LOOKING for somewhere new to eat, dance and be merry this week? Look no further...
Sit in the corner, order a Margarita and pretend you're Jack Kerouac...
ALBERT'S SCHLOSS | Peter Street
Of Manchester's myriad new bar and restaurant openings this year, this is by far the most ambitious. With an overall capacity of 600 (320 of which are restaurant covers), 4000-pint Czech copper beer tanks and nightly stage acts compèred by the city's most notorious drag queens, Albert's Schloss 'Bier Palace and Cook Haus' ain't doing it by 'alf. Formed on the back of a merger between Manchester's Trof Group (Gorilla, Albert Hall, Deaf Institute, Trof) and the founders of the Revolution bar empire, this new £3.5m Bavarian bar, restaurant and music hall continues Peter Street's impressive volte-face.
WHY GO? To sink premium unpasteurised Czech beer and do the Schuhplatter.
Albert's Schloss, 27 Peter Street, opens fully on Sunday 18 October - more here
LA GITANE | Bridge Street
Back in the 90s, La Gitane was an exclusive, smokey old music club situated where Liars Club currently sits on Back Bridge Street. Adored by a snappily-dressed clientele for its intimacy and live, laid-back music, restaurateur and La Gitane founder Sacit Onur has revived the jazzy old haunt beneath Bridge Street's Cafe Istanbul to mark the veteran restaurant's 35th birthday; and to provide a moody, plush bolthole for those 'who don't want to queue five deep at the bar and shout over each other'. Entry is free, music (10pm 'til late) is curated by Matt Nickson of Matt & Phred's fame and drinks are here. Leave your Converse at home, La Gitane has a dapper dress policy; blazers and heels should do, not necessarily together.
WHY GO? To 'dig' jazz, sup Margaritas and pretend you're Jack Kerouac (stay clear of the benzedrine, mind).
You can find La Gitane beneath Cafe Istanbul at 79-81 Bridge Street. Open Thurs, Fri and Sat night 9pm-2.30am.
RUDY'S PIZZA | Cutting Room Square, Ancoats
A new pizza joint for Manchester's 'Little Italy'. Having gathered a formidable reputation for prime Neapolitan pizza around Greater Manchester's markets and street food events, young couple Jim Morgan and Kate Wilson have been feeding the piggy bank for five long years in order to launch their own bricks'n'mortar gaff with no outside investment; a triumph amongst the city's voracious food and booze climate. Located on Ancoats' resurgent Cutting Room Square and bordering the hiked rents of Northern Quarter, the pair have picked a mighty fine spot too. Less than two weeks old, the queues snaking out the door hint at something special indeed.
WHY GO? For perfect, pillowy, ever-so-slightly blistered Neapolitan pizza. Cheap too.
Rudy's, 9 Cotton Street, is open midday to 10pm from Tues to Sun (the kitchen closes to reboot between 3-5pm, except Sundays).
BARATXURI | Ramsbottom
Ok this might be a 30 minutes drive north of Manchester, but this should be well worth it. Fresh off the back of a glowing review from The Guardian's Jay Rayner, the Hispanophiles behind Ramsbottom's Basque-influenced Levanter have just opened another Basque venue around the corner, this time a Pintxos bar. Pintxos or Pincho, bite-sized Spanish tapas, usually lined-up on the bar and speared by a toothpick ('pinchar' is the Spanish verb for 'pierce'), have been a 'thing' in London for years, in fact, we've been expecting somebody to give the concept a bash in Manchester for sometime now. For the time being, though, Baratxuri (pronounced Barra-Churri) is the closest we've got - and initial reports suggest it's a little cracker. Spear as much as you need, collect up your toothpicks and pay-per-stick at the end.
WHY GO? This is the only decent Pintxos gaff we know of in the North.
1 Sithy Street, Ramsbottom, BL0 9AT.
ASHA'S | Peter Street
Another newcomer to the effervescent Peter Street scene, Asha's is a new £2m super-Indian for Manchester inspired by Bollywood superstar Asha Bolshe. Remember Brimful Of Asha? Yeah, that Asha, how about that? Ok, so a UAE-backed Indian restaurant named after a popstar with outposts in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Bahrain may sound a little naff, but we assure you, this is a pearler. Whilst Asha's stick true to traditional techniques and flavours, ingredients such as duck, guinea fowl and venison create quite unexpected, remarkable combinations. A must-try.
WHY GO? Steer clear of Curry Mile this weekend and 'go posh' with big flavours upstairs and seriously sharp cocktails - courtesy of Jamie 'Cocktail Hobbit' Jones - downstairs.
Asha's, 47 Peter Street, is open seven days a week, midday-3pm and 6pm-11pm Mon to Fri, and midday-11pm Fri and Sat (the bar remains open later).
