The Danish Food Centre on Cross Street was a foodies’ favourite in the city for over two decades
Danish Food Centre on Cross Street, Manchester
Have you ever enjoyed a local delicacy so much that it makes you want to throw on your coat and make a special trip to indulge your craving? Saying this, it’s more likely you’ll satiate your taste buds via a mobile app these days.
But what if that particular café, restaurant, or delicatessen – the only place that sold that special treat – no longer exists? One such place that many remember as selling food you couldn’t get anywhere else in Manchester was the Danish Food Centre.
The Danish Food Centre opened on Cross Street in Manchester city centre in November 1965 – just in time for Christmas. Seen as an important cultural and diplomatic event, it was opened by Danish Prime Minister Jen Otto Krag, alongside his wife, leading Danish actress Helle Krag.
In September 1968, the Danish Food Centre had another royal visitor: Princess Margrethe and her husband, Prince Henrik, who were touring the UK.
Danish Food Centre, Royal Exchange Building, Cross Street, Manchester. 1973
The eatery in the Royal Exchange Building became an incredibly popular lunchtime stop-off, especially for the city’s hungry office workers.
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The delicacy most associated with the food centre was the traditional Danish open sandwich – nicknamed the Danwich.
Customers could choose from an extensive list of toppings, many of which were very different from the types of sandwiches typically eaten in Manchester at the time.
Princess Margrethe of Denmark visiting the Danish Food Centre in Manchester in 1968
Classic open sandwich concoctions included spiced pork with aspic jelly and onion, white cream cheese with a mandarin orange garnish, and chicken salad with tomato and mushrooms.
There were also the classic Danish seafood sandwiches, such as smoked eel and scrambled egg, fried fillet of plaice with remoulade sauce and lemon.
Customers could choose to take their purchases out or eat in at a coffee lounge inside called ‘the Copenhagen Corner’.
One reviewer wrote in the Cheshire Observer soon after it opened in 1965: “…To come into the centre from the grey of Cross Street on a cold, snowy day is just like getting on a boat at Harwich and waking up in Copenhagen.”
Whenever a photograph of the Danish Food Centre is posted on the popular We Grew Up in Manchester Facebook group, people always take to the comments with their memories of their open sandwiches.
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And it was one particular delicacy, the centre’s open prawn sandwich, that had many people reminiscing.
Colette Senar said: “They did the best open prawn sandwich. My mum used to take us as young children.”
Maggie Teece Hall agreed, posting: “Their prawn open sandwiches were ground breaking in Manchester and absolutely gorgeous. The Bar and the downstairs restaurant was excellent too. Shots of ice cold Schnapps.”
Sara-Jane Ellaby Preston said: “Friday afternoon treat from my boss at Dunlop Heywood on Deansgate was an open prawn sandwich – happy days!”
A traditional Danish open smorrebrod sandwich with rye bread and prawns
Elaine Taylor remembered: “I worked in the Liverpool building society on Cross street and loved getting my lunch there… the open prawn sandwich was phenomenal!”
While Clare Lees shared: “Oh yes! I rave about this when describing my childhood! We used to go on Saturday for lunch when we had ‘gone to town’ to shop. I loved the open prawn sandwich. It was the only one not on rye bread! My mum would always tease me saying it was the most expensive!”
In so many comments, people mentioned open prawn sandwiches being their favourite. However, memories of other mouth-watering delicacies were also shared.
Adrienne Cunningham said: “I used to work round the corner in the ’80s and had lunch from there at least once a week. I used to love the green marzipan cake they made, I had one at my wedding reception.”
Carole Clarke said: “I worked in Topman and had many a lunch from there. Chips, spring roll type of thing with yellow sauce over and crispy bits. I still crave that meal to this day.”
While Sheila White reminisced: “Their Danish pastries were to die for. I’m always disappointed nowadays at the stodgy apologies for Danish pastries that the supermarkets offer.”
Sadly, the Danish Food Centre was closed down in the mid-1980s by the Government of Denmark, which said it had served its purpose of making people in the region aware of the delights of Danish food.
Looks like it was mission accomplished.