Is your new favourite bar, pizza restaurant, underground tiki lounge, ramen joint or canteen about to open up this month?
It totally could be. You just don’t know.
Read on for our round up of new openings in Manchester this October.
House of Fu
Open October 20
For those who want their ramen and noodles with a side order of late-night karaoke, here comes House of Fu, direct from Leeds. It’s been a huge hut since opening on the other side of the Pennines, as a pop-up at the Belgrave Music Hall and then with its own beautifully designed premises on the Headrow, with nods to the food scenes of LA and Tokyo. We absolutely can’t wait for this one.
113-115 Portland St, Manchester M1 6DW
Mean-Eyed Cat
Open now
Already something of an institution in Leeds, having been serving up liquor and good times for 20 years, Mean-Eyed Cat has now arrived in Manchester, on the spot lamentably vacated by Thai BBQ joint District on Oldham Street. There’s a lot to recommend it. There’s free pizza every day (with a drink between 5pm and 9pm), and a load of Johnny Cash-themed drinks. Oh, and a secret tiki bar in the basement.
60 Oldham St, Manchester M4 1LE
New Wave Ramen
Open now
After launching a successful crowdfunding campaign, New Wave Ramen have opened up their first bricks and mortar restaurant on Tib Lane, after causing a stir with their steaming bowls of goodness at Mackie Mayor. Along with their signature ramen bowls, they’ll be serving up dishes like stuffed chicken wings, koji aged steaks, and hay-smoked chicken, along with sustainable seafood and a robust selection of plant-based dishes.
16 Tib Lane, Manchester M2 4JB
Sexy Fish
Opens October 12
The third Sexy Fish in the world will be in Manchester, following branches in Mayfair and Miami, and you’d best be ready for it. As well as premium sushi and sashimi, tempura, lobster and wagyu fillets, all curated by chef director Bjoern Weissgerber, there are actual Damien Hirst works and architectural flourishes by the peerless Frank Gehry. As as well as a restaurant, there will be music, dancing, cocktails… the lot.
2 Spinningfields Square, Manchester M3 3AP
Alfredo’s Social
Opens October, date tbc
While we continue to mourn the loss of Bistro Marc on Stockport’s Underbanks, things must move on. In the spot that was so lovingly restored – the historic Winter’s building – there will be Alfredo’s Social, a pizza joint serving up proper Neapolitan pies from a giant Marra Forni pizza oven, with flour milled locally in Stockport and toppings (well some of them) soourced from the general manager’s own allotment. There will be a handful of small plates going on too.
23 Little Underbank, Stockport SK1 1LA
Unagi Altrincham
Opens October, date tbc
Unagi have risen from street food start-up to all conquering empire (well, they’re on the way at least), since opening up a van stuffed with spectacular Japanese food in Trafford. Now they’ve got their shipping container in the Green Quarter, a proper restaurant in Wilmslow, pop-up kitchens in Didsbury and MediaCity, and now a new purpose built spot in Altrincham. Expect bang bang wings, superlative sushi and noodles for days.
Bernie’s Canteen
Open now
The beloved community grocery Bernie’s, formerly of the Heaton Moor parish and then Altrincham, is back, but not as you know it. It’s re-opened as Bernie’s Canteen, a casual eatery situation with some serious ‘take me there now’ dishes on the menu. Like pork stroganoff, proper spag bol, ratatouille, peri peri chicken and collard greens, and all changing daily. There will be events too, like a listening party with the brilliant Be With Records in November.
30 Central Way, Altrincham WA14 1SB
Auteur
Open now
Formerly the Scandi-inspired homeware store Objekt, Auteur will be bringing some fine menswear to Beech Road, in the vein of Didsbury’s Steranko or, dare we say it, the dearly departed Oi Polloi. Think fine Japanese undergarments from Anonymousism, utilitarian workwear from Belafonte, timeless outerwear from Yarmouth Oilskins and casuals from American Trench.
117 Beech Rd, Chorlton, Manchester M21 9EQ
CoffeeB
Open now
A great new brunch spot for Hale, CoffeeB is festooned in foliage for those Instagram moments, and has a menu featuring everything from top class charcuterie to stacks of American-style pancakes to verdant salad bowls. Their bottomless brunch is turning our head too.
1 Crown Passages, Hale, WA15 9GN
La Capilla
Open now
The much-admired Mexican in Heaton Moor has now added a new outpost in the middle of buzzing Stockport, which is adding new strings to the bow of its culinary scene every five minutes. They will be bringing excellent tacos, Mexican-inspired brunch, tostadas and burittos to the handsome Blackshaws, just opposite the market hall, all washed down with a marg or a Pacifico or three.
28-29 Market Pl, Stockport SK1 1ES
Ikaro
Open now
On the site of what was premiership footballer, minor soap star and poseur central Panacea, which saw its last paparazzi flash bulb go off in 2015, comes Ikaro. It’s a seafood, grill and champagne bar, with sushi chef Lattawan Buchanan and former Masterchef: The Professionals finalist Exose Grant in the kitchen, and it’s open until 4am for the night owls.
14 John Dalton St, Manchester M2 6JR
Hop Vietnamese
Open now
Hop Vietnamese prides itself on its speedy service. Well, that’s a bit of an understatement, actually. At their newly-opened spot at the Trafford Centre, their first in the north, they run a kiosk ordering system, and aim to be so efficient that you’ll be sitting down to a bowl of noodles or a crispy banh mi in just three minutes. Impressive.
The Orient, 2 Lower Level, The Trafford Centre, Manchester M17 8AA
Popeyes
Opens October 26
Famously, when Beyonce and Jay-Z tied the knot in 2008, Popeyes was their choice for the catering. That’s enough of a recommendation for us. The US chain, which specialises in Louisiana-style fried chicken, has been rapidly expanding in the UK since it landed in 2021, and while it’s already opened 33 other restaurants over here already, it’s better late than never. Inject this chicken into our veins.
One Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester, M1 1RG
Chit n Chaat
Open now
We love Chit n Chaat. Love ’em. Ever since we featured them on one of our Suggested By You videos. And now, after opening up branches in Cheadle and Rusholme, they’re now heading to a brand new location in the spiffy Deansgate Square, beneath the looming towers. There will be the usual street food delights, like their Mumbai-style vada pav, but also some trad curries going on too.
Unit 7 Owen St, Manchester M15 4YB
Bondi Bowls
Opens October, date tbc
For those whose bodies are temples, Bondi Bowls will be pitching up at Kampus, after a successful tenure at the Hatch food court underneath the Mancunian Way. These brimming bowls of virtuous goodness will be taking in all kinds of influences, from the Far East, India, South America and, of course, Australia. There will be generously layered salads, smoothie bowls, invigorating health shots, the works.
Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3GL
