An insider's guide to eating and drinking in Prestwich

What do Mark E Smith, Victoria Wood and Guy Garvey have in common? They were all either born in or lived a large chunk of their lives in Prestwich. Two out of three even have their faces graffitied on a wall there. Prestwich, you have changed.

It's taken a while for Prestwich to get into its stride as a hip food and drink destination but now this family-friendly North Manchester neighbourhood has given birth to one of the longest food and drink guides on Confidentials. And it's not just us that loves it, Prestwich has had the broadsheets fawning lately too.

Although the name Prestwich has a priestly etymology, it is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the UK so you will find some excellent kosher treats in the area sitting alongside Brazilian steakhouses, Scandinavian fine dining and ultra-modern Aussie-style sushi. Oh and cafes, Prestwich is quite possibly the cute cafe capital of Greater Manchester.

It's also cheaper to buy a house here than in Levenshulme or Sale, but probably not for long.

Read on for our favourite places to eat and drink in Prestwich. 

All the Shapes

Prestwich is very much a brunch with your dog/kids kinda town these days. All The Shapes brought its laidback vibes to Warwick Street back in 2015 and is still going strong. Daytimes are all about brunchy lunchy stuff with dishes like bagels, green eggs and a chicken ponzu salad. In the early evening ATS dons its sombrero and plates up everything from vegan black bean quesadillas to mole meatballs made from pork shoulder. Aside from the food, you’ll find a programme of arts and culture events at this two-storey social hangout. 

8 Warwick St, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3HN, UK

Anatolian Grill

Named after the part of the world that now represents the major part of Turkey (the bit that’s in Asia as opposed to the bit that’s in Europe), Anatolian grill gives all the holiday feels you are looking for in a menu from chef-proprietor Duran Selvi. Think lamb served in every way possible (moussaka, check, kebab, check, casserole, check) as well as other grilled meats, fish veggies and, of course, halloumi. All the usual cocktail, mocktails beers and spirits are here but there is alas an extensive selection of raki and more Turkish wines than you can shake a kebab at - or find on virtually any other restaurant menu in Manchester. The restaurant setting is of the typically relaxed Turkish style with a “we are family” approach to service. 

459 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AF

Chips No 8

You might head here to have a look at the Mark E Smith (very famously a Prestwichian) mural emblazoned on the wall of the building, but you’ll stay for a chippy tea. Prestwich OG Mary Ellen McTague reckons this is “the best chip shop in Manchester” and plenty agree with her. Chips No.8 was opened by Dan Edwards in 2008 inspired by his gran’s love of fish and chips. Not your average chippy, chips are cooked in beef fat and you’ll find rag pudding, homity pie and herby halloumi on the menu alongside the usual fishy suspects. Dan has also recently added fried chicken to the menu in response to local demand. 

8 Clifton Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3HQ

Codi’s Kitchen

Codi is a Radcliffe-born lass who absolutely loves sushi. She learned her knife skills at top city centre restaurant Australasia and has also worked for local party catering royalty Celia Cline. These two roles provided Codi with the ideal mix of skills to run a catering arm of the business and to open her own sit-in sushi restaurant, a first for Prestwich. Expect colourful sushi rolls filled and topped with everything from hoisin duck to seared beef as well as the more standard salmon and tuna. There is also a hot menu with flavourful main dishes like katsu curry, teriyaki and salt n pepper. 

 257 Heywood Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 2QP

The Coffee Sack

Every neighbourhood needs a casual, all-encompassing caff to bring the community together and The Coffee Sack is a huge favourite with locals. Opened by pals Kate and Johanna in 2017 when they got tired of working for other people and wanted to run their own place, this homely cafe has won all sorts of awards too. The menu encompasses everything from breakfasts to bagels to baked potatoes and has extensive kids and vegan menus alongside their own blend of freshly ground coffee beans, of course.

3 Scholes Ln, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0PD

Croma

OG upscale pizza parlour Croma has long been known as the place where everyone in Prestwich goes for a fancy family meal. Approximately five million pizza places have opened in Greater Manchester since Croma first opened in the city centre way back in 2000 to queues around the block. While the original city centre Croma closed in 2022 in the wake of the pandemic, this mini-Manchester chain has clung to its well-loved neighbourhood venues. If you dismiss it as a bit boring, think again, Croma’s menu has all the old pizza faves but you’ll also find pizza toppings like Aglefino with smoked haddock, leeks and free-range egg, or another with field mushrooms and both Garstang blue and goat's cheese. There are also vegan pizzas, a vegetarian ‘Nduja and sausage rigatoni and a great selection of main course salads.

30 Longfield Centre, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AY 

The Crooked Man

The Crooked Man opened in 2017 helping Prestwich to open its arms to modern craft beer and arguably paving the way for many more forward-thinking indie businesses in the area. You’ll find a tasty range of beers from local breweries like Shindigger, First Chop and Pomona, but this is more than just a bar. Expect regular gigs, quiz nights and spoken word poetry nights as well as local DJs manning the decks at weekends. Not into beer? No worries, there are two-for-one cocktails on weeknights, wine and pop-up food stalls too. Keep an eye on their socials for up-to-date details. 

7 Fairfax Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AS

Cuckoo

Another venue that’s got the “neighbourhood” thing down pat is Cuckoo, a pretty little casual dining spot, cafe and bar on Bury New Road, just up from Grape To Grain. Cuckoo’s two big food draws are its simple but effective brunch menu and its stone-baked pizzas. You’ll find the latter topped with delights like anchovy, roasted garlic and capers, N'duja, peppers and caramelised onions, or wild mushrooms, fresh oregano and truffle oil, amongst other things. But there’s more, with a downstairs events space and a sunny beer garden, there are plenty of spots for local musicians to pop up, and they do regularly. The bar also hosts cinema nights, vinyl DJs and seasonal events like Pride specials. Too busy to sit down? Pop to the cute hatch for coffee, doughnuts and even dog treats. 

395-397 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AW

Dokes Pizzeria

Prestwich is certainly not lagging behind the rest of Manchester with its proliferation of pizza places, but that didn’t stop Ancoats ace, Michael Clay of Elnecot from opening another Mecca to everyone’s favourite doughy discs - with some stonking cocktails and wine on the side. At Dokes, Michael sets his stall apart by offering hyper-local toppings like sausage from Grandad’s Sausages, Polyspore mushrooms from Altrincham and Saddleworth honey. Cheese fans that find mozzarella a bit tame will love to addition of the likes of Rollright, Chepyn blue and goat’s curd. Chef Clay is a dab hand at the ole desserts too (ours is a lemon posset, ta) and while the restaurant currently only does evening meals, he promises brunch and lunch offerings soon. 

449A Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AF

The Goods In

You’ll find sanded wooden furniture, plenty of pastels and a good helping of graffiti at The Goods In. This colourful bar next to Heaton Park tram stop is from the same team as All The Shapes. Sweet treats come from the likes of Anna’s Bakehouse and DGHNT, with the main menu dedicated to flatbreads, pizzette and burgers with modern small plates and sides (think tater tots, rojo cauliflower and fried chicken). This is a beer garden you’ll want to take advantage of too, with plenty of frosty beers and frozen cocktails in the summer months. If you want more than just food and drink, there are plenty of pop-up shops here from Grey Milk clothing to Casita homewares. 

Stella House, unit 2a Infant St, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1SS

Gorge

Looking for something a bit different to all that casual neighbourhood pizza stuff? Gorge is doing something nowhere else (that we know of) in Prestwich is: Latin American food. Steak is the main event to gorge on, think Brazilian picañha sharing steaks served with feijoada and cassava, 60-day aged Fraldinha steaks grilled over charcoal, or the steak butty of Desperate Dan’s dreams. There’s also vegetable and plantain moqueca, bacon quesadilla, and all manner of deep-fried cheese and meat snacks from Brazil’s culinary cupboard. What do you want with steak? Wine of course, and Gorge’s list is largely of the Chilean and Argentinian variety. I know you’re wondering, yes, there are churros too.

424 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1BD

Grape To Grain

Grape to Grain is North Manchester wine royalty, with shops in both Ramsbottom and Prestwich. The team is famous for its fun, informal wine tastings which really ramped up over Zoom during the pandemic. But everyone knows a wine tasting in real life is where it’s at, and if you don’t go home with a tote full of bottles you couldn’t resist buying after tasting them, we’ll be very surprised. Communal wine not your thing? You can of course pop in for a solo glass with a bit of cheese or pick up a few bottles to take home and slowly drain while watching the Gogglebox celebrity special. Don’t forget to browse the beers and spirits collection, there' some great stuff on those shelves too. New to Grape and Grain for 2022 are pop-up supper clubs twice monthly from Confidentials fave Ness Cohen. See the G2G website for dates and deets. 

1 Church Ln, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AN

JS on the corner

JS restaurant was a long-running kosher restaurant with crisp tablecloths and a fancy but old-fashioned menu. In 2020, it closed, moved location into a former KFC spot and reinvented itself as a more relaxed affair with a takeaway menu and a buzzy, cafe-style dining space. On the menu, there is a nod to the previous owners with kosher fried chicken, but also classic Jewish mam dishes like chicken soup with lokshen and kneidle, and salt beef sarnies. We loved the ridiculous frap: a deep-fried, breadcrumbed tortilla wrap stuffed with smoked pastrami, garlic mayo, mustard, crispy onion rings, fried onions and pickles. Eat that on Friday lunchtime you won't need another morsel til after Shabbos. 

27 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 9JY

Karen’s Diner

Never has a new opening had so much hate spewed at it from internet commentators, and if any of you haters tell us our critical, honest restaurant reviews are cruel and unnecessary again, we will point you back at your own Twitter bile on our most shared Twitter post of 2022. Karen’s is an Australian-born novelty pop-up diner with fairly average fast food served with a healthy dollop of side-eye. The whole schtick is that the staff are obnoxious and lazy and they are actually quite shockingly so. So yes, if you bring your kids or your nan they will swear at them, and we mean really swear. Yes, they will lob your food at you and call you every name under the sun. If that floats your boat, Karens will be in Prestwich for a limited time, so get a move on and book a table, you lazy twat.

130 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0AA

Keg, Cask and Bottle

Every desirable neighbourhood should have a great beer shop and tucked away in the Longfield shopping centre you’ll find Prestwich’s own version. Keg, Cask and Bottle is wall-to-wall colourful cans and bottles from just about every local brewery you can think of and a few from farther afield. Not just a shop but a tasting room too, you can pull up a tall stool by the beermat adorned brick wall and try a few tasters before you buy or just stay for a natter with the lovely owner, Sam. 

Longfield Centre, The, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AY

Kosher Deli - Butcher and Delicatessen

Know your vorsht from your pickle meat or need to speak to someone who does? Kosher Deli is a huge butcher's where you can pick up all kinds of prepped kosher meat products to cook at home as well as salamis, salt beef and more that are ready to scoff. You'll also find ready-made meals like pasta, potato kugel and beef goulash that'll save you a job after work. Other deli items include everything from soups to rice dishes to tuna salad. The friendly staff are always happy to assist with any questions you may have. 

1/3, Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 9JZ

Let’s Fress 

There are lots of good Jewish bagel bakeries in North Manchester, Brackman’s and State Fayre are both fabulous but they fall just outside the Prestwich boundaries. Let’s Fress almost doesn’t make it either as it’s just on the cusp of Whitefield. The fabled line between the two towns is contentious, but we reckon the ring road near the big Tesco is the true border. Also known as Cooper’s after the family owners, with Fress being the Yiddish word for basically stuffing your face, this deli is a firm favourite of ours. The Sunday special has to be one of the best deals in Manchester with tubs of egg mayo, tuna mayo, and chopped herring, as well as a packet of smoked salmon and six bagels for the unbelievable sum of £5. There are hot brisket sarnies, chicken schnitzel and lamb shawarma too. 

70 Bury Old Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M45 6TL

Lupo Caffe

Buongiornoooooooo belli! Lupo is a truly authentic Italian cafe that immediately became one of the jewels in Prestwich’s crown when it hopped over the border from its previous location in Salford. Everything here is either homemade, locally sourced or imported from the motherland with the greatest attention to detail. Alongside excellent Italian coffee, you might enjoy a house-made doughnut stuffed with allotment gooseberries, hand-made fettuccine pasta with butter and anchovies or a 70-hour proved pizza topped with potatoes, rosemary and locally made fennel sausages. Every Friday and Saturday it’s aperitivo and pizza time from 4 til 8pm. Not bad for a cafe in the middle of an industrial estate. 

Trading Estate, Unit 65 Ardent Way Mountheath, Manchester M25 9WE

Moonbeam Cafe

Another one that's just on the edge of Whitefield so has both places in its address, Moonbeam opened in late 2021 and is another one for Prestwich’s portfolio of lovely cafes. Decked out like an interior influencer’s posh kitchen complete with starry tiles and reclaimed wooden tables, Moonbeam’s main draws are lovely coffee and a great breakfast. That coffee is a bespoke blend created by Prestwich coffee company Abe & Co which started in founder Guy’s back garden. Breakfast can be anything from jam on toast to pastrami and potatoes with capers, gherkins, mustard mayo, crispy shallots, spinach and a fried egg. There are also bagels, speciality teas, cocktails and wine. Moon-beam us up there right now, tbh.

82 Bury Old Rd, Whitefield, Prestwich, Manchester M45 6TQ

Nonna’s Delicatessen

Not just a deli, Nonna’s opened in September 2022 and immediately gained attention for its counter stocked with all kinds of salamis and antipasti but also a great cocktail and aperitivo menu that you can sit in and enjoy. Said cocktails incorporate classic Italian flavours like fennel, Amalfi lemon and white balsamic. The colour palette is gorgeous moss greens and wooden shelves, put together with the kind of interior design mind that you’d expect from owner Fiona who also owns Rose and Lee interiors next door. Those shelves are stacked with all kinds of bottles and jars you can take home to create your own Italian nonna-style dishes. The Nonna in this particular story is Fiona’s own, Gina from Abruzzo who came to the UK 50 years ago and lives on through this gorgeous tribute. Expect the events calendar to fill up with wine tastings, film screenings and supper clubs.

20 Bishops Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0HS

OSMA

If you go to Prestwich for one reason only, let it be OSMA, Prestwich’s Mancunian-Scandi palace of culinary delights that our reviewer described as “dark, witchy madness”. Osma’s understated exterior belies its extraordinary menu. Presided over by L’Enclume-trained chef Danielle Heron - who also spend a good amount of time working in three-star restaurant Maaemo in Oslo where she met her Norwegian co-pilot Sofie Stoermann-Naess, this Michelin guide restaurant’s menu changes, of course, with the seasons. Dishes might include Isle of Wight tomatoes with smoked mozzarella, almond, chamomile and rocket; mackerel tartare with peas, broad beans, dashi broth and shiso; or seaweed custard with pickled white crab meat, carrot and black radish. There’s also a brunch menu where the Benedict is topped with caviar, naturally. But don’t let the fancy dishes put you off visiting for a laid-back lunch, the owners say they want this to be a place anyone can go for a relaxed drink or plate of food.

132 Bury New Road, Prestwich, M25 0AA

The Ostrich

There are tons of pubs popular with locals in Prestwich and most of them we have decided to just leave to the OGs to enjoy but The Ostrich is one we want to shake a tail feather to, mainly for its absolutely massive beer garden. If all that craft beer and contemporary art make you get in a bit of a huff, and you’d prefer three types of tartan, a pool table and a pint of Holt’s best bitter, The Ostrich might be more your kind of bird. It’s also well known as a great place to go if you can’t get tickets to one of the massive gigs at Heaton Park but still want to listen to the bands and sup a pint in an arguably more comfortable environment. 

163 Bury Old Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1JF

Prestwich Social 

It kinda looks like a Blockbusters video store from the outside, but inside, Prestwich social is a vast, sports-bar style venue with the focus on, you guessed it, socialising. Regular events include live music, pub quizzes, bottomless drag dinners and 80s disco nights and there are loads of weekly deals on food too. What about the food? It’s largely American-influenced - think ribs, wings and burgers - with a crowd-pleasing foray into breakfast, butties and sharing boards. Booze is a big focus here with outrageous cocktails (including martini trees all year round not just for Xmas) and happy “hour” Sun-Fri 8pm-midnight. You can hire the events space for up to 300 guests too. 

Unit 3, The Radius Scheme, Fairfax Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AS

Remal

Kosher Lebanese restaurant Remal is a real hit with locals. Owned by Zak and Abu Salim, the restaurant opened in 2019 to rave reviews and continued to keep customers happy with takeout and delivery during the lockdowns. The menu is lamb heavy, as is typical of the cuisine so you will find the usual kebabs, chops etc but also dishes like bamieh, fasulye and fateh - lamb stews cooked with okra, green beans or aubergine respectively. There’s chicken too and as with many Lebanese restaurants, the range of hot and cold starters makes for a thrilling meal in itself - think tabbouleh, mutabal, lamb kibbeh and stuffed vine leaves for a start. This writer recommends you order at least one from the pastries section, cheese for me, I can’t get enough of these eye-shaped gooey savoury tarts. You can also order for home delivery or get the Remal team to cater for your events. Oh, and it’s BYOB here too.

501 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AD

Ta’Am

Hop over the culinary border to Israel and Ta’ Am is dishing up a kosher feast from the region’s cookbooks. Our Gordo visited recently and named a lamb dish from Ta' Am as his best dish of the month. Expect shawarma, kobideh and schnitzel as well as six different hummus dishes. But there is also an Indian side to the menu with shashlik, chicken tikka and biryani. Interesting burgers too, the buddy burger includes lamb strips, salt beef, pastrami, onion rings, potato scallop and cheese with the usually beef patty, salads and sauces.  

5 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 9JZ

Three Bakers

On the same block as Ta’Am and Kosher Deli is kosher bakery Three Bakers and here you will find all kinds of baked goods and sweet treats from the Jewish culinary canon. Fill your basket with challah, bagels, croissants and pastries but leave room for packs of sugary cookies, brownies and custard tarts too. There are also simple cafe-style dishes served to eat in alongside your morning coffee.

5 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 9JZ

Tito’s Asian Grill

There are lots of Indian restaurants and takeaways dotted up and down Bury old road, some great, some - not so good, Al. Tito’s only opened just before the pandemic but quickly gained an outstanding reputation. Decor is simple and comfortable with wooden tables, turmeric-coloured walls and a counter painted in sea blue. The restaurant is connected to Tito’s restaurant and club that opened in Goa in the 70s and is still going strong. You can expect South Indian dishes like dosa, Goan fish rechardo, and konkhani prawns but also classics like lamb vindaloo, butter chicken, chole masala and specials like the melting railway lamb shank.

453 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AF

Triple B

Not kosher like many other bagel joints in and near Prestwich, but the meat here is halal and the bagels are really good. Triple B started life as Eat New York on Oldham Street in the city centre before rebranding and moving to Prestwich, kind of like a lot of people do in their mid-30s. Expect New Yawk style bagels in this relaxed dining/takeaway spot on the corner, piled high with salt beef, pastrami, pickles, sauerkraut, cheese and even served as buns for burger patties. On the side, there are fries, of course, served plain if you’re boring but we love the goofie fries which are drizzled with garlic and cheese sauce and layered up with pastrami and coriander. Dinks include milkshakes and beers. 

24 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0LD

Tuk Tuk Cafe

This cute cafe serves dishes from China and Thailand with a smattering of other East Asian plates thrown in for good measure. Think Koren wings, Thai green curry and Indonesian Gado Gado salad. Head chef and owner, Yod brings over 20 years in Manchester kitchens to the game so what he doesn't know about rice and noodles probably isn't worth knowing. Decor is all sunny yellow painted walls with stylish postcard prints in a gallery style and lampshades that look like the iconic rice paddy hats of China and Vietnam. You can grab a takeaway or order delivery from here too.

97 Heywood Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1LP

Village Greens

The big Tesco is useful as a landmark so you know if you’re in Prestwich or Whitefield but everyone knows the best produce AND the best shopping experience comes from local independent shops. Village Greens is a lovely, community-owned, organic food co-op that has been going strong in Prestwich village since 2014. With a focus on sustainability and reducing unnecessary waste, the wholesome team led by Chris, Karen and Julian are always happy to assist. Alongside the lovely organic fruit and veg, you’ll find fresh bread from the likes of Trove and local Polish and pita bakeries, fresh dairy produce and oat milk in glass bottles, locally made cakes, and a deli counter heaving with artisan products including Great North Pies and Lily’s Indian snacks. There’s also a huge range of dried food and non-food refills available to keep your packaging use to a bare minimum. 

1 Longfield Centre, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AY, UK

The Woodthorpe

Prestwich's most iconic and historic pub is The Woodthorpe with its grand, looming presence set back over manicured lawns. Its former life as the family home of Joseph Holt in the 1800s is easy to conjure up in the imagination. Inside, there are numerous characterful rooms and nooks for plain old beer supping, watching live sports or having a good old knees up. There are also bedrooms to stay over in if you're not local. You'll find everything you could possibly want to drink behind the bar including cask ales and a pub classics menu sure to please grandma and the nippers too. There are few finer beer gardens in which to while away one of the three sunny afternoons of the year.

Bury Old Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 0EG

Wine and Wallop

Formerly Folk, this wine bar and casual dining spot is now Wine and Wallop, another Didsbury brand gone North. The bar occupies a huge corner space - all whitewashed brick walls, wicker lampshades and contemporary art - opposite the aforementioned long-standing wine shop Grape To Grain. If the people of Prestwich consume as much wine on a weekly basis as team Confidentials does, there should be plenty of room for two on this stretch. As well as lovely wine you can expect local beers and a mean Bloody Mary - and there’s a two-for-one offer 5-8pm Mon-Thurs.  There’s also an all-day dining menu encompassing everything from smashed avo on toast to fish finger butties to bang bang chicken skewers. Rumour has it they do a good Sunday roast too.

 403 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 1AA

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