Manchester's purple herbal cordial: a sweet, slightly fizzy mix of raspberries, grapes and blackcurrants with spices. Invented in the city by John Noel Nichols in 1908.
John Noel Nichols invented Vimto in Manchester in 1908 as a herbal tonic, marketed for medicinal properties. The mix of raspberries, grapes and blackcurrants with a blend of herbs and spices was rebranded as a cordial in 1913 and became a national soft drink through the twentieth century. A statue marks the inventor's site near the University of Manchester; the cordial still ships from Manchester to the Middle East where Ramadan iftars use it.
2 editor picks for Vimto in Manchester, ranked by editorial score. All Manchester signature dishes · Vimto across every city.
This and That ★ 4.6
northern-quarter · 3 Soap Street, Manchester M4 1EW
Family-run Indian cafe since 1984, on Soap Street behind the Arndale. Rice-and-three counter, canteen-style, still under ten pounds a plate.
Mughli Charcoal Pit ★ 4.5
rusholme · 30 Wilmslow Road, Manchester M14 5TQ
Mohammad Arshad opened Mughli on Manchester's Curry Mile in 1991. Family-run, focal charcoal pit, Mughlai cooking, lamb chops by the platter.