A whopping great new food hall is opening its doors in Manchester this month – House of Social is officially ready to launch.
This much-anticipated new opening will be a hub for some of the UK’s top food and drink traders, including homegrown talent and lust-after operators from other cities.
With five traders inside, House of Social has taken over a huge space on the ground floor of a new Vita Group student accommodation building.
The venue itself is a modern giant, wrapped around a central bar and huge colour-changing light fixtures.
Spread across two floors, plus an outdoor terrace area, there’s space for hundreds of diners at once across cosy booths, large group tables, and window seats overlooking the First Street neighbourhood.
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There are five fantastic traders operating inside House of Social – check them out below.
Mughli
Mughli has moved into House of Social Mughli’s lamb sausage roll with bone marrow gravy
This Curry Mile icon is finally heading to the city centre for the first time in its three-decades-long reign, serving up its popular Punjabi curries as well as contemporary small plates.
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Menu highlights include an Indian sausage roll, where the meat is a lamb seekh kebab, and the pot alongside is filled with a bone marrow gravy – think birria taco, but a curry house pastry.
There’s also a giant helping of butter chicken, gently smoked and spiced and made with tandoor chicken; and street snacks like a plate of stracciatella dotted with beetroot, chutneys, and crispy scraps.
Dough Religion
Subs and slices from Dough ReligionA trio of sides at House of Social
These slow-fermented, in-house, New York-style pizza slices are going to be a popular choice at House of Social – but that’s not all that’s on the menu.
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Dough Religion is also making gigantic subs, packed with fillings like a fried chicken Caesar, or house beef and pork meatballs.
And there are puddings too, like fat swirls of cinnamon roll thick with frosting, and the ‘Burnt Yorker’, a cheesecake hybrid from somewhere between the Basque region and New York City.
OK Taqueria
OK Taqueria’s tacosThe birria taco from OK Taqueria
Taco paradise has touched down at House of Social with this brand-new California-inspired Mexican food concept.
There’s a rotating menu of tacos, including crispy pork belly al pastor, Tinga chicken thigh, a Baja fish taco.
But for god sake, don’t skip the beef shin birria, served with a pot of consomme gravy for dipping. It’s a stunner.
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Burger & Beyond
Burger & Beyond in House of SocialHouse of Social
This is the first time London favourite Burger & Beyond has left the capital, and of course, it’s Manchester who gets it first.
These guys serve up exceptional buns, like a fried chicken hot honey burger, classic cheeseburgers, and a signature dish of the bacon butter burger, topped with crispy pancetta, burnt butter mayo and onion.
There’s also signature tots drizzled in ranch sauce, hot sauce and bacon bits.
Choi Wan
Prawn toast crumpets from Choi WanA full House of Social spread
Prawn toast crumpets! PRAWN TOAST CRUMPETS!! That, and more, are on the menu at Choi Wan, a Chinese street food spot in House of Social.
Charlie Yu has brought his famous satay here, all served with half rice and half chips (an old faithful), then there’s also a half chicken rotisserie served with salt and pepper chips, and kimchi slaw.
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And for dessert, it’s Mr Whippy, in various formats.
House of Social will open on Coleman Street on 19 August.
A huge new Irish bar has opened in Manchester city centre (yes, another one)
Daisy Jackson
There’s another new Irish pub in Manchester city centre, this time on one of our busiest nightlife strips, Peter Street.
Katie O’Brien’s has officially thrown open the doors to its enormous two-storey venue, taking over and transforming the former Peaky Blinders bar.
Inside, there are three bars pouring both Guinness AND Murphys, a huge elevated stage on its own mezzanine level, which will host live musicians seven nights a week, and walls packed with decor transporting you to the Emerald Isle.
The makeover they’ve given this massive unit really is quite something, creating all sorts of cosy corners and snug areas where you can nurse a pint of stout.
Faux fireplaces, leather booth seating, and low ceilings all set the tone for a relaxed pint in the snugs.
Or if you want something a little livelier, head to the heart of the bar, where you can dance the night away to the live entertainment above your head.
Manchester’s Katie O’Brien’s is set to be their largest Irish bar yet, with existing locations all over the UK, including in Leeds and Sheffield.
Their rapid expansion has now brought them to the heart of Manchester, where they’ll be neighbouring bustling nightlife spots like Albert’s Schloss, Manahatta, and Impossible.
Katie O’Brien’s has opened on Peter StreetIt’s taken over the old Peaky Blinders barCosy snugs in Katie O’Brien’sIt serves both Murphy’s AND Guinness
The venue has taken over what was once the Peaky Blinders bar, which shut down back in March.
The previous occupier had themed its venue and menu around the hit gangster show, with cocktails named after characters.
They wrote at the time: “It is with an extremely heavy heart that we unfortunately have to announce the closure of Peaky Blinders Manchester with immediate effect. On behalf of our entire team, we are truly thankful to every guest who has stepped through our doors since opening in 2018.
“We are devastated it has had to end this way, but grateful for the journey. Thank you so much for your continued support over the years. It’s been a blast, Manchester!”
Katie O’Brien’s is open now on Peter Street in Manchester.
One of Manchester’s most popular brunch spots is opening its second location
Daisy Jackson
A brunch spot with queues down the street, and an edible Labubu French toast on the menu, is opening a second location this summer.
Bruncho has revealed plans to expand from its home on Deansgate and take on the Northern Quarter.
The all-day brunch cafe is set to move into the huge unit left empty by the shock closure of Feel Good Club.
Bruncho is known for its brunch dishes that have a real knack for going viral on social media, including New York-style breakfast rolls in croissant bread; fresh coconut water and matcha served in the coconut; and its absolutely stacked French toasts.
It’s consistently packed out at its original location on Deansgate, and now it’s taking over a 4,378 sq ft unit in the Northern Quarter too, set to open this June.
Omer Umut Mutlu, owner of Bruncho, said: “Manchester has shown Bruncho so much love, and expanding into the Northern Quarter feels like the natural next step for us.
“Hilton House gives us the space to elevate what we do – more covers, more events, and a new home for the kind of food and atmosphere people will make the journey for.
The viral Labubu French toast at Bruncho in ManchesterA breakfast spread at Bruncho
“We’re excited to bring something fresh to the neighbourhood, with the opening scheduled for June 2026.”
Paul Shakeshaft, Head of Property Management at CERT, commented: “We’ve found the ideal tenant to join the Hilton House community. Bruncho provides a new focal point for the building and for the community.
“They’re a fantastic operator with big plans that bring the right fit and the right atmosphere to the building and neighbourhood.
“Signing Bruncho brings Hilton House back to full occupation, including a full refit in just seven months, underpinning our neighbourhood vision for our commercial properties, and their continued success and appeal far beyond their completion.”
Bruncho will open their second Manchester cafe in the Northern Quarter this June.
Daisy Jackson -
13th August 2025 
