That’s all well and good if you’re rolling in dollar, but if you’re middle-class AF like me, getting pissed on £2 pints at Oyster bar is more realistic. UNTIL NOW. Check out the 10 best and CHEAPEST places to take your bae on a date…
The best (and some of the cheapest) pizza in town at Rudy’s
On the fifth day, God created the sea creatures and birds; on the sixth day, he created the humans and animals. And on the seventh day, he created Rudy’s Pizza, arguably his greatest creation to date. If you haven’t been to Rudy’s yet, you’re either seriously disturbed or don’t like pizza, in which case, there MUST be something wrong with you. But anyway, moving on… Rudy’s is the home of Manchester’s best pizza (seriously), but is literally one of the cheapest places to eat in town. With a home on Cotton Street, Ancoats, and another on Peter Street, going for food has never been easier, nor cheaper. The pizzas may be rich with flavour, but you don’t need to be!
Rudy’s Neapolitan Pizza, 9 Cotton Street, Ancoats, M4 5BF
www.rudyspizza.co.uk/
Free Jazz & Free Pizza at Matt and Phreds
Want to pretend to be super sophisticated and mature for the night, to impress your date? Yeah, no worries, Jazz club, Matt & Phreds, have you covered, and it won’t cost you much at all. Matt & Phreds is an established music venue which hosts live music 6 nights a week. Entry is free Monday- Thursday and is only £5 on Friday’s and Saturday’s, making it one of the cheapest gigs you’ll probably ever go to. And guess what? The good news doesn’t end there! If you buy any two alcoholic drinks during Happy Hour, you’ll get a whole FREE pizza for you and your date! And, there’s also a 2-4-1 deal on cocktails on, too.
Matt and Phreds, 64 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LW
www.mattandphreds.com
Free Pool at Black Dog Ballroom
Whether you’re shit at it, or the next Ronnie O’Sullivan, pool is a great way to break the ice (of the triangle, in this case). Minor competition is a completely healthy thing, but it’s also just a laugh if you’re looking for something to do that will pass the time and won’t put you out of pocket. Every Wednesday, Black Dog Ballroom offers a free game of pool to anyone who buys a round at the bar, which is ideal for some cheap and fun mid-week entertainment. So, whether you want to grab a bite to eat or just want to nip in for a drink, it’s something to keep in mind!
Black Dog Ballroom NQ, 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW
Black Dog Ballroom NWS, 11-13 New Wakefield St, Manchester M1 5NP
https://blackdogballroom.co.uk/
Do Something FREE
There’s nothing cheaper than FREE so check out our list of 20 of the top things to do in Manchester for nothing. Hit up a museum, watch some comedy or even check out a bit of Jeremy Kyle action – most of these suggestions would be great for a date and won’t even make the slightest of dints in your wallet (or purse).
20 FREE things to do in Manchester
Huge Steak Deal on Monday’s at El Capo
A Monday is a perfect night for a date for many reasons. The most prevalent one is the fact that there’s usually nothing else going on so there are no excuses for not going out – unless you’re really annoying (or ugly) of course. Well Monday’s at El Capo see their Monday Steakout occur where for the sum of £25 you can get a huge steak to share, two of their sides and a bottle of wine. There’s no better way to break the ice than to tuck into a bottle of vino – and rip apart some meat together with your knives of course.
El Capo, 12 Tariff St, Manchester M1 2FF
www.elcaponq.co.uk/
Play some Ping Pong at Twenty Twenty Two
Being active on a date is a great way to get to know one another. It can also be an absolute lifesaver if the chat is painful (we’ve all been there). Ping Pong at Twenty Twenty Two is fun, unusual and crazy cheap. Costing around £5 for half an hour, you could take a tenner and still have enough left over for a pint. The music is good, the vibes are chilled and it won’t break the bank. Take it from me, it’s a top-notch places for budget-dating.
Twenty Twenty Two, 20 Dale St, Manchester M1 1EZ
www.twentytwentytwo.co.uk
Free (or £5) Comedy Night at Frog and Bucket
I don’t know about you, but laughter is the key to my heart, and sharing a similar sense of humour with my boyfriend is up there with my list of priorities. The Frog and Bucket is a comedy club on the edge of Northern Quarter that has seen some big comedic faces throughout the years. But if you can’t afford to splash out £20+ on a ticket for a Saturday night, do not fear. ‘Beat the Frog’ every Monday is only £5 a ticket, or £10 for a reserved seat and pizza. Or if you’re a student, entry is completely FREE.
Frog and Bucket, 102 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LJ
www.frogandbucket.com
50% Off Food All Week at Favelas
Nice meals don’t usually come cheap, and dating can cost a lot of money. Finding a way to experience things together at a price that won’t leave you bankrupt is tricky, but you just need to know the right kind of people… (i.e, me). Favelas is a great place to take a date because the food is excellent and the deals and offers are even better. Their daily offers include Half Price Tacos & Burritos every Monday, 50% off food on Wednesdays and even £15 bottles of fizz on a Friday night. Need I say more?
Favelas, 57 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EJ
www.favelasnq.com/
Hit up a Happy Hour
We’ve collated a list of all of the city’s best Happy Hours so you can save yourself a bit of cash while also enjoying plenty of great food and drink. Pretty much all of them are longer than an hour too so you don’t need to rush everything. There’s food and drinks deals in there as well. Enjoy.
Best Happy Hours in Manchester 2018
Half Price Sushi & Sashimi at Sakana
Out of all the foods to eat on a date, sushi is one of the best. It isn’t messy, it rarely gets stuck in your teeth and there’s the added bonus of being able to show off your fantastic chopstick skills to your date. Win-win. Mondays at Sakana are perfect then because they offer 50% off sushi and sashimi so a food that is typically considered to be expensive, is now affordable for all of us riff-raff too. Their selection is excellent, there’s something for everyone including those vegetarians out there.
Sakana, 23 Peter St, Manchester M2 5QR
https://www.23peterstreet.co.uk
