Almost Famous

Sharing its name with an iconic movie about a young Rolling Stone reporter’s time on the road with a rock & roll band in the heyday of touring debauchery and controversy, it’s fitting that Almost Famous also has a rollercoaster story to tell. Like all good yarns, though, we should start at the beginning — a time when Manchester’s food scene looked very different to the world class one we see today. And, for the most part, burgers were little more than a cheap and fast stomach filler made with little care, even less attention and, at the worst end, some questionable meat. Enter the original game changer: an unmarked loft space in the Northern Quarter that dared to do things differently. 

From the word go there were queues around the block, partly because bookings weren’t a thing so you had to come on down and try your luck. Partly because there was so much hype about the place. Almost Famous had it all — sardonic attitude and a “we don’t give a flip” persona, along with some insane toppings and combinations. One of our first experiences here involved Monster Munch crisps on top of a seriously juicy beef patty, a towering ode to all that is and can be great in the burger world. Elevating the market to the nth degree, by the end of 2012 nothing would ever be the same again.

Sadly, by early 2025 the brand, which also operates in Liverpool, had hit difficult times brought on by the dual impact of post-pandemic hospitality costs and massively increased competition. Thankfully, though, a sudden closure was short-lived and, as of spring the same year, Almost Famous was up and running again, under new management which, fittingly, is led by one of its old operations directors. Someone who genuinely understands the model and unique selling point. Or, as he puts it, “the legendary AF experience – killer service, next-level food, and all the chaotic, messy, unforgettable vibes that made Almost Famous, well… famous.” Returning to top form since, this remains one of Manchester’s undisputed burger kings.