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On 21st April 2026, Salford celebrates its 100th anniversary of being incorporated as a city, and whilst so much has happened since that fateful day in 1926, what has not changed is a legacy of culture, heritage, civic spirit, great food and great drink.
One of the best ways to celebrate all of this is through our Taste of Two Cities Tour, a culinary commemoration of two of the best cities in the country and the diverse working-class spirit that made it happen.
Whilst Manchester gets all of the headlines, Salford’s century of citydom is no less important, with even the local City Council struggling to fit it all in.
With that in mind, we want to help contribute, so with that in mind, we will explain the amazing city we are celebrating in 2026, and a few ways you can get just a taste, figuratively and literally, of that history.
Salford has existed in some form or another for up to 10,000 years and was known as Salford since at least the 12th century, and developed its reputation as a vibrant market town as early as the 13th century.
However, as Manchester became an industrial powerhouse in the 19th century, its neighbour on the other side of the River Irwell became the vital port town which made it happen.
It was partly for this reason that Salford successfully lobbied for city status in 1926, and since then, its influence and gritty spirit have only gotten more celebrated.
Part of this is thanks to the spirited nature of the campaign, but another part of that is due to its exceptional regeneration and revolutions over the past 100 years, with the likes of MediaCityUK and Salford Quays showing Salford at its most modern and most vibrant, with a culinary palette to match.
Probably the best way to get a taste of Salford is to take a bite from perhaps its most famous culinary export.
The Eccles Cake was first sold on what is now Church Street in Eccles, although exactly when and how has been lost to time. What is known is that by the early 19th century, they were so popular that they had been exported to the West Indies and America.
Unlike the very similar Chorley Cake, the Eccles Cake has endured outside of Lancashire (and Greater Manchester, perhaps becoming one of the first cultural touchstones when people are asked about Salford alongside the Lads’ Club.
This year is a celebration of Salford’s city status and its radical transformation into the cultural and culinary hub we know today. However, 2028 will be the 200th anniversary of perhaps the oldest surviving pub in Salford and the oldest railway tavern in the world.
Initially known as the Patricroft Tavern in 1928, the Queen’s Arms gained its name and the foundations for its listed building status in 1857, after Queen Victoria walked past and allegedly used the facilities.
It had a remarkably long history, only closing in 2024 before being remarkably revived the next year as perhaps the most unusual place to eat traditional Japanese food in the North West, if not the entire country.
The pub retains its traditional look and feel; not only were the new owners limited in what they could do by its listed status, but they also did not want to. Ultimately, they wanted to keep the pub for locals but add something now that speaks of the Salford of today.
The difference between Salford and Manchester is that, whilst many of the latter’s best restaurants are boldly out in the open, Salford tends to feature a lot of hidden gems. What makes our walking food tours so special is just how unexpected some of Salford’s greatest restaurants are.
This is particularly true around the University of Salford, with an artisan bakery and cafe bar being proudly located in, of all buildings, an old fire station.
Behind the bright red doors which used to hold fire engines is the home of freshly baked sourdough bread, barista coffee and a microbrewery, all of which are actively part of the University of Salford’s academic programmes.
This is far from the only hidden gem in Salford, with so many dockyards and warehouses being home to delicious cuisine that acts as a reward for the curious, the adventurous and the locals who know, but it is one of the more fascinating examples.
