OSMA, the Michelin Guide-listed restaurant that closed the doors to its Prestwich restaurant last year, is set to make an epic comeback.
The much-loved restaurant has finally announced details of a new location, with acclaimed founders Danielle Heron and Sofie Stoermann-Naess moving into the Northern Quarter.
Set to open this autumn, the OSMA team will also be launching Boutikk, a grocer and provisions shop right next to the new restaurant.
Danielle and Sofie will be bringing the magic that made the restaurant so beloved in Prestwich into the city centre, blending Sofie’s Norwegian upbringing with Danielle’s classical culinary training.
When it launches at One Port Street, OSMA (which is a portmanteau of Oslo and Manchester) will have a menu of fresh seafood, local meats, seasonal vegetable dishes and the much-loved sharing Sunday roast.
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While Danielle will oversee the kitchen, Sofie will lead the front-of-house and Boutikk, where customers will be able to pick up top-quality local produce.
You’ll be able to grab seasonally sourced veg, dairy, fruit and fresh meat and fish, as well as chat to chefs for advice on how best to cook everything on your shopping list.
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Boutikk will also have freshly baked Scandinavian-style bread, with a retail space inspired by the shopping traditions of Sofie’s native Oslo.
As well as earning a place in the prestigious Michelin Guide, OSMA’s success in its former home in Prestwich led to Danielle taking part in both Masterchef: The Professionals, and Great British Menu, where she reached the finals in both shows.
OSMA is moving in to the Northern Quarter. Credit: Jon Parker LeeOSMA food while they were in Exhibition. Credit: The Manc Group
Since closing in Prestwich, they operated for a time out of the luxury food hall Exhibition – but now it’s time for their own site again.
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Of the opening, Danielle and Sofie say: “We’re so delighted to be reopening OSMA, we’ve missed it every day and to be bringing the restaurant back into such a vibrant part of the city centre is beyond exciting.
“We will miss our community in Prestwich but we’re only a couple of miles down the road!
“Bringing a shop like Boutikk to Manchester has been a dream for such a long time – we feel that there is a need and a want for this kind of produce in the city centre so when it became apparent that we could create something alongside OSMA we jumped at the chance!”
Adam Price from One Port St’s developer, Select Property adds: “Osma has made a remarkable impact on Greater Manchester’s dining scene in a short space of time, and we’re proud to be partnering with them on this exciting new chapter.
“Their new home at One Port St is a natural fit – we share a commitment to community, quality and creativity, and this collaboration reflects our ambition to bring something truly fresh and inspiring to the Northern Quarter.
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“It’s also a key part of our vision to curate an exceptional lifestyle offering for residents. In addition to indoor and outdoor working and socialising spaces, spa and wellness facilities, and panoramic views of the city, residents will have direct access to one of Manchester’s most exciting culinary destinations – all without leaving the building.”
Award-winning cocktail bar in Manchester announces shock closure
Daisy Jackson
Red Light, a Manchester cocktail bar that’s been named as one of the best in the UK, has announced its shock closure.
The beautiful bar on the cobbled Little David Street has said that ‘this Pride will be our last’, with the doors set to close for good on Sunday.
Red Light opened its doors at Kampus in 2023, an inclusive space with great drinks, events, and DJs.
The bar was the brainchild of Deana Ferguson, an adopted Manc originally hailing from Belfast, who created a cosy, welcoming space with a fantastic martini.
But now, the Red Light team have announced that they have just days remaining in their home.
They wrote that ‘sustained financial headwinds’ are partly to blame, along with the challenges presented by operating a late-night venue in a residential area.
Red Light in Manchester has announced its closureThe beautiful bar is on Little David Street at Kampus in Manchester
In a heartbreaking statement, Red Light wrote: “For so many years, this bar has been more than a place to drink. It has been a home, a dance floor, a refuge, and a place where people could find friendship, freedom, love, and themselves.
“We are immensely proud of the community that has grown within these walls, and grateful to every person who has been part of it.”
The statement went on to thank the DJs, performers, neighbours and friends who ‘made this bar what it was’.
Red Light added: “We want our final Pride to celebrate everything we have created together. Come raise a glass, fill the dance floor, and help us give this place the joyful, unapologetically queer farewell it deserves.
“We hope to see you over the weekend, for one last Pride together.”
Viral Manchester doughnut window serving ‘spaghetti ice cream’ to close down
Daisy Jackson
Baby Mayhem, a dessert hatch in Ancoats serving fluffy filled doughnuts, has announced it’s closed for good.
The brand shot to fame with its baked-fresh-daily treats, which customers could have topped with ‘spaghetti ice cream’ and cheesecake filling.
For a year and a half, they’ve had consistent queues for their doughnut ice cream sandwiches and coffees, and become one of the most viral traders in Greater Manchester.
But now Baby Mayhem’s doughnut window in Ancoats is closing for good, with its founder James Turner citing a rise in rent and ongoing building works among the reasons for its closure.
He said that it’s become ‘increasingly difficult’ to operate the site, with the wider building undergoing construction work, telling followers that he’s only been able to open seven days out of the last eight weeks.
He’s also said that there is a ‘proposed increased rent’ looming, forcing him to close the Ancoats hatch for good.
But it’s not the end of Baby Mayhem as a brand, with a unit outside the Etihad Stadium, pop-ups planned at the Joie stadium, another term at Manchester Metropolitan university, and more appearances around town.
He also dropped a hint at a certain Christmas Market…
James will close the Baby Mayhem doughnut window in AncoatsBaby Mayhem’s fluffy doughnutsCredit: The Manc Group
In a statement, James said: “After an incredible year and a half, we’ve made the really difficult decision to close the Baby Mayhem hatch – for now.
“Over the past few months, ongoing building works have left much of the site under construction, making it increasingly difficult for us to operate consistently. We’ve only managed to open seven days in the last 8 weeks.
“The works have also had a huge impact on our kitchen, making it impossible to create our desserts to the standard we expect from Baby Mayhem. Alongside the disruption and proposed increased rent, continuing to operate from the hatch simply isn’t sustainable right now.
“But one thing is certain – this is not the end of Baby Mayhem.
“Over the last 18 months, we’ve been lucky enough to build a wonderful relationship with Manchester City FC and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of. That relationship continues to grow, with our unit outside the stadium, we will have pop ups at the Joie stadium for all the WSL home games, and also popping up at Kids Fanzone at every Manchester City home game.
“We’ll also be back at Man Met for another term of Baby Mayhem Burger, with more pop-ups around the city, a few festivals still to come and of course, we love a Christmas market.
“Sometimes in business you have to take one step back to take two steps forward.
“For now, the hatch is closing – but Baby Mayhem isn’t. To everyone who has supported us over the last year and a half, thank you.