Pull Up Bar Cafe

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Visit now

Pull Up Bar Cafe

14-16 Swan St, Manchester, M4 5JN
01616379370
Pull Up Bar Cafe
Pull Up
Book now

Pull Up Bar Cafe is a welcome addition to Manchester city centre. One of the very few independent Caribbean restaurants in the centre, it’s a colourful, fun-looking cafe based on Swan Street in the Northern Quarter. Of course, in normal times we’d have spent a couple of hours in there, soaking up the atmosphere along with some cocktails and most of the menu. Sadly, these are lockdown times and the honourable Mr Cummings aside, we the people are no longer allowed in restaurants, for the time being at least.

Curried goat, jerk chicken and even a few surprise pieces of saltfish

So for this review, we purchased the ‘Hench Box’, took it home and guzzled the lot. Curried goat, jerk chicken and even a few surprise pieces of saltfish, plus plenty of perfectly-cooked fluffy rice and a few sprigs of coriander. It’s not a cheap option, coming in at around £15, but this is reflected in the quality. Curried goat varies wherever you go, and Pull Up’s iteration is as good as it gets. Slightly sweeter and less packed with Scotch bonnet heat than some, it’s still incredibly moreish, packed with all kinds of flavours – a touch of cinnamon here, some rich, murky, meaty gravy there.

The jerk chicken is just as good. The bone slides out with ease – we’re clearly dealing with high-end produce, none of your mass-produced frozen poultry, we’re happy to say. Again, the heat is gentle but steadily develops with each bite, it’s not a wham bam thank you mam kind of cheap chili heat – and all the better for it.

We’re clearly dealing with high-end produce, none of your mass-produced frozen poultry

Interestingly, the saltfish is probably the best of the proteins, despite my not even asking for it. It’s smooth, delicate and blends beautifully with the spices from the two meats. The rice comes scattered with pomegranate seeds, not often seen with other Caribbean restaurants round these parts, but they’re a fantastic addition. Crunchy and sweet, and adding little blots of bright red colour to the plate.

If we’re looking for faults, it’d be nice to have a bit more jerk chicken – one leg simply wasn’t enough, but the saltfish made up for it, in fairness. Manchester has long needed a genuine independent Caribbean restaurant in the city centre, and Pull Up Bar Cafe is most certainly that.

What's on near Pull Up Bar Cafe

Bloom Chameleon Dancers
Ancoats
Bloom at Hallé St Peter’s

Bloom fuses Manchester and Japan’s creative energies in music, dance and fashion, imagining bold futures for shared histories.

Free entry
Blondshell by Hannah Bon.
MusicManchester
Blondshell at New Century

With sardonic wit, towering hooks and distortion dialled high, Blondshell lands at New Century this September, armed with album number two.

From £24.00
Craft Beer Tour Around Manchester
Until
ActivityManchester
Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse

From £45

Where to go near Pull Up Bar Cafe

Fringe Bar in Manchester's Northern Quarter
Ancoats
Bar or Pub
Bar Fringe

No-frills bar on Manchester’s Swan Street. A wide selection of beers and ciders mixed with a great jukebox make this an ideal pre-Band on The Wall drinking spot.

Manchester music venue, Band on the Wall
Manchester
Music venue
Band on the Wall

Band on the Wall is one of Manchester’s most legendary live music venues, the place where Joy Division, The Buzzcocks and Oasis got their first breaks.

The Rose & Monkey Hotel
Manchester
Bar or Pub
The Rose & Monkey Hotel

The Rose & Monkey Hotel is one of the Northern Quarter’s best music-led bars, with a truly impressive beer garden. Our new favourite Manchester pub.

Ancoats
Restaurant
The Wayfarer

The Northern Quarter pub with Live-music, outdoor seating and friendly staff, making this venue a more than enjoyable visit.

Mecanica
Manchester
Bar or Pub
Mecanica

Taking over the space previously occupied by The Quick Brown Fox, Mecanica is a smart neighbourhood bar based in the Northern Quarter.

matt and phreds sign manchester music
Manchester
Music venue
Matt and Phred’s

New Orleans reaches Manchester with this dedicated jazz club in the Northern Quarter – a reliable choice for a good night out.

Manchester
Restaurant
The Firehouse

The Firehouse serves up quality food and drink at its new Wednesday evening supper club.

Ancoats
Restaurant
Ramona

If you haven’t heard of Ramona by now then where have you been? Taking Manchester by storm, Ramona is a Detroit Pizza restaurant, with a salty twist… Frozen margaritas!

Stray
Manchester
Restaurant
Stray

Stylish modern bar serving sophisticated cocktails in the Northern Quarter.

Culture Guides

Cinema in the North

This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.

Author portrait
Literature Events in the North

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

Sprints
Music in the North

10 fresh shows across Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, threading together noise, ritual, euphoria and release in all their messy, beautiful forms.

Detail of an abstract sculpture, with burned materials and rusty chicken wire at the centre, with rusted metal bars bent around it.
Exhibitions in the North

Chocolate fountains, beautiful batiks and medieval marginalia - this month's supersized Exhibitions Guide has it all.