Pot Kettle Black in Manchester

I'm not disappointed, is just not for me. The The staff were great. It's really noisy inside unless you enjoy 80/90s music. The food was OK. The sourdough was difficult to cut and then progressed to soggy. The chorizo was dry, overcooked and would be better served as small juicy pieces iso a single slab. The menu seemed a little limited compared to what i saw online before we booked. No Turkish Eggs, no Huevos Rancheros optons could i see. It was packed and they were queuing out the door. Not a place for a catch up, though the arcade seats would be slightly quieter if you can snag one. We booked ahead a week for the Saturday and only had inside option available.

My sister and I came to Manchester to see Kylie (she was amazing!), anyway. We were looking for somewhere for brunch and stumbled upon pot kettle black and couldn't have asked for more. Brunch was incredible, would strongly recommend the HLT and feta poached egg and sourdough. Full of flavour and the service was top notch. Definitely worth a visit!

Visitamos Moose Coffee en nuestro primer día en Manchester y habría sido feliz volver allí, pero como esto estaba más cerca de nuestro hotel le dimos una oportunidad y nos alegramos mucho de que lo hicimos. La comida excepcional (uno de nosotros tenía una de las varias opciones Benedict huevos mientras que el otro tenía el brekkie vegano) y los mejores cafés con leche Chai que hemos probado, sirvieron como una jarra de leche espumosa todavía en preparación - para colar en el momento apropiado basado en lo fuerte que quería su bebida. Prueba este lugar y no te arrepentirás.

Approaching the venue, it’s not clear whether you just sit down at a table or wait to be seated as the doors all say no entry! I thought the menu was a little underwhelming and was expecting more healthier options. However the tea was excellent. Breakfast bun was ok, but nothing special.

Cool indoor coffee shop offering all day brunch. Flavorful tasty dishes, tried the spinach and mushroom Benedict and the feta and avocado sourdough, were amazingly enjoyable food.

I'm so glad we visited this lovely place for our breakfast! High reccomend you book a table, and just a note, sitting out in the arcade can be a bit cold! Everything was delicious, and staff were super friendly. The decor was lovely, and the atmosphere was great!

Tried their french toast special and it was awesome. Their eggs benedict could be better ...usually eggs when u poke it ..it would ooze but they overcooked the eggs. The sour dough was also tough. So...one awesome dish, one dish that could be better. Bustling environment

Another visit to PKB for Sunday brunch and as expected it was awesome as usual... Tofu rosti hash, avocado on sourdough, two turmeric shots and two Earl Grey teas with oat milk. Fabulous friendly service from when we walked through the door... Advisable to book like we did as it gets busy especially at weekend. Best place for brunch in Manchester. Called for breakfast ordered a green smoothie, ginger shot, two Americanos, avocado on toast and vegan breakfast. The food was fantastic, lovely and fresh and packed with flavour. Service was brilliant too and all in all a great visit and a must place for food when in Manchester.

What is this, a coffee for ants?

A delightful places for breakfast. Friendly staff excellent service.

Siempre vuelve aquí. Servicio increíble, comida increíble, ambiente brillante. ¡No necesitas nada más! Toneladas de asientos al aire libre (en el Arcade) si te sientes borracho de las travesuras de anoche también!

Over complicating a simple breakfast. The staff were super friendly and quick but I don’t think the food lived up to the hype. Was given lukewarm water and toast under egg Benedict was very very soggy.

Siamo venuti qui per la nostra prima colazione a Manchester e la scelta è stata ottima. Il locale è caldo e accogliente, vagamente hypster ma senza risultare finto. Il servizio è veloce e il personale gentile. Il menù offre un’ampia scelta di piatti dolci e salati con una buona proposta anche vegana (scrumbled eggs da provare assolutamente). Il costo è di circa 60£ in tre. Nel weekend consigliata la prenotazione

Good food and coffee. Avocardo and pink onions on sourdough plus a flat white, both excellent

You wouldn’t call the pot kettle black you would call it brilliant, top smiley staff and great food

Fantástico desayuno, tantas cosas para elegir y tan bellamente presentado. Gran ambiente relajado y ambiente agradable

I think it was the best breakfast I’ve ever had! Thank you so much! And the super-friendly stuff was just a great bonus! ✨

Popped in for coffee but looking at food being served will definitely be back. Staff welcoming and friendly. Was very impressed by their batch coffee.

If you’re just after a takeaway drink, don’t make the mistake of waiting in the table queue on a weekend like I did. Oops! There’s a takeaway section a little further down, where I got a delightful beetroot latte.

Si solo buscas una bebida para llevar, no cometas el error de esperar en la cola de la mesa un fin de semana como yo. ¡Oops! Hay una sección de comida para llevar un poco más abajo, donde compré un delicioso café con leche de remolacha.

Popped in for a coffee and a pastry. Nice place. Pastries are top notch (they serve Half Dozen Other baked goods.)

Such beautiful food and drinks, and tasty! Sadly we waited an hour for our food on a Saturday lunchtime. But they had a kitchen mix up so u suspect this isn’t the norm, however service just wasn’t on point this time around! … Would go back to try something else and give it another chance

Lovely service. Huge vegan breakfast and nice coffee.

Stunning Breakfast, full of flavour!!!

Lovely coffee stop inside the beautiful Barton Arcade.

Had an amazing brunch here but couldn’t get out quick enough because we were sat by the exit, the door slams shut every 40 seconds because staff have to bring orders outside. The slam literally shakes the table you’re at so request to be sat anywhere else! Wouldn’t return again until this is fixed as the booking doesn’t tell you where you will be sat.

Un pequeño café lindo que sirve desayunos brillantes y café fantástico. La comida era genial. Tenía un expreso y un machiatto, ambos perfectos. Recomendaría encarecidamente este lugar a los amantes del café.

Shown to a table quickly, we didn’t expect to get one so easily as it’s always busy. Food was perfect and service was friendly and attentive

I ate her on Saturday afternoon, what a great place. The food was delicious and the music playing was fab. Would definitely eat here again.

¡Para mí no me gusta mi comida caliente o al menos caliente! El servicio era lento. No creo que el jugo de naranja caro fuera más que cordial. La tostada de masa madre era como cartón, casi imposible de cortar. y los huevos y el tocino estaban fríos. Sí me quejé y me dieron dos huevos calientes pero muy corridos (no como yo hubiera preferido) . el personal no parecía importarle. Bastante caro y sin duda no de calidad, de hecho me hubiera gustado haber cruzado la carretera a Weatherspoons y la próxima vez lo haré.

The number one for the breakfast, the team is awesome 🔥

We had to queue for about 10 minutes because we hadn't booked but it was definitely worth it. We shared the breakfast on the specials menu and although it was £21 it was value for money and one of the best breakfasts I have had out in recent years. Triple egg, 2 large sourdough toast, 2 grilled tomatoes, 4 bacon, 2 large artisan sausages, homemade beans in sauce, 2 large mushrooms and 4 large rostis... absolutely delicious and well presented. Can't wait to return but will book in advance next time 👍

I really like it here and always have. Another nice breakfast today but not taking cash is a big issue for me. On principle this is just wrong and we need to start calling it out!

Fabulous cafe with great tasty food and lovely friendly service.

Been to both locations in Manchester whilst on trips with the family and we've had amazing experiences on both occasions. The menu has a lot of variety when it comes to food and drink, the staff are super friendly with quick service too. The food has always been of great quality and good portion size too! I will always be happy to visit again!

A cute little cafe serving brilliant breakfasts and fantastic coffee (some of the best I’ve had!) in a stunning arcade tucked away in central Manchester. The food was brilliant with the eggs being cooked absolutely perfectly, and the brisket being cooked well too - and the sourdough was very tasty and perfectly toasted. I had an espresso and a machiatto, both which were perfect - which is a challenging feat. The pastry we had which, in all honesty, I’m not sure what it is, was delicious and I considered coming back for more pastries from their attached bakery. Strongly recommend for breakfast/coffee lovers based or visiting in Manchester.

Was looking for a new coffee shop to go to in Manchester and had this was on my radar, the food did not disappoint. The coffee was lovely and had a very good depth of flavour, the eggs Benedict was faultless as well (good portion sizes). Finished with an almond croissant which I would recommend. The only reason this place fell short was the service which was a little too slow, although the food came out quickly, everything else took a little more time. Overall a good experience though - would come again!

Loved the vibe , staff and food here. Stunning all day brunch menu

Food was amazing. Service staff was great. We were seated out in the arcade area which was quite cold and the food got cold quickly as we were eating. If you’re planning a trip, get a reservation inside or go when it’s warm. Otherwise, highly recommend.

The best breakfast sandwich, would give 5 stars if sitting next to the door wasn’t so annoying

The best cappuccino in Manchester!!! Their advertising is not in vain!!!! Simply the best… I left the shop without paying, and a very kind staff member approached me outside to make me realise that I had walked out without paying! Although it was an embarrassing situation, it was also nice to see how kind they are. I will definitely be back—and I’ll make sure to pay before leaving! Many thanks, and my apologies once again!

Really pretty cafe with excellent staff and food. I went with my Dad and had a great experience. The breakfast butty and coffee are delicious.

Update - Feb 2025: We've returned to PKB on numerous occasions since my initial review and found it to be consistently excellent for drinks, food and service. Because we are from Leeds we always book to beat the inevitable queues and it can feel a little awkward skipping past and going in the exit (as instructed) but that's just me being too British about queues I guess. On our most recent visit we had some amazing Rosti with a sriracha hollandaise, if they're ever on the specials menu I highly recommend them. In a very competitive Manchester brunch scene PBK still very much hold their own. ================== Initial review - 2020: I spotted a great photo of the Barton Arcade on Instagram so decided to visit when over from Leeds recently, while looking for directions I found Pot Kettle Black was in there and as a fan of coffee decided to visit on Sunday the 26th of Jan. On arrival I discovered it's a "wait here to be seated" place but the process was efficient and despite it being relatively busy with people having (great looking) breakfast we were seated quickly and given menus. The choice of drinks is good and, as always, I went for a flat white and my guest an americano. After a short wait the drinks arrived, both on little trays with a glass of water and in the case of my flat white a chocolate wafer. The coffee was excellent, pricing good, ambience relaxing, all in all a great visit. So why 3 stars? When paying the friendly waitress apologised for the slow service and handed me a fully stamped loyalty card to allow for a free drink next time. I told her I'd had no issue with service speed but thanked her. The day continued in Manchester and then at about 3:30pm we were back in the area and in need of a coffee. Based on the earlier trip and a fully loaded loyalty card it was a no-brainer. So back to PBK, seated, same order placed, all good (the americano even came with a wafer this time). Then it came to pay, I showed the loyalty card, complete with 9 stamps and the message "buy 9 coffees and the 10th is on us" but the wooly hat wearing chap serving refused to accept it and said we needed another stamp. I believed him, paid and left. I now had 10 stamps despite buying two more drinks. Then I noticed the "9 stamps..." message on the train home. I emailed PBK via their website to ask about this that night, over a week has passed, they haven't responded. I liked the place, the service, hat man excluded, was great, as was the coffee but when I'm next in Manchester I'll try somewhere else based on this 2nd experience.

Lovely little spot for brunch. We were sat outside but had the heater just above us so was warm and cosy. Blankets were also provided if you didn’t have a heater above you. Food was great and we indulged in a hangover cure by way of a Bloody Maria (highly recommend)

An unexpected find. Perfect for leisurely brunch. May be worth booking, if you don't wish to wait.

The coffee was amazing, lovely fruity notes in the flat white. Baked goods were lovely and fresh! But the music was quite loud so conversation was hard to hear

Sensational Eggs Benedict, great coffee, warm and inviting service amidst a wrought-iron palace of forgotten footfall. A favourite, it appears, amongst the workers at Media City. Good call.

Had the Turkish eggs with a flat white - great tasting coffee, the eggs were light, refreshing and delicious. Perfect spot to start your day if you're in town. Staff service is also very good and super attentive.

Just found this off beaten track on day visit to Manchester to see David Hockney exhibition. Service was fab from waitress who greeted us at door. The chamomile tea was the best I have had with large mug and g/ f brownies my friend and I had were lovely all this paid by his lovely mum as treat for us. Ambience fab,dog friendly, lovely music. Deffo be back when next in Manchester.

Delicious coffee cakes. Delicious avocado toast with poached eggs. Tasty smoothie. Cozy place to sit. We would love to come back again!

Fabulous food.Staff wonderful and friendly x

Lovely breakfast here, fresh and great options. Good coffee and friendly staff. Worth booking at weekends as it is busy

Recently returned to give this place another go after falling out with it a good while ago. Everything has improved so much since then. Food was great and very quick service. Will definitely be coming back.

-5°C outside, but they don't keep doors closed and don't heat up the place, except for a few small radiators. People were sitting in coats... There's a 'caution hot water' sign in the toilet, but guess what? The water was freezing cold too. It might be a nice place in the summer, but don't even think you can warm up there in the winter. Despite all of this, it's very crowdy and loud. Not a good place to chill out. They put you very close to other tables, so that strangers can listen to your private stories you share with friends. It's also very overpriced for the quantity of food and interior conditions. We were also not allowed to stay for more than 1.5 hour...

Very nice little cafe. Nice coffee and very tasty food.

Desayuné aquí un domingo por la mañana y fue muy bueno. Situado en un hermoso arcade este lugar tiene un menú amplio y variado con muchas opciones agradables.

Great coffee. Great food. Awesome staff. Couldn't have been a better experience.

So many cafes to choose from but so glad we chose this one! Vibes are great, nice music, cool aesthetic. Waiter was lovely and attentive. Coffee was honestly one of the best I’ve had in a while (I drink a lot of coffee) and food was immaculate. Will be coming back next time I’m in Manchester!

Estaba sentado rápidamente, pero cuando se trataba de servicio y la elección del menú era limitada, ya que parecía que el stock era bajo. Pedí edulcorantes y volvieron con un sobre que era todo lo que les quedaba. Pedí azúcar para mi té y tuve que ir a buscarlo ya que habían dejado en un mostrador y comenzaron a cuidar de otros clientes. El desayuno era caro y pretencioso. No volverá

Admittedly busy, staff friendly but lacked coordination, initially slow to take the order, didn't have a couple of items [it happens]. The unforgivable there were two of us, one main came promptly for fresh food, the other took an age, over 8 minutes, resulting in the first dish becoming cold.

The food was really nice, better than I expected. We ordered an avocado toast and Turkish eggs — both were amazing. And coffee (we got batch brew) was very nice too. The service I wasn’t so good - lack of communication, I was just confused about our table, where to get menu etc — nothing critical but a bot uncomfortable. Very nice place.

Fui hoy a la hora del almuerzo. Me encanta Barton Arcade pero a menudo se olvidan de él. Muy ocupados siendo los mercados de Navidad y Navidad. El menú es increíble, encantadora mezcla de sabores - tuve jamón serrano, queso crema batido con uvas en masa madre. Fue absolutamente delicioso - la mezcla de sabores funcionó tan bien. El personal es servicial y amable a pesar de estar muy ocupado. Lugar fantástico

Wide vegan choice, very nice staff and very nice place: recommended!

Very yummy & cared for food! Will visit you again on our next trip x

very nice coffee & the cutest waitresses

Went with my boyfriend before work which was a great choice because the service was so fast! Everything was presented beautifully and very yummy, we went on a weekday so I imagine it gets very busy on the weekends. A great place for a brunch date!!!

Si te apetece una salchicha para llevar sarnie y un café evita este lugar. El sándwich de salchichas consistía en una salchicha con dos trozos de tostadas secas. Una taza de café para llevar no apta para el propósito se filtró y goteó por la parte delantera de mi pareja suéter caro.

Very good. Iliana was brilliant at serving and made our breakfast all the more enjoyable!

Gorgeous food, friendly service and fab atmosphere- thank you so much! Would recommend the Turkish eggs!!

Little bit annoying that we had to queue behind (several) people that were trying to walk-in, despite us having a booking. However, once we were sat down all was very much well. The coffee is incredible (in a 'okay, THIS is coffee' sort of way), the seasonal Danish pastry (mince pie this time) was really good and the Turkish eggs and huevos rancheros were great. Prices are very fair for the quality and the service great once seated.

This cafe was top-notch! The service was great. We went on a really busy day and still had our meal in good time! The food was delicious 😋 😍.

We love the little but diverse menu here it's always a good brunch spot that is accommodating to us bringing a small toddler with us. Worth the wait for a seat. The coffee here is the best in Manchester!

Poached eggs with greek yogurt, it was cold and didn't eat it ... horrible

Lanzado sin reserva. Lugar vacío. Té y café buenos. Desayuno inglés arruinado por la masa madre tostada. Es difícil y poco apetitoso. Mi compañero de desayuno tenía huevos Benedict, también en masa madre. La masa madre es un aborto poco apetitoso de un producto de grano horneado (no merece llamarse pan). Por favor, deja de servirlo. ¿Cómo arruinar huevos Benedict? Sirve en masa madre en lugar de magdalenas.

Called in for coffee and cakes. All delicious! Good atmosphere and smart service.

Super tasty and fresh. Service with a smile too!

Just enjoyed a perfect breakfast with no need for the allergen folder - gluten free toast available for my delicious bacon and eggs. Great coffee too.

Pretty damn good. Food excellent patisserie excellent. Not cheap but not expensive. Just good value and great food

Heard amazing things about this place and can’t wait to try their food. This is just a PSA that they’re open till 4pm but stop serving food at 3pm.💖

Had a flat white coffee only. Was terrible and over extracted. The barista was very helpful and made a second cup that was miles better. Thanks for going the extra mile.

Amazing place to start the day with a typical breakfast!

Excellent cafe for brekkie. Always come here when in Manchester. Highly recommend. Eggs benedict and coffee is fantastic. Service is excellent and nice atmosphere.

Very tasty Turkish eggs. I've never had those eggs in Turkey but I'm not going to complain about provenance... 2 poached runny eggs served in a nest of what was either crem fresh or a good natural yoghurt with fennel seeds, garlic, coarse salt, and what was almost an outer moat of olive oil. Two pieces of sourdough were just enough for mopping up duty, although a third slice would have been perfect to prolong the experience. Topped with a medium size glass of decent white and a voluntary 10% tip I was more than satisfied for around £17. Will be visiting again if in the area.

The brunch menu was wonderful! Portion sizes were just right, without needing additional sides. The hot toddy and peach margarita were delightful.

Good place to have brunch! Food is delicious, staff is nice, menu offers a good variety of foods and the atmosphere is pleasant. So recommended!

Staff was friendly , food was absolutely amazing! One of the best breakfasts I’ve had in a while, iced coffee everything 10/10!

The PKB Brekkie is the best fry up I’ve ever had! Their coffee is also amazing. Absolutely worth a visit!

Went in today, sat down at the large table inside with only a food menu. Watched as others were served. Ignored for 15 minutes, no drink menu, water offered (as others) or attendance. I left at this point. Waitress cheerily thanked me and wished me a great day… I told her why I was leaving, she said sorry and that was it. No, it wasn’t too busy for basic customer service (there were several servers attending the inside space) and no, it’s the most basic rule in hospitality, attend the customer. It shouldn’t take the customer to remind them of their presence either.

Coffee was recommended by our tour guide. However, we found the service unwelcoming and left without purchasing anything.

Breakfast place Scrambled eggs with truffle oil and sourdough bread Boiled Eggs with Avocado are a great choice The coffee was not good

We had a lovely breakfast here, the food is amazing and so is the coffee! Also amazing service from Iliana! <3

Lovely strawberry mimosa, good coffee and service.

It was unfortunate that it was incredibly busy on the Sunday morning we went, despite having a reservation we had to stand and wait for 15 minutes and it generally felt disorganised and stressed which reflected in the staffs welcome. After waiting a member of staff pulled some stools from another place and placed us on the communal tables stands which was disappointing, especially considering we had booked in advance. The food was nice and arrived quick and our server was very lovely. The cafe is pretty and quaint inside, but possibly avoid at the weekend.

We've had a couple of disappointing visits here lately so we're going to look elsewhere for a while. We got a couple of full English breakfasts this morning with filter coffee (batch brew). It was pretty poor. If you're gonna charge £3.50 for a small batch, it should be really good quality. This wasn't that much better than you could make at home with decent supermarket ground coffee. The breakfasts were just alright. The mushrooms were really bland. Everything else was fine, but also just warm. Not very hot. Butter didn't melt on the toast kinda warm. £14 each. Reasonable price if you're making one of the best full English breakfasts in Manchester. Not for a warm plate of food. Would love them to get back to where they were and we'll be regulars again, but felt a bit let down a couple of times now.

The staff is very friendly. The prices are very high in relation to the portion size. The food is nothing special.

Amazing breakfast/brunch spot, food is fantastic and the pastries are unreal, the service has always been outstanding especially James (the manager) who always goes above and beyond. Couldn't recommend this place enough!

Friendly and thoughtful staff, great coffee.

The Turkish eggs were excellent. The service was more than wonderful. The employee was cheerful and helpful. She apologized profusely for an unintentional mistake. I recommend them to everyone. The place in general is nice, especially in rainy weather.

Fast service and amazing atmosphere 😍

Our first visit to Pot Kettle Black was made all the more enjoyable by wonderful service from the lovely Anya. We were offered water as soon as we had sat down, a small gesture that makes a difference. Anya was warm, bubbly, delivered service with a smile, and was attentive without being overly so. She knew exactly when to check in on us, was informative about the menu, and was both friendly and professional in her manner The food was really impressive overall, and I cannot wait to return to try out some more items from the menu. Great service though, really does make a difference, and we certainly felt it here.