Pollen has been baking sourdough and viennoiserie in Manchester since 2016. The flagship at Cotton Wharf, next to Ancoats Marina, opens for everything from a cup of coffee and a cake to an easy, breezy brunch or lunch. They change up the bakery offerings seasonally, so there’s always plenty of newness to appeal to those with a sweet tooth—perhaps strawberry cruffin, Basque cheesecake or a marbled matcha cookie. Brunch might be tiramisu French toast made from croissant loaf or a pastrami grilled cheese. A second branch is at Kampus, next to the Rochdale Canal.