The brand new Chips @ No.8 chippy is ready to reopen in Prestwich – now with a beautiful restaurant space included.
Fans of the award-winning takeaway will now be able to sit inside the much-larger space as they devour what’s considered by many (myself included) to be the best fish and chips in Greater Manchester.
Chips @ No.8 hasn’t moved far – it’s actually just drifted next-door – but the improvements are vast.
Now three times the size, the new-look space is split into a takeaway, a bar, and a restaurant.
The upstairs restaurant is the biggest change, serving a seafood-focused menu that isn’t necessarily all about the fryer.
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The tasteful space has huge tall ceilings, exposed brick, and colourful chippy-inspired art on the wall.
This part will launch later this month with a concise ‘from the kitchen’ menu that will expand and change once they’ve tested the waters.
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But the chippy itself is raring to go from today.
The upstairs restaurant at the new Chips @ No.8You can now get cans of local beer to take away with your chippy tea
Visitors to the new Chips @ No.8 will be able to place their order from the counter before heading into the bar area for a pint while they wait.
There are also fridges full of cans to take away, featuring some big local names like Seven Brothers, Zapato, and Pomona.
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The menu down here is blissfully unchanged, which means you’ll still find chips fried in beef dripping, British fish fried in a perfect crisp batter, and a full menu of pies.
Owner Dan Edwards has piled a lot of love into this place, and says it’s ‘easily the most challenging thing’ he’s ever done.
The new Chips @ No.8 is ready to open just next door to its original siteChips @ No.8 has a new bar space inside where you can eat-in with your chippyOwner Dan Edwards outside the new Chips @ No.8
In a statement he shared this morning, Dan wrote: “So, after what feels like forever, we will open the new shop today.
“We started this project nearly 12 months ago and it’s come close to breaking me many times. Easily, the most challenging thing I’ve ever done, but we’re there now!
“My wife is clearly an angel for putting up with me during this whole time. Marie, I love you more than you can imagine
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“Couple of things to note:- we’re not opening the restaurant area for a few days, so that we can ‘bed in’ the new systems. We don’t wanna give anything short of the best. We’ll let you know when we’re ready.
“We’re also gonna introduce the “from the kitchen” menu slowly, with more items being added as we go.
“The last thing, is it’s going to be walk ins only, there’s no booking system. We know there’s lots of you who want to secure your seat but it’s a non negotiable unfortunately.
“What we can guarantee, is we have an amazing space, an amazing team, and amazing customers. Over the next week or so, go easy on us if things aren’t quite right. I promise we’re all trying our best with new everything.
“Here’s to the next (and final) stage. Chips @No.8 is all grown up and we can’t wait to share it with you!”
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The new Chips @ No.8 opens on Tuesday 11 June on Clifton Road.
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant unveils big refurb
Thomas Melia
Much-loved Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five has just unveiled a beautiful refurbishment at one of its Manchester sites, along with a new menu of fresh, handmade pasta.
Gone is the famous yellow colour palette of this Italian eatery as they swap in a sophisticated and regal turquoise blue at their Liverpool Road restaurant.
This establishment is known for its impressive shop-window pasta making stations where you can see your food prepared live in-store and while walking past outside the venue.
They’re continuing their foodie legacy serving carby creations, like a flaming cheese wheel pasta where staff blowtorch the cheese to ensure it’s as melty as possible.
One of the biggest menu highlights at Italiana Fifty-Five is the cappellacci, which comes in two equally gorgeous forms and much like its English translation, emulates tiny hats.
These cute little plates come in two delicious stuffed pairings – the burrata, combined with a tangy tomato and beef filling, and a salmon with cream sauce and fresh lemon for a match made in heaven.
Beloved Manchester Italian restaurant Italiana Fifty-Five unveils big refurb. Credit: The Manc GroupInside Italiana Fifty-Five as it unveils a new look on Liverpool Road. Credit: The Manc Group
How can you think of anything more ideal than a table full of hearty and home-comforting meals than one that also features an array of beautiful sides?
Usual delights like the burrata on a bed of rocket, tomato and finished off with a balsamic vinegar glaze area great addition to your already faultless food.
Cheesy garlic pizza bread is quintessential when dining in an Italian restaurant, and Italiana 55’s lovely flavour-packed favourite is a go-to when ordering here.
The Liverpool Road restaurant also has a tonnata pizza which uses toppings that are an exact ingredient breakdown of the Mediterranean sauce, which it shares its name with.
In photos: Italiana Fifty-Five has undergone a refurb. Credit: The Manc Group
What better way to wolf down some incredible Italian feasts than with some perfectly paired alcoholic offerings like the classic Aperol spritz, trusted espresso martinis and a selection of fine wines.
Their menu is staying as tasty as ever with their delicious pizzas and pastas, with the new fresh pasta menu available at their restaurants on Liverpool Road and in Didsbury.
Bakery chain Gail’s is attempting to win over Prestwich after spelling mishap
Daisy Jackson
Gail’s has announced a plan to try and make amends with Prestwich after spelling the village’s name wrong on the new bakery’s signs.
The massive bakery chain finally confirmed that it would be moving into the suburb on the fringes of Bury and Manchester, but made a fatal flaw at the first step.
The huge posters are missing the letter ‘T’, instead saying ‘Hello Preswich’.
More than a few eyebrows were raised locally, with people saying it’s ‘not a great first impression for the locals…’.
And now Gail’s is attempting to put things right by offering free tea to Prestwich residents.
In new material released today, they wrote: “Oops… people of Prestwich, we owe you a ‘T’.
“You may have seen how we missed out a ‘t’ in our new bakery signage.
“We’re sorry for the mistake, and to make up for it we’d like to brew you a tea when we open.”
The new advertising has a QR code which people can scan to claim their free cuppa.
Gail’s has also passed its thanks on to ‘local resident Clair’, who actually came up with the suggestion on The Manc’s LinkedIn post here.
With this development, Gail’s has now confirmed it’ll be opening in Prestwich – directly opposite the new Rudy’s – in early 2025, with free tea served then to those who scan the QR code.
Gail’s will hand out free tea in Prestwich to apologise for spelling the village’s name wrongHuge bakery chain Gail’s confirms move to Prestwich – but spells village’s name wrong in signage
Daisy Jackson -
11th June 2024 
