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Manchester’s food scene is buzzing, but few cafés wear their Manc pride on the menu quite like Morning Glory. Opened by content creator Zack Hipps, the Northern Quarter newcomer has already made waves with its vivid matcha drinks and a modern spin on the forgotten Manchester Tart.
Morning Glory
Morning Glory Cafe
At the heart of it all is Zack Hipps, a familiar face to many online thanks to his work as a content creator and influencer. He’s also one of the judges for the I love Manchester awards 2025. Now, he’s swapped the fast-paced world of advertising and social media for something altogether more grounded, running his own café.
“It was stressful, I won’t lie,” Zack laughed, recalling the chaos of opening week. “Two days ago it was absolutely crazy. But when I look at the place now, it’s exactly how I wanted it to be, it looks amazing.”
Zack Hipps – Influencer and Morning Glory owner
Zack Hipps – owner of Morning Glory
Zack’s journey to café ownership might look like a sudden leap, but in truth, food and drink have been a constant thread in his life.
“My first proper job was at Ginger’s Ice Cream Emporium, just across the road from here,” he said. “That’s where I fell in love with coffee. From there, it just escalated, you stop drinking instant, then you stop drinking the cheap brands, and before you know it, you’re deep in the world of speciality coffee. Suddenly, you’re the person saying you’ll only drink beans that have been through the digestive system of an elephant,” he laughed.
Supporting Mancunian suppliers
Morning Glory
Morning Glory’s coffee comes from Dark Arts, a roastery Zack settled on after consulting the city’s coffee aficionados. “I asked loads of Manchester coffee nerds what they thought of different brands because I didn’t want it to just be my personal taste. It’s about creating something people want, not just what I think is cool. Dark Arts came up again and again, so it felt like the right choice.”
The café also makes its own syrups, raspberry, chocolate bread and more, alongside using premium Sip Syrups. “It’s about control and quality,” Zack explained. “I want everything to taste as good as it possibly can.”
And then, of course, there are the matcha specials, colourful, striking drinks that look as good as they taste. Working with local supplier Kyoto Matcha, Zack spent weeks developing recipes that would stand out.
“The raspberry matcha iced drink is probably my favourite,” he admitted. “The sharpness of the raspberry works so well with the earthiness of matcha, and then you’ve got the creaminess of the milk on top. It looks amazing, but it’s also a nightmare to make because you have to strain out all the raspberry seeds. Still, I think you can taste the effort, and honestly, I don’t know anywhere else in Manchester doing it like this.”
Showcasing Manchester’s independent producers
Manchester Tart at Matcha Madness at Morning Glory
For Zack, the café is as much about showcasing Manchester’s independent producers as it is about good coffee. “We’ve got Kyoto Matcha, Hip Hop Kombucha, Thicc Slice for bagels, and then Vanilli’s Bakery in Ancoats, where I worked with on developing our version of the Manchester Tart,” he said proudly.
This focus on collaboration reflects the wider ethos of the Northern Quarter, where independent businesses feed off each other’s creativity. “Manchester allows you space to grow,” Zack said. “That’s what I love about it. I want Morning Glory to be part of that, a place that people feel connected to.”
Why is the Manchester Tart not more well-known?
Ask anyone over a certain age in Manchester and they’ll have fond (and sometimes messy) memories of the Manchester Tart: a shortcrust pastry base filled with raspberry jam, custard, and coconut, often finished with a cherry on top.
“It’s bizarre that it’s not more popular, because it tastes great,” Zack said. “For me, food and culture are intertwined, and as someone who loves Manchester, I wanted to bring it back. We’ve made little tweaks to modernise it, but the heart of it is still the same. I honestly don’t know why more places aren’t doing it.”
By putting the tart front and centre, Morning Glory is tapping into Mancunian nostalgia while reintroducing it to a new generation. “I see it as almost a forgotten classic,” Zack explained. “It deserved a bit of love.”
Currently Manchester hospitality industry challenges
There’s no escaping the fact that opening a café in 2025 comes with challenges. Rising costs have seen much-loved neighbours, like Feel Good Club, forced to shut their doors.
“I think it’s really sad,” Zack admitted. “Places like that closing is a huge loss. We knew costs were going to be high when we opened, so we’ve tried to plan for it, but it’s something we’ll need to constantly adapt to. The main thing is keeping our products accessible while still being high quality. That balance is really important.”
What’s the story behind the name, Morning Glory?
Of course, the name “Morning Glory” has already sparked plenty of conversation. “I wanted a name with layers,” Zacc grins. “There’s obviously the Oasis song, which ties into Manchester’s music history. Then there’s the literal meaning, that feeling you get from a great coffee in the morning. The building is owned by the Methodist Church, so there’s a cheeky nod there too.”
Gorgeous bagels from Thicc Bagels
Alongside bagels, Morning Glory has another showstopper in the works: “Glory Holes.”
“They’re bagels filled with whipped cream cheese, drenched in garlic butter, and topped with rosemary and thyme,” Zacc said. “They’re ridiculously indulgent and honestly, super delicious. We’ve not had them every day yet, but when we do, people go mad for them.”
From content creator to Cafe owner
With thousands of followers online, Zacc is well aware that people will be curious how he plans to balance being a café owner with being a creator.
“It’s definitely going to be a learning process,” he said. “I’ll be here a lot in the beginning, but I’ve already got a really strong team, and developing them is key. The café is a big focus for me, but creating content will always be part of what I do, I think the two can complement each other.”
If there’s one thing Zacc wants, it’s feedback. “I want people to tell me what they like, what they don’t like, so I can improve. I want Morning Glory to be the best it can be, and that requires people’s input. I want it to be somewhere Manchester can be proud of.”
From the neon-green matcha lattes to the flaky Manchester Tarts, Morning Glory is a love letter to Manchester’s food culture, past and present. It’s bold, it’s playful, and like the best things in this city, it’s not afraid to do things differently.
“Manchester gives you space to grow,” Zacc said. “And that’s exactly what I want Morning Glory to do.”
Morning Glory is now open in the Northern Quarter, serving coffee, bagels, matcha specials, and a modern spin on the Manchester Tart.
You can check them out on Instagram here
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