Just Between Friends

Izzy Wallis opened Just Between Friends on Tib Street with a simple idea, a relaxed spot for coffee and cake with a small selection of gifts alongside it, tucked into little more than a sliver of storefront in the Northern Quarter. It's since become one of the more quietly respected specialty addresses in the city despite the modest footprint.

The food side stays deliberately narrow, a changing rotation of pastries, cookies, toasties, and bagels rather than a full brunch menu, chosen to sit comfortably next to the drinks rather than compete with them. Matcha has become something of a house specialty, with seasonal versions rotating alongside the standard coffee list. The shop has since grown into Ancoats and Wilmslow locations, though Tib Street remains the original.