Federal Cafe & Bar in Manchester

We visited Federal on a Friday morning just after New Years. We queued for about 20 mins before being seated. Drinks and food were all delicious. A mistake with the ordering system meant our food was delayed but we were given free pastel de nata (delicious) and coffee vouchers to make up for it. Avocado and toast and cheddar corn fritters were both really tasty!

We visited on our stay in Manchester for lunch on a Friday afternoon. Easy to access location and great for a range of things like meeting friendly, lunch dates and more. The staff are really friendly, have good Knowledge of the menu and happily accommodate our requests on the dishes. I went for a sando special of the month but unfortunately they ran out of one of the main fillings after I had ordered. So they offered to replace the dish for any menu which was a really good gesture. I ended up with the steak sandwich and we also had an eggs, smoked salmon & sourdough dish. The steak was cooked to perfection with the canalised onions combined with their special sauce and a toasted ciabatta bun worked magic. The eggs were had poached and they were perfectly cooked. The sourdough was really fresh and tasty. Onto the coffee. The iced coffee was really good and made as requested which was great. The beetroot coffee was my highlight. Wow this was incredible. We would 100% visit again.

I thought this would be the type of brunch spot with steep prices that take from the experience but I was wrong. The staff were all super friendly from the second we queued up (it’s busy but for good reason), we got offered a seat after only 5 mins or so though. I must admit, I was quite hungover but the chorizo sandwich and bramble smoothie put me back in the game It’s nice to experience such positive teams and your warm energy really goes a long way, so thank you!

Lovely place to have brunch, it was good. - bisous, Swiss people

Was out in town, and saw there was no queue, so went for Turkish Eggs & Coffee, absolutely fabulous but forgot to order the chorizo with it (doh). Couldn’t fault Freya either, so bubbly & actual made my visit that bit better too 👏🏻.

We were fortunate to find this gem on a short trip to Manchester from the US. We went to the Deansgate location two days in a row because it was so amazing. The staff provided excellent service especially Leah, and every single dish that came out was delicious! Thank you for a wonderful experience!

Amazing breakfast, atmosphere and staff friendly and tentative. The breakfasts were amazing, service was speedy and the coffee lush. You may have to wait to be seated but it's worth th wait.

Not worth the wait. Overpriced for small portions

The food was so tasty. Had to wait in a queue outside to be seated but they gave everyone a brolly and checked up on us. The staff were really lovely. Just a tad overpriced. £20 for an eggs benny and pot of tea.

Visit two of their branches it really didn’t disappoint. If I’m not mistaken this is the biggest branch compared to the other. I have to queue for 15 minutes ish to be able to get a seat. The vibes lively yet warm and cozy, not to mention the friendly staff. Coming here twice both ordered Turkish eggs always, it was creamy, fulfilling also has interesting sauce, for another order we tried french toast it was superb. Coffee was top notch, the drink also has various options depending on your preferences. Must visit if you’re in Manchester! No wonder it’s super popular

Very nice and well-kept place, full of plants hanging from the ceiling and on the windowsills. Professional, friendly and helpful staff. Nice place to have breakfast or brunch. All very good, we tried the porridge and an açaí bowl. Advised!

1st time me and wife visited this place as we wanted to try a new place for brunch / lunch. We only queued for a few minutes before being sat inside. Food was lovely but service was even better. Staff made you feel welcomed. Definitley recommend!

Brilliant all round. Good location reasonable prices, staff are hardworking and friendly 👏

Yum, what more can I say. The queues outside tell you what you need to know. Popular for all the right reasons.

The best French toast and lovely coffee , staff are also really nice , it is expensive but a nice treat x

Love it here, best coffee in Manchester

Loved this place - delicious food and good service. We had to queue for a little bit but it was worth the wait!

Can’t even describe how good the food was. I think this was the best steak sandwich i ever had. Welcoming staff. Food is great

Fantastic food, I really enjoyed the halloumi and mushroom dish. It was a bit cold for me, there was a window open but that's personal preference

Best cafe I’ve been to in Manchester, had to wait for a little while but they provided snacks and hot chocolate in the queue which was lovely. Amelia gave us such personable service, will definitely be returning.

Had an enjoyable time here! The place is so welcoming with all the wooden decor. The staff were incredibly friendly and kind. There’s quite a lot of options for both drinks and food. We have ordered a sour cream salmon bagel and a steak sandwich with scrambled eggs. Everything tastes amazing, especially the sandwich. I’ve ordered a matcha which said it’s non-sweetened. It tastes just right and not too milky.

Was in the other day and I gotta say was worth the little wait in the que, got chatting becks who was super friendly and helped me work out what to order coz I couldn’t decide hahaha highly recommend coming here !

Visited today for the first time and despite a little wait for the lunchtime rush at 1pm we had such a nice time. The staff are so nice especially becks who was super nice and charismatic and is actually why I wanted to make effort to review when I usually don't bother. The cappuccino was so smooth and one of the best in Manchester and don't get me started on the food. We got the steak sandwich to share which was 10/10 and I got the cheddar corn hash and my boyfriend got the Turkish eggs and both were so tasty, not the cheapest but worth it when you know the foods gonna be really good. Also loved that the owner is portugese as my partner is portugese, would deffo come back

Sam was welcoming and funny! All staff were lovely. Worth the long queue for a Saturday morning, very quick service for food. Best coffee !

bex was welcoming and lovely will return soon

Recommended by a friend. Incredibly tasty food and well worth the price.

Friendly staff, nice food but awful coffee

The brunch is 10/10, the coffee is not the best but it’s the UK i can’t expect more it’s better than other place. The staff are very nice all of them are very welcoming and pleasant ❤️ Definitely will come again

Had a really lovely brunch - got the eggs Benedict with bacon - was devine with the hollandaise as the star, so good. Bloody Mary was just the hit I needed - really cute spot, super busy and for good reason great fast service and the staff really were fantastic. Becs served me, and enticed me to get the a Pastel de Nata to take-away, she was correct - it was amazing. Will definitely be back

Had brunch with friends last Wednesday and the food with great. The sever Bex was awesome, she was so welcoming to us when we arrived and took that extra mile to make sure everything was great. Would recommend and ask for Bex if you can she’s amazing!!

Nipped in yesterday for a late brunch. Really nice food, highly recommend the steak ciabatta. Nice staff and the manager was really helpful when I made an enquiry about some personal preferences :)

Amazing food, even better service and lovely spoons!!!

Best antipodean brunch spot in Manchester. Thank you for the friendliest customer service Bex!

I had a really lovely lunch on Monday, hallumi and shrooms which was reocmmeneded by the very lovely Anna would reccommend the place for the food and the service the staff provides

When we arrived we had to wait a while but this was made up for by a warm welcome with the menu, explanation and a small cup of chocolate milk. After 10 minutes we could already enter. The concept is very well thought out to guarantee smooth service. The food was delicious. Definitely recommended! Thanks to the service. Ellen and Youri from Belgium.

Lovely staff, great music and brilliant food. Worth the wait!

One of the best brunches I've had in the UK. Great food, amazing service and great atmosphere. Just perfect

Unreal brunch Brunch is my fave meal and this place just exceeded all expectations! We got the autumn specials - pumpkin spiced latte and the marshmallow mocha Then both got the same - halloumi & shrooms + avo ! The food was 10/10 If you’re in Manchester then make sure you go here!

Came in today, had a great time , food was nice , drinks were great Main thing was how delightful a girl called Anna that worked there was, she was polite and very attentive. She’s a credit to federal. I will be coming again and hopefully Anna will be working next time I come.

Great experience every time. Food is delicious, french toast is an absolute must. Staff is really kind and welcoming despite the long queues it's so worth it, and I keep coming back for more!

Lovely service, tasty food and amazing coffee. Vegan options

Rapid service today as always 👌

Lived in Manchester all my life but today I finally had the pleasure to taste some of the freshest coffee in town. The experience was only topped by the wonderful staff, especially by Anna, who was incredibly helpful and insightful.

Steak sandwich was very good and so was the rest. Pretty expensive though if you look at the size of the meals, but nevertheless great quality

Cozy cafe, and great service. While there was a wait at 9ish, the wait was worth it as food service was quick. Food was great too, especially for cafe brunch.

Amazing food every single time. Warm staff and it’s honestly changed the game for what I expect from French toast. In an ocean of same samey cafes and restaurants in Manchester it awesome they have such a strong stand out menu. My only qualms are the one I went to by arndale was tiny and a bit cluttered. It’s so busy in there it could’ve done with feeling as spacious as possible and please put salt and pepper on avocado it’s a must. other than that it was spotless the waitress was lovely and I’d love to go back

We had the best time in this cafe! The staff were friendly and welcoming & the service was great even though we were a large group.

Rude service and no manners from the blonde waitress. Asked us to queue and put our name on the waiting list. Then preceded to give our table to 2 newcomers right in front of us and told us the wait had now become 30 minutes. There’s a review underneath saying they had a similar experience and was a result of racism and I also think this might be true.

The host was a clear racist and an Islamaphobe. I’m speaking about one of the blonde girls with a European accent I never got her name, I left to avoid giving her a mouthful. She’s very passive aggressive, dismissive and disinterested. She has a very rude tone and aggressive demeanour. The aesthetic of the shop is clearly trying to tailor to different cultures and seems very inclusive. My advice to the manager is to pick carefully Who is at the front of the house? Will not be returning

The first time I tried the beef burger was not delicious. This is the second time I came here and I was pleasantly surprised. The brunch was really good. It was filling for one person. The combination was rich and nutritious. It was really delicious. White man rice! So I came back for the yogurt bowl in the afternoon.

Thank you Natalia for the lovely service

This brunch café is a hidden gem! From the warm welcome to the delicious, freshly prepared food, everything was perfect. The staff made us feel so comfortable and welcomed, and the flavors of each dish were incredible. A special shoutout to Bruna, who kindly offered a complimentary Portuguese tart—it was sweet, flaky, and absolutely divine. Can’t wait to come back!

Great brunch and coffee. Shout out to Jen who served our table. Great customer service. Thanks.

First time at Federal today and I can't compliment Jen enough. As soon as we walked in she was welcoming and polite. She explained everything so well and provided excellent service. Jen is a credit to Federal and I think it's only fair she gets the recognition. Thanks Jen. X

Best breakfast/brunch I’ve had! The steak and eggs were amazing and also had halal options which was great. Drinks were also perfect and staff were extremely friendly and accommodating! Great environment overall!

Amazing food and service at NQ. Jen was so polite and helpful, even when I asked for my food to be changed, she didn't hesitate. I would come back because of the great customer service Jen had. It's so hard to find this level of service. Keep it up Jen :-)

The eggs Benedict was absolutely amazing! The staff were super friendly and polite. I’ll definitely be coming back! Wish they had more non-dairy options!

Had a bit of a wait in the queue, and it was a bit annoying seeing multiple parties of two being seated, but our party of four had to wait for so much longer for a bigger table. The food was lovely though! The French toast in particular was definitely worth going back for. The coffee was not bad, just nothing special. There are better coffees in town.

Best coffee in Manchester, They always nail it🙌🙌

Small cafeteria with good service where you can have breakfast or brunch. Delicious food and well-made coffees. Price somewhat expensive.

One of the best brunches that I’ve ever had! Got the steak and eggs and the sauce was amazing. Finished it with a French toast.

Amazing, probably one of the best places that do french toast.

Lovely food and staff! Highly recommend 😍

I can see why this cafe is so popular and crowded. The Q is almost perpetually there. The cosy place is so filled with warmth and comfort. The coffee is great and the food is smacking good.

Recommended by a local. Best breakfast I've ever had. 10/10

Amazing and friendly service! Best French Toast...

One of the best brunches me and my partner have ever had - been to Manchester many times and this is some of the nicest food here - food and coffees were delicious, and the service was excellent too - very chatty and welcoming. Fantastic staff and would recommend it to anyone.

A small, cozy place, but the service left something to be desired.

I ordered it randomly and it was better than I expected. It's the best! If you travel to Manchester, be sure to try this restaurant!

A brilliant food spot 👌 excellent service, delectable food could not recommend it enough! from chefs to wait-staff they are all incredible and really make the place memorable. I can't wait for my next visit

Well this was a lovely Sunday brunch, cozy place with a view, welcoming staff, and of course yummy coffee & tasty food. . A must to try guys.

Well this Aussie was super impressed with the brekky here. Great food and coffee and open at a reasonable time. The staff were lovely and the decor was really nice too. The only issue was the Milo tins proclaiming "Classic NZ Taste". Despite being on the wrong side of the AU vs NZ culture war I can highly recommend this place

A fantastic find. Would dine there again in a heartbeat. Thank you

Excellent food, Excellent service and bloody good music!

The service was amazing! & the food as well😍 we waited in line and entered in less than 15 mins! super fast & i highly recommend the french toast

One of the best brunch places ever

Ordered via Deliveroo. Burnt toast and completely cold food. Don’t bother

Best coffee shop in Manchester in my opinion Didn't eat

A delicious breakfast al fresco at The Federa Cafe. We had two great dishes: the Halloumi & Shrooms (pan fried halloumi w/ garlic & thyme roasted mushrooms, poached eggs, dukkah on sourdough toast with a side of chorizo). And the Turkish Eggs (poached eggs on whipped garlic yoghurt w/ hot chilli butter & za'atar served w/ sourdough toast and a side of chorizo). It’s a small place and very popular. There were no tables available inside so we sat outside and they gave us blankets to keep warm!

The breakfast we had was really good and the service provided by our server was excellent. Their coffee was the best we had in Manchester.

The food was so good! I ordered a sourdough with scrambled eggs, avocado, and halloumi with fed sauce. The halloumi is the best halloumi I’ve ever had! The fed sauce is so good. You can customize your order however you want. Everyone in the comments talk about the french toast, but for me I LOVED the banana bread much more. The flat white was great!

I’ve been going for a few years now and I’ve never had an issues with the food nor the place but suddenly I noticed the price on the menu did not match what was being charged and also that they stopped asking if you wanted to tip, so turns out they automatically charge you %10 for you to go up and order. Distasteful and deceitful.

Had a delicious breakfast meal and the staff were so lovely! There was something wrong with their system so I ended up getting a free meal! How lovely!! They wouldn’t accept my cash!

Awful. Massive wait and poor service

Excellent food amazing service wonderful food. This is the first time I've ever been sad Google reviews only goes to five stars... Here are 6 stars just for you ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The food was great (highly recommend cheddar corn fritter) and the service exceptional. I highly recommend this cafe.

Amazing cheesecake french toast. Highly recommend it.

- cappuccino (+ oat milk) £3.40 (+50p) - milo £4 - turkish eggs £12 - shakshuka (special) £13 - french toast £14

A little expensive for the cuisine offered. I was slightly overwhelmed by the flavor of the 2 dishes I had. Then maybe it's because I'm French, I have high standards. But the place, and especially the staff were incredible 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

I ordered steak and eggs Was disgusting had to return it It came burnt Ordered scrambled eggs again Also service was very bad I don’t know how they have 4.7 stars I think they doing the reviews by themselves I had to ask for refund for them The guy who were serving charged me again £15 on top(Scrambled eggs) which I ordered for the alternative of Steak and eggs And telling me that I will get refund of £20 for steak in 5 days without any receipt provided for it The staff doesn’t know what they doing And who ever running it should bring better system to retain customers Totally disappointed

Staff is unprofessional And steak isn’t eatable They should do better

To be honest, breakfast is more than normal. Nothing special. Even the amount of food is samples and the price is very high for breakfast

There's a reason why there's always a long queue. This cafe is just wonderful, from the service to the coffee. Just make sure you escape the peak times around lunch and you should get a seat without too long a wait. Grab the french toast. You won't forget it!

No idea why this place is such a hype.... the food is ok,not amazing, but had much much better brunch in so many cafes in manchester,not worth any wait in the queue (as there seems to be one every time we pass it). We had eggs benny (simple and basic), turkish eggs (the most bland turkish eggs my bf had in his life,and he's tried them hundreds of times all over uk,its not hard to make it special and add a few nuts and spices and make it your own!), avo toast and halloumi toast (both ok,not the best). Would not come back. Also this girl who served us was pretty rude at the beginning, but changed her attitude towards the end. We all have bad days but if you work in customer service it doesnt get unnoticed. Batch coffee was nice,latte was meh.. overall,wouldnt come back.

I recommend it The dishes are varied The food is of high quality in terms of basic ingredients The eggs are fresh The place in general is beautiful

I recently had the pleasure of dining at FEDRAL on Manchester, and I have to say, it was an outstanding experience. The highlight of my meal was definitely the Cheddar Corn Fritters – they were absolutely amazing! The fritters were perfectly crispy on the outside and wonderfully cheesy on the inside, with a delightful hint of sweetness from the corn. The overall atmosphere at FEDRAL is cozy and inviting, and the staff are incredibly friendly and attentive. The menu offers a great variety of dishes, and everything we tried was fresh and delicious. If you're looking for a great place to eat in Manchester, I highly recommend giving FEDRAL a try. You won't be disappointed! !

Delightful time here, sat outside. My girlfriend has the Halloumi and shrooms (trip not included) and enjoyed her meal a lot. I had the Chorizo sandwich which was 10/10 and possibly the best thing I’ve eaten on my trips to Manchester. Finished it off with the Banana bread which was lovely.

Ordered two cappuccino, haluimi and mushrooms, and the chorizo sandwich. Everything was 10/10 incredible food. Best brunch in Manchester by far.

Have tried to visit a few times and have been unsuccessful (it's very popular) And I was delighted visiting for the first time today. Attentive team and food is PERFECT plates. I now understand the hype. Move over all other MCR brunch venues - Federal is the winner. Visited today on a very sunny Tueaday around 11:30 - queued for around 5 minutes (if that) before being seated. Food and drinks arrived quickly ! Really well presented and well catered to allergens! 100/10 - will definitely be returning !

If you're in the area at the vet least try the beetroot latte - it was amazing! And then the food too was well presented, delicious and prompt. It's not a large venue but it's definitely cosy and the staff are really attentive and friendly. Prompt service and reasonable pricing, well worth a visit.