A popular Italian restaurant group in Manchester has revealed it will be operating under a new name going forward.
Cibo Manchester, which has two sites in the city centre, has rebranded as Italiana Fifty Five Manchester following a challenge from a rival business.
In a statement regarding the name change, effective from today, a representative from Italiana Fifty Five Manchester told The Manc: “While we have cherished the Cibo name and the brand we’ve built, we don’t consider the name to be of utmost importance.
“Our staff and customers are our focus and delivering exceptional service and quality food is what we need to get back to concentrating on.
“To avoid wasting any more time […] we have made the decision to rebrand.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Group
The restaurant group closed its doors on Monday 19 June for a full site rebrand, replacing its signage and menus to reflect its new moniker as well as updating its website and social media handles.
The group’s popular food and drink offering, however, remains the same as before and both its Great Northern Warehouse and Castlefield restaurants will continue to serve up a host of tasty Italian favourites going forward.
ADVERTISEMENT
Offering everything from classic pasta and hearty meat dishes to traditional pizzas, chargrilled steaks, and homemade Italian desserts, going forward the team will focus on what it does best – serving great Italian food.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Diners can choose their dishes from a large a la carte menu, or opt to save a few pennies by dining from one of Italiana Fifty Five’s express menus where prices for two courses start at just £14.
The restaurant’s popular bottomless brunch offer, which sees diners treated to a three-course Italian feast with ninety minutes of unlimited Aperol Spritz, will also continue to run every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between 12 and 3pm at their Great Northern Branch.
Featured image – The Manc Group
Eats
A new ‘secret’ cocktail bar you have to text to enter is opening in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A new ‘secret’ late-night cocktail bar is opening in Manchester this month – but if you want in, you’ll have to find yourself a secret entry code.
MDNT – pronounced ‘Midnight’ – will be a new speakeasy-style bar located down beneath Cross Street.
It comes from the GSG Hospitality team, who are also behind venues Salt Dog Slims and Bold Street Coffee.
If you thought the ‘secret bar’ craze had died down in 2015, you’d be incorrect, it seems…
To enter MDNT, guests will need to text the venue to receive a secret entry code, which will unlock a nondescript door inside the existing Salt Dog Slims.
Then a private walkway will lead guests into MDNT, which will have a drastically different atmosphere to its lively upstairs dive bar neighbour.
The newcomer will have a ‘more sophisticated late-night cocktail environment’, with DJs and a modern bar.
In the early evenings, guests can sit along the long bar to watch cocktails being prepared, but as the night wears on, it’s hoped the MDNT will be a space for dancing.
John Ennis, Founder of GSG Hospitality, said: “We really wanted to focus on the guest’s journey.
“If you’ve ever been to Salt Dog Slims on a weekend it’s packed and people are having a great time, so the contrast of walking through a coded door, along a private walkway and into a completely different environment is immediate.
“That moment of surprise and the mystique around the entrance is a big part of what MDNT is about.”
The drinks menu will show off both classic and original cocktails, with around 24 drinks split between reimagined classics and new creations.
That includes signatures serves like the Double Parked Porn Star, a playful twist on the classic Pornstar Martini served with a miniature bottle of Champagne, alongside a fresh Garibaldi made with freshly juiced orange and Campari.
Other cocktails will include the Nitro Negroni, Faz Mangoes, Oaxacan Nightcrawler and Jimmy Gimlet.
“With the drinks we’re taking them seriously so the guests don’t have to,” adds Ennis. “We want people to walk in, see something on the bar that makes them say ‘I want one of those’ and just enjoy the night as the energy builds.”
MDNT opens on Bow Lane on Thursday 26 March and will be open Thursday through Sunday.
Some of the best St. Patrick’s Day deals, offers and specials in Manchester city centre this year
Danny Jones
St Patrick’s Day 2026 is nearly upon us, and we can’t wait to drink a river of Guinness, sing old Irish classics, dance a jig and be generally merry.
It’s a good job we know exactly where to make the most of the festivities then, isn’t it?
The best Paddy’s Day deals and offers around Manchester | 2026
1. Cheap Guinness and brilliant, beefy pies at The Black Friar – Salford
First up on our list this year, the beautiful Black Friar pub and bistro over on the edge of Salford is doing £4.50 Guinness for St. Patrick’s Day 2026 – one of the best prices you’ll find in town these days.
But that’s not all: they’re also doing a special Guinness and Beef Pie special, which you can grab with a pint of the good stuff for £17, plus £15 bottles of wine, as well as beers and cocktails for just a fiver. You can book a table HERE.
2. St Patrick’s Day specials at Hello Oriental – Oxford Road
More of a fun little one-off rather than a deal or discount, per se, but when we saw that even pan-Asian food hall Hello Oriental was getting involved with Paddy’s Day, we couldn’t ignore it.
As well as they’re already viral spice bags, they’re also doing a Black Bean Guinness Noodles dish – available with chicken or completely vegan – and we’ll admit we’re very keen to try it for ourselves.
3. Lots of the black stuff at Black Cat Club – Central
No-nonsense here: £5 pints of black gold, £2.50 shots of Baby Guinness, and a special ‘Frozen Fat Frog’ cocktail, which is basically an alcoholic slushie with Blue WKD, Smirnoff Ice and Orange Bacardi Breezer.
They’ve also got a special Irish-themed food menu for the weekend, too, including Guinness-glazed wings, spice bags, which can be enjoyed with crispy chicken and chip shop curry sauce.
Plus, there are always games to be played. (Credit: The Manc)
4. A big St. Patrick’s Day party on Peter Street – Deansgate
Albert’s Schloss remains one of the best nights in town for all seasons, so it’s no surprise that they’re throwing a smashing St. Patrick’s Day bash every year.
This time around, there’ll be ‘Kunst Kabarat’, Celtic comfort foods like pie, Irish boxty and sticky toffee pudding serving out of the Cook Haus, as well as prizes to be won like free merch, drinks tokens and even £100 off your bill. Tickets are available now.
5. Free entry and MUCH more at O’Malleys – Portland Street
At the other end of the spectrum, you could argue that free entry isn’t anything too spectacular, but it’s becoming increasingly common on Paddy’s Day, and luckily, O’Malleys has lots of other stuff going on too – all the way until 4am.
How about merch, ‘Seflie Guinness’ (with you face on) from their ‘Stoutie’ machine, a happy hour running from 3-6pm on 16, 18 and 20 March, with £6 cocktails, £4 selected beers/ciders, £18 house wine and £5 Guinness available? Oh, and they also do bottomless Guinness brunches, too, so yeah – there’s plenty.
6. Guinness pastries, pies and plenty of pints at O’Connell’s – Oxford Road
It may not be the Thirsty Scholar anymore, but what that does mean is they go extra ham over at O’Connell’s at this time of year nowadays – and they’re bringing back an exclusive fan favourite special as well.
As well as the recent and extremely popular beef and Guinness collab with V. Goode Pies returning for the day, they’ve also teamed up with Half Dozen Other to create a Guinness Pain Suisse – yes, really – which will serve as arguably the best pub snacks in the entire city come 17 March 2026.
7. 50% off special Paddy’s Day cocktails at Slug & Lettuce – Piccadilly (only)
Everyone knows the Slug, it doesn’t need any introduction – BUT, they’ll likely be busy all week around Paddy’s Day and do have a banging offer this year.
They’re doing a Paddy’s Apple and Lemonade made with the brand’s fruity Irish whisky, topped with apple juice and lemonade for half price between 16 March and 12 April, when you download the MiXR app ahead of time. Simple as that.
Now, this is by no means a comprehensive list; we just thought we’d put you on to a few good ones we’ve seen in and around the city.
And, of course, if you spot any good St. Patrick’s Day deals in Manchester, do let us know and drop them in the comments for everyone to make the most of.
We hope you enjoy the celebrations, and please drink responsibly.
Before you leave us, you might as well check out some of our favourite Irish pubs and bars in the area for Paddy’s Day 2026…
Georgina Pellant -
20th June 2023 
