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A new restaurant serving seafood boils is opening at Printworks in Manchester

Their first foray out of London

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 16th June 2026

Shrimp Shack is set to open its first restaurant outside London this summer, with a new site in Printworks in Manchester.

The new restaurant will be serving seafood boils, as well as huge £19.95 platters, £10 lunch deals, and cocktail pitchers.

Shrimp Shack is set to open in the former Frankie & Benny’s site, beneath Printworks’ dazzling digital ceiling.

The restaurant is already cult-followed with its London locations, where it’s built a solid reputation for generous portions and bold flavours.

Shrimp Shack favourites include various seafood boils, a dish with its roots in the Southern states of the USA, including their shrimp boil, seafood boil, and the lux lobster boil.

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Each boil is loaded with shrimp, seafood, sausages, corn on the cob, boiled eggs, spiced rice and peri chips, in the brand’s signature secret sauce.

There’s also set to be a Shack Savers Selection, with five huge dishes (battered fish and shrimps, a 12oz Wagyu steak, grilled salmon with prince shrimps, surf and turf, and grilled shrimp and calamari) priced at just £19.95, including two sides and a choice of sauces.

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At lunchtimes, there’ll be £10 dishes like the Sprimp Rich Po’ Boy sandwich, the double cheese smash burger, and a veggie option (or you can upgrade to a lobster roll for £5).

And there’ll be refillable soft drinks, freshly-blended smoothies, milkshakes, mocktails, and sharing pitchers.

Shrimp Shack opens in Printworks this summer, serving seafood boils and platters
Shrimp Shack opens in Printworks this summer, serving seafood boils and platters

Rish Gola, co-founder of Shrimp Shack, said: “Shrimp shack was born in London to redefine how people enjoy premium seafood; served fresh and fast, where bold flavours are brought together with everyday dishes.

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“Shrimp Shack has a strong appeal with ethnic communities, family diners, and groups of friends who come together over big flavours and generous seafood feasts.

“Our accessible pricing and high-quality dishes create apremium fast experience that welcomes everyone.”

Dan Davis, general manager at Printworks, said: “We’re delighted to have secured Shrimp Shack as Printworks’ latest tenant, its first location outside of London and another exciting restaurant to add to our offering.

“Shrimp Shack’s unique and distinctive offering is perfectly aligned with our aim to deliver high quality experience-led concepts right in the heart of Manchester.”

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Featured image: Supplied

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Top Manchester restaurant ‘so chuffed’ after receiving glowing national review

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Skof in Manchester has said it's 'so chuffed' after receiving a glowing review from Grace Dent

Top Manchester restaurant Skof has received a stunning review from a national critic, with the team saying they are ‘so chuffed’.

The acclaimed NOMA restaurant, headed up by chef Tom Barnes, has rapidly become one of Manchester’s most decorated restaurants.

Not only does it proudly display its first Michelin star – earned in less than a year after opening – but it’s also been named the coveted AA Restaurant of the Year.

And now Skof can add a rave Guardian review to the list too, with critic Grace Dent heaping praise upon the business.

She said that Skof is ‘well worth the hype’, describing it (much like its parent restaurant L’enclume) to be ‘one of those intensely relaxed yet still ferociously fancy restaurants’.

Dent praised ‘hugely scoffable’ snacks like a cheese biscuit topped with broad bean, pike roe and shiso, as well as a lightly set custard with truffle and mushroom dashi (‘a quiche filling on steroids’).

In her Guardian review, she also loved the final course always served at Skof no matter how much the menu changes with the seasons – the tiramisu served from a giant bowl, tableside.

“The final hurrah: that scoop of Tom’s dad’s tiramisu, served from a big bowl,” Grace Dent wrote.

“It’s a clunky, sentimental and, ultimately, glorious end to the meal. Many Michelin-starred restaurants bookend your visit with a gift of seeds, teabags or fancy chocolate, but at Skof they send you on your way with this tiny taste of boozy stodge that’s both incongruous with everything that went before but at the same time is also symbolic of Tom Barnes’ life and everything that went before.”

Grace Dent heaped praise on Skof in a recent Guardian review
Grace Dent heaped praise on Skof in a recent Guardian review
Skof placed 29th in the National Restaurant Awards
Skof placed 29th in the National Restaurant Awards

The amazing review also said: “Fine dining can at times be truly maddening, and leave diners hungry and hoodwinked, but Skof is proof that this often precarious blend of pacing, staging and portion size can be properly magical.”

She signed off by saying: “Skof is clever and emotional… It’s also well worth the hype, so do try to nab a table, if you can. It’s fancy, yes, but it also fills you up. This is fine dining that even a naysayer would like.”

Skof has said that it’s ‘so chuffed’ to receive the review, which landed in The Guardian on the restaurant’s second birthday.

They wrote: “Our 2nd birthday just got a quite a bit more special with an absolutely amazing review from @gracedent. We’re so chuffed with the write up. Hope the man from the traitors comes down, so we can serve him a crumpet.”

You can read Grace Dent’s full Skof review in The Guardian here.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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The legendary Hulme community pub The Old Abbey Taphouse has been reborn

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson The Old Abbey Taphouse will reopen as The Abbey next week

The closure of The Old Abbey Taphouse was a real blow for Hulme and the surrounding university district area; the community pub was a bit of a local institution thanks to its grassroots music and inclusive atmosphere.

But now it appears that the spirit of the venue lives on, under the new name of The Abbey.

Some of the city’s most experienced independent operators – who have been behind venues like YES and The Deaf Institute, and music promoters Now Wave – will be the new custodians of this beloved local landmark.

The pub, which closed early last year, has now been carefully and lovingly restored ahead of its big relaunch, which will start in true Manc vision with an exclusive opening night gig.

Glimpses of The Abbey's refurb
old abbey taphouse reopened
The Abbey is reborn. (Credit: The Manc Group)

The vision for its new chapter will be ‘Old Pub, New Music’, creating a new home for grassroots live music and emerging artists.

There’s also affordable, hearty pub grub, including Pieminister pies, and a huge range of beers from local breweries and beyond.

Bringing The Abbey back to life are a core team of four: Ruth Hemmingfield, Wesley Jones, Jonathan Wickstead and Gareth Butterworth.

Ruth, Jon and Wesley are co-owners of YES; Ruth previously launched and programmed landmark Manc venues including The Deaf Institute, Gorilla and Albert Hall; while Wesley and Jonathan, through Now Wave, promote hundreds of independent gigs and live events each year.

As for Gareth, he’s the founder of the multi-venue festival Manchester Psych Fest, meaning that all of them have plenty of hospitality, late-night, live music and events experience between them.

The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston
The team behind The Abbey pub. Credit: Piran Aston

The rear of the site of The Old Abbey Taphouse will be extended to create a new dedicated live music and events venue, while the cherished beer garden is given a facelift with new decking and its own bar.

The Abbey has stood in Hulme since the 1890s, playing an important role in the area’s heritage – this is where activist Len Johnson managed to overturn the shameful ‘colour bar’ policies of the 1940s.

Its restoration and relaunch are part of the flourishing Manchester Science Park development.

Matthew Pazos, Senior Retail Commercial Manager at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “Ruth, Wesley and Jonathan are the perfect custodians to breathe new life into The Abbey.

“Their reputation for running independent spaces in Manchester, alongside their live music expertise, will ensure this much-valued pub once again becomes a beating heart for Hulme and the wider neighbourhood.

“The reopening of The Abbey will create an inclusive new hub that welcomes everyone – from the Hulme locals who have looked after the pub over the years, to the Manchester Science Park community, university students, and the many residents and workers across the Oxford Road Corridor.

“We are delighted that such a culturally significant and important pub is set to open its doors once again.”

Ruth from the new Abbey team commented: “We love a good pub. With The Abbey, we’re excited about bringing a brilliant old pub back to life, protecting what people loved about it, and creating something special: a great local, alongside a vital grassroots music venue for the area.

“We’re honouring the pub’s history while building its future.”

the abbey beer garden manchester science park
the abbey pub university of manchester
pieminister menu manchester
Credit: The Manc

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

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