Cute and stylish, Teacup, formerly known as Cup, is Mr Scruff’s vegetarian tea shop. The Manchester DJ is renowned for his fondness of a good cuppa and that’s exactly what you can get here with some lovely added extras.

The Venue
Teacup is a bright airy cafe in the heart of the Northern Quarter. As you walk down Thomas Street the first thing to catch your eye is the collection of beautiful vintage cups and saucers for sale in the window. Inside, the place is modern, minimalist and split into three sections - coffee shop, cup shop and T-shirt shop. The T-shirts are quirky from American company Threadless and the cups come in all shapes and sizes, however some do have eye-watering high prices. Vox Pop Records, which used to be at the back of the cafe is sadly no more and has been replaced by extra tables and chairs to cope with the ever-growing Teacup crowd.

The Atmosphere
This place has an extremely relaxed atmosphere. You can chill out and read the paper, catch up with friends over a brew or just browse the crockery and t-shirts at the front of the shop. The Cup clientele are cool and creative with lots of arty types popping in for a quick pit stop. Every now and then, they put on live music and poetry events and even Moby has previously dropped by to do an intimate acoustic gig. As for the staff, they are friendly and always helpful when you can’t decide what to have for lunch.

The Food
From all day breakfasts to crepes and sandwiches, Teacup has a great range of veggie food on offer at reasonable prices. The soups (£3) are hearty and the beetroot and horseradish is particularly good with its vibrant pink colour and tangy flavour. Heavier options include bangers and mash (£5.95) and pie of the day (£4) that can be accompanied by gravy, mash and peas. And for those with a sweet tooth, home-made cookies, muffins and cakes are also on offer alongside yummy organic chocolate bars.

The Drink
Teacup’s pride and joy is its tea. From Mr Scruff’s fair-trade English Breakfast to the more unusual chilli and mint (£1.20), there is something for everyone. The coffee is good and strong and the hot chocolate (£1.80) is rich and creamy. But it’s not only hot drinks on offer. You might want to try one of the refreshing organic juices or a shot of wheatgrass (£2.25) for a quick feel good boost. Milkshakes and smoothies (£3.50) are also on the menu and are interestingly named after famous musicians and songs.

The Last Word
There’s more to Teacup than just good food and drink. It’s a great hangout with quirky crockery and T-shirts thrown in. A perfect one-stop shop in the Northern Quarter.

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