Babylon

Of the many fast-​food shops filling Oxford Road around university, this is our usual spot. The food range isn’t that different from all the others, but hell this is tasty!!! Best bang for your bucks among direct competitors nearby (try the fried chicken!)

Ha, I live Babylon. Their motto used to be, ‘Babylon, All you need to know about Pizza’ which was kinda stretching it a bit, but not too unreasonable. Best thing for me, tho bear in mind I’m a vegetarian, is their squeeze on chilli sauce that has a minty flavour. If you’re in the SandBar, and skipping meals, for just £1.00 you can have a wee tray of chips drenched in chilli sauce that u can take back into the pub to share with your mates. Just remember to pick up a napkin.

Of all the takeaways along the bottom end of Oxford Road Babylon is by far my favourite my guilty, greasy-​fingered favourite. Catering to the students of the nearby Manchester Metropolitan University campus this one-​stop fast food shop serves the usual range of deep pan pizzas, southern fried chicken and chunky burgers at whatever-​change-​is-​left-​in-​your-​pocket prices. My personal Babylon favourites include the toasted crispy chicken wrap (smothered in the shops own special ‘tikka mayonnaise’) and the stringy, chewy goodness of the cheese-​topped garlic bread pizza. My advice though would be to avoid the cheeseburger though — as with so many takeaway examples it’s a rubbery and tasteless labour; a little like chewing an insole between two soggy pieces of bread. I imagine anyway.
The staff have the knowing smiles and good-​humoured banter of people used to dealing with people at every level of drunkenness. The service is lightning fast and ketchup, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce flows in abundance. An absolute must after a night out in the north campus area, or even the shaky, brain-​splintered lunch after a night out in the north campus area. Once they start being able to remember your regular order though it might be time to hit the bran flakes for a while.

Should you ever come across a good takeaway then treasure it, my friend, for they are often few and far between. Of course, if you’re reading this then it is likely you instead wish to be directed to the best places, in which case lucky you, you didn’t have to wander the length and breadth of Manchester to find such joys. To be honest, neither did I, but it sounds more dramatic that way.
Babylon is one of those places which is a cut above the usual fodder, serving food at a slightly higher price, but with a much better taste attached. It also takes slightly more pride in its appearance than other competitors, which might not count for a lot when you’re drunk at 2 am, but you’d be amazed at how much it affects your decision the second time around. A good place to visit should the dreaded kebab or pizza urge hit you in the small hours.

The lovely Laura N has a list on Unilocal dedicated entirely to places you stumble into when you’re drunk and hungry but probably shouldn’t. The fact that I’m now reviewing Babylon really means I should make one of those lists myself. But this is not one to be ashamed of, not one to be whispered of in guilt. This one is ACE.
I first encountered Babylon after a night in Jilly’s during my freshman year at Salford University. My friends who lived on Oxford Road and attended Manchester Met swore by this place. As Alison pointed out, it is slightly dearer than your average drunken takeaway hovel, but it contains about a hundred millilitres less grease, tastes a heck of a lot better, and isn’t handed to you in an actual hovel. No, while Sarah-Jane’s right about the datedness, I’ll second Alison too — clean and warm are the words, and what more do you want when you’ve had a few too many and need to re-​line your stomach?
I’ve had delicious pizzas sat in here, I’ve taken them home in the taxi and enjoyed them in front of the insane TV they show at 3am. I’ve had many a delicious French fry with ketchup at Babylon too. It should be on every Manchester student’s checklist, because the fact that it’s stuck around for so long is testament to its quality and value. Don’t make the mistake of getting a kebab, it’s just a glorified sandwich. Get a pizza instead, and get it from Babylon.

Babylon’s is the most modern looking joint of the onslaught of takeaways spots on this little chunk of Manchester. With a slick look and the standard collection of pizzas, kebabs and chips you can easily destroy your health. I find myself wondering how the army of takeaways on Oxford Road can survive with so much competition, after a while this turns into wonder at how much students must spend in these places. If you cut out the middle man (i.e. students and their loans) this makes for the government essentially handing over millions a year to these businesses. Mad. But back to the case in point Babylon’s has a good vibe and nice décor, the food is decent and a personal choice is the Hawaiian burger, (chilli, mayonnaise, pineapple, salad and of course burger and bap).

Dough
Mozzarella
Tomato passata
Sweetcorn
Olives
Individually these five ingredients are nothing spectacular. When you’re hungry and hungover however, they taste like food of the gods. Another minute in the oven and the pizza would have been cremated but the guys at Babylon are on the ball and the pizza is always perfectly cooked with a thin crust and just melted topping.
Admittedly, the décor and ambience could do with refreshing but since Babylon is usually populated by students, taxi drivers and shift workers grabbing some food in a hurry — I doubt anyone else notices. It’s all about the eleven inches of dough delivered at break-​neck speed for pounds and pennies.

Babylon’s is placed just at the top end of Oxford Road… perfect for Man or Met students. This should be your on your trusted places list as a student, It has been around for at least 10 years now! It is always busy and if I am honest, they do the best pizzas in this student area. It is slightly higher priced than the other takeaways in the area but this is because it delivers much better and tastier food. I particularly like the ham and pineapple pizza, the toppings are always fresh, as is the dough base and cheese! You can sit down and eat your yummy pizza inside too, there is plenty of space, and it is clean and warm!

its quite nice, not really worth its money tho, they feel that they have to compete with the local competitors which is wrong, because if your pizza doesn’t taste like a £4.00 pizza then why price it at that price.

Bablyon’s is situated at the top end of Oxford Road so it’s perfect for Man Uni or Man Met students. This place is always busy which is a good indication of how busy it is. It is slightly higher priced than the other take-away’s in the area but this is because it delivers much better and tastier food. I particularly like the tuna pizzas — its like they put something special on there! Anyway, the basics are it’s still very reasonably priced, tasty and warm to sit in when it’s freezing in Manchester — which it always is!