Located right by the bustle of Piccadilly Gardens, Bundobust is a vibrant beer hall and food spot, that boldly combines craft ales and Indian street food, earning accolades through a menu of wonderfully inventive vegetarian small plates and a robust selection of ales.
Bundobust’s roots trace back to 2014 in Leeds, before they branched out to Manchester in 2016, and later Liverpool in 2018. This dynamic concept was born from a friendship between Bradford natives Marko Husak, owner of Sparrow Bar, and Mayur Patel of Prashad, a revered vegetarian Indian restaurant.
The Manchester outpost of this Northern success story, is an expansive, echoey basement that exudes the ambiance of an energetic communal hub, filled with the vibrant colours of vintage Desi film posters, sky-blue tables and tangerine-coloured leatherette benches.
The menu, an assemblage of vegetarian bite-sized servings in tubs, sees dishes priced between £2.50 – £7.25. You’ll find brightly coloured deep-fried rice puffs, crisp, lacy dosas served with a side of fresh coconut chutney and a soothing lentil soup and Mumbai-style veggie burgers gracing the menu – where the authenticity of the vegetarian and vegan cooking, backed by a culture that takes no compromise for the lack of meat, sets Bundobust apart.
The bar commands attention at the far end, high on the wall, with a list of craft beers and cask ales, many of which are from local breweries, and often includes beers from Bundobust’s own brewery on Oxford Road.