From Berlin inspired street food to George Clooney opening up his own bar at Freight Island (well, sort of), the city is alive with the joys of spring, with all kinds of new openings popping up all over.
Here are the best of them…
Casa Pomelo by Casamigos Tequila
Open 3 May
George Clooney and Rande Gerber’s premium tequila brand Casamigos is coming to Freight Island. New bar Casa Pomelo will be launching for the Cinco de Mayo weekender, hidden in the sprawling indoors-outdoors beer garden. They’ll be serving up a range of palomas – raspberry, smoky mezcal, watermelon – along with a few frozen margs too, all using Casamigos Blanco tequila.
11 Baring St, Manchester M1 2PZ
Tre Ciccio Glossop
Open now
The excellent Tre Ciccio, which has outposts in Altrincham and Ramsbottom, has just opened a new spot in the picturesque Peaks town of Glossop. You can expect the same excellent pizzas, fabulous pasta and a great fixed price spring menu from the get-go, with dishes like sea bass with risotto and gnocchi primavera. There’s a great vegan menu too.
12 Norfolk Street, Glossop, SK1 8BS
King Pins Arndale
Opening 17 May
King Pins’ second location in Manchester (after opening at Trafford Palazzo last year) will be opening on 17 May, bringing bowling, gaming, pizza from NQ legends Ply, cocktails, mocktails and all sorts of other shenanigans to the Arndale.
New Cannon Street Mall, Manchester, M4 3AQ
Skof By Tom Barnes
Open 29 May
Chef Tom Barnes has spent pretty much his entire career working in Michelin starred kitchens, mostly under the expert tutelage of Simon Rogan. Barnes was executive chef at Rogan’s flagship restaurant L’Enclume when it won its third Michelin star in 2023. So all eyes will be on Skof, Barnes’ first place of his own, when it opens at the end of the month, likely the city’s best chance at another star in the near future. Whether that’s of paramount importance or not – many would argue not – Barnes is a prodigious talent in the kitchen, and Skof will be a huge draw for food lovers in Manchester and well beyond.
3 Federation St, Manchester M4 4BF
Pitch No. 12
Open now
A treasure trove of vintage furniture, this new showroom in a warehouse on the edge of Ardwick is stuffed full of mid-century sideboards, gorgeous lighting, vintage prints and design classic chairs to have a rummage around in. It’ll be open to the public once a month, or you can book in for an appointment, so you’ve got the place to yourself.
Cakebread Street, Ardwick, Manchester, M12 6HF
Boxx 2 Boxx
Open now
New year, new location, ex-England lioness and Queen of the Jungle Jill Scott and her partner Shelly have moved their Boxx 2 Boxx cafe to a new location in Northenden, delivering excellent coffee, some great sweet treats and cakes and a cracking breakfast barm.
399 Palatine Rd, Northenden, Wythenshawe, Manchester M22 4JS
The Nico Ditch
Open now
From the people behind Levenshulme institution The Talleyrand, The Nico Ditch is now open and slinging the finest of ales from the likes of Deya, Marble, Shindigger, North Brew and hyperlocal micro-brewery The Juggernaut. Throw in excellent wines, top drawer cocktails and great music, and we’re suddenly thinking of moving to Ashton.
52 Old St, Ashton-under-Lyne OL6 6LB
Jaan By Another Hand
Open 8 May
Moving into the spot vacated by the fantastic Japanese pop-up Etana, Jaan will be setting up full time in the Exhibition food hall. A ‘Persian bread kitchen’ from Julian Pizer and Max Yorke of Another Hand, they’ll be turning out superlative flatbreads, laden with Middle Eastern-inspired goodness. Larger plates will take in slow-cooked lamb shanks and grilled octopus with nduja.
St George’s House, 56 Peter St, Manchester M2 3NQ
Conni’s
Open now
New Salford pizzeria and foccaceria Conni’s is the real deal, turning out proper Neapolitan pizza and great focaccia, stuffed with great cheese and great Italian cured meats. It’s great, basically. This family-run business (they have another tiny takeaway spot in Salford too), they also turn out a wealth of imported produce too, from dried pasta and top flight mozzarella to potato chips and biscotti. Don’t miss the sticky, soaked babas either.
71 Blackfriars Rd, Salford M3 7GQ
Good Things
Open now
Taking up a new spot in New Century, there are fantastic steaks and a really top drawer burger coming from Good Things. Oh, and ‘overnight brisket’. And great proper hot dogs with butter soaked onions. And charred roast leeks. And great salads. Loads of good things, basically.
34 Hanover St, Manchester M4 4AH
The all-new Chips @ No. 8
Takeaway open May 30, restaurant on 4 June
Some say that fryer extraordinaire Dan Edwards’ Chips @ No. 8 in Prestwich, a ‘chippy world cup’ contender, is the very best in all of Greater Manchester. And while everyone has their own favourite chippy, No.8 is the best, and anyone saying otherwise is wrong. Sorry, but it’s true. For the past six years, queues would snake out of the door of Dan’s Prestwich takeaway daily, ultimately leading him to only one conclusion. He’s had to upsize. So he’s moved next door to a bigger space, and it’ll even have its own dining room. Praise be.
8 Clifton Rd, Prestwich, Manchester M25 3HQ
Tisch Und Teller at Electrik
Open 2 May
Bringing the Berlin street food vibes to Chorlton institution Electrik, Tisch Und Teller will be turning out some of the ‘wurst’ cuisine in South Manchester (so very, very sorry). We’re talking proper currywurst with fries and curry ketchup, bone-in pork schnitzels, ‘trier wings’, fried potatoes, haus sauerkraut and a few burgers thrown in for good measure. On Fridays, you can bag a wurst and two snack sides for £15, as well as 10 wings for a tenner. Jawohl.
559 Wilbraham Rd, Manchester M21 0AE
Ottoman Bar & Grill
8 May
Modern Turkish cuisine will be arriving at Affinity Living Riverside, the city centre iteration of this neighbourhood favourite in Chorley. We can expect some upscale grills and kebabs, like the Lamb Padisah, chicken koftas and shish, served with fluffy, fresh Turkish breads. They’ll be doing a great value lunch deal with wraps, wings and kebabs for £7.95.
Affinity Living Riverside, 32 Quay St, M3 5FZ
