns when I was in Vietnam has sort of ruined king prawns because they will never be as good as what I had in Vietnam!). They were will very good though. I also had the pork skewers which were OK and shared the Jamon croquettes and Catalan bread with someone. So had 2 x croquettes and couple pieces of the bread. Catalan bread was really good.

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    Canto - Pork skewers

    Pork skewers

    Canto - Canto

    Canto

    Canto

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    Falafil Express - Xpress lunch box £4.50, pitta in paper bag

    Falafil Express

    3.8(4 reviews)
    1.3 miOxford Road Corridor

    A large wrap crammed with tasty falafel and salad for £3.50 is great value in my opinion and they…read moreseriously put the express into their name - v impressive. The filling involves red cabbage, potatoes and delicious cucumbery salad, I really liked it. Only snag is the wrap smelled like sick. Didn't notice so much while I was eating it (because I was really enjoying how delicious it was) but did afterwards when threw packaging in bin and a colleague noticed too so it's not just in my head. Unfortunate.

    Fresh, tasty, convenient, cheap, quick...yes thanks!…read more I got the lunchtime xpress salad box for £4.50. This is absolutely massive and you're unlikely to finish it in one sitting I'd say! It comes with a range of really delicious salads (the carrot one was the standout for me), 4 falafels, a pot of houmous, small bit of feta and a thin pitta type wrap. I'm happy to report my wrap didn't smell of vomit unlike poor Natalie's, yikes! I enjoyed all of my salad box and was also highly impressed that the juices from the salad box didn't leak at all when I, optimistically, put it in my bag to take home! The rest if it still tasted really good when I ate it at home later. I also got a Passionista smoothie which was supposed to have mango, passion fruit and pineapple but I could only taste apple juice really. To the point I think they might have got my order wrong but it was tasty so I just drank it.

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    Falafil Express

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    Jaffa Restaurant - mediterranean - Updated July 2026

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