A NEW coffee shop has opened in Sankey Street offering a Manchester vibe to the Cultural Quarter.

Espresso and sandwich bar Cafe At The Outset has opened in the office space where The Gallery at Bank Quay House used to be.

Expect artisan brews from Ancoats Coffee, breakfast/brunch including sourdough toast, organic whole oat porridge, granola with yoghurt and berries, smoked salmon and cream cheese bagels and fully loaded sandwiches like the New Yorker and barbecue chicken.

And although the cafe’s customer base is mostly office workers, it is open to everyone.

Manager Andy Morgan, who lives in Manchester, said: “I think it’s a relaxing space. It’s nice and light and roomy. I love it. We’ve very much gone for a part-industrial Manchester style.

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"For example, on the counter we’ve got the hexagons which is supposed to represent the whole honeycomb and worker bee thing. We’re not trying to intrude on Warrington but we like the style that a lot of these Manchester coffee shops carry and thought there wasn’t really anything else like this here.

Warrington Guardian:

"There’s free Wi-Fi and we’ve got a kind of modular seating area for people working and we’ve got the sofas on either corner.

“One is great for people watching, the other is great for burying your head in a book.

“We do get a lot of trade from the building but we would like to open it up to the public more. Everyone is welcome.”

Warrington Guardian:

The cafe’s most popular sandwich is the New Yorker loaded with pastrami, cheese, pickles and mustard.

There is also a vegan friendly falafel and hummus sandwich and there will always be either a soup or stew on offer.

Andy, 29, who previously ran similar coffee shops in Manchester’s Albert Square and the old Granada Studios, added: “We’ve tried not to overcomplicate things too much.

“I’ve worked for people in the past where they’ve tried to make it a bit too fancy and a lot of time customers want something straight forward like ham and cheese or a chicken sandwich, especially if it’s in an office block and they’re coming here every day. But my philosophy with sandwiches is that I make them how I’d make them at home. They’re stacked high and you definitely get your money’s worth.”

Warrington Guardian:

Cafe At The Outset is currently closed at weekends as Andy is currently the only member of staff but he is hoping to extend the opening hours soon. Andy, a keen musician, is also hoping to introduce acoustic music sessions at the venue.