These days Manchester’s hardly doing badly for coffee shops, with Idle Hands, North Tea Power and Takk just the crema on top of what is now a large pool of caffeine hotspots. Meaning, then, that competition’s fairly stiff – thankfully a challenge that Ezra and Gil has confidently taken in its stride.
With a name that translates as helper (Ezra) and happiness (Gil), it’s an approachable, stripped-back joint, where great coffee comes without the condescension. Set in a vast, light and airy space on the corner of Hilton Street and Newton Street, it also benefits from ample seating that some of its contemporaries may lack, making it not only good shout for lazy breakfasts and much-needed coffee breaks, but also a freelancer’s dream.
Food-wise it's a case of breakfast classics, toasted sandwiches, flatbreads, cakes, pies and more innovative combos like pancakes with goats' cheese and rosemary and pan-fried sea bass fillet with minted peas.
Ezra & Gil also has some nice, smaller touches such as orange, lemon and mint-infused water dispensers, as well as a small grocery section selling staples including everything from hot sauce, tea and eggs to slightly less crucial things like Burgen loaves, coconut milk yoghurt (CoYo, nonetheless) and San Pellegrino sparkling water.