The Portico Kitchen
A centre for food writing, food history, and food culture in one of Manchester’s oldest lunch spots.
About us
The Portico Kitchen is a centre for food culture in the North West. Through events, workshops, talks, and publications, we explore, celebrate, and confront the local and global food histories that have led to modern Manchester being one of Britain’s culinary capitals.
In 2023, our events programme is expanding, beginning in March with an edible history of vegetarianism, and continuing throughout the year with an exhibition, book talks, and food writing workshops. View our full events programme here, or read on to learn our story.
Our Story
Food has been served in the Portico Library since we first opened our doors in 1806, making us one of Manchester’s longest-serving food establishments. The minutes of one of our first committee meeting record the decision to offer members ‘soups, tea, coffee, jellies, ices, orgeat, lemonade, or any other refreshment excepting fermented or spirituous liquors.’
In the two centuries since then, much has changed. Public appetite for ‘jellies’ – often made from such tempting ingredients as calves’ feet – has waned; orgeat – a syrup made from orange, rose and almond – is now almost only found in Mai Tai cocktails. But much has also remained the same, and our soups and coffees have kept visitors fed and watered for over 200 years.