Eats

All the May Manchester restaurant deals, discounts and offers you need in 2023

From 50% off to bottomless wings and brunches, and set menus at some of Manchester's top restaurants, there is loads to try.

Georgina Pellant Georgina Pellant - 15th May 2023

When it comes to dining out in Manchester on a budget, there are plenty of great restauraunts offering deals and set menus to help you save a few pennies without comprising on taste.

This May, we’ve handpicked some of the best Manchester restaurant deals, discounts and offers to help you head out and support your local independents without breaking the bank.

From bottomless brunches and wing feasts, to 50% off the whole menu at Northern Quarter favourites Trof and The Pen and Pencil and half-price tasting menus at Masterchef winner Simon Wood’s First Street restaurant, there’s so much to get stuck into this May.

Keep reading to find out the best Manchester bar and restaurant deals to put on your list this month.

50% off food and drink – Manchester May dining deals

Image: Bab
Image: Bab

Bab

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What is it: Casual venue with an industrial vibe, prepping meze & kebabs with homemade sauces & marinades.

The offer: Two courses and bottomless drinks for £40.

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T&Cs:  Available Fridays only in May between 3-10pm (last sitting at 8pm). 

The Blues Kitchen

What is it: Dedicated blues bar serving hickory-smoked comfort food, plus regular live music & DJs.

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The offer: 90 minutes of bottomless wings for £12.

T&Cs: Offer available every Sunday from 12-6pm.

La Bandera

What is it: Market-fresh, classic Spanish cuisine in airy, contemporary space with yellow booths and banquettes.

The offer: Drink and pintxos for £5.

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T&Cs: Available from 4pm until close every Thursday and Friday.

The Pen and Pencil

What is it: New York-influenced all day kitchen serving imaginative menus, as well as craft beers & cocktails.

The offer: 50% off all food.

T&Cs: Available every Monday in May when you pre-book.

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Trof

What is it: Venue with a dedicated bourbon bar, gigs, open-mic nights and quizzes, plus food from breakfast on.

The offer: 50% off food.

T&Cs: Available all day on Tuesdays throughout May when you pre-book.

Wood

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What is it: MasterChef Simon Wood’s high-end restaurant down at First Street, perfect for a pre-theatre treat.

The offer: 50% off Wood’s tasting menu (£110 down to £55).

T&Cs: Available every Wednesday throughout May.

More Manchester May dining deals

Image: Volta
Image: Volta

20 Stories

What is it: High-style destination in a shopping complex for modern British dining & cocktails & sweeping views.

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The offer: Three courses for £22.50.

T&Cs:  Available Monday to Friday between 12-3pm.  

The Alan:

What is it: Hotel and restaurant favoured by Jay Rayer, located across the street from Manchester Art Gallery.

The offer: Four dishes for £25.

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T&Cs: Available seven days a week between the hours of 12-4pm and 5-6pm.

Image: Albert’s Schloss
Image: Albert’s Schloss

Albert’s Schloss

What is it: Bavarian-style beer cellar for traditional German food and pilsner beers on tap and in bottles.

The offer: Three courses for £27.

T&Cs: Available every Sunday from 12-9pm.

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Asha’s

What is it: Contemporary Indian cuisine in a sophisticated, low-lit venue with plush drapes and gold finishings.

The offer: Three courses for £23.95 and a complimentary glass of Indian lager.

T&Cs: Available every Friday between 1-5pm.

Bird of Prey

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What is it: Fried chicken and smashed burger joint at Circle Square on Oxford Road.

The offer: Selected burger, fries and soda for £10 / Three wings, fries and a soda for £5.95.

T&Cs: Available seven days a week from 11.30am-2.30pm. 

Block Steak Shop at Canvas

What is it: Affordable steak shop that doesn’t comprise on quality.

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The offer: Two mains and house wine for £25.

T&Cs: Available every Wednesday, no bookings required.

Bundobust

What is it: Casual craft beer bar serving Indian street food menu amid bare brick and wooden benches and tables.

The offer: Two dishes for £8.50.

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T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday, 12-4pm.

Cibo

What is it: Modern cafe/restaurant and prosecco bar, for Italian pizzas, grill dishes and sharing plates.

The offer: Three courses for £19.99.

T&Cs: Available Sunday to Friday between 5-7pm.

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Colleen’s Ramsbottom

What is it: A modern British restaurant located in Ramsbottom, north of Manchester.

The offer: Three courses for £18.

T&Cs: Available from the ‘menu of the day’ only, Wednesday to Friday between 5-6.30pm.

Image: Cottonopolis
Image: Cottonopolis

Cottonopolis

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What is it: Lively destination for Asian-inspired menus in a warehouse-style venue with a full bar.

The offer: Two dishes and a side for £13.  

T&Cs: Available on the express lunch menu, served from 12-3pm Monday to Friday.

Dokes Pizzeria

What is it: Restaurant serving seasonal pizzas using the finest British ingredients from the team behind Manchester favourite Elnecot.

The offer: 30% off bottles of wine when dining in.

T&Cs: Available all day Wednesday throughout May.

Edinburgh Castle

What is it: Historic 19th-century haunt offering pub grub, plus weekly live folk music & outdoor seating.

The offer: Two courses for £30.

T&Cs: From the set menu, served 5-6.30pm Wednesday to Thursday, and 12-3pm and 5-6.30pm Friday and Saturday.

El Capo

What is it: Mexican and Latin American dishes, plus tequila menu, in casual, bare-brick space with a tiled bar.

The offer: £1 tacos (usually £7.50 for three)

T&Cs: Available Monday – Thursday from 5pm.

Elnecot

What is it: Narrow, industrial spot offering cocktails, British small plates, weekend brunch & Sunday roasts.

The offer: Soup and a sandwich for £8. 30% off bottles of wine.

T&Cs:  Lunch deal available weekdays from 11am to 3pm. Wine deals available every Wednesday throughout May.

Image: Elnecot
Image: Elnecot

El Gato

What is it: Tapas & drinks are provided in this 3-storey converted townhouse that has stylish interiors.

The offer: Three plates for £18.

T&Cs:  Available between 12-4pm Monday to Friday and all day Sunday. 

Hawksmoor

What is it:

The offer: Three courses for £29, £5 corkage on Mondays.

T&CS: Set menu available during lunch opening hours only (except Sundays). 

Tattu

What is it: Modern Chinese cuisine and cocktails in sophisticated, dark wood bar/restaurant with carved screens.

The offer: Three plates for £28.

T&Cs: Available Sunday to Friday from 12-4.30pm and Saturday 12-2.45pm from the Moon Stand menu only.

The New Cross

What is it:  Anew taproom style beer bar in Manchester city centre not far from Ancoats serving up chargrilled kebabs and beers.

The offer: Kebab and a pint or selected drink for £10.

T&Cs: Available every Thursday from 5-9pm.

Volta

What is it: Small plates, deli boards and charcuterie in an intimate bistro bar with wall lamps and a terrace.

The offer: £30 for eight to 11 sharing dishes, designed for a minimum of two.

T&Cs: Available all day every day at Volta throughout May.

 

Featured image – Volta

Eats

The best pasta places in and around Manchester

Danny Jones Danny Jones the best pasta places in manchester

Besides the all-season pizza, we would argue that pasta is arguably the pizza we will happily eat pretty much any time of you (god, the Italians really do have it cracked, don’t they?), so we thought it was about high time we put together a list of the best places to find it in and around Manchester.

That’s right, it’s time for another ‘listicle’, so buckle up and unbutton your pants.

Whether it be a city centre star or a beloved off-the-beaten-path favourite out in the boroughs, Greater Manchester as a whole really does do Italian restaurants well and pasta, specifically, if you ask.

From well-known names you’ve probably eaten at already yourselves, to hopefully a few hidden gems that have somehow flown under your radar, here is The Manc‘s round-up of the best pasta places the Manchester foodie scene has to offer.

The best places for pasta in the city centre

1. Lina Stores – St. John’s

Up first is one we’ve visited a fair few times since it landed here from London and really has taken to life up North rather well. Lina MCR, just opposite Spinningfields and just off Deansgate on Quay Street, is their first foray into our city and captures the same laid-back split between delicatessen and restaurant.

Actually, it’s even more than that; this place rolls cafe, bar and evening eatery all into one, serving up stunning pasta dishes, delectable desserts, a great wine selection and some seriously stunning starters, sides and small plates to boot – we’re thinking of the fried ricotta, specifically…

lina stores manchester
lina stores desserts
Credit: The Manc Eats

2. The Pasta Factory – Shudehill

Onto number two, and not only one of the most popular Manchester pasta spots, but a place that has recently surpassed more than 10 years here in the city centre. To some of us, it seems like just yesterday that they first opened their doors, but they’ve been serving us for a good long while now.

The parents of nearby Noi Quattro, which sits just across the road in the Northern Quarter, Pasta Factory sits just on the corner around from Victoria, and their prawn-filled miso butter pasta with burrata is to die for. Better still, you can buy their various shapes, styles and sauces to take home on your way out.

3. Anatra – Exhibition

They say three is the magic number, so they must have been talking about Anatra, which is well and truly something special. Popping up in the increasingly enticing Exhibition food hall and bar over on Peter Street back in August 2025, they’ve made a great first impression.

Head chef Grant may be from Stoke, but he still knows all about serving up tasty and substantial food to Northerners fed up of getting home after a rainy day and warming up a ready meal. Think thick, handmade pasta with the perfect bite, with big flavours like saffron, burnt chilli and brown crab butter.

best pasta places in manchester
best italian restraurants in manchester
Credit: The Manc Group

4. Soots – Tib Street

For number four, we have nothing but praise for the purely plant-based excellence that is Soots Pasta, created by owners and co-founders Ellie Proudfoot and Ruth Duarte, who’ve quietly become not only one of the best pasta restaurants in town but one of the best vegan restaurants in Manchester, too.

Named after their dog and starting out life in Altrincham Market, they’ve become a real lovely hospitality story in what is an increasingly difficult sector. We can’t speak highly enough of how much we love these guys; in fact, so much so that you can read even more about this wonderful place down below.

Inside Soots, the tiny new pasta restaurant in the Northern Quarter

5. Onda – Circle Square

Now, naturally, we couldn’t possibly right up a list of the best pasta places in Manchester city centre, the UK, or otherwise, without mentioning the social media sensation that is Onda, which on its day really does live up to the hype. At least it has every time we’ve managed to visit, anyway.

Starting out as an Ancoats pop-up over at New Cross, they quickly became famous for their viral ‘Tiramisu Drawer’, where they pull out giant scoops of the classic Italian dessert by the big spoonful. However, they are also known for VERY good pasta, such as their carbonara and vodka ‘nduja lamache.

@the.manc @Onda Pasta Bar finally has its own restaurant, with beautiful pasta and of course, the viral tiramisu drawer 🤤 #onda #manchester #newopening #manchesterfood #pasta #foodie ♬ Hip Hop Background(813690) – Pavel

6. Salvi’s – Corn Exchange

From the new school to the old faithful, there aren’t many Italian restaurants that’ve been doing this in Manchester as long as Salvi’s has, and you could argue that they set many trends in motion decades before they ever took off. They’re part of the city’s dining heritage, as far as we’re concerned.

For instance, they’re still one of the places we remember doing a mozzarella bar, or offering customers the chance to buy authentic ingredients from ‘il Bel Paese‘, and if you’ve never sat down for a bowl of pasta in here, you haven’t lived basically. Hyperbole? Maybe, but the food is bloody good, that’s no lie.

salvi's menu manchester
italian delis manchester
Credit: The Manc

7. Circolo Popolare – St. Michael’s

Another new kid on the block that’s trying to carve out its own space in Manchester’s Italian food scene is one that we don’t just fully expect to do so, but would wager already has, even if it hasn’t only been in our neck of the woods for what feels like five minutes. Part of Big Mamma Group, Circolo is a juggernaut.

One of the most beautiful spaces we’ve ever stepped foot in – and no, that isn’t a slight exaggeration – the Italian restaurant sat at the foot of Gary Neville’s growing St. Michael’s skyscraper is a tribute to lemons and indulgence. It may have competition in Chotto Matte, but it’ll certainly handle itself.

@the.manc At last, Circolo Popolare is ready to open in Manchester, with jasmine-covered ceilings, huge pasta bowls, and a gigantic wibbly-wobbly tower of a lemon meringue pie. 🍋 It's officially opening on 6 June and this is one you want to get straight in your calendar. #themanc #manchester #manc #mcr #circolopopolare #bigmammagroup #italian #italianfood #newopening #manchesterfood #manchestereats #manchesterfoodie #manchesterrestaurants ♬ original sound – The Manc

8. The Sparrows – Cheetham Hill

From glitteringly gorgeous rooms to even more beautiful food, we’ve lost track of how many times someone has told us that their favourite restaurant in Manchester is The Sparrows Continental Pasta & Spätzle, to give them they’re rarely used full title.

And, to be honest, we wouldn’t disagree; even in all our years of eating incredible food in Manchester city centre and further afield, the Green Quarter spot offers some of the most unique takes on pasta noodles you’ll ever test, bringing in various global influences and some of the highest quality ingredients around.

The best local restaurants in Greater Manchester have been named by the Good Food Guide
They were always bound to end up here.

9. Bruco – Ancoats

Heading over to Ancoats, and it’s safe to say that the brilliant Bruco has some very big fans in the office over here, not to mention many more throughout the district and the Manc culinary community as a whole. This Italian spot still feels criminally unsung by the masses, but we’re big cheerleaders.

Striking that balance between bar and kitchen, they specialise in small plates and spritzes, but dishes like butternut squash gnocchi, minted lamb ragu pappardelle, fennel sausage orecchiette and slow-cooked short rib lasagne would stand out on the menu of any of the best pasta restaurants in Manchester.

bruco manchester menu
bruco ancoats
Credit: The Manc

10. Italiana Fifty Five – Great Northern, Liverpool Road and Didsbury

And in a number 10, we have to give a special shout-out to one of the most reliable Italian restaurant groups in Manchester: Italiana Fifty Five, formerly known as Cibo, but still serving up solid pasta and more for some of the best prices you’ll find in the city centre.

They may have rebranded, but this small but accessible chain rarely disappoints, and it’s also worth noting that they regularly rotate deals and promotions to keep sitting down to eat good scran in town as affordably as possible. It’s important work, and we’re glad they take it seriously and are consistent, too.

Where to go for pasta beyond central Manchester

11. Lucky Mama’s – Chorlton

Moving out of the city limits and towards the outskirts and various different areas that are each wrapped up in a scran-obsessed world of their own, we’re heading to the ever-charming Chorlton and that stretch of Barlow Moor Road that is long enough to offer up so many good places to eat and drink.

It’s possible that you know Lucky Mama’s best for their big pizzas, but of late, we’re becoming much more enamoured with their somewhat ridiculous but undeniably delicious pasta-filled pizza bowls. Yes, you heard us right, and yes, it is as fantastic and filling as it sounds. Here’s more carbs on carbs.

@the.manc Carbs inside carbs? We’ll be dreaming about this place for weeks. 😍 For this week’s Takeaway Champions we hopped on over to Chorlton to visit @LUCKY MAMA’S for their famous pasta inside a pizza bowl plus a brand new 2-in-1 dish. #themanc #manchester #luckymamas #chorlton #manchesterrestaurants #italian #pizza #pasta #manchesterfood #manchestereats #takeaway #manchestertakeaway #takeawayfood ♬ original sound – The Manc

12. Ornella’s Kitchen – Denton (and MCR city centre)

Over to Tameside now and Ornella’s, which is also up there in the conversation for the most raved-about Italian restaurants and pasta spots in Greater Manchester; that’s not just our opinion, either, ask the hundreds of incredible five-star reviews they have online. And rightly so, we hasten to add.

Not too long ago, they opened up a second location in Freight Island, meaning we city folk don’t have to go too far to try their amazing food, but in all honesty, we’d travel miles and miles for this stuff. Take it from us, you simply cannot leave without trying the pistachio carbonara and the beef shin pappardelle.

13. Lupo Caffè Italiano – Prestwich

Moving in the Bury direction now and over to the leafy suburb of Prestwich, how does eating some of the best Italian food you’ve probably ever had in this country in a rustic cafe, bar, pasticceria and restaurant in an unsuspecting old industrial estate? We’ll assume we have your attention…

It might sound rough and ready on the surface, but trust us, there’s no trade-off between style and substance; it’s one of the coolest places to eat in Greater Manchester and does some of the best pasta around, for our money. The amatriciana is unreal, and the fennel sausage one is also unbelievable.

14. Casa Italia – Didsbury

Our penultimate pick is another south Manchester outpost famous for fantastic restaurants, so it’s no surprise that they also have plenty of great Italians, too: Casa Italia being just one of them, but perhaps our favourite of the lot – at least in this Didsbury, anyway.

More of a chill deli with pretty stocks of produce lining the walls and a healthy counter packed full of goodies, both savoury and sweet, we’ve had many memorable meals in here, and it was actually one of the first places we tried a cannelloni. You always remember your first, and we always will.

casa italia didsbury
casa italia manchester
Make sure to check out their digital store as well. (Credit: The Manc)

15. Little Scarfs – Stockport

Last but not least, please ignore the grammatical error: they don’t care about tense here, they’re just interested in serving you up really good plates of pasta, and they do; in fact, they might be some of the best you’ll find in Stockport, full stop.

A little birdie who recently moved to the town told us about this one, and all we’ll say is that there’s some just so wholesome about it from top to bottom. They also have one of the prettiest aesthetics we’ve come across of late – see for yourself, then go try the food and let us know how mint it was.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

Popular Japanese restaurant Sticks’n’Sushi is coming to Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Popular Japanese restaurant Sticks'n'Sushi is coming to Manchester

Sticks’n’Sushi is set to open in the North West for the first time, announcing a brand-new restaurant in Manchester.

It’s a Danish brand but a Japanese restaurant, with 16 sites nationwide so far proving its popularity.

Sticks’n’Sushi serves (as if you hadn’t guessed) a menu of sushi dishes as well as grilled meats served on sticks.

They’re set to take over the long-empty Iberica site, right in the heart of Spinningfields, creating 75 new jobs for the city in the process.

The two-storey restaurant space will accommodate 246 guests across a ground floor restaurant and mezzanine level, with a huge L-shaped outdoor terrace.

It’ll be designed by Berlin architects Diener & Diener, who will create a space that blends Japanese architectural influences with Scandinavian aesthetics.

Sticks’n’Sushi is founded by half-Japanese, half-Danish, brothers Jens and Kim Rahbek, and Thor Anderson in Copenhagen.

They have 12 restaurants in and around the Danish capital, as well as three in Berlin, and now Manchester is set to be the 17th UK site for Sticks’n’Sushi.

The menu will feature the brand’s signature sharing dishes of sushi, sashimi, salads and grilled sticks, available à la carte or in generous set menus.

Expect favourites like Ebi Bites (tempura shrimp with miso aioli, lime and chilli) and the Maki Maki selection of four signature rolls.

The sharing side of things includes a premium selection of build-your-own handrolls, maki and sticks, and classic Japanese grills like Shōyu Tebasaki (chicken wings marinated in garlic, ginger, tamari and soy), Gindara No Miso (miso-glazed black cod), and Aka Ebi (shrimp in gochujang and garlic butter).

The drinks menu showcases sake, Japanese teas, cocktails, premium spirits, and beer – including the brand’s own-label yuzu pale ale – alongside a concise wine selection.

Andreas Karlsson, SticksʹnʹSushi Group CEO, said: “Manchester is an important milestone in our UK growth strategy – it’s been on our radar for many years, and we’re delighted to have found the perfect space for us.

“Manchester is a city that celebrates creativity, culture and great food – and that’s exactly the kind of place where SticksʹnʹSushi belongs.

“We’re excited to create new jobs, meet our new neighbours, and introduce our unique blend of Danish design and Japanese dining to the city.”

Sticks’n’sushi is set to open in Spinningfields in Manchester next spring.

Read more

Featured image: Supplied

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