A brand-new modern steak house is openings its doors in Manchester next month, and Meatworks has chosen Circle Square as the perfect location for its flagship UK restaurant.
Famed and respected for being burger specialists, they’re also the same team behind the hugely successful smash burger Boo and Midlands butchery, Halal Editions.
The new 52-cover casual restaurant space will be offering traditional burger patties and smash burgers, merging them with some incredible and unique flavours.
That’s alongside delicious steaks, and if you weren’t hungry enough already, their signature small plates like cheeseburger dumplings and slow-cooked short rib pancakes.
Manchester’s newest steakhouse is bringing some extraordinary offers with them too as guests can grab ‘Lunchtime value specials’ which includes a smash burger and fries for just £10.
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It’s going to become everyone’s go-to as not only does it cater to the fast-paced grab-and-go eating habits of the Manchester public, the evening brings a more relaxed dinner setting.
Meatworks will be an alcohol-free restaurant but the drink menu features mocktails like the kiwi mojito to the lychee and lemongrass mocktail.
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The inside of Manchester’s newest steak joint ‘Meatworks’. Credit: Supplied
The landmark neighbourhood, from Bruntwood SciTech and Vita Group, is in the heart of Manchester’s Oxford Road Corridor and centred around the beautiful Symphony Park.
Meatworks joins this rapidly-growing neighbourhood alongside Onda Pasta Bar, North Tap Room, Federal Cafe Bar, Detroit Slims, Ambers and Doug’s, who all take up residence in this site.
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Charlotte Wild, Head of Retail & Leisure for Bruntwood SciTech, shared: “Meatworks represents yet another fantastic new reason to visit Circle Square.
“After an extraordinary year of new openings in 2024 we’ve built a vibrant community of hospitality innovators here on the Oxford Road Corridor, and it’s great to kick off 2025 with another great addition to the community.
“This independent, quality steak house and eatery will fit perfectly into the destination and we can’t wait to welcome them.”
Meatworks are shouting out about their ‘Damn fine burgers’ at Circle Square. Credit: Supplied
Jake Atkinson, Head of Food & Beverage for Vita Group, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Meatworks to Circle Square. Known for their exceptional cuts, bold flavours, and attention to detail.
“Their arrival enhances the diverse dining scene at Circle Square, and we’re excited for Manchester to enjoy a new experience.”
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Mohammed Suleman from Meatworks added: “We’re thrilled to be opening Meatworks and share our passion for great food with the people of Manchester. Burgers and high quality meats are in our DNA and we’re excited to bring our expertise to Circle Square and its growing community.
“The destination is the perfect location for our first opening in the city. We promise to offer bold flavours and innovative dishes and can’t wait to welcome our first customers.”
Meatworks is set to open on 5 February at Circle Square and will be open from Tuesday to Sunday between 12pm to 11pm every week with both walk-ins and bookings welcome.
Bundobust has hit the free beer klaxon again, giving away hundreds of pints next week after a ‘real mess-up’.
The beloved Indian street food brand, which has two sites in Manchester as well as its OG restaurant over in Leeds, shared a statement that says ‘Well this is embarrassing’.
Bundobust has revealed it had planned a huge free pint giveaway for National Beer Day on Monday…
Except National Beer Day isn’t actually until June. They were looking at the American calendar, the silly sausages.
But not one to throw a good marketing stunt away, Bundobust has decided to crack on with its free beer giveaway as planned, on one condition – you must order in an American accent.
The restaurant will be handing out hundreds of free pints of its own Bundobust Brewery beer on Monday 7 April.
Just pop in with a friend, and any time one of you orders a beer and wishes them a ‘Happy National Beer Day’ (don’t forget the accent) you get a free beer for you and your mate.
Bundobust said: “Well this is embarrassing. We’ve really messed up this time.
“For weeks now, we’ve been planning to give away hundreds of FREE PINTS of Bundobust Brewery beer this National Beer Day, Monday 7th April.
Bundobust is giving away free beers after ’embarrassing mess-up’. Credit: The Manc Group
“All you’d have to do is bring a friend in, any time one of you got a Bundobust Brewery beer and wishes us “Happy National Beer Day” you’d get your beer PLUS a free one to give to your mate.
“So simple. So elegant! Only one problem though. Monday 7th April is National Beer Day in America. Ours is 15th June.
“We don’t want to wait that long though!! Also we’ve already programmed the “free beer for a mate” button into the till, which takes a good 5 minutes, so we’re going to go ahead with it this Monday 7th April!
“There’s one catch though: you have to do an American accent when you say “Happy National Beer Day”. Deal? See y’all on Monday, pardner.”
Their cock-up is our win – free beer deal is available at all Bundobust sites from 12pm on Monday.
A much-loved independent Manchester cafe is heading out of the city centre for the first time as they plan to open a brand new premises over in Bolton.
Bolton as a town and wider borough has no shortage of cosy little caffs, but the addition of this latest place for a brew, butty and a bake is sure to be an instant hit just as it was in Ancoats.
To call Cafe Cotton a cult favourite would be grossly understating things at this point: the Blossom St spot tucked into Hallé St Peter’s is not only a beautiful space inside but looks out onto Manchester’s trendy and ever-bustling Cutting Room Square, making it a great place to sit with a coffee.
With that in mind, as they prepare to open their third location further out towards Lancashire, Boltonians have every reason to be very excited.
Cafe Cotton is coming to a town in Bolton. (Credit: The Manc Group)
The indie success story began way back in 2013, if you can believe that, serving sandwiches, sweet treats and more to the Manc masses.
Oh yeah, they also do bloody brilliant coffee that’s considered some of the best in the city.
Opening another venue on the ground floor of Neptune Mill in neighbouring Piccadilly East just this past January, the expansion of the brand has been a relatively steady one despite more than a decade of loyal patrons and new customers becoming each year.
However, good things come to those who wait, as we’re sure the Bolton natives will vouch for when the next Cafe Cotton opens up in Farnworth Green.
The opening date might still be up in the air, but here’s a little glimpse at the kind of goodness they can expect to enjoy:
The new addition is part of the overall Farnworth regeneration project, which is being headed up by investors Capital and Centric, who are famously responsible for numerous new developments in and around Manchester in recent years. Over £20 million has been set aside for the wider plans.
Cotton Cafe’s founder, Chris Griffith, said of the soon-to-open site: “We’ve been on an amazing journey growing Cotton, and we’re incredibly grateful for the loyal following we’ve cultivated. Now, Farnworth Green feels like the perfect next step.
“This isn’t just about opening another café; it’s about investing in a community. The bakery is a big move for us too, allowing us to craft everything from scratch and supply all our locations with freshly made goods.
“We’re also buzzing to team up with Bolton Council to offer apprenticeships, helping young people take their first step into the industry.” The authority itself is actually looking for a project lead as we speak.
Is this the start of a big period of change for Bolton?
Thomas Melia -
29th January 2025 
