Gino D’Acampo’s Luciano restaurant in Alderley Edge has announced its closure, just one year after it took over the former Piccolino site.
The celebrity chef launched the Luciano brand last January, named after his eldest son.
He said at the time that he had ‘kicked out’ Piccolino and spent ‘thousands and thousands of pounds’ into the restaurant and its kitchen.
But just over 12 months after it welcomed its first guests, Luciano announced its closure, serving its final supper on Valentine’s Day.
Italian restaurant giant San Carlo has now acquired the site on London Road, ready to add to its huge portfolio around Greater Manchester and Cheshire.
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Gino D’Acampo at his Luciano restaurant in Alderley Edge. Credit: Luciano
In a post on Instagram last night, Luciano Alderley Edge said: “To all our wonderful guests. It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to host you all but our time in Alderley has come to an end.
“Thank you to everyone whose celebrated, dined and drank at Luciano, we hope to see you all at our new Manchester site later this year. For updates, follow @ginomyrestaurant.
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“But for now…grazie e ciao!”
His upcoming opening in Manchester city centre is believed to be in the former, currently-vacant Restaurant Bar & Grill on John Dalton Street.
In an email sent to restaurant subscribers and shared by the Manchester Evening News, Luciano added: “We’re on the move. As part of our plans to open upmarket restaurants in London, major UK, and international cities, including our imminent openings in Manchester and Leeds, we are to say a fond farewell to Alderley Edge.
“It’s been a pleasure and a privilege to host you, our valued guests, and we’d like to thank you for celebrating so many special occasions with us at Luciano. For now its over to the new owners, San Carlo, for whom we could not think of a better home for this fabulous location.
“We look forward to revealing more as to our plans for Manchester soon, and of course, to inviting you to join us at the launch.”
A joint statement released last week said: “Leading upmarket restaurant operator San Carlo has acquired iconic Alderley Edge restaurant Luciano.
“The deal is part of the (Luciano) business’s strategy to focus on opening upmarket restaurants in national and international major cities.”
Featured image: Luciano
Eats
Inside Voyeur, a mysterious new post-punk 80s-inspired cocktail bar
Daisy Jackson
A brand new cocktail bar is set to open in Manchester this week, with dark and mysterious interiors, 80s inspiration, and a raunchy theme.
Voyeur is opening in the heart of the Northern Quarter, and here it’s all about modern drinks in a post-punk 80s setting.
The walls are decorated with beautiful voyeurism photography from the 80s, including artists like David Hockney, Nick Taggart, and Malerie Marder.
Even the menus celebrate the artistic side of voyeurism, with drinks presented within a book of photography.
Those drinks include creative twists on drinks dating back more than a century, from the Kaleidescope of Lies (a two-in one cocktail inspired by a pina colada, with a strawberry daiquiri foam top) to The Voyeur (made with coriander-infused tequila for a savoury punch).
There’ll be monthly themed specials, kicking off with The Breakfast Club, where seasonal drinks take inspiration from Lucky Charms cereal, chai latte and an acai bowl.
Cocktails inspired by The Breakfast Club at VoyeurCocktails at Voyeur in the Northern QuarterInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barInside Voyeur, a new Manchester cocktail barVoyeur on Oldham StreetThe cocktail menu is presented as a photography book
The dark space is lit by marble table lamps and a glittering green disco ball (and not much else), perfect for an evening spent sipping cocktails into the early hours.
Between Thursdays and Sundays, Voyeur will have DJs spinning vinyls.
Voyeur is opening this week on Oldham Street and will be open from 5pm to 2am between Tuesday and Sunday.
A brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop in a former Manc food spot
Thomas Melia
Sweet lovers and dessert connoisseurs alike, a brand-new dessert, ice-cream and doughnut shop is opening in Manchester city centre this month.
Titled ‘Baby Mayhem’, this sweet-filled shop has been teasing its arrival for the past month with videos showcasing everything from new instalments to their graffiti-style logo.
This brand-new opening will be located on Radium Street, not too far away from Chinese superstar Wing Yip and fellow sweet treat specialists, Flat Baker, right in the heart of Ancoats.
The interior has been given a very nice and bright facelift too, going from an all white four-walled site to a bold and distinctive baby pink-covered site.
Manchester seems to have quite the sweet tooth at the moment, as it was only last month that our Northern Quarter was christened by cake gods, Get Baked.
As for this new dessert shop, they’re starting from scratch, with a temporary wooden window frame with their branding spray-painted onto it fitted ahead of their soft launch later this week.
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the much-loved Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria shop, and it really is out with the old, in with the new, as the familiar neon ‘No Lasagne’ sign has been traded for a sweeter read of ‘Fresh Donuts’.
It may be Yank spelling, but this still feels Manc through and through.
Case and point: all their signage, stamps and stencils have been done by local laser cutting service and neighbours, Drawn By The Light – also on Radium Street.
Enough salt, let’s have a serious amount of sugar. (Credit: Baby Mayhem via Instagram)
Baby Mayhem are taking sweet treats to the complete extreme, serving up everyone’s beloved combo of coffees and cakes, while also creating our soon-to-be-favourite indulgence: doughnut sandwiches. 10/10, no notes – genius.
There really are no complaints here; what’s not to love?
Baby Mayhem is taking up residence in the former Lazy Tony’s site, 23 Radium Street in Ancoats, and will be serving up their sweet treats for all to try from this Saturday, 26 April.
Daisy Jackson -
17th February 2023 
