Take-out
Bakery

Serves meat, vegan options available. Sourdough & viennoiserie bakery. Offers a mushroom breakfast bun, marinated tofu sandwich, breads, vegan cakes and coffees. Open Wed-Fri 08:00-16:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-16:00. Closed Mon-Tues.


Venue map for Pollen Bakery
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7 Reviews

First Review by blinki

Ariana.W

Points +299

Vegan
26 Oct 2024

Delish Coffee, but very pricey!

The coffee here is the best I've had so far in Manchester! Had an oat milk flat white (served in a very small cup). I was able to take this away and sit by the canal to enjoy it in the sun.

Extremely limited vegan options in the cabinet, only one very expensive muffin. I brought it because I was feeling peckish, and although it was very yummy I couldn't justify the cost as it was so small!

I would return for the coffee on a sunny day, but would pass on the pricey muffin.

Updated from previous review on 2024-10-26

Pros: Coffee, Location

Cons: Extremely limited options in cabinet, Expensive

keep_it_tdy

Points +15406

Vegan
27 Jul 2024

Nice, but Not Nice Enough

Hopes were high when heading here, I had read and been told many positive things about it. And while it was a lovely venue in an outstanding location, the actual experience of being here didn’t match my expectations. The vegan options were extremely limited (though the peach crumble muffin I had was delicious) and oat chia latte I had carried decent enough flavour, but it may as well have been an iced drink as it arrived to me stone-cold.
Not nearly as good as I thought it would be and I wouldn’t be in a hurry to return.

Kristol

Points +817

Vegan
14 Jan 2024

Lovely spot!

Lovely spot along the canal with a nice interior. We just picked up some sourdough and focaccia which were delicious! I spotted some other vegan options on the counter like a tofu sandwich and some cakes, not sure on their vegan pastry availability. Definitely makes a lovely start to a Sunday morning.

Pros: Nice aesthetic , Great atmosphere

nicirl

Points +2175

Vegan
18 Jun 2023

In love with Pollen

Their vegan option(s?) are amazing but limited and so expensive it’s probably worth selling a kidney before coming. Still 4* because their food is amazing BUT genuinely way too overpriced so it’s a dilemma as to whether I want to eat a full meal at a restaurant or a sandwich…

Hiddenlavender

Points +308

Vegan
28 May 2023

Very nice

Really cute, very delicious and nice sitting by the canal. The sourdough bread is out of this world. The mushrooms on toast was superb.

Updated from previous review on 2023-05-28

JoanneH.

Points +865

Vegan
10 Jul 2022

Most delicious vegan cake ever

Went here at the end of the day so there were not many (vegan) options left, but luckily they did have one option to answer my cravings: a raspberry coconut cake. Honestly probably the most delicious vegan cake I’ve ever had. Next time I’m visiting Manchester, I’ll 100% make sure to step by Pollen again.

Pros: Delicious delicious delicious

Cons: Not many options , A tad expensive

blinki

Points +955

Vegan
24 Jun 2022

Go for bread and a coffee. Food options are limited but good

I’d give this a 3.5 if I could. 3 feels harsh but I don’t think it deserves 4.

Pollen might do the best sourdough in the country. Maybe the world. It’s excellent, they’re such a good bakery. The location on the marina is also lovely. The coffee is good.

But this is happy cow so I think the review needs to be focused on vegan options. The bread is obviously vegan but I think their vegan options are lacking. It’s a small food menu to be fair but it’s one vegan breakfast item and one vegan lunch. I’m not a mushroom or kimchi fan so neither appeal to me. They used to do a different tofu sandwich that was exceptionally nice so I do trust what they do is good.

They did vegan croissants for veganuary which were brilliant. But I’ve never seen them since. Staff have said they get asked often but no they’re not doing them. They will almost always have a vegan cake option but not loads.

To me the vibe feels like they will do vegan options because they kind of have to in the location but there doesn’t seem to be any passion or drive around doing lots of vegan options or creative ones. It’s a shame given how good pollen is but that’s their choice on priorities.

I’d recommend it for a coffee and to pick up bread but I don’t bother going looking for anything else.




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