Hospitality entrepreneurs Sophie Gwilliam and Jennifer Stuart have launched Caesar Club, a new takeaway concept in Manchester serving classic Caesar salads in wraps and boxes. The venture follows the closure of Archie's original takeaway on Oxford Road earlier this year, which prompted the duo to take over the unit.
The new outlet, located opposite the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, features bright white and green interiors, marking a striking change from the formerly pink unit. The team is set to open its doors to the public on Thursday, October 15, from 12 noon, with a giveaway of 200 wraps on the opening day.
Simple concept, fresh preparation
The premise is straightforward: customers choose one of three Caesar salad styles, then watch as staff prepare it fresh, mixing and chopping the ingredients in a bowl in front of them before it is placed inside a wrap or a salad bowl. The classic Caesar salad features crisp romaine lettuce, crunchy toasted croutons, parmesan cheese, and a creamy tangy dressing. Diners can add regular chicken or buffalo fried chicken, as well as extras like jalapenos and eggs.
The three styles on offer are Club Classic, Jalapeno Caesar, and Crispy Buffalo Caesar. All are priced at £13, whether as a wrap (with a choice of regular or spinach wrap) or as a salad bowl.
Extras, drinks, and merchandise
Customers can add extras such as fries (£3.50) and sauces, and can also take home batches of freshly made croutons (£2) to make their own Caesar salads at home. A skinny Caesar dressing is available for those watching calories. Drinks include freshly made lemonade (£4) and matcha oat milk (£4), alongside a range of soft drinks and waters.
The outlet also sells Caesar Club merchandise, including t-shirts with slogans like "Take the risk or lose the chance", tote bags, and caps.
From Jeso Agency to takeaway venture
Sophie, 35, and Jen, 37, both from Altrincham, have years of experience in hospitality, spanning venue management and marketing, and now jointly run the Jeso Agency. When the Oxford Road unit became available, they decided to take the risk, as their t-shirt slogan suggests.
Sophie says: "Who doesn't love a Caesar salad? It's been great to build a brand from scratch, using everything we've learnt over the years in hospitality. We thought do one thing, and do it really well. But then you can tweak and amend it to your own liking too."
Caesar Club will be open daily from 11am to 10pm, aiming to capitalise on the high footfall in the area, which is busy with students and office workers.
