Credit: Secret Manchester
Reviewed by:
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Staff Writer
·
May 17, 2026
The Northern Quarter has always been a testing ground for bold culinary concepts. The latest arrival swaps standard British pub grub for European street fare. Heavy-duty potato presses are bolted to the counters, and the smell of toasted stroopwafels fills the air.
Manchester’s first Dutch fry house
Set across two spacious floors, Smaak has officially opened its doors as the city’s inaugural fry house dedicated to the Netherlands. The kitchen skips standard fast food to focus on imports made entirely in-house.
Diners can order savoury bitterballen and signature fries loaded with thick layers of melting cheese and sauces. For larger appetites, the brunch menu features a towering stack of crispy fried chicken served on a waffle with a fried egg, alongside a roster of juicy burgers.
Credit: Secret Manchester
Blowtorch cocktails & self-serve barrels
Beyond the savoury dishes, the venue introduces a hefty dose of hospitality theatre. Punters can pour their own pints directly from wall-mounted wooden drink barrels. Behind the bar, staff use blowtorches to toast marshmallow-topped mugs and hot cocktails.
The commitment to origin goes down to the machinery, with the potato-pressing equipment and various ingredients sourced directly from the home region to ensure precise preparation.
Credit: Secret Manchester
Those leaning toward sweets can pull apart a warm, gooey stroopwafel, slice into a rich chocolate cake, or tackle an oven-baked pancake loaded with fresh berries and cream. Operating under the playful motto that they bring Amsterdam’s “great food, not the other thing,” this brand-new addition is ready for a massive local welcome.
Grab a booth, pour a pint, and test out the menu for yourself.
📍 Smaak, 42 Back Turner Street, Manchester, M4 1FR.