Brazilian street food, matcha beer, massive butties, enough already Manchester!
We like to announce new bars, restaurants, and venues as they pop up on our Greater Manchester radar. You know, a new cocktail bar here or an American pizza joint there. Well currently there's a new opening for every coffee shop in Ancoats with matte ceramics and industrial lighting, so we've just about caught up.
There's a new "proper coffee" spot in Bury, a vegan empire in Bramhall, and a speakeasy in Stockport all included in this bumper list of new openings. We've got all the essential deets and dates below. If you're looking for some new entries for your to-try list look no further.
Read on for a bumper list of bar and restaurant openings in Manchester that you might not have heard about.
What: Adelphi Lads Club
Where: 50 Canon Street, Salford, Manchester, M3 6EG
When: Friday 17 June
No, not THAT lads club. This is another restored Salford venue with a brand new food and drink offering, the Adelphi Lads Club in Salford is set to launch for BBQ food and bespoke cocktails in an extensive outdoor area on Friday 17 June. Drinks will be provided by Big Hug Brewery with offerings like the Adelphi Lads Club IPA and the bespoke cocktail menu includes local spirits like Supersonic Gin.
What: Afiyet
Where: Unit 6, Redrock, Bridgefield St, Stockport, SK1 1SA
When: Coming soon
Afiyet is an intriguing prospect, not least due to early sneak peeks of its grand centrepiece bar. A Turkish-influenced all-day diner that encourages visitors to drop in for a coffee or drink at the bar as well as restaurant fodder, ahead of opening it teases charcoal-grilled meats, Turkish flatbreads from a stone-fired oven and a wine list comprising naturals and classics. Piquing our interest however, is the minor detail halfway down the dinner menu of "gold steak" with 24K gold steak tomahawk 1kg coming in at a meagre £175. Stockport's Saltbae? You heard it here first.
What: Aipim
Where: TBC
When: August 2022
Manchester's Brazilian love affair continues with Aipim, a new takeaway set to open in the city centre this summer. Expect feijoada, empadinhas, moqueca, coxinha, and cassava croquettes created by a Brazilian family that moved to Manchester over a decade ago. There's also matte on the menu, the tea that many South Americans swear by to kick them up the arse in the morning.
What: AKA Sushi
Where: Unit 1, St James Tower, 7 Charlotte St, Manchester M1 4DZ
When: Coming soon
Right at the bottom end of China Town, Blue Whale supermarket recently opened with a live seafood counter, a zillion different instant noodle flavours and freezers full of dumplings. That's all great, but we're most curious about its sushi restaurant AKA Sushi which is set to open soon. Is it the same AKA Sushi that got everyone in a tizz over in Liverpool? We hope so.
What: Bask
Where: 20 Railway Road, Stockport Exchange Square, SK1 3SW
When: Open now
Manchester music promoting royalty Benji Taylor brings this gigantic new self-styled speakeasy to Stockport's Exchange Square. Expect plenty of live music then, including Acoustica on Mondays (sponsored by Stockport Gin) as well as special gigs from louder touring artists via Ben's little black book of connections. Think Ben Ottewell of Gomez or Jonny Brown of Twisted Wheel. Of course, there will be beer too, oh yes, there will be beer.
What: Bob and Berts
Where: Unit A1, Block A, The Rock, 2 Clerke St, Bury, BL9 0PN
When: Open now
This cute Northern Irish born coffee and light meals chain has opened in Bury's The Rock shopping centre. Expect breakfasts, burgers, paninis and loaded fries in a bright and breezy setting. The chain is very proud of its coffee and also does loads of work for charity so it's a few quid well spent.
What: Boom Battle Bar
Where: Unit 2A, The Printworks, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester M4 2BS
When: Open now
Boom Battle Bar is the UK’s first and only battle bar and it’s coming to Manchester. To me and you that means a bar based on competitive play. Think augmented darts (Flight Club style), axe throwing, shuffle boards, beer pong and plenty of other activities to keep people who put "overly competitive about everything" on their Hinge profiles occupied. Boom also promises a premium bar and "tempting" food. Buckle up.
What: Bread Club
Where: 253 Monton Road, Eccles, Manchester, M30 9PS
When: Coming soon
Chunky sandwiches are coming to Monton and in celebration, we’re going to spare you the Fight Club clichés. Expect Reubens on rye, Cubanos, a house signature sandwich as well as tuna crunch, taco chicken and chickpea by the sea fillings. There’ll be sweet treats too, think of them as sandwich pudding.
What: The Burbs
Where: 346 Wellington Rd N, Stockport, Manchester, SK4 5DA
When: Coming soon
Fans of the excellent I Knead Pizza in Reddish will want to keep an eye on this one from the same team. Details are thin on the ground at the mo but you can expect Neapolitan pizza as well as "Italian and British small plates" in the setting of the former Donatello's in Stockport and hopefully no guest appearances from Tom Hanks or Corey Feldman. It really is about time we moved to SK1.
What: The Crafty Cheesecan
Where: 15 Pollard St E, Manchester M40 7QX
When: Coming soon
Pollard Yard is already home to a fair few creative mini food businesses, see Le Social wine bar, Breadflower, Crunched Tacos, Gridnsmith et al. And now, everyone's favourite curd nerd is set to open a bright yellow bijou shipping container gaff with a cheese counter there. But there won't just be cheese, expect charcuterie too like Northern Cure's wine sticks (basically a posh Pepperami) and we're hoping beer and wine too.
What: Cutee
Where: 58 Dickenson Road, Fallowfield, M14 5HA
When: 4 June
Cutee is a teeny halal Asian restaurant taking over the former Hassan newsagents in Fallowfield. It aims to cover the cuisines of China, Korea, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan, phew! But the socials suggest a heavy influence from Thailand so there will be duck pad Thai, green curry and fish ball soup as well as, er, all day full English. There's a dragon dance to celebrate the opening day and all dishes will be £5.50 "tasting price" to celebrate on the day.
What: Green Lab
Where: East Tower, 7 Owen St., Deansgate, Manchester M15 4YB
When: Open now
The Green Lab and Deansgate Square is a match made in heaven. Four towers’ worth of attractive, health-conscious influentials needing a localised fix of virility-enhancing clean eating dishes and if there’s one place that can deliver, it’s The Green Lab. You can bet there’ll be customisable salad bowls for brunch as well as dainty, health-minded eggs. Don’t be surprised to see premium steak and fish options for dinner too. Smoothies and kombucha come as standard.
What: Icons
Where: 1A Higher Ln, Whitefield, Manchester M45 7BG
When: Open now
Think neon, fake flowers and 80s tribute acts and you've got yourself a whiff of the Icons aroma. Open seven days a week, this newbie in Whitefield also does booze and food of course. Menu items include a bacon and egg muffin reimagined as "The Whitefield Breeze" and some spicy chicken wings named after famous vegetarian Paul McCartney. There are more restrained dish names too like the refreshingly simple "Tuna Mayo" which features, you guessed it, tuna mayo on a baguette.
What: Kitten
Where: Deansgate Square, 9 Owen Street, M15 5YB
When: 17 June
If the very photographable, high-end sushi from the likes of Peter St Kitchen and Ivy Asia appeals, then Kitten will be one for you as its head chefs have both places on their CVs. Pouncing on the passing trade from the residents of those glittering towers of wealth at Deansgate Square, this Japanese restaurant and Izakaya complete with robata grill is set to be jaw-dropping in the decor stakes. Expect eight-metre high ceilings, walls of bamboo and Venetian plastering, a marbled bar and a five-metre bonsai tree. Crikey.
What: Monkey Trio
Where: Circle Square
When: Any day now
Manchester’s first sake bar, Monkey Trio comes from the team behind our faves The Sparrows. Expect a jungle-load of Japanese sakes (of course), whiskies and even matcha beer. We really hope there's food too. This one was supposed to open in May so it can’t be long now.
What: MNKY HSE
Where: Lloyd Street, Manchester, M2 5WA
When: September 2022
More vowel sacrifice on the horizon for Manchester, this time from London and Middle East restaurant and bar phenomenon, MNKY HSE (pronounced Monkey House, not Manky Hose). A consolation prize of sorts for those yearning for Sexy Fish Manchester, MNKY HSE will bring Latin American-inspired luxury sharers, mezcal cocktails and live music to Lloyd House just off Albert Square. In keeping with similar vowel dodging day to night venues around Deansgate, expect a prominent DJ booth, colourful sharing platters with sauces that won’t drip on your Balenciaga and a celeb or two.
What: Neon Tiger
Where: 62 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BW
When: June 2022
There’s a lot going on on Bridge Street these days and Neon Tiger is throwing its hat in the ring with a Thai BBQ concept. We’re talking orth eastern Thai street food inspired cooking over open coals. Skewered meats, bright salads and a curried noodle dish as well as “an intimate drinking space”. Noodles will be hand-pulled by Manchester locals Komuji and natural wines will come courtesy of the Northern Quarter’s Ad-Hoc.
What: Otto Vegan Empire
Where: 26a Bramhall Lane South, Bramhall, Cheshire, SK7 1AF
When: Open now
From chef James Lavin, he of Ottomen fame, comes this colourful "vegan hub" above the Crown and Conspirator pub in Bramhall. James is a classically French-trained chef who has turned his hand to Middle Eastern and Mediterranean flavours inspired by his extensive travels. There's a lot of vegan food out there at the moment but James's veg forward approach should make a welcome change from all those soy protein burgers. If you've ever tried James's Sexy Pie you'll know what we're talking about.
What: Pong and Puck
Where: Great Northern Warehouse, 235 Deansgate, Manchester M3 4EN
When: Open now
Bottomless brunch, beer pong, shuffleboard, table tennis, Prosecco. Those words will either strike fear into your heart or have it racing and wouldn't it be boring if we were all the same? If it's the latter Pong and Puck in Great Northern is for you - and you are welcome to it.
What: Rum Rabbit Run
Where: Stanley Square, Sale
When: June
From the razor-brandishing crew at Mr Beardmore barbers comes a little ole rum shack on Stanley Square in Sale. It's staggering how many really great brands are moving into Sale at the moment and this one looks set to sit side by side with Sugo, Greens and the like, filling your cup with sugarcane goodness. Details are minimal at the mo but it's got rum and outdoor seating, what more do you want?
What: Sakku Samba
Where: Avenue North, 18-22 Bridge St, Manchester M3 3BZ
When: June 2022
When we wrote about this one in May, you lot got really excited. But in case you missed it, the long-vacant Artisan spot (cue a quick reminisce of the Halcyon days when Spinningfields was new and exciting) is currently being given a spray tan and some microblading ready to emerge as sassy newcomer Sakku Samba. A splicing of Japanese and Brazilian cuisine (which has been a thing for ages in Brazil apparently) via a Leeds based restaurateur. We already have an idea of what their Insta will look like.
What: Sterling
Where: Stock Exchange Hotel, 4 Norfolk St, Manchester M2 1DW
When: Coming soon
The Schofield brothers already have worldwide acclaim and a couple of very popular Manchester bars tucked into their aprons but they're still hungry for more. Well, you would be too if the Tom Kerridge had asked you to open a cocktail bar in the former bank vault under his fancy-pants restaurant The Bull & Bear. We're expecting this one to be, well, mint.
What: Tahi
Where: Circle Square, Oxford Rd, Manchester M1 7FS
When: Coming soon
If you fell in love with Jacinda Ardern during the covid crisis you might have something in common with the folks behind this super sustainable and ethically minded Kiwi venture that's opening in Circle Square. Tahi meaning "one" in Maori has sourcing at its heart so you can tick that off your food-related guilt list. Expect great coffee from award-winning, heavily tattooed baristas, baked sweet treats including a take on the much-lauded Anzac biscuit, and a colour palette based on the forests and sulphuric pools of stunning New Zealand.
What: The Ugly Duckling
Where: The Firs, Bowdon, Altrincham WA14 2TW
When: Mid-June
Nesting next to The Stamford pub in boujie old Bowdon, this newly hatched Ugly Duckling comes from the same team. We've had a sneak peek of the menu and we can tell you it has some pretty out there ingredients, some of which can be sung to the tune of a Prefab Sprout song. Expect eccentric high-end dining (think homemade, zhuzhed up potato smiley faces) in a relaxed setting for, er, over 25s only. We'll be in for a preview very soon so you'll be able to read all about it then.
What: Wholesome Junkies
Where: Unit 4 Mirabel St, Manchester M3 1PJ
When: July 2022
Wholesome Junkies was on the very crest of the wave of vegan junk food that continues to sweep through Manchester and now it has outgrown its teeny stall in the Arndale Market and moved to pastures new. Our favourite thing WJ does is the oyster mushroom-based chicken burger and that should be first on your list to try if you haven't already. The Junkies are moving into the spot now vacated by Terry from Umezushi who will continue to do his thang over the road.
What: Yes Lah
Where: West Didsbury
When: August 2022
From time served and much applauded Manchester microbrands Mama Z (whose banana ketchup we can't get enough of) and Wok's Cluckin' comes Yes Lah. No that's not a Scouse greeting but a nod to Yen from Wok's Cluckin's Malaysian roots - "lah" can be "an affirmation, dismissal or exclamation in different contexts". This place has been crowdfunded so you know there is trust in how good it will be. Expect cooking classes, street food and a cafe packed with Yen's cakes and Zos's Filipino delights.
What: Yum Cha
Where: Kampus, Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3GL
When: Coming soon
Yum Cha is coming to Manchester, joining fellow Scousers Madre at cool city centre neighbourhood, Kampus. Bringing trademark Chinese small plates, dumplings, the all-important grilled meats and tea to an industrial-chic space, owner Adam Wan has promised “honest, authentic Chinese food, packed with flavour and made for sharing.” The restaurant’s name comes from the centuries-old tradition of gathering to swap stories over tea and food. Grab the family and have a chat over some Dim sum.
What: Zumuku Sushi
Where: 51 Station Rd, Cheadle Hulme, Cheadle SK8 7AA
When: Open now
Manchester can't get enough sushi. From the maddeningly exclusive Umezushi to bright young newbie Codi's Kitchen in Prestwich, we're su-shimmying our way into every nigiri and maki gaff going. Zumuku already has an army of fans in places like Wilmslow and Didsbury and now it's winging its way to Cheadle. Expect all your sushi faves plus katsu, wagyu tataki and bottomless brunch.
Read next: Simon Rimmer: 'You don't need London for magnificent food and great hospitality
Read again: Manchester Food and Drink Festival is back for its 25th Anniversary
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