Eats

Another Deansgate Square restaurant closes as Salvi’s shuts down

'Grazie Mille a tutti'

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 12th August 2025

Salvi’s has announced the closure of one of its restaurants, in another blow for Deansgate Square.

The much-loved, decades-old Italian restaurant group opened the sprawling 3,000 sq ft restaurant in the luxury skyscraper neighbourhood back in 2022.

While its other sites around town have always been cosy, traditional trattorias, Salvi’s went for a more lavish, luxury and modern touch in Deansgate Square.

It was nestled down beneath the city’s swankiest apartments and was split into a heated drinks terrace, elegant restaurant space, Italian deli, bar, and private dining room.

But now, Salvi’s has announced the closure of its Deansgate Square restaurant.

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The Italian spot has shut down with immediate effect, teasing that it’s going to ‘make way for an exciting new concept in Manchester’.

All reservations for Deansgate Square will be honoured at their other, original site at the Corn Exchange.

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Salvi’s wrote in a statement on Instagram: “When one door closes, another opens… From tonight Salvi’s Deansgate Square is saying ciao to make way for an exciting new concept in Manchester!

“You can still get your Salvi’s fix at the Corn Exchange. All bookings will be honoured there and we’ll be in touch soon if you’ve got a reservation with us.

Salvi's in Deansgate Square has shut down
Salvi’s in Deansgate Square has shut down
It's the second restaurant closure at Deansgate Square in as many months
It’s the second restaurant closure at Deansgate Square in as many months

“Grazie Mille a tutti.”

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One person commented: “So sad to hear but also excited to hear that there is something to look forward to.”

Another said: “Only there last night, cant believe that.”

And someone else simply wrote: “I’m starting a protest.”

This is the second restaurant closure at Deansgate Square in as many months – back in June, critically-acclaimed Medlock Canteen also shut down for good.

Medlock Canteen wrote: “With heavy hearts, we’re announcing the closure of Medlock Canteen. When we opened our doors 18 months ago, our dream was simple: to build a neighbourhood spot where everyone felt welcome, serving proper good food you know, love and can’t wait to eat.

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“But the current climate has made that dream a tough one to sustain. Rising costs, increased taxes, and tighter spending have created challenges we’ve fought hard to overcome but, sadly, they’re ones we just can’t compete with.

“We’re proud to say our amazing team has been looked after, with payroll up to date and everyone offered roles elsewhere in our family of venues. If you’ve got opportunities going, drop us a message – we’d love to pass them on to anyone ready for their next chapter.”

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

The modest and unassuming Chinese restaurant serving some of the best dim sum in town

Danny Jones Danny Jones Chef Diao Northern Quarter Manchester Chinese food review

Do you have those same few places that pass all the time, but for one reason or another, you never end up actually walking in and simply keep repeating “Oh, I’ve been meaning to go there for ages” whenever it comes up in conversation?

Because we certainly do, and it’s becoming a somewhat chronic problem at this point.

So much so, in fact, that we’ve now declared war on this foolish and completely self-imposed culinary inertia, because we recently took the plunge and finally visited a Chinese spot in the Northern Quarter that we’ve been meaning to try for ages, and we’re more frustrated with ourselves than ever.

Put simply, it did not disappoint.

This is Chef Diao over on Oldham Street in the NQ Quarter, and it might just be up there with our newest favourites in the entire city centre.

Eponymously named after head chef Zhenwen Diao himself, whose CV spans more than three and a half decades working in fiery kitchens all over the world – and it shows.

He and his talented cooks aren’t just self-proclaimed ‘dim sum experts’; they’ve well and truly earned this title through consistently good albeit deceptively quiet trade over the course of nearly a decade now.

Chef Diao is a master of everything from dumplings and hand-pulled noodles to traditional Cantonese specialities, more contemporary takes on Chinese classics and everything in between.

But besides a pretty feature wall and a nice bar, the interior is simple and straightforward – they just want to get you sat down at your table to enjoy the area in which they really shine: the scran.

Our order featured multiple recommendations from the extensive dim sum menu, one noodle main and one rice-based dish, as well as a smattering of other selections.

Here’s a closer look at what arrived at the table.

cantonese restaurants manchester
Chef Diao menu
The star of the show, for our money.
baozi manchester chinese
Slightly rude looking, we know…
Chef Diao NQ Manchester
(Credit: The Manc Eats)

What you’re looking at is not only an incredible selection of dumplings, gyozas, pork and prawn siu mai, among many other siu mai, but an incredible saucy and sizzling Cantonese steak dish, that incredible red rice paper number (top right), just to spotlight a few.

There were also these super flavourful boiled ribs over steaming white rice, which packed a lovely amount of succulent flavour when eaten off the bone with a touch of soy sauce; a very solid chow mein-style chicken dish centred around noodles with the perfect amount of chew.

Chef Diao‘s soup dumplings were a standout, too, done so soft and delicately, helping round off a wonderfully authentic spread of bamboo steamers and perfectly portioned plates.

Not a bad mouthful in sight.

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Bringing a wealth of experience from his time in the likes of China and Vietnam, as well as the likes of local restaurants such as Ocean Treasure over in Middleton for a time, Chef Diao and his team opened back in 2021 and have gradually grown a loyal following.

This is not to say that they’re unheard of or that busy isn’t steady, by the way; they’ve certainly been on the radar among plenty of those more in the know, although it’s no way near as busy as it should be given the sheer quality and skill on show.

So if you’re looking for a new Chinese restaurant that can pull out all the stops in central Manchester, we urge you to give the understated but undeniably impressive Chef Diao a try.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

Manchester newcomer Skof named Restaurant of the Year in prestigious awards

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Tom Barnes and the Skof team outside the restaurant. Credit: Cristian Barnett.

Skof has just been named the best restaurant in England at the prestigious AA Awards, just 18 months after opening in Manchester.

The newcomer already has a dazzling collection of awards, having scooped a Michelin Star within its first year, and being named the Best New Restaurant at the Good Food Guide Awards (the Good Food Guide described Skof as being ‘as close to a perfect restaurant as you can get’).

And now Skof has won big at the 2025 Awards, winning the coveted AA Restaurant of the Year award at a ceremony in London last night.

It was also given three AA Rosettes.

Skof has been the first solo project from chef Tom Barnes, who cut his teeth at the three Michelin Star L’Enclume in the Lake District.

It opened last May in an old textile warehouse just a short stroll from Manchester Victoria.

Since then, it’s earned place in SquareMeal’s T100 for 2025 as the highest new entry at number eight, collected two accolades at the Manchester Food and Drink Awards, and was highlighted in Condé Nast Traveler’s Top New Restaurants 2024.

Tom said of the award: “This really is such a wonderful way to be recognised for what we do at Skof. I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve in such a short space of time.

“I’ve got an incredible team who are so dedicated, we work hard but we do it together. I’m also grateful for Manchester’s warm welcome, and for the guests who support us – we’re so lucky to now have both new diners and regulars coming through the doors.

“We will continue to push on from our amazing first year across all levels of the Skof experience, from dish development and drinks pairings, to the overall guest journey. There’s a lot of exciting things to come in the Skof story.”

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Featured image: Cristian Barnett 

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