The nights are longer, the clocks have gone back, and spring has begun to sprung here in Greater Manchester.
With the turn of the season, it seems, comes a host of new openings in the city centre and beyond.
From bespoke butty shops to new delis and tasting rooms, to boozy coffee bars in a secret garden and pop-ups across town, there are loads of great new eateries to get stuck into this April.
Keep reading to find out where to put on your list this month.
The Vurger Co.
Image: The Vurger Co.
Popular London-born vegan fast food joint The Vurger Co is opening its first restaurant in the north this month, right here in Manchester.
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Diners can expect indulgent plant-based burgers, alongside sides like crispy dippers, vegan mac ‘n’ cheese and vegan shakes in flavours like Biscoff, strawberry, salted caramel popcorn and banoffee.
So strong is the commitment to the vegan ethos here, all its packaging is made from plants and is fully compostable with a customer guarantee that nothing you buy will end up in landfill.
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With room for 50 covers inside, the new vegan restaurant will open seven days a week with walk-in bookings only from 30 April 2022.
Unit 2, Transmission House, 11 Tib Street, Manchester. M4 1AE.
House of Habesha
Image: House of Habesha
Having moved away from its Blossom Street Social pop-up a few months ago, House of Habesha’s delicious Ethiopian and Eritraean curries found a new home serving the crowds at Mala’s secret garden.
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Now it’s planning moving into The Eagle Inn pub in Salford’s kitchen, giving fans the chance to get their mits on their coveted injera bread and flavoursome stews from Thursday 7 April.
19 Collier St, Salford M3 7DW.
Lucky Mamas
Image: Lucky Mamas
From a trailer in their Eccles backgarden to a brand new shopfront in Chorlton, Lucky Mamas is the success story that just keeps on giving.
After a few trials and tribulations, owners Mamadou and Gaby have opened their own restaurant next door to the popular Jasmine, serving up their famous ‘Rasta Pasta’ alongside other Senegalese-inspired pizza and pasta dishes.
565 Barlow Moor Rd, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 8AE.
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Sndwch
Image: Sndwch
Image: Sndwch
First established in 2018, over the past four years, the Sndwch team has progressed from making sandwiches at their kitchen table to opening their own counter over in Media City.
You’ll have likely already seen their wares stocked in the General Stores around the city, now you can also get them straight from the source – made to your bespoke specifications. Known for having a great plant-based range.
Inside Media City General Store, Media City UK, City of Salford.
Lucky Ramen
Image: Supplied
This April Ancoats hotspot Mule launches its delicious new Ramen offering, Lucky Ramen.
Curated by a local chef, the menu will consist of five lovingly crafted ramen bowls made with 8-hour broths, with meat, fish and vegan options served alongside a delicious selection of sides.
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Think crispy karaage chicken, stir-fried soboro pork, char sui and crispy soft shell crab with snow crab sticks, then tell us you’re not craving one of these.
Elsewhere, you’ll find ‘magic mushrooms’ (chargrilled with spicy miso butter, crispy shallots, sesame, truffle and crispy chilli oil), gyoza and tempura crab.
Lucky Ramen will be serving Wednesday to Sunday, 5pm-late alongside Mule’s modern cocktail, classic wine and beer menu.
Lucky Foot
This spring, Escape To Freight Island will welcome a host of new traders, including a new deep-fried and charcoal-grilled chicken offering from Belzan called Lucky Foot.
Think buckets of orange wine and modern cooking using the best chicken – made from scratch in Manchester – and you’ve pretty much got the jist. Also moving in this month will be bakeries Batard and Gooey, as well as new concept Carnival from Hawksmoor co-founder Richard Turner.
Fat Pat’s, the sell-out sandwich specialists who had most of South Manchester queueing up for a taste, has found a new home on Portland Street.
Operating out of a hole in the wall as walk-ups only, fans can now get their hands on a brand new menu featuring the likes of Philly Cheesesteak and Hot Honey Fried Chicken every weekend, from 12pm Thursday-Sunday until sell out.
88 Portland Street, M1 4GX.
Ornella’s Kitchen, Denton
Image: Ornella’s Kitchen
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Parmigiano Reggiano ravioli with saffron sauce. / Image: Ornella’s Kitchen
Previously head chef at Pollen, Ornelia set up her delivery-only kitchen during the first lockdown whilst on maternity leave. Over a year later, she’s just opened her own deli pasta shop and kitchen in Denton.
Cooking seasonally using only the freshest local ingredients, diners can expect to find a range of delightful pasta dishes alongside Italian street food favourites like arancini and parmigiana. Open now.
10 Manchester Rd, Denton, Manchester M34 3LE.
Crunched Tacos
Image: Crunched Tacos
Putting a northern twist on hard shell tacos, Crunched has just opened up inside the shipping container neighbourhood at Pollard Yard in Ancoats.
Think Frazzle-dusted taco shells filled will pulled pork and Strongbow Dark Fruits sauce, cauliflower cheese tacos, chicken nuggets and nachos, and we think you’ll get the jist.
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If you’ve ever heard of TexMex, this is kind of like that – but a lot more Mancunian. MancMex, we guess?
Tacos Pollard Yard, Crunched, 15 Pollard St E, Manchester M40 7QX.
BQ Farm and Fish, Monton
Loch Fyne Beetroot Cured Salmon on Toast. / Image: BQ Farm & Fish
A collaboration between the Butcher’s Quarter and Wandering Palate. Farm and Fish is part Artisan Butcher, part fishmonger, and part tasting room.
The expansive selection of fresh fish here is sourced from sustainable fisheries on the British coast, whilst cheeses, wines and cured meats are sourced internationally. Pop in to pick up some nice bits for dinner and sample a few small plates whilst you’re at it. Winner.
190 Monton Rd, Eccles, Manchester M30 9PY.
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The Donut Whisperer, Northern Quarter
Image: The Donut Whisperer
Image: The Donut Whisperer
This Chester bakery was named the best in the UK for vegan doughnuts last year, now it’s coming to Manchester city centre for a short residency at Home Sweet Home.
For the next 8 weeks from Wednesday, 30 March, the Doughnut Whisperer is popping up in the Northern Quarter with a range of giant, all-vegan bakes. Think giant square Lotus Biscoff and cornflake-loaded bakes smothered in icing and stuffed with all things sweet.
49-51 Edge St, Manchester M4 1HW.
Coffee Rituals at Mala, Northern Quarter
Image: Mala
Image: Mala
Over in the Northern Quarter inside Mala’s secret garden bar is a new boozy coffee bar called Coffee Rituals.
They’re serving up eight different styles of boozy coffee – from a smores-style, marshmallow-topped ‘Campfire Mochas’ to Irish coffees and, everyone’s favourite, the espresso martini.
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Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find a ‘Mala Mud Slide’ (chilled with an ice cream cone and cream) and an iced doughnut-topped espresso martini they’re calling ‘Fancy Clancy’. Open from 12-8pm daily, walk-ins are welcome.
8 Dale St, Manchester M1 1JA.
Carnival street food and bar
Image: Google
A new Caribbean and Latino-inspired pop-up will take over the all-pink £1m Boujee restaurant terrace at Bridge Street, turning its eye-popping frontage from pink to yellow as it moves in for a five-month stint.
Landing on April 14th, it will serve up a range of sunny cocktails like rum-soaked pornstar martinis, sweet caipirinhas, glasses of punch and Red Stripe, alongside dishes like spicy Jerk chicken and loaded nachos.
It will be open every weekend from Thursday to Sunday, from 4pm on weekdays and 12pm on the weekends.
After four years in the making, this project to transform Levenshulme’s disused South train station into a cafe, bar and garden is finally complete.
Located on the Fallowfield Loop, its been restored by a community group who’ve spent years fundraising to bring their vision to life. Head down to find tea, coffees, craft beers and popular foodie classics as well as a bike repair workshop and full-on events calendar packed with live music and DJs.
975-977 Stockport Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester M19 3NP.
Featured Image – Ornella’s Kitchen / Mala / The Manc Eats
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Michael Ball and Alfie Boe at AO Arena, Manchester – tickets, times, setlist, and more for tour
Thomas Melia
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe are bringing their Together At Home tour to Manchester, here’s everything you need to know for their AO Arena gig.
The boys are back in town, and by the boys we mean multi-million selling vocalists Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, who are heading to Manchester this month.
This duo are no stranger to each other’s company making six collaborative albums since 2016 covering songs from The Greatest Showman, The Lion King and New York, New York.
Their latest release ‘Together At Home’ which doubles as the name for the tour sees the pair back to their good old tricks covering hits like ‘He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother’ and ‘Ferry Cross The Mersey’.
These two powerhouses know how to sing in style and that’s why they’ve chosen the impressive AO Arena to host their brand new show.
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe UK tour dates
Sat 29 March – Cardiff, UK – Utilita Arena
Sun 30 March – Bournemouth, UK – International Centre
Tue 1 April – Nottingham, UK – Motorpoint Arena
Wed 2 April – Newcastle, UK – Utilita Arena
Fri 4 April – Manchester, UK – AO Arena
Sat 5 April – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Mon 7 April – Aberdeen, UK – P&J Live
Tue 8 April – Glasgow, UK – OVO Hydro
Thu 10 April – Leeds, UK – First Direct Arena
Fri 11 April – Birmingham, UK – BP Pulse Live
Sun 13 April – London, UK – The O2
Mon 14 April – Brighton, UK – Brighton Centre
Michael Ball and Alfie Boe tickets for AO Arena gig
Anyone looking at tickets for Michael Ball and Alfie Boe’s upcoming tour have plenty of opportunity to see these two singing their hearts out.
Fans of the duo better act fast as these tickets are very limited, starting from a reasonable £47.75 and reaching £98.75.
If you want to go all out on this occasion tickets are also available for The Mezz, which is the arena’s fine dining experience covering you before and throughout the show at a fixed price of £206.25.
What are the stage times for Michael Ball and Alfie Boe in Manchester?
AO Arena has a curfew of 11pm meaning you’ll still be able to make it home and pop the kettle on before you get your forty winks.
Their support act comes in the form of another duo, however these two mighty performers are magicians rather than singers.
The Conjurors are a worldwide renowned act famed by audiences and A Listers for their talents which they will be showing off in Manchester on the night.
How to get to AO Arena
Tram
For those of you heading to AO Arena, luckily it’s in Manchester Victoria Station and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the pink, light blue or yellow lines directly to the Victoria stop and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Train
Considering this live entertainment venue is situated right in the middle of one of Manchester’s most frequented stations, concertgoers should find no problem getting to the arena wherever they are.
Bus
A variety of buses cover AO Arena andVictoria Station on their route such as the 2 bus which stops a one minute walk away from the venue.
A full list of buses and their routes can be found HERE.
Getting there by car and parking
The Arena have their own official parking partners CitiParkwith 958 spaces including 40 Blue Badge parking bays, which can be booked in advance.
Alternatively, anyone attending a gig can park at their nearest train station and jump on a train service or the various Metrolink park and ride facilities.
Walk/cycle
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes through the Beryl, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app.
About the AO Arena
The AO Arena has a few strict policies to keep gig-goers safe, so make sure to check entry requirements carefully before you travel.
For example, only one small bag per person is allowed, and bags like backpacks, travel cases and laptop bags are not permitted inside the arena.
All bags are scanned on entry to check for prohibited items like laser pens, flares, projectiles, weapons, drugs and alcohol, and even selfie sticks.
Band on the Wall buys adjoining The Rose and Monkey pub
Danny Jones
Beloved Manchester music venue Band on the Wall has announced that they have bought the equally popular Rose and Monkey pub and hotel next door.
The two Great Ancoats St favourites on the edge of the district and the Northern Quarter have both served as reliable, entertaining gig spaces for years now, not to mention a great spot for a drink, and their business models have always aligned so perfectly, with visitors heading from one into the other for years.
With that in mind, and in a concerted effort to support the local music and hospitality industry, Band on the Wall have decided to turn that long-standing relationship into an even closer collaboration.
Confirming the acquisition of The Rose and Monkey earlier this week, Band on the Wall and its next-door neighbour are now official partners.
Speaking in an official statement on their website, the latter wrote: “This exciting development marks another step in Band on the Wall’s mission to support grassroots music and enhance its role within Manchester’s vibrant cultural scene.
“The Rose & Monkey (formerly The Burton Arms) has a long and chequered history dating back to 1783, but in recent years has been transformed into a beloved destination for music lovers and locals alike.
“Known as one of the city’s oldest public houses, originally built as part of the original Smithfield Markets and over the road from what was the ‘New Cross’ area of the city, the venue boasts an intimate atmosphere and commitment to live music.
“The pub is now a vital part of the Northern Quarter’s creative fabric with unique features, including a beer garden, small music stage, and even Airbnb accommodation upstairs; the venue perfectly complements Band on the Wall’s (BOTW) ethos of fostering community through music.”
As it turns out, the deal to take over The Rose and Monkey was actually agreed upon a while ago and fully finalised last 2024.
With backing from Figurative – a not-for-profit organisation that specialises in ‘impact investment’ throughout the cultural and creative sector – this most recent development follows the £3.5 million refurbishment of BOTW, which was finally completed back in March 2022.
Audio North was still ‘The Manc Audio’ back then, but Band on the Wall was busy being reborn first.
Gavin Sharp, CEO of Band on the Wall, said: “We are delighted to welcome The Rose & Monkey into the Band on the Wall family. This acquisition allows us to expand our footprint while preserving one of Manchester’s most cherished independent venues.
“Together, we aim to create even more opportunities for emerging artists and provide unforgettable experiences for music fans.”
As for the pub and lodging house itself, The Rose and Monkey Hotel, to use its full name, will still remain its own bar and live music entity but will now work closely with Band on the Wall to achieve better and more diverse programming.
In addition to a place to stay on the first floor, the pub now features a newly installed ‘Wurlitzer Jukebox’, too, which has been curated by none other than American alternative rock band Pixies, BBC 6 Music DJ Chris Hawkins and the in-house team.
Finally, Band on the Wall went on to add: “The Rose & Monkey is ideally positioned to become an even greater hub for Manchester’s thriving music scene.
“Visitors can look forward to an enhanced calendar of events as well as continued dedication to inclusivity and creativity, and a jukebox specially curated by several high-profile friends and supporters of the venue.”
Georgina Pellant -
1st April 2022 
