There aren’t many places in Greater Manchester that sum up the city’s rapid growth quite like Deansgate and Castlefield.
The southern side of the city centre is simultaneously home to our oldest relics as well as our newest developments, with ancient Roman forts rubbing shoulders with our tallest, most luxurious buildings.
It’s faced rapid redevelopment over the years, leading to some incredible new cultural institutions, restaurants and bars, and residential developments.
From strolls along the cobbled canals to nights out with 20p chicken wings to high-brow theatre to phenomenal meals, there’s a lot going on here.
Here’s our guide to Deansgate and Castlefield, a vibrant corner of Manchester city centre.
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Food and drink
Federal Cafe Bar. Credit: The Manc GroupPlatzki on Deansgate. Credit: The Manc Group
The Wharf Pub – This purpose-built Castlefield pub offers an oasis in the heart of the city centre. A hop, skip and a jump from the bustle of Deansgate, head down for proper ales, a great gin selection and some of the finest roasts in the city.
Hawksmoor – Not just home to one of the best steakhouses in the city, Hawksmoor also boasts an amazing New York-inspired cocktail bar serving its own food menu alongside perfect martinis, gimlets, mudslides and more.
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Federal Cafe Bar – This antipodean coffee shop is known for serving some of the best brunch dishes in the city and regularly has a queue out of the door. It also has a no laptop rule, so be warned – this is not the place to turn up to do a spot of work. Dine and dash only.
Platzki – This brilliant Polish eatery serves an ever-changing menu of authentic dishes ranging from traditional breakfasts to handmade dumplings, pork neck and meatballs.
Siam Smiles – For seriously good Thai food, look no further than Siam Smiles. Having first begun life as a little cafe inside a Chinatown supermarket, it now sits up on Deansgate Mews serving popular dishes like stir-fried chicken Pad Ka Paow and KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok. Trust us, you can’t go wrong here.
City Road Inn – This charming turreted boozer sits at the end of Deansgate Locks and dates back to 1898. Whilst it looks big from the outside, in fact, there are just two rooms inside and the decor is rustic throughout, with bare wooden beams, and large murals on the walls.
Katsouri’s Deli – A lunchtime go-to for any office workers within a mile radius of Deansgate, Katsouri’s Deli can be relied on for delicious ciabatta sandwiches, a hot carvery, paella, breakfast and more. It also has a great sandwich bar and deli counter, just to make your decision even harder.
Katsouri’s Deli. Credit: The Manc GroupSiam Smiles. Credit: The Manc Group
El Rincon De Rafa – This backstreet tapas bar can be found just off the beaten path of Deansgate serving popular Spanish plates like boquerones, chorizo in red wine, patatas bravas, deep-fried olives and more. Tucked underground, it has a rustic charm all of its own.
Rosa’s Thai Cafe – This bright and airy Thai cafe is part of a chain that first began life in London’s bustling Spitalfields district. Opened in Manchester in 2020, dig into a host of flavourful dishes served on colourful plates in a welcoming, stylish space.
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Go Falafel – Another great lunchtime spot, Go Falafel basically just serves falafels – as the name suggests. Enjoy yours in a wrap with optional hummus, pickled cabbage, tahini, chilli oil and salad, or on top of a salad bowl. It makes its own juices too, also delicious in their own right.
Gaucho – Whilst Hawksmoor is the undisputed king of dry-aged steaks, if you prefer yours wet-aged then Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho is the place to be. So soft you can cut through it with a butter knife, it also has its own vineyards and offers some unparalleled wines.
Kitten at Deansgate Square. Credit: The Manc GroupKitten at Deansgate Square. Credit: The Manc Group
Deansgate Square – A new development of glass towers sitting on the edge of Deansgate and Castlefield, here you’ll find a collection of swanky spots to eat and drink, including sushi restaurant Kitten, Southern Italian eatery and deli Salvi’s and high-end cocktail bar Atomeca.
Jimmy’s Killer Prawns – Bringing trap kitchen-style dining to Castlefield, if you’re a fan of shellfish then you need to give Jimmy’s Killer Prawns a visit. Think a mountain of fifty grilled and marinated prawns, seafood platters of king crab, fish, calamari, rice and chips, and so much more. We’re obsessed.
Dimitri’s – A fixture in Manchester for over thirty years, this family-run Greek restaurant serves up all the classics: from mains like moussaka and stifado to grilled halloumi, vine leaves and minted lamb kebabs. If you like a bit of traditional Greek food, it’s definitely one for the list.
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Don Marco – A charming old-school Italian restaurant in the very best sense, Don Marco also boasts a gorgeous outdoor terrace that makes it a wonderful spot for al fresco dining.
Sapporo Tepanyaki – Offering diners a bit of theatre with their dinner, meals are cooked in the traditional tepanyaki style – over a hot grill in the centre of your table, with plenty of fire thrown in for good measure.
Hawksmoor. Credit: The Manc Group
The Oxnoble – A snug Castlefield pub just a stone’s throw from the Science and Industry Museum, it was first established in 1804 and pub derives its name from a Georgian variety of potato. A great place to watch the football, it also has bedrooms upstairs for those looking for a place to crash at the end of the night.
The Fish Hut – For lovers of fish and chips, The Fish Hut is definitely one to visit. Serving all the classics (think good fried fish, fish & chips and battered sausages) it’s pretty much always busy – a testament to its quality.
The Banyan Tree – This independent familyrun neighbourhood restaurant and bar offers an all-day menu and funky settings with booth seats and contemporary decor.
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Dukes 92 – Set in a former stable block, this grill restaurant and bar is a go-to in the summer for drinks thanks to its suntrap balcony and outdoor terrace.
Albert’s Shed – Housed on the site of a former tool shed, this modern bar and restaurant boasts a huge canopied glass terrace overlooking the water in Castlefield. It is a popular spot for drinks in the summer.
Evuna – This Spanish wine bar and tapas restaurant has a cosy feel with high tables, low lighting and exposed bricks, and is known for its speciality salt-baked sea bass.
Nightlife and hotels
Of course, when many people think of Deansgate their minds will conjur up one image in particular – that of Beetham Tower looming over the city.
The iconic skyscraper is home to the 23-story Hilton Manchester Hotel, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a health centre with a pool and sauna.
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There’s also the newer Innside by Melia on First Street, and just a stone’s throw away is the legendary Midland Hotel, one of Manchester’s finest pieces of architecture and accommodation offerings.
When it comes to nightlife, there is of course the strip of canal-side bars along Deansgate Locks, where the likes of Lola Lo, Revolution and El Diablo serve up cheap drinks and party vibes until dawn.
For a more rough-and-ready night out, head to Bunny Jackson’s, a lively dive bar specialising in American whiskies, beers, and 20p chicken wings.
It’s got such a reputation that even global rising star Olivia Rodrigo popped down after her gig in Manchester and hopped up on stage to sing with the house band.
Newly-reopened is The Deansgate, an iconic pub (especially at this time of year when it’s draped in festive fairy lights) that many feared had shut for good during lockdown.
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But lo, it’s back open now, with bars and cosy snugs spreading across three floors, plus TWO rooftop terraces, and a programme of events to come.
The Deansgate. Credit: The Manc Group
Those who enjoy a bit of competitive gaming can’t go wrong with Junkyard Golf, where glowing neon graffiti illuminate mini golf courses that weave over scrap metal, emptied-out cars, and even slides carrying you between holes.
Another local gem in this part of town is Lock 91, a former lock-keeper’s cottage turned into a bar and event space, with a canal-side terrace.
And Atlas Bar just across the road has one of the largest gin collections in the city, a variety so large it has to list its gin menu online (we’re talking 500+ bottles).
With a suntrap outdoor terrace perfect for the warmer months, plus other drinks for those who don’t care for gin, this is a great boozer.
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Culture
National Trust gardeners – Castlefield Viaduct Planting – 10 June 2022
In the Deansgate Castlefield area, you’ll find some of the city’s top cultural and tourist attractions, from theatres to museums to historic sites.
There’s the newly-redeveloped Castlefield Viaduct, which the National Trust has taken from abandoned industrial landmark to urban sky park, much like New York City’s Skyline.
Just beneath that are the remains of the roman fort Mamucium, much of which was flattened to make way for development during the Industrial Revolution.
What’s left is now part of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, and visitors can see a section of the fort’s wall along with its gatehouse, granaries, and other ancillary buildings.
A view across Manchester to Castlefield Viaduct. Credit:James Dobson, National Trust Images
Just down the road from here you’ll find the Science and Industry Museum, one of Manchester’s best-loved cultural institutions where you can learn about our city’s industrial past as well as scientific breakthroughs and get a glimpse into the future of technology.
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The team behind Manchester International Festival recently opened the enormous, spaceship-like cultural giant that is Aviva Studios, which has already hosted some of the biggest names in music, the arts and culture.
HOME is one of Manchester’s newer cultural venues but already a globally-renowned one, thanks to its mixture of art gallery, theatre space, cinema and bar and restaurant.
On a smaller, more intimate scale is Castlefield Gallery, which regularly hosts community events and contemporary art exhibitions.
In summer, Castlefield is the place to be. The Castlefield Bowl area is turned into an outdoor gig venue that draws thousands every night to see some of the biggest music artists in the world.
Previous headliners have ranged from Foals to Kylie Minogue to Lewis Capaldi.
In the super-shiny skyscraper village that is Deansgate Square sits a surprising urban jungle, where vines crawl down the windows and palms tickle your face as you walk through.
This is Flourish’s biggest site yet (most of us will know their hole-in-the-wall florist on the side of the old Debenhams building) and it’s beautiful.
You can buy house plants, pots, flowers and everything else you need to turn your home into a lush paradise.
Deansgate Square is also hone to the most futuristic branch of the General Stores family, described as Manchester’s coolest cornershops.
Up on Deansgate, Futon is a gem for buying furniture at rock-bottom prices, and you can’t walk past the Great Northern without nipping in to buy some homemade chocolate from Dormouse or a pile of cake from Alex’s Bakery.
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Property
Yeah, this is an expensive corner of Greater Manchester, no two ways about it – that’s hardly surprising when you factor in all the good stuff going on here outlined above.
Properties in Castlefield had an overall average price of £246,819 over the last year.
The majority of sales in Castlefield during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £247,308. Terraced properties sold for an average of £195,000.
Overall, sold prices in Castlefield over the last year were 18% down on the previous year and 23% down on the 2021 peak of £321,868.
Three-bedroom apartments in the Deansgate Square towers rent for up to £8,330 a month for a penthouse as lavish as this.
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Rental prices drop down closer to £1000 when you look along City Road East’s smaller blocks, and the red-bricked Castle Quay development is one of Manchester’s most sought-after apartment blocks.
Transport
Deansgate and Castlefield are among the most well-connected locations in the entire region.
There are tram stops at both Deansgate-Castlefield itself (directly above Deansgate Locks) and at Cornbrook, which both connect the area to the rest of the region along the Metrolink network.
There’s also Deansgate train station here, with regular services to the airport, Liverpool, Blackpool and parts of Cheshire.
It’s right off the ring road too, so if you drive you’re never too far from the quickest route around town.
Featured image: The Manc Group
The Guides
The best pancakes in Manchester and where to find them
Danny Jones
Pancakes might traditionally be a relatively simple staple, but here in Manchester our restaurants and cafes go large, with dozens of different styles, flavours and toppings to choose from– and we have some of the best places going in the North West.
There’s a pancake to suit everyone if you know where to look, from sweet to savoury, miniature to fat and thin to fluffy.
We’ve broken down some of our favourites below to help you get your pancake fix all year round. Yes, it may be Shrove Tuesday is looming, but one day is hardly enough to sample them all.
There are some relative newcomers to check out, too. Keep reading to discover the best places for pancakes in and around Manchester.
Where to get really good pancakes in Manchester
1. Cocoa Cabana – Didsbury and The Trafford Centre
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, the remaining Cocoa Cabana site in West Dids is one of the very best places to head for some fluffy pancakes in Manchester.
They’ve even done bottomless for Pancake Day in the past, with the only rule being you have to finish one stack before you order the next.
Flavours include tiramisu, Biscoff and caramel, Kinder Bueno and many more; they also have a pop-up at The Trafford Centre these days.
Now, if you’re more of a crepe person than a fluffy stack fan, then this increasingly viral and trending spot on Brazennose Street, just between two of the city’s most resurgent squares, might be a good alternative for you.
Putting a somewhat lighter and more delicate Japanese twist on the classic French-style dessert, these thin but flavourful little pancakes feel like a happy medium between treating yourself and pure decadence and potential overindulgence.
Their creme brûlée matcha flavoured crepe is absolutely to die for and an absolute must-try.
3. Hampton and Vouis – Central and Northern Quarter
Credit: The Manc Group
This cute little cafe next to Albert Square used to be very easy to miss, but with a second venue in the Northern Quarter now too, they’re more worth seeking out than ever. Venture inside, and you’ll find great coffee, a counter full of bakes from local suppliers and an excellent year-round pancake menu.
Here, fluffy American-style pancakes are loaded with sauce and sweet treats like Jammy Dodger biscuits, raspberries, caramel sauce and strawberry jam.
There’s also a Lotus Biscoff stack, a special apple crumble and custard stack, Biscoff and Bueno stacks, as well as plenty more – all come with vanilla ice cream on the side.
4. Lazy Sundae – Manchester Arndale
Now in the Arndale Centre only, but still just as delicious as ever, we visited their old NQ venue for some of those airy soufflé pancakes more than once over the years.
It’s a popular order in Japan and, increasingly, across the globe, and they offer personalised toppings like wafers, chocolate sprinkles, fruit and ice cream to make this special, puffed-up pancake your own – or at least they used to.
There’s still no word as to when they’ll be doing them regularly from the stall in the Arndale, but who knows? Maybe they’ll make a special exception this Pancake Day; plus, they’re great at catering to vegans and the lactose intolerant, too.
Next up is another NQ spot that often gets forgotten about, perhaps because it’s down the ‘quieter’ stretch of Tib Street that is so typically busy with deliveries and cut-through traffic that people just want it pedestrianised.
However, if you haven’t tried Sugar Junction before, you’re seriously missing out. It also happens to be ‘r Amy’s favourite, and trust us, this girl knows what she’s talking about.
The rest of their menu is also jam-packed with all the sugary goodies you’d expect from a gaff with this name, but it’s well worth a visit if you want your pancakes just about as sweet as they come.
7. Moose Coffee – Piccadilly Approach and Central
Credit: The Manc
Canadians are famous for their pancakes, and the selection at Moose in Manchester is up there with the best. Made fresh to order, think a stack of three dusted with icing sugar and served with Canadian butter.
Whether you opt for savoury or sweet toppings, maple syrup on the side is pretty much a given (yes, even with your eggs and bacon), and we’re absolutely here for it.
The only thing that could make it more authentic is if the staff often split the bill for you unrequested. A nice little touch.
8. Ezra and Gil
In at number eight is arguably one of the original contemporary brunch spots during Greater Manchester’s biggest foodie boom over the past decade, Ezra and Gil, who smash both day and night when given the chance.
They’re another one of those where you’ll always find a queue coming out the door and for good reason, as they’ve been reinventing the pancake game here in the city centre for a long time.
We’ve been Ezra and Gil die-hards since day one. Exhibit A:
Still as good now as it was back then.
9. 19 Cafe Bar
This blink-and-you ‘ll-miss-it spot has become an absolute go-to for naughty pancakes, thanks to its chocolate bar-laden menu.
The Biscoff and Kinder Bueno pancakes are the big draws here at 19 Cafe Bar. Loaded with the likes of Biscoff crumb and spread, banana, ice cream and salted caramel sauce, or homemade Kinder sauce, Bueno, chocolate sauce, roasted hazelnuts and vanilla ice cream.
There are healthier pancake options, too, and a strong list of brunch cocktails available from the bar. Familiar Brett from our ‘On The Street’ series is a big fan:
A greasy spoon cafe, but make it Northern Quarter.
The Koffee Pot has long been a go-to breakfast spot, way before it moved up from Stevenson Square to its newer premises on Oldham Street.
It’s been known for fry-ups and breakfast tacos for nearly half a century now, but you can get a solid pancake stack here, too. Think all-American buttermilk pancake stacks with added sausage patty, smoked streaky bacon, hash brown, fried egg and maple syrup.
It’s basically a full English in a pancake stack, and who doesn’t want that?
Credit: The Manc
11. Evelyn’s
Another trendy cafe in the Northern Quarter with a beyond solid brunch menu, including indulgent buttermilk soufflé pancakes loaded with honeycomb butter and a spiced berry compote, just to name one of our all-time favourites.
Better still, they always do a super-rich and irresistible special every Shrove Tuesday; past concoctions include Nutella and strawberry, date caramel and banana with a spiced apple compote. Wow.
Washed down with a coffee or a brunch cocktail, you can’t go wrong with one of the GOATs.
Our penultimate pick of top-tier present-day pancake houses in central Manchester is the ever-filing out the door, Bruncho, who work magic with their Middle Eastern twists on brunch staples.
This spot also serves as just one stop among Deansgate’s growing brunch triangle. In fact, make that quadrangle – quitangle? Not sure, all we know is there’s a lot to choose from along here, and plenty serving pancakes.
Just over on the edge of Salford, as you leave the glitzy reaches of Spinningfields behind, this beloved breakfast spot has become increasingly popular since it opened back in June 2024.
They’re not for solid coffee, great deals on various brunchy bits, and in case you didn’t know, some very tasty pancakes. Specifically, that tiramisu one you might have heard about, which is nothing short of unreal…
For context, when we asked our resident taste-tester EmJ on the day what she made of it, all she could repeat was “BANGIN'”. Says it all really, doesn’t it?
And that’s our list and now yours, covering some of the very best places for pancakes in central Manchester and a little bit further.
Why 13, we hear you ask? Well, because we expect to eat at least a baker’s dozen ourselves over the course of the 24 hours.
If that sounds like too much for you, then you’ve got the best part of 12 months to up your game until the time the next Pancake Day rolls around.
Florence and the Machine at Co-op Live Manchester – tickets, setlist, and more for UK tour
Thomas Melia
Florence and the Machine have visited Manchester before… but this UK tour marks their Co-op Live debut.
The ‘Dog Days Are Over’ because London-based band Florence and the Machine are returning to the music capital of the North – Manchester.
The band has played in our city many times over the years, including staple venues like Manchester Academy and AO Arena, but now they’re taking to the stage of the 23,500 capacity Co-op Live for the first time in their career this month.
With this current run of shows titled Everybody Scream Tour, you can expect this arena gig to be a spectacle or… ‘Spectrum’ (there’s more puns coming).
So, grab the ‘Girl With One Eye’, ‘Jenny of Oldstones’, and the ‘Queen of Peace’, and get ready to ‘Howl’ out all of Florence and the Machine’s bangers.
Florence and the Machine are coming to Co-op Live, Manchester on 20 February / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
Florence and the Machine UK tour dates
Fri 13 Feb – Liverpool, UK – M&S Bank Arena
Sat 14 Feb – Sheffield, UK – Utilita Arena
Mon 16 Feb – London, UK – The O2
Tue 17 Feb – London, UK – The O2
Fri 20 Feb – Manchester, UK – Co-op Live
Mon 24 Aug – Edinburgh, UK – Royal Highland Showgrounds
Fri 28 Aug – Leeds, UK – Bramham Park
Sun 30 Aug – Reading, UK – Richfield Avenue
Tickets
Anyone wanting to see this stellar act in all their glory when they play their latest arena show in Manchester can find some seats left HERE.
There’s even a handful of premium seating options on offer, where you can ‘Shake It Out’ in style feeling like a ‘King’ HERE.
Setlist
Everybody Scream
Witch Dance
Shake It Out
Seven Devils
Big God
Daffodil
Which Witch
Cosmic Love
Spectrum
Never Let Me Go
Music By Men
buckle
King
The Old Religion
Howl
Heaven Is Here
Sympathy Magic
One of the Greats
Dog Days Are Over
Free
And Love
What are the stage times for Florence and the Machine in Manchester?
UK act Florence and the Machine are playing various arena and festival shows this year / Credit: Autumn de Wilde (Supplied)
Co-op Live has a strict curfew of 11pm, meaning as much as we want to sing until there’s ‘No Light, No Light’, at least we’ll be tucked up in bed before the early hours.
Anyone attending can expect the doors to open at 6:30pm, with a kick-off time expected to be 7:30pm, and support from self-proclaimed alternative-indie ‘Good Girl’ Paris Paloma.
How to get to Co-op Live
Tram
For those of you heading to Co-op Live, you’ll be glad to know it’s right next door to a rather famous big blue stadium and its integrated Metrolink stop.
Head along the light blue or orange lines directly to the Etihad Campus or Ashton-under-Lyne, and you can get off the tram literally spitting distance from the arena. You can find the full map HERE.
Trams run frequently on the Ashton-Eccles line to the Etihad stop, with services leaving every six minutes from the city centre and until 1:00am on Fridays and Saturdays.
Bus
You can find the full list of bus routes HERE, with the one in closest proximity to the venue being the 53 bus, which runs from Cheetham Hill through to Higher Crumpsall, Old Trafford and Pendleton, leaving just a two-minute walk to Co-op Live. You also get free Bee Network travel with any valid event ticket.
If you’re driving, there is limited parking available at the venue, but this must be pre-booked ahead of time, and there are designated drop-off areas.
The postcode is M11 3DU, and you can follow the signs towards the wider Etihad Campus as you get closer; directions to the adjacent drop-off points will also be signposted.
Keep in mind that congestion on the roads close to the stadium is expected to gather around two hours prior to any event, so if you are travelling on the road, these are the suggested times they provide on event day, though estimates will obviously vary:
Alan Turing Way (both directions): plan an additional 20 minutes into any journey by road.
Hyde Road (eastbound): expect an additional 15 minutes to be added to your journey.
Mancunian Way (westbound): plan for an extra 10 minutes of travel time.
There are also three park-and-ride facilities near Co-op Live, but be advised that the Velopark and Holt Town stops will be closed post-event to help safely manage crowds:
Ashton West (Ashton line) – 184 spaces and 11 disabled spaces
Ladywell (Ashton-Eccles line) – 332 spaces and 22 disabled spaces
Walk/cycle
Lastly, Co-op Live is only a half-hour stroll from Manchester Piccadilly, and you could even walk along the canal all the way to the front door if you fancy taking the scenic route.
Greater Manchester now also offers the option to hire bikes on the Beryl app, with riders able to locate, unlock, get to their destination and then safely lock up the bike all through an easy-to-use app. There are hire points just near the south-west corner of the Etihad Stadium on Ashton New Road.
For more information on all travel options, you can check out the enhanced journey planner.
Daisy Jackson -
18th November 2022 
