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Sam Ridgway - 11th February 2020

Eats

Upcoming Manc food hall House of Social confirms final kitchen ahead of opening

Danny Jones

new final kitchen manchester food hall house of social

House of Social, another new food hall in Manchester city centre, has confirmed the latest and last edition ahead of its launch this summer.

The soon-to-open student block and its upcoming culinary offerings will be here before you know, and now, just over a month out from the grand unveiling, the fifth and final foodie resident has been revealed.

We’ll give you a hint: it’s pizza… very pretty-looking pizza.

Courtesy of Dough Religion (DR), a new Manc pizza restaurant, they’ll soon be slinging out stonebaked pies that already have a strong reputation and a very cool backstory in the local area.

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A post shared by House of Social Manchester (@houseofsocial_mcr)

Co-conceived by Chef Chris Edwards, who first began his venture during quarantine from the cult lockdown project dubbed ‘The Waltzing Matilda‘ – a floating pizza place serving slices from a cute little canal boat – and Matt Butcher, who created Dough Religion, the brand and idea have grown much bigger.

Teaming up with House of Social’s Jake Atkinson, who is heading up food and drink at the building,

Waltzing Matilda can be found cruising around Greater Manchester, Macclesfield, the Peak Forest Canal, other parts of Cheshire and out into the North West, but now that established, wood-fired spirit Chris set up with his dad, Paul, is being translated into a proper brick-and-mortar venue here in the city centre.

Dough Religion will serve up giant 18-inch pizzas, whole or by the slice, alongside a full lineup of house-made subs, bagels, and a rotating lineup of desserts and bakes.

Those eating at House of Social (HoS) can expect burrata-topped slices, vodka sauce pizza and fried-chicken Caesar hoagies; New York-inspired bakes, showstopping cheesecakes, standout ingredients from the UK and imported from Italy, as well as plenty more.

Its arrival comes after a Mexican and LA street food spot was named as the fourth tenant at HoS.

A new ‘Mexicali’ food concept is the latest vendor confirmed for the upcoming House of Social food hall

The House of Social food lineup is looking stacked.

Speaking on the announcement, Edwards said: “This dough’s been years in the making – tested, tweaked, and obsessively perfected. The pizza is a hybrid of Neapolitan softness and New York chew and crisp; we’re focusing on long fermentation and the best flour available to really maximise the dough.

“The boat was magic, but it had its limits. With Dough Religion, we’ve got the space, the kit, and the crew to go all in. This isn’t going to be your traditional pizza place– it’s bold, loud, and built to share.”

With Dough Religion completing things on the kitchen front, House of Social’s hospitality lineup promises plenty of variety and quality. Roll on August, we say.

The team are hoping for it to become a go-to destination for diners throughout Manchester and beyond, with the food hall craze not showing any signs of slowing down. Case and point:

And it's a foodie one. 👀

Read more here. ➡️ https://t.co/5qVfwPxcAt #GreaterManchester #MCR pic.twitter.com/bn1q2hsxg3
— The Manc (@TheMancUK) July 1, 2025

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Featured Images — Press images (supplied)

Eats

Mancs slam ‘glow down’ of beloved Northern Quarter book shop cafe

Daisy Jackson How Chapter One used to look

One of the Northern Quarter’s cosiest cafes has gone through some big changes – and people aren’t happy about it.

Chapter One has traded for years as a cosy cafe-book shop hybrid, with cosy couches and quiet corners where people often sit and study, work or read.

But in recent months, it’s joined forces with the outdoor food and drink spot, Mala, just next door.

It means that a lot of the cosy couches and peace of Chapter One have been replaced to create one open-plan mega-venue.

As you enter Chapter One now, you’ll find the usual quirky mismatched furniture has been joined by picnic tables and benches, to match the maximalist beer garden Mala outside.

The two venues now seamlessly blend into one another – including the loud music.

And Mancs have got something to say about it.

When we shared a video walk-through of the new layout, one person commented: “Name a bigger glow down. I’ll wait.”

Another said: “I loved chapter one for the calm, space to read on my own or chat with a friend. Not anymore. Farewell chapter one.”

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Someone else posted: “I’m so sad they got rid of the library… It used to be special and my absolute favourite place in the city centre.”

And one person wrote: “Completely ruined it. Got rid of the cosy sofas and hidden nooks, just for more tables and music far too loud. Overpriced and lost her charm, it seems :(“

Somebody else said: “Haven’t been since it changed, chapter one used to be a sober safe haven in the city centre to find peace and they’ve got rid of exactly the reason why it was so loved! So sad.”

@__rachelharley__
I just want my cosy, peaceful coffee shop back where I can read my book and not have to wait half an hour for a drink – I actually cannot understand why they’ve done this💔 #manchester #chapteronebooks #coffeeshop #manchesterlife #booktok #manchesterstudent #chapterone
♬ original sound – RachelHarley

Over on Reddit, one local posted: “I am so so so disappointed with what they’ve done, why does every after hours social space have to involve an ungodly amount of noise and alcohol these days? It was my favourite place to go to hang out with friends, we’re mostly introverted and like a relaxing place.”

One person posted on TikTok: “Where do we go now Chapter One Books has been absolutely destroyed? I just want my cosy, peaceful coffee shop back where I can read my book and not have to wait half an hour for a drink – I actually cannot understand why they’ve done this.”

The Manc has approached Chapter One for comment.

Featured Image – The Manc Group