The sun is beating down on you, there’s a couple of luminous orange Aperol Spritzes on the checked tablecloth, Italian pop music is trickling out over the speakers and you’ve got two heaping bowls of pasta on the way.
The setting could easily be a cobbled street in front of the Colosseum in Rome. But it’s not. It’s an industrial estate in Prestwich.
Lupo must be one of Greater Manchester’s most hidden gems in a very literal sense.
To get here, you have to drive or walk a strange looping circuit around industrial warehouses peddling everything from splashbacks to burglar alarms to grow tents.
One of these warehouses, located in the very furthest yard, looks a little different to the others, festooned with bunches of garlic and dried herbs strung up from the ceiling.
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There are shelves full of pasta, sauces and even crisps, a fridge packed with delicious Italian wines and beers, and retro football shirt-inspired merch hanging from the walls.
Its awkward location does nothing to hold back its loyal customers, who repeatedly return for the authentic taste of Rome on offer here.
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Lupo is operated by Nico Pasquali, who first ran it as a tiny Italian cafe on Chapel Street in Salford (before all the high-rises appeared), then shifted it over to the odd shiny-commercial-office-land that is Exchange Quay, then took it almost entirely remote to trudge through the pandemic.
Lupo’s charming interiorsNico has added outside seating to LupoThe pasticceria selection at Lupo
At one point, Caffè Lupo existed mostly on WhatsApp, with customers texting in their orders ready for a doorstep drop on a Friday night.
But now the large-ish commercial unit is its main business, and it’s a special one.
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You are greeted, always, with a friendly wave, then given the sort of service where you’re very gently guided to order all the best things on the menu that day, feeling like you’ll personally offend Nico if you order differently and stray from his recommendations. Thankfully it’s pretty easy to trust this man.
It’s extremely hard for me to see amatriciana on a menu and not order it – so I don’t try. One bowl of rigatoni amatriciana for me, and make it cheesy.
This is a textbook example of the deceptively simple pasta dish. Fatty guanciale cooked right down so that all that delicious pork fat melts into the tomatoes, then it’s seasoned with, I presume, several generations of secrets and love from Italian nonnas.
Rigatoni amatriciana, and fennel sausage orecchietteA spread of Lupo’s Italian foodPepernata – Nico’s mum’s recipeThe Pizza Lupo
The sweet, salty, meaty sauce is available on a pizza too, which will be top of my list next time I visit.
Across the table it’s a special (but it’s been on the menu for a while now) of orecchiette with fennel sausage and romanesco broccoli.
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Nico tells us a customer once refused to pay for this dish because it wasn’t ‘saucy’ enough. Heathen.
That’s the running theme with Lupo – don’t come here expecting Neapolitan pizzas, or flat whites, or hot honey dips for your pizza crusts. It isn’t the Roman way, and Nico isn’t about to veer away from his proud roots to mould into any passing fads or trends.
If you’re after authenticity and tradition though, this is comfortably the top Italian in Greater Manchester.
If you can come to Lupo and walk away without ordering something sweet from the counter, you’re a stronger person than me.
PasticceriaOwner NicoLupo’s famous millefoglie
They’re famed for their doughnuts (rightly), with bouncy dough filled with flavours including pistachio cream, lemon, and homemade jams.
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Also displayed in neat rows are fruit tarts with a glossy glaze, towering cream cakes in neat layers, and puff pastry cannoncini.
But Nico is adamant, absolutely adamant, that we order a slice of his millefoglie. It’s a sell-out, he says. We’re lucky he even has some in stock, he tells us. Who are we to argue?
And if you’ve made it this far, just stop reading right now, get in the damn car and go get yourself a slice before it sells out again.
Layers of lighter-than-air homemade pastry are sandwiched together with delicately sweet cream, hints of almond throughout, and it’s good enough to bring a tear to your eye.
We leave with a doughnut in a box too, so that we at least have a snack if we get completely lost finding our way back out of the industrial estate.
An award-winning vegan restaurant in Manchester has closed – and will become an Irish pub
Daisy Jackson
One of Manchester’s most celebrated restaurants has closed its doors for good, ahead of a major relaunch as an Irish pub.
The Allotment paved the way for vegan dining not just in our city, but across the UK, scooping up awards as it went.
But now the acclaimed restaurant, which stands directly opposite the magnificent Manchester Cathedral, has closed down.
In a statement shared online, The Allotment founder and CEO Anthony Sheridan announced that the restaurant will cease to exist in its current guise, as they prepare to invest in the future of the beautiful building.
Anthony has announced that in the coming months, the space will be transformed into The Sheridan Fiddle, a ‘premium Irish hospitality venue’.
Soon, visitors can expect to see ‘traditional homemade Irish food, perfectly poured Guinness, carefully selected wines, live Irish music and, most importantly, the warm welcome that has always been at the heart of this venue’.
Looking back on almost a decade of The Allotment, the statement shared to followers has also addressed its origins, writing: “Almost ten years ago, I never set out to open one of the UK’s best vegan restaurants.
“I simply wanted to help my little boy.”
Anthony set up the business when his son, Anthony Jr, was diagnosed with Chrohn’s, understanding that a plant-based diet would help him.
The Allotment vegan restaurant in Manchester has closedSigns in the door of Allotment Manchester
The statement continued: “What happened next was something I could never have imagined.
“Together, we built something truly special.
“Over the last decade, The Allotment was named Best Vegetarian Restaurant in the North West, Best Vegan Restaurant in the UK for two consecutive years, and was recognised as the 47th Best Vegan Restaurant in the World.
“But the awards were never the greatest achievement.
“The greatest achievement has been the people, our incredible team, our loyal customers, the friendships we’ve made, and the memories we’ve shared. And seeing thousands of people walk through our doors over the years.”
Anthony Jr is now living in Dubai and running his own gym, which has left Anthony to make the decision to ‘evolve’ the business.
“After a huge amount of thought, we’ve made the decision to begin a new chapter for this beautiful building,” he wrote.
“Rather than closing its doors, we’re investing in its future.”
His statement continues: “Although the concept is changing, one thing never will… Our commitment to making people feel welcome.
“This building has spent the last ten years bringing people together over great food.
“Now, we’re excited for it to spend the next ten years bringing people together in a different way.
“To every single person who has visited us, supported us, recommended us, celebrated with us or simply believed in what we were trying to create… Thank you.
“You haven’t just supported a restaurant. You’ve been part of our family’s story.
“I hope you’ll join us for the next chapter. Welcome to The Sheridan Fiddle.”
The fantastic pub near Manchester Airport that’s a perfect plane-spotting site
Daisy Jackson
Forget rooftop bars and waterfront terraces – this pub comes with front-row seats to one of the busiest runways in the UK.
Just 50 feet from the end of Manchester Airport’s runway, The Airport Pub is where lunch comes with a side of jumbo jets.
If you’re an aviation enthusiast, or plane-spotting has never appealed until you factor in the idea of doing it with a pint in hand, this is the spot to check out. Bonus points if you whip out FlightRadar.
With an outdoor area for the kids too, it’s an easy win for a family day out.
Planes roar overhead every few minutes, thanks to the pub’s obvious proximity to the busy runways of Manchester Airport.
Step inside and the aviation theme continues, with propeller-style chandeliers, jet engine booth seating and other plane-inspired touches that make the pub feel every bit as unique as its location.
But if you ask us, the best seats in the house are outside, where you can tuck into a hearty pub lunch (hello, cheese and onion pie) while watching the constant parade of arrivals.
Cheese and onion pieInside the Airport Pub in ManchesterA pint in the Airport Pub beer gardenPropellor chandeliers inside the Airport PubPlanes land just 50ft from the beer gardenYou can sit inside a booth built from an old engineThe Hangar bar outsideFried chicken and waffles
For an even better view, head over to The Hangar, the pub’s outdoor bar, where you can grab a pint or an ice cream before claiming one of the picnic benches just metres from the runway.
It’s surprisingly easy to lose track of time as everything from short-haul jets to giant long-haul aircraft passes right in front of you.
The Airport Pub isn’t just about the view either. Its family-friendly atmosphere, spacious beer garden and classic diner-style menu make it a great stop whether you’re waiting for a flight, entertaining the kids or simply fancying one of the most memorable pub experiences in the country.
Daisy Jackson -
15th August 2025 
