Following a lovely bottomless brunch at Cocoa Cabana Ancoats a few months ago, Charlie and I headed back when we spotted that they had revamped their brunch menu. A lovely brunch and cocktail space, Cocoa Cabana in Ancoats has delicious cake displays you will have come to expect from Cocoa Cabana but also a great selection of small plates to enjoy with friends over a few drinks.
There are some new additions to the cocktail menu and we enjoyed the Cherry French Darling and a Watermelon Spritz. I am not a fan of watermelon but anything watermelon flavoured, I am there! It is light and refreshing, just right for this sunny weather we are experiencing in Manchester at the moment. The Cherry French Darling is a cherry twist on a French Martini so fruit forward and a good sipping drink.
The brunch selection is lengthy and I almost had to be dragged away from the rainbow bagels but, as pretty and delicious as they are, I don’t think they would have been the best choice to really showcase what this menu can do. Charlie went big with the American Pancake Stack, complete with fried egg, bacon, sausage and maple syrup. The sweet and savoury combo is always a winner for me and the crispy bacon almost made me feel like I was back in the States, almost.
I chose the Cabana Benedict with added steak, because I will add steak to anything where there is the option. Soft poached eggs and slices of steak sit atop a slice of sourdough with a great crunch and a hollandaise, dotted with spicy sriracha for a touch of heat. My only criticism is that I would have liked it on a bigger plate, as I struggled to eat it on these little plates but it tasted delicious and I would definitely order it again.
We had another cocktail before we headed off to our event, a Colour Changing Margarita for Charlie and a Salted Caramel Espresso Martini for me. If you have ever had afternoon tea at Cocoa Cabana, you will know all about their sensational salted caramel sauce. It is sticky and thick, luxuriously decadent with just a hint of salt, making sure it is not too much. I absolutely adore the stuff, to the point that I scoop it out of the little pot with my finger each time I am presented with it. Imagine my delight when I saw the cocktail had the sauce dripped around the rim! It tones down any sweetness from the cocktail and deepens the coffee notes really well. The Colour Changing Margarita has just enough theatre when poured into the glass to reveal differently coloured drink. Margaritas are always a good idea.
Cocoa Cabana is super dog friendly and I had the delight of petting many doggos whilst there. I bought my own pooch some handmade treats as an apology for leaving him for the afternoon and I think he forgave me. Either take your dog or make sure you take some treats home for them as well, and a slice of cake for yourself. I promise, you won’t regret it.
You can book a table via the Cocoa Cabana website.
I was invited to dine as a guest of Cocoa Cabana and wasn’t asked to pay.Â
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