Spring is here, and while it’s simply not warm yet, however much we want it to be (it’s just not, OK?), we can perhaps comfort ourselves in a raft of new bar and restaurant openings across the length and breadth of Greater Manchester.
MOREJOY BBQ & Bun
Open April 10
MOREJOY is Sam, formerly of Daina at Side Street Studios and SeeSaw, and Niall, formerly of Primo Bagel and Pollen. They’ll be moving into the Onda-shaped hole left in the kitchen at the New Cross bar, bringing with them their love of szechuan cuisine – so that means bao buns and shaokao, the Chinese style of heavily spiced street bbq, where your snacks are speared onto skewers. Yes please.
6 Cross Keys St, Manchester M4 5ET
Popeyes Drive Thru
Open 24 April
The mighty Popeyes will be opening its second site in Manchester – a drive-thru on Bury New Road, following its roadblocked situation when it opened on Piccadilly Gardens last year to queues for weeks. There will be fried chicken, chicken sandwiches, biscuits and cajun gravy flowing. Just be careful with your upholstery.
288-292 Bury New Road, M7 2YJ
Cibo
Opening 6 April
Italian fave Cibo will be taking on the imposing spot at the top of King Street formerly known as the celeb magnet Rosso. At one time home to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank, this Grade II listed treasure has been entirely transformed. ‘Prepare to indulge in an array of lush Italian cuisine and decadent wines, meticulously selected to delight the most discerning palates’, they say. Oh, we are very much prepared. Don’t worry about that.
43 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BG
Double Zero
Open now
Regarded by some as the best pizza in town, Chorlton-born Double Zero will actually be in town from this month. Literally. Taking on the spot formerly occupied by Scandi bar Lättsam, they’ve shipped in a glorious Neapolitan pizza oven, and will be filling this light and airy space with light and airy pizzas.
55 Spring Gardens, Manchester M2 2BY
DGHNT at Mackie Mayor
Open now
The elevated craft of doughnut making will be arriving at venerable food hall Mackie Mayor, courtesy of the superlative DGHNT. Following a recent collaboration with Yard & Coop (we’re still thinking about the raspberry custard cheesecake brioche things) these goo-filled expressions of joy in pastry form will blow your mind.
Smithfield Market Hall, 1 Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU
113 MCR
Open now
Three kitchens under one roof, 113 is now open in Heaton Moor (it’s actually at 115 Heaton Moor Road, but who’s counting). It’s home to La Capilla, La Cantina and Roost. La Capilla and La Cantina bring the tapas and Mexican flavours, while Roost provides pizza, fried chicken and burgers. There’s an express lunch offer during the week, along with Taco Tuesdays and Wing Wednesdays events too.
115 Heaton Moor Rd, Heaton Moor, Stockport SK4 4HY
Blackbird Brewhouse and Kitchen
Open 31 March
From the crew behind pie champs Ate Days A Week comes the Blackbird Brewhouse and Kitchen in the heart of SK1, a bar and kitchen with an emphasis on hearty plates of comfort. Bar snacks will include ox cheek nuggets, sticky chipolatas and proper buttermilk chicken tenders, while bigger dishes will include a wild boar and beef frankfurter hotdog, proper US-style corned beef and, of course, a selection of Andy James’s multi award-winning pies.
8 Vernon Street, SK1 1TY
That Burger Place in Salford
Open now
National Burger Awards contenders That Burger Place have been smashing patties since 2017, and after proving a, erm, smash hit on the delivery scene and from their original store in Walkden, they’ve now opened a long-awaited second location in Salford from which to sling their Los Angeles-inspired sandwiches. Let’s hope it’s the first of many.
327 Bolton Road, Salford M6 7GU
Cinnabon
Open now
Cinnabons, ChocoBons, Caramel PecanBons, Biscoff Bons… Bons of all kinds, in short, have arrived at the Trafford Centre. The US pastry brand has a new kiosk, and if you can walk past it without throwing yourself over the counter, then full respect to you.
Upper Regent Crescent, Trafford Park, Manchester M17 8AR
Hampton & Vouis NQ
Opens mid-April
This much-loved indie coffee shop, just by Albert Square, has been turning out excellent coffee, indulgent pastries and top tier brunches for nearly six years, using local suppliers like Buxton Coffee, Black Cat Cakery, Saddleworth Brownies and Holy Grain. Now they’re heading to the Northern Quarter to open their second site, on High Street. Interior-wise, it will boast ‘a modern look but with an industrial twist, honouring the local architecture of the Northern Quarter’. We can’t wait.
78-88 High Street, Manchester, M4 1ES
