Folk Café Bar

There’s no doubting it. This place is great. Who would have thought that you could have such a wonderful terrace in a small suburban area of Manchester. When the weather is right, you feel like you could be in Southern Europe.
The atmosphere is always great with a friendly, albeit slightly hipster, crowd.
Food is usually delicious. The service can be hot or miss.
A definite place to try if you’re in West Didsbury.

Folk have recently had a makeover outside and it’s now perfect for the summer. It’s always busy being in a prime location on burton road. The weather was great so I took a seat in the front garden area.
We had a few beers (him) of which there are about 8 selections — I only recognised 2 and I guess the rest were craft. I had a a few rose wines which were good quality but served with a frown from the grumpy barmaid.
I also ordered tuna tacos which looked fantastic but were really missing sour cream or salsa as there wasn’t much taste however the Tuna was cooked to perfection and the ingredients looked and tasted extremely fresh.
There’s a really good vibe at folk — youthful but the audience is both old and young. I’ve knocked a couple of stars off as its not cheap and I was disappointed in the food but that could be a taste thing so I may be being unfair. It’s a very enjoyable plan to go and soak up the didsbury atmosphere.

We went to folk on a lazy Sunday brunchtime. It was open, but quiet, which was brilliant for us. We had coffees, tea, 2 pies, an all english and a pulled chicken burger.
My coffee was excellent. The pulled chicken burger was Caribbean style with hints of mango and ginger blended in the enticing fragrance of burnt meat. The overall package was fantastic! From what I heard, the pies and the English breakfast were well made also.
We felt a sweet craving and ordered a lemon drizzle cake and an orange & almond cake. The orange cake was amazing but the lemon drizzle felt a bit old/​stale. We pointed this out to them and did not bother with it. They promptly knocked it off our bill, which was an excellent gesture and a example of good service.
We would definitely go back here, based on this experience and I sincerely hope they continue to maintain their levels of quality and service.

Bueno para un par de tragos incluso comida. Recomiendo las hamburguesas. Precios están ok. El ambiente es bueno y relajado. Excelente para grupos

I popped into Folk having gone down to Didsbury for a meeting and a change of scene and thinking it was time to actually do this on all fronts, I plumped for Folk having never actually been before (I know — it’s been there forever!)
First off I really liked the bar as it’s a good, chilled out and welcoming sort of café bar. It’s a bit like the Odd bars in that it’s got random shizzle everywhere but it doesn’t seem too over the top which is nice.
There’s a great selection of beers on tap and as well as all the usual standard crafts and lagers that you get nowadays, there’s also a pretty sweet selection of local beers like Ticketybrew on tap.
Alas I was driving and had a meeting so beer wasn’t my thing on this occasion but I did plump for a tasty Moroccan lamb wrap with salad and flatbread (£9) to keep me going. It was quite nice but 3 days on I’m still unsure whether I enjoyed the taste of the lamb — it was a strange mix and I’m not certain the spice mix was quite right but I saw enough of the fresh ingredients on offer to go back and try more menu items another day — and of course stop for a pint!

I have avoided Folk for a long time (years) after repeated episodes of bad service, but as a friend wanted to meet in there i gave it another go.
I only ordered a hot chocolate, but it was hot and i didnt have to wait 20 minutes… so its been a vast improvement on my previous experiences.
I’ll give it another go and order some food next time (which i have always known to be delicious… it was just the poor service that put me off… but if thats now improved we could be on to a winner).

Café bar with great interior and good food.
Let’s start this review with me saying I’m pretty biased about Folk — it was the location of my first ‘date’ with Dan. They were amazingly kind and on our first anniversary let me have a menu to put in with his present. It’s one of my seriously happy places.
They have booths at the back, a fair few tables round the bar and then a good sized outside space with seating too. The menu is good classic with a range of breakfast options served until 4pm. They also have sandwiches, a burger option, soup and a specials board. The food is freshly cooked and really good.
Their bar is well stocked with great beers and spirits plus some excellent non alcoholic options their coffee is also fantastic. They also have a selection of cakes which is always changing, check out the blackboard for the options. Today they have sticky toffee, chai, honey & cinnamon, cookies & cream and berry crumble!
Great relaxed atmosphere in the day and nice and lively in the evening this is a great place to try if you are in the area.

This place is amazing I highly recommend it! Everything about Folk is great, the food is amazing and really well priced and the staff are really approachable and helpful.
We arrived at Folk for Sunday lunch and as soon as you walk in the door you are immediately hit with good vibes. Its only a small venue and when we arrived it was packed, but luckily we managed to find a table.
They have an awsome breakfast and lunch menu with just the right amount of choices.
I ended up having the lamb burger after some solid advice from our waiter Kenny and I’m glad I took it. The burger was BEAUTIFUL.
This place is a must do for anyone looking for not only great food but a great all round experience in West Didsbury.
Our total experience cost us just under £20 for a wrap, burger, fries and a beer!
The great thing about Folk is that the service is just as good as the food! Kenny our waiter was superb. I can definitely say I’ll be back again.

Quirky café and bar in West Didsbury that I’ve enjoyed everytime I’ve been there. This time we went for Sunday breakfast, and the eggs royal (poached eggs with salmon and homemade hollandaise), as well as the full English were really yummy. I used to love their pizzas as well (couldn’t try this time as they only serve them in the evenings).

Since moving into the area in September, but somehow failing to visit any of Burton Road’s wonderful independent business, whilst wondering where to go for lunch yesterday we decided on Folk.
I wanted somewhere casual but with decent food, so we walked 10 minutes up the road and made our way. Outside it looked a little dark and I wondered if it was closed however upon opening the door it was quite busy inside, promising!
The décor is fun and what you would expect from an independent café bar named folk. if that makes sense?
We sat in a booth, which was great, who doesn’t like a booth?! The menu has a good choice for lunch time. As I’m fairly fussy I opted for a chicken, bacon and avocado wrap. minus the bacon and avocado. Yes I know, how awkward of me, but the staff didn’t have a problem with this. They were both pleasant, however kept checking if we were finished with our food which was a bit awkward.
Overall it was a good lunch however nothing outstanding for the £23 it ended up costing for a wrap with some chips a burger and two cokes, but then again being students I suppose it’s our job to complain about how expensive things are, and how little money we have!
I would go back to Folk, in fact I intend to do so, but in the evening this time!

Fantastic place to go on a Sunday afternoon. Great music, great food and a cool vibe.

I would say that Folk Café Bar has a lot going for it generally, and specifically that me and Folk are a pretty good match!
There is a good variety of seating — under cover in the fresh air at the front, tables and sofas inside, bar seating. The décor is mainly rustic wood but with lots of quirky touches if you look closely — palm trees, ornate wallpaper etc.
The whole ambience and mixed young crowd here — students, young families — was just what me and my new Unilocal friend Gareth H needed for a relaxed chat and light lunch.
Before the current café-​bar incarnation, this place was apparently a deli — which shows in the assured menu and range of interesting cakes displayed in glass stands on the bar. Reading Gareth’s review, he seems to have enjoyed his sandwich well enough.
As for my order of falafel wrap with chips (see photo), the component parts where all good but the plate as a whole didn’t work for me as being far too dry. I got the feeling whoever devised this menu item was trying too hard emulate a western burger and chips. Whereas I think Folk needs to take the falafel back to its Middle Eastern roots with accompaniments more along the lines of juicy salads, and yoghurt-​based sauces as offered in many Arab places in Rusholme — Marmara Grill on the Curry Mile being exemplary for mezze, IMO.
Pricing is probably in line with the average of their foodie neighbours — my food cost £9.50 or something.
However, I would still declare myself a massive fan of Folk as a venue and all the signs are there that they have some serious culinary firepower which I look forward to exploring further on return visits.

This was my first trip to the Folk Café Bar and going off the name I was starting to envision men in beards playing the accordion or long haired women in floral dresses singing about brining in the harvest, I guess its location on Burton Road — Didsbury’s ‘trendy mile’ should have given me a clue.
This was actually a suggestion from fellow Unilocaler William G and although the place was busy I liked it as soon as we stepped through the door. We were not able to get a table, but there was plenty of seating at the bar and the staff were true to their word in keeping an eye out for a spare table — although in the end we were quite happy to stay put where we were.
It was late lunch time on a Saturday the place was buzzing with chatter and music. The music I like particularly — sort of modern jazz was whofting around at the time, at the right volume too, enough not to be intrusive but to remind you that this place is as much about music as it is food and drink (I suspect it’s the ‘bar’ bit of the Café Bar).
Either way there is a good fusion of both a relaxed informal place to sit and eat as well as place share a drink with a friend whilst listening to the tunes. The food was excellent, I opted for the Hummus, Carrot, Sesame and Rocket ciabatta whilst Will went for the Falafel flatbread and chips.
I guess the only gripe to say was that my sandwich arrived about 5 minutes before Will’s — had the sandwich supposed to be served warm then this could have been a problem — as it happens it didn’t cause one this time, although ideally you do want to be served at the same time as your co-​eater!
On the whole then I’ll certainly be coming here again, both to eat and just take in the vibe of the place — in fact looking at the menu I can see myself trying this place both for breakfast and evenings meals too — thanks to the folk at Folk Café Bar!

It was lovely here, I spent a rainy Saturday afternoon drinking tea and playing Spongebob Uno while a Dj played Jazz and a diverse audience wondered in and out, ranging from people with babies to groups of young people boozing far too early on a Saturday.
Would love to come at night, it’s super «Cool» and the staff are very sweet.

Folk: adjective reflecting the traditional forms of a society, originating among the common people. And thus I think this café bar is rather aptly named, a place where us British chaps can indulge our deeply-​rooted simple pleasures of food and drink.
Folk was where I was introduced to Crabbie’s ginger beer, and for that reason alone it will always hold a special place in my heart. If you haven’t yet tried this divine nectar, place it at the top of your to-​do list, pronto! For added bonus, both the alcoholic and non-​alcoholic forms are sold here, so no excuses whatever the time of day.
Every time I’ve been there I’ve taken advantage of the lovely outdoor seating area, which being situated in West Didsbury, is pleasantly peaceful. It makes a refreshing relief from the comparatively boisterous atmosphere of the city centre, Fallowfield, and other student-​concentrated localities. It’s the kind of place I would feel equally comfortable bringing my mum, the lads, or even a first date.
Haven’t yet enjoyed the food here, though I’ve been told it’s something worth indulging in. I have however, had a bit of a nose at the deli counter and can report first hand that it does look deliciously tempting.
One thing: they only accept cash. Bit of a bummer.
Nevertheless, I fully recommend that you ‘reflect on the traditional forms of society’ and get yourself down to Folk!

Update time… You have to come here for breakfast.
You have to try the granola.
You have to try the Eggs Benedict.
You have to also take time to experience the deli salads.
You also have to ask the lovely Ryan Hayes for one of his ‘special coffees’ made with hazelnut syrup and extra special sweetness.
Got it? Got it. Safe!

I love Folk. Yes, it’s an exceptionally trendy and funky bar in Didsbury, but this doesn’t have to mean that it’s pretentious too. In fact Folk manages to remain very down to earth. I love the retro interior, the log-​cabin atmosphere and the little deli counter serving Mediterranean delights.
My favourite time to come here is in the winter, when it’s great to grab a booth, read the papers, drink tea and enjoy brunch; but the terrace, replete with mini palm trees, is also a hit in the summer.
Apart from an excellent menu choice including unusual combination sandwiches, pies and salads, and also a great selection of beers including the Brazilian Palma Louca and Modelo. A café/​bar/​deli that has it all.

Burger bun was mouldy.
Very long wait.

I’m forever going to have a bit of a soft spot for folk as it is where me and my fiancée had our first date. We met up for some brunch and sat in one of the secluded booths round the back and things have worked out well since!
The food is good. All home made and delicious.
It’s only recently that I’ve been in for drinks, and the covered outside area is great to have a few cheeky pints in good or bad weather. They continuously have 3 hand pull beers on, plus a selection of European bottled beers as well. A decent selection of wines and fizzys means it can cater to most peoples tastes