Tampopo pops-up in Exchange Square

MANCHESTER-based restaurant operator Tampopo has found a novel solution to the temporary closure of one of its busiest sites – a pop-up shop around the corner.

The company, which offers fresh Pan-Asian street food, has opened its Tam Pop Up on Exchange Square, a few metres away from its restaurant in the Corn Exchange, which has been closed while a £20m refurbishment of the former shopping centre takes place.

The pop-up cafe has allowed Tampopo to retain its staff and continue to serve customers heading home or to a gig at the phones4u Arena nearby.

The 35 cover ‘baby Tampopo’ restaurant has been specially built for the occasion and although serving up Tampopo classic dishes, the look and feel of the venue is a departure from the operator’s sual style, with a more colourful atmosphere taking over from Tampopo’s traditionally more minimalist décor.

Wooden benches and long communal tables have made way for kitsch table cloths of patterns favoured by street food cafes of South East Asia, with Vietnamese-style plastic stools.

The structure, created by Manchester firm 5plus Architects and DP Structures, with its glass and steel roof, and retractable features, allows for light, bright, al fresco dining and drinking.

Tampopo co-founder David Fox said: “We’re very happy with how Tam Pop Up has shaped up. It’s a fresh, fun way to enjoy Tampopo and has also allowed us to keep all our staff in jobs during the redevelopments. Customers reactions have been so far really positive and we’re excited to be a little more ‘in the thick of it’ bringing what we do best right onto the street.”

His business partner ans co-founder Nick Jeffrey added: ““The spiritual home of our menu offer comes from the hawker stalls and street cafés of Bangkok, Tokyo and Hanoi. So we love that our little Pop Up allows to us take that cuisine back to its roots.”

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