Altrincham is possibly one of the most picturesque little parts of Greater Manchester full stop, but one particular new opening in the quaint market town has seen us fall head over heels in love: we’re talking about the simply named Irish Deli.
Launching at the end of September, Irish Deli has taken pride of place on Greenwood Street in the heart of the lovable Trafford hamlet that is fast becoming less of a village and more of a vibrant hub for food, drink, shopping, leisure and more.
Stocking authentic fresh produce and groceries imported directly from Ireland rarely found anywhere else in the region, as well as serving up proper good brews and freshly made sandwiches, cakes and more, they have very much met the assignment when it comes to a deli.
Put quite simply, this little slice of the Emerald Isle is as pretty as a postcard and is quickly becoming a community cornerstone.
The place might be a bit cosy – though there is extra seating downstairs and a lovely sun-trap terrace outside – but it trades on delivering that open-armed Irish welcome that few others can compare to.
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Irish Deli also prides itself on bringing over brands that will remind ex-pats of back home, mainly because you’ll genuinely struggle to find them outside of Ireland itself. As you can see, we walked away with a full hamper of stuff and we’re not even Irish.
We’re not just talking Tayto’s crisps here: we mean McDonnells seasoning sachets for a proper spice bag, Drummully pan boxty potato cakes and superbly sweet Folláin preserves; imported sausages, black and white pudding, whisky brands not typically seen in the UK and so much more.
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Ham, cheese, bread and even the simplest-looking biscuits never looked so comforting. Not only does it undoubtedly drum up nostalgia for natives but it feels like being beckoned into the warmth and smell of your mum’s kitchen when you were just a nipper.
Better yet, its doors have opened right next to the adjoining Kennedy’s Irish Bar – a popular watering hole that’s been thriving since it opened back in 2021 – as part of an expansion that’s been in the works for some time.
We very nearly got a second basket…Wall-to-wall Irish goodness.The Irish Deli in Altrincham is a new favourite of ours. (Credit: The Manc Group)
As they explain it, “Typically in Ireland you will find a ship in the back of the pub, so having our Irish Deli right next door to our Irish Bar really gave it that authentic feeling from home.”
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With the two increasingly popular spots situated right beside one another, locals have taken to affectionately dubbing this small snapshot of Alty as ‘Kennedy’s Corner’ and even just a couple weeks into opening the deli, it really has struck a chord with the local delegation from Auld Eire and more.
Greater Manchester has also had a huge Irish community ever since the early 19th century, even boasting Little Ireland right here in the city centre and the Heritage Centre over Cheetham Hill.
That being said, whether they live in the WA postcode or not, regular crowds are already travelling to visit this cheerful little shop most days, and you’ll find even more of them descending on Kennedy’s Corner come the weekends – especially when they can stumble into the bustling boozer next door.
And as if all that enticing enough already, there’s sport on the box, live music pretty much from noon until night, it’s super dog-friendly and you can grab pints of Guinness for just £4.70 from 11am-7pm every Monday-Thursday. Say no more.
There’s even a stunning three-bedroom apartment upstairs available on Airbnb that we’re seriously considering for an easy getaway. A full weekend of eating and drinking the very Ireland has to offer before only having to hobble a few yards to find a comfy bed waiting upstairs.
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Kennedy’s Corner might not be an official title of any sort just yet but we love that the locals have carved out this special mini-neighbourhood within what is already a perfect melting pot between the modern Manc foodie/hospitality scene, and the splendour of an old Cheshire market town.
It’s not quite suburbia, it’s not quite countryside either; all we know is that this particular street is effortlessly charming and The Irish Deli itself feels a little bit like going back in time to a simpler world. There aren’t many places that can achieve that feeling these days.
Well worth paying a visit the next time you’re in Altrincham.
Lovely staff.Guinness cake is godly.What a great team they make.Our advice for a weekend in Altrincham, spend the day at The Irish Deli and stumble next door come the eve. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to Manchester next month
Daisy Jackson
One of the world’s silliest and most-loved experiences is returning to Manchester this year, offering people the chance to step inside the world of Fawlty Towers.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience sees immersive theatre blend with a three-course dinner, bringing Britain’s most infamous hotel to life.
Fans of the hit 1970s comedy will enjoy two hours of mayhem led by Basil, Sybil and Manuel, all while tucking into a delicious era-appropriate meal.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience has become an immersive dining phenomenon, scooping awards and selling out venues across the globe since launching almost 30 years ago.
In the years since, it’s welcomed more than one million guests, celebrated 13 years of its West End residency in London, and hosted celebrations for 50 years of the original BBC sitcom Fawlty Towers.
And now it’s Manchester’s turn, with the event returning to our city between 3 and 15 February.
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience is returning to ManchesterThe event is hosted by actors playing Basil, Sybil and ManuelAround 70% of the action is improvisedGuests are served a three-course 70s-inspired meal during the Faulty Towers experienceCredit: Rosie Powell
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience will be taking over the Voco hotel on Portland Street for a limited run, starring Aaron Millard as ‘Basil’, Rebecca Norris as ‘Sybil’, and Simon Hourihan as ‘Manuel’.
You can definitely expect two hours of theatre, chaos, and a 70s-inspired three-course meal, but with around 70% of the performances completely improvised, we can’t tell you much more than that…
Producer Jared Harford said: “It’s such a joy to be bringing Basil and the team back to Manchester. After such an incredible 2025 celebrating 50 years of Fawlty Towers, we can’t wait to continue sharing the laughter, chaos and community spirit that make this show so special.”
Faulty Towers The Dining Experience in Manchester:
Tuesday 3 February to Sunday 15 February
Tuesday to Saturday – doors open 6.45pm, seating and show starts 7.30pm
Saturday and Sunday – doors open 12.45pm, seating and show starts 1.30pm
Ticket prices, all including three-course meal and two hour immersive experience:
Tuesday to Thursday dinner, and Saturday or Sunday lunch – £67.50 pp (including fees) Friday or Saturday dinner £71.50 pp (including fees). Bookings can be made via the box office on (+44) 020 3700 3138 or online at www.faultytowersdining.com
We’ve found some of the best Chinese food in town – being served out of a snooker hall
Danny Jones
Yes, you heard us right: we’ve stumbled across one of our favourite new places for Chinese food just on the outskirts of Manchester city centre – it just so happens to be served out of a best-in-class snooker hall.
And that really is just the tip of the iceberg here.
Some of you may have heard about and/or seen it already, but we’ll admit we were a little late to the party when it comes to Club 200, a.k.a. the pool, snooker, darts, mahjong club and more, which has so many different things rolled into that it’s really more a Russian doll than a Chinese restaurant or sports venue.
The hook speaks for itself: a place where people spend just as much time practising with chopsticks as they do their cues, as it really isn’t a gimmick, as some pessimistic folk would have you think – the food is banging and so are the vibes in general.
Not only is this quite literally the best snooker club in Manchester – complete with everything from classic American billiards and Chinese 8-ball to king-size snooker tables that the Ronnie O’Sullivan has played and won on, to a special AI system you won’t find anywhere else – it is SO much more than that.
Whilst the backroom was packed with everyone from casuals to those looking to get their pro certification via the official Q Tour, and lads in the front were practising their arrows, as co-owner Simon admitted they get almost just as many darts regulars these days, a storm was cooking up in the kitchen.
It would be unfair to say this place doubles as a bar and restaurant, because we really couldn’t get over how well put together this menu was.
‘Café 200’s food offerings involve classics like fried rice and chow mein dishes, to the kind of sides you could expect from your local Chinese chippy, but it’s even more authentic exports that really impress.
For instance, the beef ho fun seemed to be a big hit with everyone; we loved the salty seafood udon as well (a great chew on those noodles), and we know plenty of people still searching for proper Hong Kong-style French toast – they might just find it here.
Speaking of the special administrative region, which has a twisting and turning but nevertheless rich culinary culture all of its own, that last dish had us hopping with joy.
You’re looking at baked Portuguese rice: a Macau speciality rooted in the region’s colonial history.
We’ve never quite had anything like it before, even in all of our years eating this kind of cuisine around the 10 boroughs, but we haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
And then there’s everything else they do, from karaoke and bingo nights to catering for birthdays and other functions, or even just serving as a cool, somewhat tucked-away spot to watch the footy and other live sport come the weekend.
You can tell this place has built up a real community over the last 18 months or so, and while the food speaks for itself, it’s the sheer abundance and variety going on that makes it especially charming to so many.
Speaking of jack-of-all-trade venues, we stumbled across a similar multi-talented one over in Salford not so long ago, too…
Danny Jones -
10th October 2024 
