On The 8th Day

There is something strange about 8^th Day, the café staff are lovely but the shop staff always seem grumpy or non-​helpful. I was here last week for some gluten free biscuits (not for me) and failed to see them at first, although they did not have enough, I asked when they might be restocked and all I got was a shrug.
On the other hand if you head downstairs the café staff always seem well mannered and polite, so I guess I will be continue to return for delicious food and smoothies but might just shop for things elsewhere (a Chorlton well know coop). There are of course the normal oddities that have always confused me like faken (not bacon) as I believe a veggie breakfast in no way need a meat substitute and to be served Faken always feels like be given a bit of mildly flavoured cardboard, but other than that the food here is great. I am aware I mostly come here during the summer as I love a good smoothy and theirs are particularly lovely when the weather is just a bit warmer outside.

The food here is pretty good plus some of it is vegan and/​or gluten free. For any vegans or vegetarians out there, this is the place to be if you’re around the university area. I buy some of my organic foods here or soy milk (lactose intolerant) when I need to get a quick drink before heading of to class.

8^th Day is simple, and that’s why I like it so much. Simple seating, clear your own tray, and help yourself to a glass of water kind of place. That and some of the best quality and value food in the city centre.
There’s something new on the menu everyday, I quite often have the hot pudding as meal, a glorious selection of cakes and a salad bar. Good coffee, fair-​trade wines and beers as well as some of the more unusual soft drinks and a whole host of teas and tisanes to suit every mood.
The Earl Grey and Cardamom cake is not to be missed, and the curries are excellent. Be warned though, you get hearty portions here. Only get a side option with your main if you’re super hungry — or have a tupperware to hand! Though of course this makes it a great option for students who also get a 5% discount with a valid student ID.
This is a regular haunt for me and has been for years, and the products upstairs in the shop have definitely made is easier for me to eat healthier and support a local business — though don’t forget to bring your bag-​for-​life!

I really enjoyed my meal here — bulgar wheat pilaff. Friends had gnocchi. Followed by vegan brownies. It’s all served canteen style, but very fresh with good flavours. Good shop on the ground level (the café is in the basement) which is packed with every type of organic /​vegan dry foods, vitamin ins, fresh & frozen treats — they even have toiletries — so a proper wee supermarket which competes well with Unicorn in Chorlton.

I think I should write a review for this place. I was kind of the first few customers of this place. It’s a vegetarian and vegan place and though I am not. It’s also one of the largest organic food stores in North West. I could sense the green and healthy smell (I admit I exaggerated a little :) when I find this place. The first reason for me to come here was some good brands I could not find in the high street supermarket like the Fentimans drinks.
Then I got use to the organic grain, porridge berries products here and stayed that way. I come to the supermarket regularly for the food supply and each time i discovery something different. I really like their buyers’ taste on the brand selection.
My latest great find would be the organic Trove loaf delivered on every Wednesday and Lovechoke raw chocolate bars from Netherlands. The croissant from Trove is actually as good as you could get in Paris. The eco-​friendly package contains the best raw chocolate I had ever had. I was not a fan of chocolate even after trying all those fancy ones but this raw chocolate is exactly what I like — pure and raw Cacao.
This shop also carries some beauty products which were from nature, free from animal test or harsh chemicals.
There is also a café downstairs with vegetarian menus.

I’m new to Manchester, and being that I have a fairly ridiculous list of food requirements, I was really pleased to find this place closeby. I went in looking for coconut flour and «sugar» but they had ran out. I asked a lady behind the counter who wasn’t particularly warm or pleasant. She looked annoyed that I disturbed her and told me to talk to another woman who was helping another customer. When I say helping, I mean engaging in what can only be described as the most pretentious conversation about different types of tempeh — with a philosophical leaning. I hovered for around 30 seconds wondering if this conversation was more important than, I don’t know… making money? Clearly it was and shame on me for being such a dirty capitalist. Seeing as I was raised with manners, I didn’t interrupt their life altering conversation and resolved to return a week later to check if they had any in stock.
I popped in today and they still didn’t have any in. When asking someone behind the counter if they were getting any more, I got a shrug and a ‘yeah’ — to which I obviously enquired as to when this would be, again met with a shrug. She told me she didn’t know. I scanned to see if anyone else was about but they generally didn’t look like they were up for speaking to customers (after all, I had no existential tempeh crisis resolution theories to offer) so I left empty handed. I don’t care that they didn’t have what I wanted in or if they didn’t know when they would have more but being polite is a bare minimum. Especially when being polite and dare I say helpful, is literally your job.
They sell my preferred brand of flour and sugar substitute online and in Holland and Barrett but The 8^th Day sells it cheaper. However, the £1 or so saving on each of these products is not worth being treated like a tw*t on two separate occasions. Maybe the café staff are nicer and maybe I would have found out if the upstairs staff hadn’t been so dismissive.
It’s a shame because they do seem to have a nice deli range and stock some products that I need in my pantry at a great price. Also, I’d rather support a small business than a large corporation but not with that attitude.

Literally MY favourite place in MCR. Here you can find all natural products you’re dreaming of: upstairs is a shop with raw, gluten free, or meat free meals. Everyday, you can try products and everyone is just so kind and helpful. You won’t feel judged if you have leather shoes, if you know what I mean. Downstairs is a lovely café with different choices everyday and for quite a good value: you get a FULL plate, you won’t feel hungry after it ! Everything is very fresh and tasteful: a proof that it doesn’t has to be posh to be good quality. Some people stay to work, families, student melt together, do not hesitate to try it !

I’m glad this place exists although its not somewhere I’ll shop regularly as I’m too much of a cheapskate and meat eater to need most of their stuff. I’m glad they’re trying to save the planet and animals though, someone should.
I was at the café earlier this evening and very much enjoyed my jambalaya with tofu and veg. The nice woman behind the counter offered to let us try a little taste of their 3 mains they had left as we were dithering over what to get. My friend has issues with eating wheat and pulses so she also checked in their book what all the ingredients were which was appreciated.
I also have to give special mention to the Earl Grey and cardamom cake I had. If you have a sweet tooth you’ll love it, especially the icing. I’m really skeptical about vegan cakes but I genuinely wouldn’t have known the difference I’m happy to report!
The café is downstairs below the shop and has a canteen style, including encouraging you to put your used plates and tray on a stacking trolley. It suits the studenty vibe though. They also have the liberal newspapers available to read if you’re waiting for your friend who was late!

Jonny Q has spinach and feta parcel for breakfast! Yes you heard it here first but I basically was wandering past the other day, thought I hadn’t been here for a while so popped in and thought why not do something new on my Thursday morning — that’s when I thought this would be a great idea — and it basically was!
My wife is quite the fan of proper nutritional food (I do too but I’m quite partial to some junk on the side) and we used to pop by 8^th Day quite a bit. Basically it’s only the odd occasion we find ourselves on Oxford road now and from here it was nice to pop in relive the memories.
It’s a Deli upstairs, café downstairs — both are pretty cool and it’s a co-​op so you can shop ethically aware. All the staff were pretty friendly and as you can imagine happy go lucky, there’s also a great smell throughout, you know that smell that basically just makes you feel healthy from walking by the shelves!
The Deli counter is where it’s at though — great selection of treats and pies plus they sell Barbakan bread and have a pretty comprehensive selection so worth popping by if you’re after a nice loaf.

Tasty vegetarian food and great value for money downstairs at the hot food restaurant. Get in early for lunch because it gets real busy and the queue can get long.
Upstairs they have shop full of all things vegetarian style — including good versions of those things you wish were less horrible chemical filled. like non dangerous toothpaste and organic cotton buds :)
Great for a quick snack from the deli counter upstairs as well.

I love meat. I really love meat.
«Who doesn’t?» I hear you cry.
Vegetarians. That’s who. In all their forms.
AND THANK HEAVENS, because there wouldn’t be specialist health stores or vegetarian cafés /​bistros to go to if they did.
Eighth Day has it all (except meat). The eatery downstairs is cosy and friendly and homely (and has wonderful cake, but no meat), and the ‘general store’ upstairs is jam packed with goodness, and smells a bit like my grandmothers pantry, which I love. The take-​away style food is FABULOUS, and I always try something new, and I’m never disappointed. The staff are an ecclectic mix of wonderously lovely people, and are all a touch mental, which is great after a long day of rehearsal, they don’t flinch an inch when one goes in and acts a little tapped. I often meat (see what I did there) people in there for coffee or to grab a bite, and can always rely on the quality of the grub.
AND IT’S MUCH BETTER FOR YOU!
Sign me up. I’m a hippy.
Suggested treats:
Black Cherry and Dark Choclate Flapjack
Blueberry and Caramel Flapjack
Burrito GRANDÉ!
‘And on the Eighth Day, He’d rested enough, so He strolled down Oxford Road for a snack’
8/​Meat… I mean 10÷8… 5 STARS!

I just enjoyed a huge, delicious lunch here for £7.50 — sweet potato & goat’s cheese roulade, steamed broccoli and fried potatoes. Everything on the plate came together really well, with the rich flavours of the roulade contrasting with the slightly crunchy florets of broccoli. The fried potatoes were out of this world — well-​browned, soft and crispy in all the right places, mmm! Eighth Day, when you get it right you’re the best in town!

And now, I review the shop above the Eighth Day’s café. Would you believe it, it’s just as lovely as what’s downstairs! So I amble in, snot-​ridden and unsexy. I’m seeking out healthy bits and bobs to make me feel better, and I’m curious about ingredients used on my current most favouritest of blogs:
Seeking dairy-​free whip and soyonnaise, I know I’ve come to the right place.
But I got so much more. The staff obviously also realised I found additional items to those I’d originally come in for, because after a while I started to use my chin as a balancing device, and a kind young lady approached me and said, «Would you like a basket? I’ll go and fetch you one.» Aww! These people care about the environment and animals, and by default that makes them nice and pleasant. When I approached the counter I discovered they even have takeaway deli items which they can heat up for you. Vegan pastries, flapjacks and cakes, all sorts of interesting and delicious-​looking fare. Yummers! Shame I felt so lousy, otherwise I might have cleaned them out. And if you’re in the market for a tipple, they sell organic wines and Marble Brewery beers like chocolate stout and ginger.
My reusable Unilocal tote bag (all the cool kids have ‘em) now sits next to me, happily filled with boxes of Pukka herbal teas, organic ketchup sweetened with Agave syrup, margarine, soyonnaise, cream sheeze and whip all without dairy… this stuff ain’t the cheapest, obviously, but I’m ever so happy I’ve found it in Manchester. Just stick me in a hemp skirt and call me Rain, I’m an official card-​carrying hippy.

Eighth Day encompasses the ethical ethos of the ideal world: «trading without exploitation of our employees, our customers, the planet and ourselves, cruelty-​free and fairly traded, wherever possible. Sustainability and environment friendly is of course on the agenda. So with this vegetarian and vegan healthfood shop comes all the extra benefits too, peace of mind that no cows, sheep or bees came to harm in the making, the planet can be saved!
I admire it’s charm and its cause a lot. I sure hell try but fail miserably to be a good citizen. The establishment itself does a whole lot of good for you though. The store houses almost a thousand certified organic product lines, macrobiotic foods, homeopathic remedies, cruelty-​free toiletries (!), gifts, greeting cards and fairly traded ethnic crafts as well as the usual vegetarian, health and whole foods. Yes it’s got a whole lot of good in it.
And it doesn’t stop at what you can purchase but what you can experience. Eighth day holds many events including a carbon footprint clinic, free make overs, live music, art and knitting! All ethically pleasing of course.
That’s why there’s always a queue when I walk past perusing the aisles, or grabbing a quick snack, or emerging from the downstairs Café. Eighth Day is a success story through and through. Congratulations.

Housed in the basement of the wholefoods co-​op, the 8^th day café is open from early morning til early evening. As you’d expect, the emphasis is on healthy and wholesome vegetarian, organic and macrobiotic food. There’s homemade soups, fresh salads and about half a dozen different hot meals available every day.
Unlike the co-​op upstairs, the staff in the café are usually warm and friendly and don’t seem to mind how long customers stay nursing a soy latte or baked potato. There’s usually mellow music playing and and students wandering in and out for some cheap chow. The only disadvantage, is the layout and food counter can make the whole place seem a bit like a hippy canteen. Great for catching up with friends over a quick lunch, not so great for a date!

If I’m honest this place is way way too healthy for me… the shame. However they do sell a great selection of fairtrade products here (which I am always in favour of) and a great cup of coffee!
This place is great for veggies and is ideally located just near man met to save all those malnourished students who have been living on a liquid diet.
I will say that the smoothies here area greeeat hangover cure if you can stomach one. Looking over this review maybe I need to reassess my lifestyle :$