Idle Hands Coffee

Meh. Popped in here looking for some nice coffee and pastries. Coffee is fine but they don't do anything but a brown sugar syrup and we genuinely could not taste it, despite seeing the barista pour in a substantial amount. My friend got the banana and walnut cookie but the middle was so gooey that is seemed raw! Yuck! Service was fine but there was a total lack of atmosphere which made us want to take away rather than stay in. The other cakes did look nice but again, quite pricey.

A staple coffee shop that I return back to regularly over the last five years. The food, the pies and the great choice of speciality coffee is what sets this place apart from other places. Staff are great too. Seating arrangements aren’t the best so you are hoping it’s not too busy.

An excellent coffee shop for foid and great quality capuccino. Spoilt for choice on an interestingly put together menu. I opted for the mushrooms on sourdough with extras of halloumi and cowboy beans. Expertly cooked and well presented, this made for a high quality brunch. The seating arrangement and decor are a bit junior school vibe, but the overall business of the place lifted the atmosphere.

Great, cozy cafe for a winter morning coffee & pie. The Chai latte was nice & sweet and the keylime pie was amazing. Easily the best keylime pie I've ever had! Happily coming back soon!

If I'm in Manchester and I have enough time, I'll always swing by Idle Hands. They do really good work. The coffee is good, really interesting rotations and it's generally brewed well, too. They have a range of coffee options. I usually get a batch brew or espresso with my pie, but I've had a few milkies there, too. I'm a big fan of the pies. They are dedicated to the cause of the old sweet pie, and it shows. They are definitely some of the best desserts and snacks in Manchester. So good in fact, that I'll sometimes have two. It's easy to find, and there's tables outside for on a nice day. The cafe is big, lots of space and the high ceilings make it feel roomy. Feels like a throwback to a 90s classroom.

If you have plan to visit Manchester, never ever to forget trying this awesome coffee shop. It is something beyond your imagination from atmosphere, decoration, coffee taste, desert variety and friendly staff. Rarely you can find speciality coffee with such excellent coffee taste therefore very highly recommended to have a trial and live the experience. We have loved the place even we have enjoyed a lot. Once again, thanks a lot for the whole entire staff for making this experience is amazing.

This place was on my list to try for a long time as their pies looked really good. Called in today and bought some pies to take away. Unfortunately it didn't live up to my expectations. I bought the pecan pie, the pumpkin pie and the banana custard pie. The pastry wasn't the best. The banana pie lacked in flavour and didn't have actual bananas in it. Wasn't impressed with the Pumpkin pie either. I think the Pecan pie was a bit better. The portion sizes are a bit small. Overall I don't think it was memorable and therefore don't think I would visit agsin

We came for the pie - but also got a meaty fry-up, and let me tell you, it is the best fry-up I've ever had. It is unique, with ingredients cooked to perfection, highly recommend.

Great place for brunch! Many good egg options and fantastic pie selection. We had their turkish eggs (that came with amazing soft bread) and their lemon meringue toasted coconut pies. Highly recommend the sweet pies!

great atmosphere, lovely staff. The price is good for what you get. Food was immaculate

A nice, airy space here, perhaps lacking the kind of comfy chairs that would make you want to linger for hours but better set up to be able to eat breakfast or lunch, because this isn't just a coffee house it also has quite a substantial menu (check both sides!). I had the cowboy beans which came with toast and I added bacon and avocado - a tasty combo and the portion was big (it's not cheap though, I think it was about £8 or £9). As far as I can tell you are expected to order food at the counter although menus are provided on the tables. Staff don't have the most welcoming vibe but nor were they rude, and our food came out quickly. Coffee wise there wasn't a clear menu so I have no real idea what was on offer! The only juice available was from a carton which was a shame - they have some nice sodas but nothing else soft that is more natural. They serve wine and beer. All in all a good addition to the NQ cafe scene.

TL;DR - Great coffee but high prices. Came in here to check the place out and ordered a couple of lattes and a couple of cookies. Somewhat surprised to find little change out of £10 for that! Lattes were really nice though, but a bit on the small side. It's clearly a quality product, but combined with the high price made it feel as if it was a bit of a rip off. The cookies were fab too, and it was only after finishing it that I realised it was vegan... no idea how they made it taste so chocolately and good! Venue interior is pretty typical northern quarter - brickwork, wood, plants on sale... you know the drill. Would happily come here again, but there are so many coffee options in the NQ, I'm not 100% sure I'd actively seek this place out on its own merits. Well, maybe for another one of those cookies...

A really nice small cafe with great food and even better coffee! If you really enjoy a good cup then you're in for a treat, the staff will grind the beans right in front of you so you pretty much can't do a lot better. The only thing holding me back from a 5 star review is that the takeaway cups are a little on the small side and filled quite a lot, meaning when struggling with shopping in one hand and a coffee in another I often end up spilling it a bit. Sturdier cups a bit bigger so motion spills are less likely would be great and sometimes none of the corrugated cardboard holders are small enough. But if you're passing I absolutely recommend it.