Manjaros is a restaurant chain based in the north of England that serves a fusion of African and Caribbean cuisines. The spices used in Manjaros' dishes come from Africa and the Caribbean, and some dishes are prepared to showcase these spices. The chain's headquarters are in Middlesbrough, United Kingdom.
History
The first Manjaros was opened in
Middlesbrough in 2013.
By January 2018 further branches had opened in
Leeds,
Manchester and
Birmingham. In March came a
Newcastle branch with
Bradford
Bradford is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Bradford district in West Yorkshire, England. The city is in the Pennines' eastern foothills on the banks of the Bradford Beck. Bradford had a population of 349,561 at the 2011 ...
,
Glasgow,
Huddersfield and
Preston
Preston is a place name, surname and given name that may refer to:
Places
England
*Preston, Lancashire, an urban settlement
**The City of Preston, Lancashire, a borough and non-metropolitan district which contains the settlement
**County Boro ...
also added by end of that year. The 10th restaurant opened in
Ilford in February 2019.
During the English coronavirus lockdown in 2020 Manjaro’s
Darlington
Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town.
In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...
restaurant opened with a delivery service until lockdown eased when it could open its table service. Post lockdown it took over a bistro, as a third addition to its
Tees Valley
Tees Valley is a mayoral combined authority and Local enterprise partnership area in northern England, around the River Tees. The area is not a geographical valley.
The LEP was established in 2011 and the combined authority was established i ...
restaurants and twelfth overall, in
Ingleby Barwick
Ingleby Barwick is a town and civil parish in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees, North Yorkshire, England. It is south of the River Tees and north-east of the River Leven.
Large scale development of the town started in the late 1970s on farm lan ...
.
The 13th restaurant opened in
Billingham in March 2023.
Cuisine
The chain specialises in African–Caribbean fusion cuisine; its website indicates that its food is
halal.
Having originated on
Teesside the chain has gained a significant reputation for its
parmo
Parmo, or Teesside Parmesan, is a dish originating in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, and a popular item of take-away food in the Teesside area. It consists of a breaded cutlet of chicken or pork topped with a white béchamel sauce and cheese, ...
, a local dish.
Most restaurants also feature a
gelato
Gelato (; ) is the common word in Italian for all kinds of ice cream. In English, it specifically refers to a frozen dessert of Italian origin. Artisanal gelato in Italy generally contains 6%–9% butterfat, which is lower than other styles o ...
lounge.
Manjaros' dishes are prepared to showcase the spices that are commonly used in Africa and the Caribbean islands. The chain's signature sauce, "Manjaros Sauce", is made from natural ingredients and comes in a variety of spicy flavors.
Incidents
* On 24 December 2017 a supplier was stabbed and killed in the kitchen of the Middlesbrough restaurant by a member of staff. In court it was determined that the deceased had previously reacted violently when his produce was refused on quality grounds; the staff member was acquitted of the charges of murder, manslaughter and two knife offences.
* A mouse was released in the Middlesbrough restaurant, which was voluntarily closed until Food Standard Agency inspectors confirmed there were no issues.
References
{{Food chains in the United Kingdom
Restaurant chains in the United Kingdom