TOP burger restaurant Solita will set up shop in a shipping container at this year’s Bolton Food and Drink Festival.

And the pop-up restaurant could pave the way for a permanent base for Solita in Bolton.

The Northern Quarter joint was recently named the "third best brunch spot in the UK" by acerbic restaurant critic AA Gill.

Franco Sotgiu, who runs the popular Manchester eatery, said: “I live in Bolton and I come to the festival every year, as do a lot of my staff members who also live in Bolton. It is the best festival of its kind in the North West.

“We get offered many opportunities but because of how busy we are we only select those which are successful, so the festival is something we couldn’t pass up.

“We will be near the fountain on the left hand side of the town hall, so it will be a good spot. It will be a really good test for us to see whether there is a place for Solita in Bolton in the future.”

The Northern Quarter restaurant — which serves up to 900 people every Saturday night — will be bringing its own 20-foot converted shipping container complete with an Inka charcoal oven to make its famous burgers, including the best selling chuck steak and bone marrow burger.

"A mystery celebrity chef will also judge a man versus food hot wings challenge.

Mr Sotgiu added: “We will be bringing various dishes from our menu that have made.

“Everything will be made over charcoal — not on a grill. “We will also be setting a challenge for visitors to take on our man versus food challenge.”

He added that Solita would also be creating a special burger for the festival.