Federal Cafe Bar — Restaurant in Manchester

I've walked past a few times and wanted to try but always put off by the queue. Finally bit the bullet and joined the queue on a Sunday at 1pm, waited about 25 minutes. We were given menus and told it would be about 25-30 minutes so we knew what we were signing up for. The space inside isn't very big at all, and they pack alot of tables into a very small space, it's very tight and there's really not much room, I wouldn't recommend buggies or anyone with mobility issues. Me and my friend were seated on a small bench at the window, there was just enough space. Can't complain about the food and coffee, drinks arrived very quickly and the coffee was delicious. I had the sweetcorn fritters with bacon, I've never seen anything like this before and was curious, it was very tasty, and good portion size, although maybe a bit expensive at £14. Staff were very friendly and welcoming They add a 10% service charge even though nobody takes your order, you order on your phone or at the till, seems a bit cheeky. You can remove it though. Overall a nice visit but I wouldn't rush back to queue up, if I happened to walk past and there wasn't a queue then maybe but there are plenty of other places that are just as good that you don't...

There are plenty of places where you can get French toast and a chai latte.. …but Federal Cafe Bar truly stands out.

From the moment we walked in, the service was exceptional. We were greeted so warmly that it instantly lifted the mood of the morning.

Despite it being a busy period, we were seated right away, and ordering through the QR code was effortless. Everything flowed smoothly, and our food arrived surprisingly quickly.

And the food? Incredible. The French toast was genuinely one of the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly balanced, beautifully presented, and bursting with flavour.

To top it all off, we decided to grab a pastry on our way out, and the man serving us couldn’t have been lovelier. He greeted us with the same cheerful warmth as when we arrived, and to our surprise, he gave us the pastry on the house. That small gesture summed up the entire experience: thoughtful, generous, and full of heart.

Federal Cafe Bar isn’t just another brunch spot; it’s the kind of place that makes your morning...

I'm a regular federal's customer and love their brunches - but this was by far the worst experience/branch encountered. We were told our waiting time would be 25-30 minutes long for three people and were more than happy to wait that long, however we had ended up waiting over 50 minutes and were still not seated (mostly waiting outside in the cold too). People who came after us in the cue were seated way before us!!

We were constantly told we were going to be seated next, and despite this being the bigger branch, staff gave 2-3 seater stalls and tables to other people who came after us. We never got a seat and after 55 minutes of waiting we left, staff seemed apologetic but no attempts were made to actually seat us or resolve the issue. Really disappointed with the service and wouldn't recommend groups with more than 2 people to visit...