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.”
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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.
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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
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Inside One Eight Six as Manchester cocktail bar finally reopens two years after devastating New Year’s Eve fire
Daisy Jackson
One Eight Six, the Manchester cocktail bar that was destroyed in a blaze on New Year’s Eve, is finally ready to reopen.
The stunning subterranean bar and live music venue has been closed since the very early hours of 2022, when a fire broke out shortly after the midnight countdown.
Terrifying CCTV footage at the time showed balloons across the ceiling catching fire and around 170 people fleeing the blaze.
It’s since been confirmed that the cause of the fire was real pine Christmas trees that were fastened to the ceiling, set alight by celebratory sparklers inside the bar.
Ever since that fateful night, One Eight Six has been quiet – until now.
The popular Deansgate bar is finally ready to quite literally rise from the ashes, having undergone an extensive refurbishment.
Its interior was completely destroyed in the New Year’s Eve fire, but has been reborn better than ever before.
Customers will again enter the bar through a barbershop at street level, with in incredible twisting neon light feature hanging from the ceiling.
The stage is set for more late-night live music at One Eight Six in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupCustomers enter One Eight six through a barbershop on Deansgate. Credit: The Manc GroupOne Eight Six’s original interior was destroyed in the New Year’s Eve fire. Credit: The Manc Group
Then after heading down the stairs you’ll find yourself in an art deco speakeasy, with the stage set for live music until the early hours.
Huge curved velvet booths in shades of pink and red will provide guests with a luxurious night out setting.
One Eight Six has installed opulent black marble floors and glowing light arches too – not to mention a giant ‘One Eight Six’ sign in mirrors.
Walls and pillars have been covered in even more mirrors to reflect the huge mirror ball and stage lights.
Founder Dean Mac said: “After nearly two years, we are finally allowed to be back on our feet giving the people of Manchester what they have been waiting so patiently for.
“Thank you again for sticking with us and supporting our journey this far. This new chapter of ONE EIGHT SIX will be better than ever. Same vibe. Same location. Just a whole lot sexier…”
It’s all looking pretty luxurious – just like before.
One Eight Six will officially open its doors this weekend on Deansgate, with bookings live here.
Namaste Nepal – West Didsbury favourite reveals new look and even more phenomenal curry
Daisy Jackson
Namaste Nepal, one of the best restaurants in West Didsbury – if not all of south Manchester – has undergone a big refurbishment, with new menu dishes to boot.
The family-run business has become a local institution over the last 15 or so years, famed for its comforting, authentic Nepalese food.
For the first time since it opened, Namaste Nepal has had a full-scale cosmetic transformation to become a modern – but still cosy and welcoming – neighbourhood restaurant.
You’ll now find green suede, gold, and marble, in amongst the Nepalese artefacts on the shelves.
Namaste Nepal is known for its menu of curries and street food which takes influences from India and China.
One of its hero dishes is its handmade Momocha dumplings, which are stuffed with lamb mince and topped with a classic peppery, spicy sauce.
There are platters of mixed shashlik, the meat slow-cooked in the tandoor oven; fiery traditional Chwela; and Kantipur Methi, where Tandoori chicken and minced lamb are mixed together.
Curries range from the mouth-numbingly spicy (looking at you, vegetable naaga) to a crowd-pleasing Makhan Chara (aka butter chicken).
There’s plenty to keep vegetarians well-fed, from saag paneer to aloo gobi.
Namaste Nepal has been spicing up our lives since 2005 and is well and truly standing the test of time.
Georgina Pellant -
20th June 2023 
