The whole country is holding in a collective breath as we wait to see if England will be crowned champions in the Euros Final this Sunday.
The men’s team haven’t won a major championship since 1966, so history was made when the Three Lions beat Denmark 2-1 on Wednesday night.
With excitement building and bosses around the city handing out extra days of paid leave like they’re going out of fashion, there’s never been a better excuse to make a big day of it ahead of the match.
Get yourself set up for the night with a solid scran at one of these killer spots in the city, dishing up everything from burgers and pizzas to grilled cheese, loaded salt and pepper chips and more.
Bread and Bowl at the Crown and Anchor
A whole loaf of sourdough bread, hollowed out and filled with all your favourite grub? Sounds like the perfect pre-match scran to us. Filling choices include Full English, a ‘nacho bowl’ will chilli con Carne, guac and sour cream, a ‘brie’ bowl with added mozzarella and gruyere, and a Philly cheesesteak stew.
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They’ll even deliver a post-match ‘hangover package’ to your door, so if you’re really taken why not get another on order for Monday? You’re going to need it.
Find Bread and Bowl at the Crown and Anchor, 41 Hilton St, Manchester M1 2EE. Open Sunday, 10am-7pm.
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Salt and Pepper have permanently taken over the kitchen at Black Dog Ballroom
Salt and Pepper at Black Dog Ballroom, Northern Quarter
As the name suggests, everything here gets the authentic salt and pepper treatment: from chicken strips and massive king prawns to tofu, sticky beef, and wings. Have yours with boiled rice, salt and pepper crinkle cut chips, or stuffed into flatbreads for the ultimate pre-match scran. S&P has also got a site in the Arndale market, great if you want to take it away.
Find Salt and Pepper at Black Dog Ballroom on 52 Church St, Manchester M4 1PW. Open Sunday, 12pm-4am.
The home of grilled cheese in Manchester, these guys do not mess about. They’ve got two sites in the Northern Quarter; a more casual takeaway spot just off High Street, and a cafe with outdoor and indoor seating just down the road off Tib street.
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Breakfast grilled cheeses are served until 12pm, after that choices include ‘The Midnight Bacon’ – their signature three-cheese toastie served with a sticky bourbon-glazed pork chop; and the ‘Pig on a Lead’ – the ultimate mac and cheese grilled sandwich, served with 9-hour BBQ pulled pork.
Find the Northern Soul Grilled Cheese cafe at Unit G20, 21, 44 Tib St, Manchester M4 1LA. Open Sunday, 11.30am – 7pm.
Lust, Luck, Liquor and Burn is known for its super slutty burritos, nachos and tacos / Image: Lust, Luck, Liquor and Burn
Lust, Luck, Liquor and Burn
Lust Luck is known for its super slutty burritos, nachos and tacos, all of which come dripping in delicious house-made sauces, for good reason. But don’t overlook the sides here, either – there are some belters on the menu. Our favourite? The bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers, filled with goats cheese and served with a sundried aioli.
Find Lust, Luck, Liquor and Burn at 100-102 High St, Manchester M4 1HP. Open Sunday, 12-11pm.
Rudy’s pizza has the best dough in the city and a great range of changing specials on top of its usual menu, make it a top choice for your pre-match scran / Image: Rudy’s Pizza
Rudy’s Pizza
Fact: it’s impossible to go wrong with a Rudy’s pizza. The multi-award-winnning chain, first started in Ancoats, now has sites across the UK but the quality here is still just as brilliant as ever.
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Favourites include their nduja Calabrese pizza and Capricciosa, topped with prosciutto cotto, kalamata olives, portobello mushroom and artichoke hearts; but you’re just as well off ordering a margherita here – the neapolitan sourdough base is so good, you don’t really need anything else.
Find Rudy’s at their Ancoats restaurant on Cutting room Square or on Peter Street, next to Albert’s Schloss.Open Sunday, 12pm-10pm.
Crazy Pedro’s part-time pizza parlour specialises in NY style, cold-proved pizza served by the pie and the slice / Image: Crazy Pedro’s
Crazy Pedro’s Pizza
With two sites, one in the Northern Quarter and another on Bridge Street, no matter where you are watching the football n town it’s always easy to get to a pre-match scran at Pedro’s.
The pizza here is a world away from Rudy’s: New York in style, not Neapolitan, it comes with crazy toppings and can be ordered by the pie or slice.
Think burger-themed pizzas like the ‘Mac Daddy’, topped with mini hamburgers, jack cheese, burger sauce, a nacho-laden pizza laden with pico de gallo, gauc, tortillas, chilli and salsa, and their ‘World Famous Hot Dog Pizza’.
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Find Crazy Pedro’s on Bridge Street or on Short St in the Northern Quarter, next to Dive Bar and NQ64. Open Sunday, 12pm-12am.
Manchester Storm announce return to AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades
Danny Jones
In a huge bit of regional sporting news, Manchester Storm have announced they will be coming home to the AO Arena after nearly two and a half decades away from the iconic venue.
Massive news for Manc ice hockey followers and local sports fans in general.
Revealing the long-awaited return after 24 long years away from the place where Manchester’s native hockey team first began its story, the team, AO figures, and even some fans were part of a special announcement event inside the 20,000-seater stadium this week.
Confirming the news on Monday, 27 April, MCR Storm will be back playing at the AO Arena later this year – just in time for the start of the 2026/27 campaign.
— Manchester Storm | #TakeShelter (@Mcr_Storm) April 27, 2026
As detailed in a full press release from the Greater Manchester club, they are seemingly marking a milestone moment in their next chapter by going back to their roots.
It goes on to read: “Founded back in 1995 as a tenant of the then newly-opened Manchester Arena, the original Manchester Storm quickly became one of British ice hockey’s most iconic teams.
“In their inaugural season, the Storm secured the First Division championship before becoming founding members of the Ice Hockey Superleague in 1996.”
Coming somewhat full circle more than a generation later (Storm having made it to the play-off finals of the modern Elite Ice Hockey League era this April for the first time in their history), they have made one-off returns to the storied space in recent times.
However, many supporters have been waiting for a fully fledged return for some time now; equally, others are understandably sad to pay a bittersweet goodbye to the ‘Storm Shelter’ over in Altrincham, with the building having already pulled licensing for next year.
They have been at the Planet Ice rink for over a decade now, and the company itself have even issued a lengthy response following the departure – namely noting the issue of communication, clarity and fair notice. Nevertheless, for the vast majority, this felt like a long-overdue comeback.
With an ex-player turned head coach and all-round club legend, Cam Critchlow, having also signed on for another campaign behind the bench, it’s been a busy week in and around the organisation.
Representing the Manchester Storm ownership group, former coach Ryan Finnerty and partner Emma said in a joint statement: “This is a major milestone for our partnership group and a vision we’ve worked towards for some time.
Returning Manchester Storm to the AO Arena is a proud moment for everyone involved. It’s about giving our fans a premier stage in the heart of the city and delivering an outstanding live experience.
“Together with our leadership team and Canadian partners, our ambition is clear — not just to compete, but to lead in the Elite Ice Hockey League and beyond. This marks the start of an exciting new era for the club. Manchester Storm is coming home.
“Today marks a hugely exciting and significant moment for both the Manchester Storm and the Elite League”. The EIHL themselves have also celebrated the news, adding that they feel it reflects “the scale and ambition of the league”.
Are you happy to see them setting up shop at the AO Arena once again? Better still, do you remember going there to watch games the first time around? Let us know down in the comments.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied via GALA PR)/The Manc Group/AO Arena
News
Discount flights from Manchester up for grabs as easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ returns for 2026
Danny Jones
Get ready to book in some annual leave, because easyJet’s ‘Big Orange Sale’ is BACK for 2026, with cheap flights from Manchester and more up for grabs.
Not only can you get affordable trips from Manchester Airport, specifically, but there are discounts across the board by the operator.
The Big Orange Sale is becoming an increasingly popular annual occurrence for Brits, with countless holidaymakers, rather fittingly, making the most of the offer.
In fact, you might have already seen the advert yourselves:
Packing our bags already.
Just as the ad explains, those travelling via easyJet can get up to 20% discount on flights to a load of different destinations across the globe.
Yes, the company are knocking up to a fifth off the price on flights over the course of nearly 10 months’ worth of travel from the UK, provided the trip is booked within the right window.
Seeing savings on more than 730,000 seats, the time frame itself is also one of the longest cut-price periods you’ll come across this year, not to mention well into 2027.
Better still, it doesn’t just stop at flying itself…
Get this, the flight operators and travel agents are offering up to £400 off on package holidays, meaning those old faithful all-inclusives are about to become even more bang for your buck.
Featuring not only countless mainland European favourites on the list, but also the likes of the Canary Islands, Morocco, and numerous popular skiing hotspots, just to name a few.
In ideal news for all you lot, approximately 90,000 of these reduced seats are on flights from Manchester Airport, with the operators also having just added 30 new locations to the areas they service.
Allowing you to book trips departing between 1 May 2026 and 14 March 2027, it’s a huge travel window for you to get extra value-for-money deals on your next getaway.
You can find the full list of flights and package holidays on easyJet’s Big Orange Sale right HERE.
Speaking of airports, you’ll also be glad to hear that public transport infrastructure is also getting a big upgrade to make your next holiday even easier:
Georgina Pellant -
9th July 2021 
