Lina Stores has opened its very first restaurant in Manchester, taking its beloved mix of handmade pasta and deli food outside of London for the first time.
80 years after opening for the first time in Soho, Lina Stores has headed north to open a 150-cover restaurant.
Blending coffee shop, delicatessen, restaurant, and bar, the new space is styled in traditional Lina Stores shades of pastel green hues, warm timber woods, and terrazzo and timber flooring.
You’ll find bespoke marble tables, original vintage Bentwood chairs, dark green booth seating and opaline globe lighting inspired by the original Brewer Street delicatessen.
Diners will be spoilt with an Italian-inspired breakfast menu, featuring dishes like truffle scrambled eggs with toasted sourdough, Greek yoghurt with Italian Macedonia fruit salad, and a selection of breakfast panini.
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At lunchtimes and dinner there’ll be antipasti such as ricotta and herb gnudi fritti with Calabrian chilli marmellata, and tuna crudo with capers, pink peppercorn and salsa verde.
Lina Stores Manchester will have the brand’s beloved pasta dishes, such as the 30-egg yolk taglioni with black truffle, and lamb sausage ragu pappardelle, plus new options like lemon sole and potato raviolo.
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For secondi (because this is Italy darling, you can have two mains!) there are dishes like chicken Milanese and Luganega fennel sausage.
And for dessert, it’s set to be a feast of Sicilian cannolo (filled with ricotta, pistachio and chocolate) and tiramisu.
Lina Stores – Italian deli restaurant serving homemade pasta and more is heading to Manchester. Credit: Rebecca Hope
In the open-plan delicatessen, you’ll be able to grab filling salads, freshly-made panini, and delicate cakes and pastries.
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Shelves will be stocked with Lina Stores Collection pantry essentials, from olive oil to traditional biscotti.
And just next to that will be Bar Lina, serving classic and modern Italian cocktails for aperitivo hour until late at night.
Expect favourites like the bloody martini, Rinomata americano, and the basilico with gin, vermouth, basil and lemon.
The bar will have a versatile wine list from all corners of Italy, including the brand’s own signature collection.
Lina Stores Manchester will be located on Quay Street in the recently-refurbished Quoin building, right opposite the Opera House theatre.
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Masha Rener, Head Chef of Lina Stores, said: “We’re extremely excited to be opening in Manchester this spring.
“The city feels like a natural home for us considering the area’s rich history, vibrant culinary scene and lively nightlife, and look forward to sharing our passion of great Italian food and produce with the Manchester community.
“Quay Street is the perfect location for us to do so, sitting right in the trifecta of Spinningfields, St John Street and St Peter’s Square.”
Impressive CGIs reveal new two-storey Latin BBQ restaurant, bar, and music venue coming to the Northern Quarter
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The Northern Quarter will soon welcome a huge two-storey Latin BBQ restaurant, bar and music venue, brought to you by the same team behind Manchester’s beloved Firehouse and Ramona – you just know it’s going to be good with names like that.
New CGI images have been released of the venue, giving us a sneak peek at what to expect from the huge transformation, which will take over the site formerly home to Pie & Ale.
Dahlia is set to be home to Barbacoa Cósmica, an open-fire grill kitchen, with cooking inspired by Latin America and the southern states of America. As the Northern Quarter’s first open fire grill kitchen, guests will have the unique experience of being able to watch the chefs in action, from their kitchen counter seats.
The concept is the product of years of travelling across Latin America, exploring regional recipes and techniques, then condensed down to allow us to take a road trip from San Diego to Jalisco, Mexico City to Oaxaca, all from the comfort of our seats.
Dahlia’s will also be home to Bar Más Bonita, translating to ‘most beautiful bar’, which has not disappointed either judging from the CGI projections – we just can’t wait to see it in person.
This lively Liquorita is set to serve up all sorts of Latin American specialties – think vibrant, handcrafted cocktails and salted rims with tequila, mezcal, rum and Latin spirits.
In the evenings, the space will transform into Dahlia Stereo, an intimate two-storey music space powered by a bespoke Hatchett Sound system. Every element of the venue has been carefully considered by sound engineers and acoustic specialists, including Jonny ‘Oppo’ of Neuron Audio, to ensure the best listening experience possible.
A glimpse inside Dahlia in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Will Taplin, executive chef at Dahlia, shared: “Barbacoa Cósmica is the result of everything we have experienced and loved during our travels across Latin America.
“It is generous, energetic and completely driven by flavour. If something is on the menu, it is because we genuinely love it, and we hope Manchester will love it too.”
Jonny ‘Oppo’ said: “We have been building and working with sound systems for years, but Manchester’s bars and restaurants have never had an installation at this level. Every detail of the room has been designed around how music should sound and feel. It is genuinely exciting for the city.”
In addition to this, the iconic Jonjo Williams of Maribou State and Rich Reason of Hit & Run, have carefully curated a music programme for September to give us a flavour of what’s to come, including sets from Gilles Peterson, Quantic, Gia Fu, DJ Die and Joey T.
Dahlia ManchesterThe site of Dahlia
Jonjo Williams explained: “We want to create the energy of an intimate club within a bar and restaurant.
“We are deliberately keeping capacity below 250 so the experience always feels personal, immersive and connected. Dahlia has been designed by the best DJs for the best DJs, but ultimately it has been created for anyone who truly loves music.”
With craft being central to the space, almost every element has been made by hand by the Dahlia team and its team of trusted independent artisans and specialist suppliers. From the artwork and upholstery, to the world class sound system and the team’s own bottled Latin spirits, it truly has all been carefully thought through.
We never thought we’d wish for summer to be over, but September can’t come soon enough.
Click HERE for reservations or follow @dahliastereofor further announcements.
National Pizza Awards looking for one lucky person to join 2026 judging panel
Emily Sergeant
Job adverts don’t come much better than this, as the National Pizza Awards is searching for one lucky person to join the judging panel at this year’s grand final.
The National Pizza Awards invite chefs from across the hospitality industry each year to submit their signature recipes in a bid to claim the coveted title of National Pizza of the Year title, providing a platform for the UK’s ultimate pizza professionals to showcase their recipes on a national scale.
Hosted by Dine Out magazine finalists face off in a live cooking showdown in front of a hand-picked panel of industry judges.
On top of a signature round, competitors take part in a technical challenge that sees them construct the best dish from a selection of ingredients, with the winner being named National Pizza Chef of the Year.
The National Pizza Awards is looking for one lucky person to join its 2026 judging panel / Credit: The Manc Group
And this year, you could play a part in picking the winners.
That’s right – the National Pizza Awards has launched a nationwide search for a new judge, and the only catch (if you can even call it a catch) is that the judge will need to sample 16 of the UK’s best pizzas in a single day as chefs battle it out for the title.
It’s a tough gig, but someone’s got to do it, and if you want to be that someone, entries are now open for you to enter.
Pizzas are judged on how the they’re made, the flavour profile, how they’re cooked, the aesthetic and presentation, and the texture, quality, and consistency, as well as the choice of ingredients.
To be in with a chance, you’ll simply just need tag your favourite pizza place in the Instagram competition post, and then if that place enters the awards and makes it through to the final cook-off, you’ll be entered into a draw to become that all-important guest judge this November.
Daisy Jackson -
16th April 2025 
