Gordon Ramsay has revealed the exact date he will be bringing his Michelin-starred restaurant Lucky Cat to Manchester.
The news marks the first major opening for the celebrity chef and Michelin-starred restauranter and is the second Lucky Cat to open worldwide, cementing Manchester’s reputation as a leading destination for food, drink, and entertainment.
The opening date for the new restaurant – which will open at the top of King Street in the former Jamie’s Italian site has been confirmed as 1 June, with bookings open from 10am on Thursday 11 May.
The new Manchester location promises to be a dining experience like no other, capturing the essence of the original Mayfair eatery in the very heart of the city in a truly iconic building.
Situated at the top of King Street, the new restaurant will move into a stunning Art Deco building, spanning three floors with opulent private dining vaults in its basement.
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Michelin describes the Mayfair restaurant as follows: “Gordon Ramsay’s foray into Asian culture is a moody, masculine space in the former Maze, with a chef’s table, a striking bar, a banging soundtrack and a fun feel.
“Accomplished Japanese and Chinese dishes blend British ingredients and are designed for sharing; the bonito fried duck leg bao is a must-try.
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Sashimi selection. / Image: Lucky Cat
Outside Lucky Cat in Mayfair. / Image: Lucky Cat
Taking over the former bank, Lucky Cat Manchester will pay homage to the building’s heritage while offering locals a ‘brand new’ dining experience.
With private bars and dining spaces tucked away for special events, Lucky Cat looks to fuse the vibrant atmosphere of 1930s Tokyo jazz kissas and drinking dens with a world-class dining experience.
Promising fine wines and cocktails, live DJs and a real party atmosphere, Lucky Cat is already a destination on the London scene – and now it looks to achieve the same reputation in Manchester.
The new Manchester location promises to immerse guests in the extraordinary culinary narrative from Gordon Ramsay and Lucky Cat Executive Head Chef Andre Camilo, who have crafted each dish with sharing and excellence in mind.
Diners are invited to ’embark on a gastronomic journey of culinary icons’, digging into the likes of sublime black cod, sumptuous sirloin weeping tiger and the legendary Lucky Cat Duck Bao.
The team has taken the very best of its Mayfair menu heroes and added some new dishes to offer ‘a dining experience like no other’, encouraging guests to ‘journey onward to the ocean’s depths’ with sublime sushi and raw dishes, from sumptuous tuna tartar to mouth-watering dragon rolls.
The Michelin-recommended ‘must try’ bonito fried duck leg bao. / Image: Lucky Cat
The chef’s table at Lucky Cat Mayfair. / Image: Lucky Cat
An innovative cocktail list, meanwhile, includes the one-of-a-kind Lucky Negroni, where the gin in your drink is determined by a captivating game of chance.
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With three dice hidden inside a mysterious box, the numbers rolled will unlock the perfect combination of gins, vermouths, and bitters destined for your drink. With a staggering 216 possible combinations, your Lucky Negroni is a personalised, exhilarating experience, crafted by fate itself.
Gordon Ramsay shares his unbridled enthusiasm for the project, with a nod to Manchester’s vibrant dining scene, commenting: “I’ve toured and worked in much of Asia over the years, and the culture, the flavours, and the incredible cooking truly inspire me.
“Manchester is renowned for its thriving culinary landscape, and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.
“We’re fired up to build on the phenomenal success of our Mayfair restaurant and bring something truly exceptional to the people of Manchester this Summer. I can’t wait for Lucky Cat to make its mark in this fantastic city!”
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Bookings are now open, and tables are expected to fill up fast. Reservations can be made on the website or by calling 0161 424 9150 for restaurant and group reservations.
Featured image – Geograph
Eats
Bangkok Diners Club moves out of Ancoats just months after Michelin Guide win
Daisy Jackson
Bangkok Diners Club, the critically-acclaimed restaurant above the Edinburgh Castle pub, has closed its restaurant space.
The Thai restaurant was added to the Michelin Guide last October, not long after taking over the upstairs of the popular pub.
It also received a rave review in The Guardian from restaurant critic Grace Dent, who said it would be ‘one of Manchester’s hottest dining tickets’.
But now Bangkok Diners Club has decided its time in Ancoats is up, and has closed its beautiful restaurant space with immediate effect.
In an email sent to customers with reservations, they wrote that Bangkok Diners Club ‘sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle’.
Owners and husband-and-wife team Ben and Bo Humpheys aren’t leaving things there though, announcing plans to move into the Exhibition food hall on Peter Street.
Co-owner Ben Humphreys outside Bangkok Diners Club. Credit: The Manc GroupThe food earned them a place in the Michelin Guide. Credit: The Manc Group
They’ll be joining MoreJoy and pasta concept Anatra in the space, but bidding farewell to their own dedicated restaurant for now.
The email sent to customers reads: “We have just noticed that the system has allowed you to make a reservation during a time that we are closed. We apologise that this has happened.
“Ben and Bo are cooking at Exhibition during 2026 and Bangkok Diners Club sadly won’t be returning to Edinburgh Castle.
“Sincerest apologies for all the inconvenience caused.”
Doux Chaton debuts in Manchester: Vietnamese and French cuisine meets the North West
Danny Jones
Regardless of our rivalry, the Scousers have given us a lot: The Beatles, two Premier League football clubs for us to get regularly riled up against, even the Bold Street brand – and now it’s the turn of Doux Chaton, who just landed in Manchester.
Vietnamese food right in the heart of town, but like you’ve never had it before, Doux Chaton is the Southeast Asian spot with a European twist that’s already turning heads.
In fact, despite quietly opening on the main Deansgate strip over the festive period, there was already plenty of passion for this place down the Mersey, as this Liverpool-founded business has developed a foodie favourite following here in the North West.
Run by owners Jimmy and Jennifer Ly, whose parents Ko and Linda moved to the UK back in the 70s, this place might be regionally born and bred, but it’s still deeply rooted in the rich heritage of two ex-pats helping bring some seriously incredible flavours to our shores.
Walking past the old unit on the ground floor of Great Northern Warehouse – during a real ghost town period for the city centre this past Christmas – we saw a team hard at work putting together their first Manc venue.
This was at around 10/11pm from memory, as we saw a man on ladders finishing the hand-lettered sign by lamplight; this is all relevant because, before anything, it’s worth noting that this place from 9am until 9pm all week round.
Yes, as in every single day.
Since they’re still relative newcomers, we’re not entirely sure when they take any time (if, indeed, they do at all), but one thing we can already vouch for is that hard work can well and truly be tasted in the food and drink they put out.
Expanding their traditional Vietnamese menu in Merseyside, Doux Chaton Deansgate has seen them create a whole new selection of sweet treats, doubling not only as a neo-French patisserie but as a platform to showcase both traditional and modern bakes from their home country.
There is a long history of their national cuisine being deeply influenced by the classical culinary culture in France, but when we tell you their bahn mi sandwiches and clever take on a sausage ‘pho’roll were even tastier than their decadent croque monsieur croissant, you know you’re on to something special.
And then there are the bowls of broth and noodles themselves; we tried plenty of pho in and around Greater Manchester, with plenty purporting to be ‘authentic’ – and many of them are – but there can be a question about this first and second generation team.
Taking ‘Mama Hong’s treasured recipes from the streets of Hanoi and elevating them ever so slightly in certain spots, whilst still letting the flavours, textures and smells speak for themselves, it’s comfortably some of the best Viet scran we’ve had in these parts.
The cute little cat in a bowl logo almost feels like the most warm and fitting welcome you could hope for.
Service with a smile, simply fantastic food, a bloody GREAT cup of stylish drip coffee and a big chalkboard where you can even leave your own message, not to mention unrelenting opening hours – this could be our new go-to at any given time of day.
Georgina Pellant -
11th May 2023 
