Big Mamma Group has finally announced it’s heading up north, opening a lavish Circolo Popolare restaurant here in Manchester.
These much-loved Italian restaurants are dotted all over Europe at this point, including beautiful spaces in London, Barcelona, Milan and Brussels.
These restaurants might catch your eye with their extravagant interiors but it’s their authentic, homemade Italian food and exceptional produce that’ll keep you coming back for more.
Inside each restaurant in the Big Mamma Group you’ll find maximalist interiors dialled up to maximum – if it’s patterned, colourful, shiny or textured (or ideally, all of the above at once), it’s hitting the Big Mamma interior design brief.
The result is joyful, decadent, escapist restaurants that’ll do their best to whisk you off on an Italian escape without leaving the vicinity of Deansgate.
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Big Mamma’s first foray into Manchester will see them open a Circolo Popolare at St Michael’s, Gary Neville’s landmark £400m development.
Big Mamma is coming to Manchester. Credit: Jerome GallandA Big Mamma restaurant in Hamburg. Credit: Jerome Galland
Expect glinting bottle walls as you make your way into the jasmine-clad, 280-cover trattoria, inspired by the island of Sardinia.
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The decor here will involve masses of antique trinkets, testa di moro (authentic ceramic busts), and even an Italian wishing well.
They say the space will be adorned with festoon lights and a eucalyptus-clad ceiling, so you’ll feel as though you’ve stumbled into an overgrown, lush courtyard.
Big Mamma is embracing the rain and heading to Manchester with Circolo Popolare. Credit: Supplied
Upstairs is the ‘villa hideaway’, a cosy terracotta den where you can see head chef Alfonso cooking British seafood on the grill at the kitchen counter.
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The menu will also feature Neapolitan pizza, which you can order half-and-half with your amici.
Big Mamma has pulled together its largest-ever selection of produce sourced from 170 family-run Italian artisans, ranging from Puglian burrata to Parma prosciutto.
There’ll be a three litre bottle of Amaro roaming the restaurant ready to pour you a shot, plus XL jugged cocktails.
And as for desserts, expect pistachio tiramisu scooped table side (or order the full tray).
Circolo Popolare from Big Mamma Group will open at St Michael’s in Manchester this June.
This new app tells you the best sunny pub spots in Manchester
Thomas Melia
A brand new app has launched, which tracks the sun and tells you where the best sunny pub spots in Manchester are throughout the day.
No, you’re not dreaming: this is what heaven feels like. This all-new app, initially trialled in London and now covering Manchester, allows users to identify the best sun traps in our stunning city centre.
Designed and created by architect Mo Dawod, Sunseekr aims to show you the best pub, cafe and restaurant locations where you can take advantage of and soak up all the sun in real time.
As well as being a handy tool to use throughout the day, you can use this sun-centric app to pre-plan your day, as it lets you know all the sunny spots in advance for anyone who fancies chasing the sun.
The app shows you the best pubs, cafes and restaurants to catch some rays.You can easily chase the sun around Manchester city centre with this handy new app.Credit: Screenshots via Sunseeker
Of course, we don’t need an app to tell us all the best sunny pub spots in Manchester as locals and visitors alike know about our pride and joy, Stevenson Square.
However, this new technology will come in handy for organising your next beer garden trip and locating exactly where you’re guaranteed to sit down and possibly catch a tan.
Sunseekr had a trial run in London first, catching the attention of reputable publications like Timeout London and even got itself featured on BBC London.
It makes perfect sense why Dawod made this app; being a Battersea resident, his area of London is packed with plenty of amenities such as pubs and bars, perfect for sitting out and relaxing in the sun.
Now the sunny app has spread nationwide, including Manchester, meaning we Northerners can make the most of the precious sun while we have it.
Safe to say, here at The Manc, we know a lot of good places to soak up the sun while sipping on a class pint.Nothing beats a crisp pint and some gorgeous Manchester sunshine.Credit: The Manc Eats
The arrival of this sun-tracking pub-spotting app gives us the perfect excuse to drop everything and make our way to the nearest beer garden to put this to the test ourselves, it’s not like we needed any encouragement…
Sunseekr is available to download NOW and allows users to live-track the sun to see if any pubs, cafes or restaurants near you have been blessed by the sun.
We’re in the business of knowing about beer gardens galore, so this long-overdue app just made our lives a whole lot easier.
Stunning Ancoats favourite Street Urchin closes after ‘heartbreaking’ health emergency
Danny Jones
The stunning Ancoats restaurant and Manchester favourite, Street Urchin, has announced its sudden closure following a serious health emergency.
Opened by partners Kevin and Rachel Choudhary back in 2019, the inventive dining room has been a firm favourite among local foodies and those visiting Manchester for some time.
However, following the awful news that co-founder and head chef Kevin has recently suffered a heart attack, the city centre food spot has sadly had to close its doors, seemingly for good.
Informing diners and longtime fans online, Rachel confirmed, “We are unable to continue as a business”, adding that they are simply “heartbroken” by the turns of events.
Known for endless creativity and famous experimental dishes over the years, including a viral squirrel dish, Street Urchin has been one of the most envelope-pushing kitchens in the area for some time.
Writing in the caption, Rachel said: Thank you to our amazing team who supported us over all the years and continued to do so in these dark times. Thank you also to our suppliers, we never thought this would happen. We’re so sorry x”
Reacting to the news, local artist Painted By Courtney replied: “This is so sad, I’m so sorry to you both. Forever one of my favourite dining experiences in Manchester.”
Various names from across the Greater Manchester hospitality scene, including the likes of Tameside’s Cafe Continental, have joined in sharing their sadness and heartfelt support, with the Stalybridge spot simply adding: “Sending love. A remarkable place!”
Their menus boasted all the style, quality and flavour of a fine dining establishment without any of the haute cuisine pomp and traditional culinary trappings.
Put simply, they delivered great food served in an efficient market diner fashion. We, along with countless other Greater Mancunian foodies, absolutely loved this place.
It goes without saying that everyone at The Manc Group is shocked and deeply saddened to hear this news; we hope Kev makes a full and fast recovery, and our thoughts are with his friends and family during this difficult time.
Daisy Jackson -
4th March 2025 
