Gabbotts Farm

Cheap eat Monday this week, which is a thing I’ve just made up, is courtesy of Gabbots, in the Arndale centre. Although it says it has a new name, the plastic bag (no charge) it came in says Gabbots, so Gabbots it is.
Situated near, but not in, the Arndale Food Markets (more on those another day) its a handy place to get away from the hipsters of the Northern Quarter and just chow down on some straight up food. Theres all the meats, and at least 2 types of chips available from their hot food counter, and you don’t need to worry about if your food comes on a plate, as its all takeaway in plastic containers. Theres probably some bull in there as well, but refreshingly, no bullshit.
The first thing your going to notice about Gabbots, it is almost impossible to tell what they serve, as the heaving mass of meat eaters obscures the front of house. Peak a look through the crowd, and you’ll spot what you want. You’ve got all your basic meats, sausages, burgers, chilli con-​carne. If your feeling in a healthy mood, you’ve got your chicken option as well. Its not one for the vegetarians.
I make a compromise and go for the ‘Zinger’ burger, any resemblance to any other chicken live or dead is un-​intentional. I pair it with curly fries, which may also be referred to as salt and pepper fries, a bit like the Chinese salt and pepper seasoning, but not quite as nice.
You’ve got to know what you want by the time you enter the queue, it always looks long, but they don’t mess around at Gabbots. I imagine its close to the atmosphere on the trading floor at Wall Street. Before you know it your asked if you are being served, and you don’t want to still be deciding if you want some chicken wings on the side. You need to be decisive. Do you want butter? No. Salad? All of it (I’ll pick the cucumber off later). Stick me some mayo on the burger, and ketchup on the chips. Grab a can of your chosen fizzy drink, diet for me, got to watch the calories. £3.80 all in. You grab the bag and a plastic fork and your off.
Now your thinking, I don’t want to go back to the office, I’ll probably get asked questions, its really difficult to seem like you care when you’ve got a Zinger burger and fries to think about. This is where the second part of the trading floor is. Head to the Food Market, dodge pass the crowds and try and find somewhere to perch, or if your lucky sit. If you play your cards right, you’ll negotiate your self the prime real estate of a window seat. Its not quite the Hollywood Hills, but it gives you something to keep your mind of what bullshit you will entail on the return to work.
I end up with a chair, but only a view of Panchos, which makes me wonder if I should have pushed the boat out and stumped up £6 for their hefty burritos. But I’m content with my faux KFC and curly fries. It might not be Michelin star, but you know exactly where you stand with a Gabbots, and you’ve got change from a fiver. You might get a half with that later in the week.
Overall: Three hundred and eighty pence out of five english pounds.

Cheap ad cheerful but can be hit and miss depending on what you get.

Ridiculously cheap for chicken and occasionally good steak burgers. Stay away from the chips, they’re naff, but try the minted potatoes. My top recommendation though. Popcorn chicken and /​or chicken nuggets with a chicken burger and a can of Coke. £3 all in. Can’t beat it. But don’t be fooled it’s not gourmet. At all.

It smells of ham.

The selection of food at Gobbots is great. They do some really nice food and are trying new receipies recently. Just don’t get served by the old-​ish woman who wears a red t-​shirt and glasses on the take-​out food counter. Shes APPAULING. Bad service, bad manners and has a really bad attitude. I asked for a carrier bad so she slams one down on the counter and leaves me to put my purchase in it myself. She should take a leaf out of the young lads book who was working next to her, serving. If you ask her how spicy something is i.e. medium, or really hot, she’ll huff and puff and get angry for asking such a god forbidden difficult question! And in terms of serving food — APPAULING. I ask for garlic chicken & Chips and she throws 80% chips into a tray then throws in a couple pieces of small crappy chicken and dumps the box onto the counter. NOT how I would like to see my food handled.

I really like the cooked meat they have here.
I go for the spicy chicken pieces which are boneless ad very tasty.
We usually get a pound in weight and we much it as we walk around the shops.
U can also get sandwiches made from their variuos cooked meats. They sell portions of cooked potatoes and such like in handy to manage containers.
The raw meat is also good value for money with the various cuts laid out ready for you to purchase and take home.
They have special offers on now and again where if u spend so much u get a freebie!
Great value butchers!

This place is always choka with people! Fine cut meats cooked or raw — its a wonder there is ever anything left after the tea time rush. The meat is cooked to perfection too!

much improved since the refit, very big shop with loads of choice, polite staff and clean interior, probably the cheapest place in manchester city centre to buy cooked meats

Gabbotts Farm is excellent value for money. If you are on a tight budget then you can eat quality meat every day. compared to Tesco you are laughing, you can get probably triple at Gabbotts at what you buy at Tesco. The Lamb chops are very good and are not cheap pieces of meat either. They also do hot food but I don’t like the idea of chicken nuggets for £1– how cheap must be the chicken be?! Its great value for money and even though you will wait in long queue, it is worth the wait.

Great value butchers chain with shops all over the area. Sells fresh and cooked meats
Best bargains to be had are at the end of the day when they almost give the stuff away.
They have a wholesale department in Astley, 10 miles to the west of Manchester City centre, which is even cheaper, yet it is open to the public and you only need to spend £5. Great way to fill up yu freezer or cater for a Barbecue.

Meat and potato products. Cooked meats, chicken, beef, pork, lamb, chinese style, bbq, southern friend or just roasted. It smells as good as it tastes, and it’s a cheap alternative to a pub lunch– great in summer!

Fantastic butchers despite the aroma permeating most the the upper Arndale (still it’s a pretty good aroma and nothing like the pre IRA bomb Arndale stench!). Almost spoilt for choice here with a great range of quality meats cooked to salivating perfection. Compare the fresh meats on sale here to almost all the standard fare at the hypermegasupermakets and you won’t, if you can help it, purchase meats there again. This usually goes for most quality butchers and Gabbotts Farm (owned by the Cribbins Family Butchers) are as good as they come. Likewise their sandwiches and snacks are delectably naughtyif you’re after organic, vegan and healthy lunchtime snacks then try the Buddhist centre nearby. Given the quality of the food here then it’s a pleasant surprise to find the prices very reasonable (again as you would hope for from a local village butcher).

Gabbotts Farm is one of the top 5 independent butchers in the UK. I do my monthly shopping for fresh chicken and meat at this store. I find them to be cheaper than the main supermarkets especially if I’m buying in bulk for the freezer.

Best Chicken sandwiches in Manchester by far! Gabbotts sells a range of hot chicken ready to eat, as well as chips, potato wedges, Chinese chicken, hot and spicy, ribs, drumsticks, sausages! And it is all freshly prepared and mouthwateringly tasty! Gabbotts is also a butchers selling a wide range of fresh meats, as well as packaged. You must taste the Chinese chicken legs and hot and spicy chicken sandwich if you go nowhere else in Manchester!