One of the Northern Quarter's most popular cafes is preparing to relaunch with a new lockdown takeaway offering.
Evelyn's, one of the city's most celebrated brunch spots, will soon be preparing giant pittas stuffed with slow-cooked meats and homemade sauces and fillings.
Trading as The Pitta Shop, the giant sandwiches have been created by its head chef Phil Cardy, who grew up in Israel.
Phil will draw on traditional recipes picked up and tweaked over a lifetime, including Middle Eastern lamb marinated for 24 hours and a vegan falafel pitta.
Sourcing its bread from Jewish bakery Pittanoor, in Prestwich, the team hope to be able to offer a convenient and affordable takeaway option for people living in the city centre.
Everything else, including its pickles and its zhug - a green hot sauce from Yemeni - will be made in house.
Alongside the pittas, Evelyn's will serve homemade sweet potato chips drizzled in truffle oil.
A £10 meal deal will get a pitta, a portion of chips and a soft drink.
The cafe says that its usual menu didn't translate well to delivery and takeaway, which is all that is permitted under the current national lockdown.
Evelyn's general manager Stephen Oliver said: "Evelyn's traditionally has always had quite a global menu with food and inspiration from all around the world.
"There are a lot of takeaway concepts out there at the minute but we didn't feel like Evelyn's worked like that, you lose the homely vibe.
"We wanted to do something wholesome and hearty, and with Phil's background we saw a little gap in the takeaway market.
"All the flavours come from where Phil grew up in Israel, he's picked up recipes from there. It's all really authentic."
The huge stuffed pittas will be priced from £7.95 and will go on sale this weekend.
They can either be collected from Evelyn's on Tib Street or ordered through Deliveroo.
Stephen added: "We all live in town and we can see people are out on their walks at the weekends, because it's all anyone's able to do at the minute.
"It's just really tasty heart-warming food and great quality.
"You can walk around town with it, it won't fall apart because the pittas are such good quality."
The Pitta Shop will be open between 12pm and 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays, from February 6.
