For those who’ve been kicking around the Manchester food scene for a while, Croma needs no introduction.
One of Manchester’s most long-standing pizza restaurants, after 22 years in the city the family favourite left fans heartbroken last January as it closed the doors to its original Clarence Street site.
The closure of its Didsbury venue followed this summer, with owners confirming in a statement it was with a “heavy heart” they would be shuttering the Wilmslow Road eatery in May.
Now, a new Italian restaurant has its eyes set on the site at 651A Wilmslow Road – and has revealed plans to breathe new life into the venue with its own offering, which spans freshly-made pizzas, pasta, flaming pasta wheels, and a bottomless brunch with endless prosecco Italian cocktails.
Image: Italiana Fifty Five
Image: Italiana Fifty Five
Italiana Fifty Five, formerly known as Cibo Manchester, already has two popular sites in Manchester city centre at The Great Northern Warehouse and Liverpool Road, Castlefield.
Now, it’s gearing up to take on South Manchester as it swoops into Didsbury Village – but bosses are mindful of Croma’s reputation, and say they have been working ‘very hard’ to meet the ‘high expectations set by [their] predecessors.’
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Speaking to The Manc, a spokesperson from Italiana Fifty Five said: “After the successful rebranding from Cibo Manchester to Italiana, we are excited to share a project that has been in the works for some time.
“We are thrilled to announce that we have taken over the former Croma site in Didsbury. We are fully aware of the high expectations set by our predecessors, and our teams have been working very hard to meet them.
“While we are not yet prepared to disclose the official opening date, we assure you that it will be happening very soon!”
Big Mamma Group opens incredible Italian restaurant Circolo Popolare in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Circolo Popolare, a lavish Italian restaurant from Big Mamma Group, is now ready to open in Manchester for the first time.
This incredible space marks the first time the acclaimed restaurant group has ventured up north, with restaurants already thriving in London and other cities across Europe.
They promised big things from their interiors, and they’ve certainly delivered on that.
As you step inside this two-storey restaurant just off Albert Square (it’s at the foot of Gary Neville’s £400m St Michael’s development), you’ll feel like you’ve been whisked off to an Italian island.
Downstairs in Circolo Popolare in Manchester is a twinkling paradise with a jasmine-clad ceiling, reels of festoon lighting, and antique trinkets tucked into every corner.
The large windows are lined with thousands of vintage booze bottles and on each table you’ll find hand-painted crockery designed especially for Big Mamma Group.
Upstairs, there’s a cosy, ivy-covered space inspired by a Sicilian courtyard, with a huge open kitchen at one end where you can see the chefs at work.
They’re working on dishes like gigantic bowls of truffle pasta, authentic Neapolitan pizzas (made the traditional way with thinner crusts, rather than the puffed-up contemporary style we see so much of these days), and Italian small plates.
As for dessert, the star of the show is their six-inch-tall lemon meringue pie, crowned in a wobbling tower of torched meringue.
But you also shouldn’t skip out on their tiramisu, scooped straight into your bowl table-side.
Circolo Popolare officially opens on 6 June – to book a table, sign up to their newsletter HERE.
Click or swipe through the gallery below to see more of Circolo Popolare in Manchester
Circolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupPizza, pasta and small platesFilippo La Gattuta, founder of Big Mamma GroupA giant lemon meringue pieThousands of vintage alcohol bottlesCocktails at Circolo PopolareThe beautiful bar areaThe open kitchen at Circolo PopolareAuthentic Neapolitan pizzaCircolo Popolare in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupThe private dining roomLamb pastaCocktails at Circolo PopolareTiramisu scooped table-sideHand-painted platesProsciutto and truffle pastaThousands of vintage alcohol bottlesThe private dining roomUpstairs at Circolo Popolare
All the free things you can get with a Great Manchester Run finisher’s medal this year
Danny Jones
What’s the best part about doing the Great Manchester Run, we hear you ask? All the freebies, of course. You’ll be glad to hear there are more free things than ever for finishers this year.
More than 35,000 runners are set to take on the challenge, be it the half marathon or the 10k, and we firmly believe every single one of these legends should be entitled to as much free stuff as possible.
If it were up to us, they wouldn’t pay for anything all day, but hey, we make don’t make the rules.
So yeah, without further ado, here are all the freebies you can get for taking part in the Great Manchester 2025.
Free stuff and offers for Great Manchester Runners to cop in 2025
Without further ado, here are a tonne of freebies, discounts and deals you can grab by simply flashing your finisher’s medals:
Credit: The Manc/Supplied
Dishoom –Complimentary 330ml Kingfisher/Kingfisher Zero (0.0%) for anyone with anyone dining with a finisher’s medal.
Blacklock –Free glass of fizz on us with your medal.
Maray – Free glass of fizz/pint (or non-alcoholic beer/soft) for anyone with a medal who is dining on Sunday
Electric Shuffle – Free house wine, prosecco or pint for anyone with a 2025 medal.
Salon Madre – 2-4-1 margaritas all day Sunday for anyone with a race medal.
Suki Suki – Free bao bun for anyone with a medal.
Refuge/Kimpton Clocktower Hotel – 100 free pints of Manchester Union Beer (first come, first served)
Hello Oriental – Discounted soft serve ice cream, plus a free beer or soft drink with any meal for all finishers
The Shack – Flash your medal to claim a free glass of Prosecco or beer, plus parties with medals get 20% off their food bill.
Dough Religion (House of Social) – half price slice at Manchester Jazz Festival on Sunday
Georgina Pellant -
27th July 2023 
