Louis, a new Italian-American restaurant in the heart of Manchester with a ‘no photos’ policy, has finally confirmed its opening date.
The venue, first announced in February, comes from the same team behind Tattu and Fenix (two of the city’s most beautiful restaurants) and is set to be a haven of live music, excellent cooking and cocktails.
Louis is inspired by the classic New York restaurants that are often seen on the silver screen, filled with intimate booths and a tiered seating design centred around the main stage.
Louis has now confirmed that it will be delivering its take on mid-20th century New York on 13 September – and it’s teased what’s in store for the menu.
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Diners will be able to feast on an Italian-American menu that features a from-scratch Caesar salad, veal chops with crispy potatoes in marinara, and Iberico meatballs.
There’ll be a dedicated pasta workshop adjacent to the Louis kitchen, where fan favourites like rigatoni alla vodka and tagliatelle bolognese will be whipped up.
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The menu has been crafted by executive chef Ippokratis Anagnostelis (the visionary behind Fenix’s acclaimed Mediterranean menu), and Italian chef Matteo D’Elia, who has worked previously at restaurants including Il Gattopardo, the Broadwick Soho and Bacchanalia.
Louis in Manchester has also revealed details of its menu. Credit: Permanently Unique GroupLouis in Manchester has also revealed details of its menu. Credit: Permanently Unique Group
Will Meredith, the head of beverage, will curate a 12-drink menu that celebrates American classic cocktails, divided into aperitifs, dinner cocktails, and digestifs.
Standout creations will include the Bloody Maria, the Manhattan, and the PB&J Old Fashioned.
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Louis will offer the ‘best seat in the house’ to every single guest through its tiered design, which places a spotlight on the live acts.
It will be wrapped in deep velvet with classic Italian marble hugging the room, and there’ll be intimate tables shrouded with cafe curtains dotted around the space.
The bar itself will be adorned with large chains to lure people over with warm lighting and glimmering gold tones.
Louis will also be home to more than £1 million-worth of modern fine art, including pieces by Marco Battaglini, Alec Monopoly, Brainwash and Ted Todd.
As for the music, there’ll be a weekly roster of performers from soul singers to pianists to jazz quartets and full swing bands.
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Louis will be a dinner-only venue, open five nights a week, with a reservation-only policy.
And it will encourage a no-photos policy, urging guests to live the moment rather than create content, while also maintaining the privacy and enjoyment of other guests.
This is the latest venture for the Permanently Unique Group, who have already crafted (and expanded) Tattu and Fenix into some of the UK’s most popular venues.
Louis will open at 3 Hardman Square in Manchester on Friday 13 September 2024.
I went all the way to Paris to test out Big Mamma ahead of Manchester’s most exciting new restaurant opening
Daisy Jackson
Hospitality heavyweights Big Mamma Group are finally heading to Manchester, opening a Circolo Popolare Italian restaurant in the city centre – so we nipped over to Paris to see exactly what’s in store for us.
In the 10 years since launching their very first restaurant, East Mamma in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, the group have spread their wings wide.
There are Big Mamma Group restaurants, under several different names, all over Europe – and although they all belong to the same family, each one is treated like a total individual.
Some have maximalist, kitsch interiors with animal print furniture, gilded ceilings and retro prints of men in Y-fronts; others are more traditional trattorias with exposed brick, terracotta floors and crisp white tablecloths.
These interiors are fun, which is so refreshing in an industry which sometimes takes itself a bit too seriously.
On our tour of Big Mamma restaurants in Paris I came across delightful details like a loo wallpapered in pictures of Rod Stewart, a cocktail menu designed like a retro football sticker book, and an ice cream parlour built into an old train station carriage.
Every corner is packed with whimsy and wonder and there’s a whole team dedicated to sourcing these little touches from antiques fairs, second-hand shops and independent makers, stashing them all in an Aladdin’s Cave of a warehouse. Each restaurant even has its own crockery pattern.
East Mamma, one of Big Mamma’s Paris restaurantsNo Entry cocktail barA Big Mamma speakeasyPink MammaLa Felicita food hallLa Felicita food hall
So yes, the interiors in Manchester will be similarly interesting and lavish.
Big Mamma Group has already confirmed that the huge two-storey Circolo Popolare trattoria will be inspired by a Sardinian Festa, meaning cosy alcoves, more than 8000 bottles of vintage booze, and a vast room inspired by an overgrown Mediterranean courtyard.
As it takes shape in Gary Neville’s £400m St Michael’s development, they’ll be moving in big sharing tables, antique trinkets, reels of twinkling lights and even an Italian wishing well ahead of the big launch next month.
But not enough of us are talking about the food yet – this is a restaurant group that sources its produce from 160 different Italian artisans to ensure that everything you’re eating as authentic and delicious as possible.
Food at Big Mamma
While the menus shift between restaurants you can expect hearty bowls of handmade pasta laced with truffle or tomato or cheese, crispy-soft pizzas layered in creative sauce bases (like zucchini cream or black truffle cream, along with their classic San Marzano DOP tomato sauce), and per iniziare starters like giant burrata balls, melt-in-the-mouth croquettes, and slivers of cured meats – all prepared in an open kitchen run by Campanian-born Alfonso Esposito.
And a show-stopper for Manchester will be an outrageous six-inch lemon meringue pie, with a wibbly wobbly tower of Italian meringue on top.
Circolo Popolare will officially open its doors on 6 June – and before then, there’ll be a very limited soft launch where you can snag yourself 50% off your bill. Sign up HERE, with bookings live on Monday 12 May.
The massively underrated rooftop terrace in Manchester with great views and top cocktails
Daisy Jackson
Manchester city centre is generally STARVED of outdoor space, but we’ve found the perfect sun-soaked oasis where you can enjoy a bit of fresh air and a whole lot of great food and drinks.
Tucked up on the sixth floor of the award-winning boutique hotel King Street Townhouse, you’ll find a rooftop terrace with beautiful views of the city’s skyline.
As Manchester buzzes along beneath you, you can tuck in to everything from full charcuterie grazing boards to seasonal snacks and small plates, all served alongside an impressive wine and cocktail list.
This often-overlooked local spot is a firm favourite of those in the know, thanks to its sheltered location that basks in the sun all afternoon.
And although it’s in a prime city centre location, just a stone’s throw from Deansgate, St Peter’s Square and Market Street, it’s a luxurious escape from it all – as is the entire boutique hotel it’s part of.
Whether it’s a post-work social, a relaxed date night, or a cheeky afternoon cocktail, the King Street Townhouse Terrace is open to the public and available for walk-ins or bookings when it isn’t privately hired.
On the menu you can expect locally-sourced dishes like Pollen sourdough served with whipped butter, a meat or cheese grazing board loaded with British produce, and larger plates like a beef and bone marrow burger or a fried fish roll topped with crisps.
British charcuterie grazing boardSpritzes on the King Street Townhouse terrace
Pairing perfectly with a spritz or a beer are snacks like deep-fried Gordal olives, stuffed with fennel sausage, and a brioche garlic bread packed with cream cheese.
The hotel has a cocktail list that celebrates classic drinks and a few of their own signature concoctions, and it doesn’t feel much more luxurious than when you treat yourself to a glass of sky-high champagne with views like this.
The South Terrace can also be hired privately for leisure or corporate events, with tailored catering options including summer BBQs.
And you can ramp up your trip to this oasis by staying overnight in one of the boutique hotels’ rooms, or visiting the King Street Townhouse ESPA spa for a treatment.
Find out more about the terrace at King Street Townhouse HERE.
The terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelThe terrace at King Street Townhouse hotelDeep-fried olivesGarlic bread with creamed cheeseKing Street Townhouse hotel
Daisy Jackson -
19th August 2024 
