The eye-catching “Instagrammable” pink restaurant that popped up in the heart of the city centre last summer is to move into a permanent home in Spinningfields.
Having successfully launched its first restaurant in Birmingham in early 2020, 202 Kitchen appeared as a pop-up in a vacant plot on Bridge Street last August – November, filling the space with pink blooms, neon signs, and a life-size Barbie box, as well as several photo backdrops – and now, after “testing the concept” and outgrowing the space, the brand has secured a large permanent site nearby to launch a flagship restaurant and bar.
The vibrant interiors of 202 Kitchen quickly made it a favourite of social media savvy millennials and the launch of the new venue will take their concept to a new level.
The owners have committed to investing £1 million into the new space.
The Manc Group
Situated on Leftbank in the heart of Spinningfields, the huge 7000 sq ft venue will overlook the River Irwell and provide 200 covers to give guests the option to enjoy outdoor waterside cocktails, or the iconic lavish pink surroundings.
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The Manchester site – which will be formed by knocking together the two restaurant spaces previously occupied by Gourmet Burger Kitchen and Zizzi to create a huge new venue – will now become 202 Kitchen’s flagship hub, after the brand’s former home on Bridge Street has now been taken over by Real Housewives of Cheshire star Lystra Adams, who has launched her Boujee concept in the site.
The new 202 Kitchen will create over 100 hospitality jobs in the process and bring with it “deliciously indulgent food”, an atmosphere like no other, and an enclosed outdoor area designed for all weathers, set against the backdrop it’s become most known for.
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The menu will showcase “colourful cultural foods”, such as mac’n’cheese, waffles, fried chicken, burgers, grilled seafood, and more.
The Manc Group
Speaking ahead of the opening of 202 Kitchen, the brand’s Directors Leon Beckford, Panikos Myrritis and John Sambo, said: “We are looking to move out of lockdown by making significant moves and the future looks bright for 202 Kitchen.
“Having successfully tested our concept in two cities during a difficult year for the hospitality sector, we are now perfectly placed to expand our operations, starting with Manchester.
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“We can’t wait to reveal our plans for the fit out.”
202 Kitchen is set to open its doors at the end of June, and you can register for priority reservations via the website here.
Featured Image – The Manc Group
Food & Drink
Enormous Manchester venue set to open (again) after brief rebrand
Daisy Jackson
A huge, glamorous restaurant and bar space looks set to reopen just months after it closed down and attempted to rebrand.
SakkuSamba announced back in June that it was closing for a short while to undergo a refurbishment.
That news came after two years hosting all-you-can-eat sushi dinners and star-studded parties in Spinningfields, like an afterparty with Ne-Yo following his show at the AO Arena.
They wrote at the time: “Exciting News! We will be closing our doors on June 2nd for an exciting refurbishment and upgrade. We’re sorry to be closing for a little while, but stay tuned for updates over the next couple of weeks as we begin this transition!
“We can’t wait to show you what’s coming next soon!”
But then SakkuSamba never reopened and the space instead became Raft, essentially Manchester’s most boujie buffet.
Raft had a huge dining room upstairs, a hidden club room, a ‘toilet disco’, 360-degree DJ booths, and a ‘coastal boozer’ on the ground floor.
The restaurant when it was previously SakkuSamba. Credit: The Manc GroupVs when it was Raft. Credit: The Manc Group
Raft was only open for three months when it was suddenly bolted shut, with a forteiture notice in the window that was apparently linked to a ‘historic dispute’.
And now, in an unexpected twist in events, SakkuSamba has shared that it’s coming back to Manchester.
Keeping up okay? Let’s continue.
In the first post since announcing the temporary closure and refurbishment of both of its restaurants (in Manchester and in Bradford), SakkuSamba wrote: “SakkuSamba 2025. Manchester keep your eyes peeled, major announcement coming soon.”
If it follows the same format it took previously, that means a fusion of Brazilian and Japanese cuisine together in a swanky all-you-can-eat setting.
And hopefully it’ll last longer than poor Raft did…
Northern Quarter craft beer bar Fierce Bar announces sudden closure
Thomas Melia
A much loved independent craft beer bar in the heart of the Northern Quarter is set to close before the end of the year.
Fierce Bar, which opened in Manchester city centre in 2020, has been a firm favourite for Mancs and visitors alike with their range of beers and IPAs.
The Fierce Beer company has established itself as a leading force within the beer community winning ‘Scottish Brewery of the Year in 2021’ and numerous Scottish Beer Awards.
Their wide range of drink flavours pay homage to varieties from the USA and offered people who frequented their Thomas Street site in the Northern Quarter were treated to a refreshing taste of the transatlantic.
The Thomas Street bar had previously been home to 57 Thomas Street, a bar operated by Marble Brewery, which also operates The Marble Arch.
In a post on social media which opens with, “Some sad news…”, the company have stated: “We face continually spiralling costs that unfortunately mean it’s going to be unsustainable to continue operating the venue viably going forward”.
There’s still some hope as beer brand have also announced: “This is not the end for Fierce Beer south of the border though; we’re continuing to keep an eye on the market and aim to get back as soon as we can with a new physical location.”
Anyone wanting to continue the bar’s legacy in Manchester can sport the indie establishment’s range of t-shirts, hats and funky glasses, some of which adorned the walls.
Being a Scottish born and bred brewery, if you’re still after your alcohol fix, you can still visit their two other locations in Edinburgh and Aberdeen next time you’re heading up north.
The last day of trade for Fierce Bar will be 20 December where the founders Dave and Louise will be heading to the Manchester site say a sad goodbye.
As it will be the final night of service ever, the team are urging anyone to pop down for a pint or two to commemorate the Manchester home.
It’s a shame to see such a well-used city centre social space shutting its doors, however Fierce Beer loyalists fear not as their online website is still very much alive and thriving here.
Emily Sergeant -
27th April 2021 
