10 amazing new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester this month | November 2023
Greek street food, fancy new cocktail bars, and one of the city's most hotly-anticipated new restaurants are all coming in November. Oh, and the Christmas Markets...
It feels like we say this every month, but it genuinely feels like November might be our biggest month for new Manchester restaurants of the year so far.
There are some huge national names like Six By Nico and Gail’s Bakery opening brand new sites, some local favourites like Seven Brothers launching new ventures, and a couple of totally new brands joining the fray.
November will also see the launch of the beautiful Fenix restaurant and bar, one of the city’s most hotly-anticipated new openings.
There’ll be plenty of new bars opening alongside all those new restaurants in Manchester too, whether you’re into no-nonsense cocktail bars or proper beer taprooms.
Oh, did we mention that Christmas is officially back too?
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From Salford to the city centre, we’ve picked out 10 of the best new openings to add to your list this month.
Six By Nico, John Dalton Street
Nico Simeone of Six By Nico, who will open a second Manchester restaurant in November.
Six By Nico, the restaurant that takes the usually eye-wateringly expensive tasting menu concept and slaps a low £39 price tag on it, is opening its second restaurant here in Manchester this month.
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The tried-and-tested concept involved a six-course themed menu that changes every six weeks, with previous themes including chippy tea, childhood, and fairytales.
Speaking of the launch, Nico Simeone said: “Since launching in 2019, our Spring Gardens venue has gone from strength to strength, prompting demand for a second site in the heart of the city. The support we have had from the people of Manchester and further afield, as well as the team we have had there since day one, have all helped make a second-site possible.”
2 John Dalton Street, M3 2NW | Opens 30 November
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Stray, Mackie Mayor
Stray, a new cocktail bar opening in Mackie Mayor this November. Credit: Supplied
Tucked on the corner of Eagle Street in the former Atkinsons Coffee site, in the sensational building that’s home to Mackie Mayor, is Stray, a brand new cocktail bar promising uncomplicated cocktails.
Their drinks menu’s signature section is titled ‘Led Astray’ and will combine seasonal flavours and some less commonly explored ingredients.
And they’re putting just as much effort into their low- and non-alcoholic cocktails too.
Eagle St, M4 5BU| Opening 3 November
Rola Wala, Deansgate
Rola Wala is opening on Deansgate in Manchester. Credit: SuppliedRola Wala is opening on Deansgate in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
Foot-long naan wraps, served until 3am. Shall I just leave it there?
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Rola Wala is an Indian street food favourite that will soon be opening its first site here in Manchester.
On the menu you’ll see build-your-own naan rolls (Rola Wala literally translates to ‘man that rolls’ in Hindi), filled with authentically spiced Indian fillings, healthy and hearty lunches like naan tikka tacos and rice bowls, and curries.
The brand’s ‘buy-one-give-one’ incentive means that they donate one meal to a hungry child in the developing world for every naan roll sold – so far, that’s totally 850,000 meals delivered by Rola Wala.
To celebrate the opening, Rola Wala will be giving away more than 1,000 naan rolls on launch day – just head down from midday on 8 November to grab one.
75 Deansgate, M3 2BW | Opening 8 November
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Gail’s, Knutsford
Gail’s in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupGail’s in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The UK’s poshest bakery is continuing its formidable expansion across the north, opening a new site in Knutsford.
Famed for their homemade bread and sensational pastries (the crunch on their cinnamon bun is next-level), Gail’s is a London brand that’s taking the north west by storm.
They’re taking over the old HSBC bank in the centre of the market town.
19 Princess St, Knutsford WA16 6BZ| Opening 3 November
Bar Hutte, Kampus and Great Northern
Bar Hutte is returning to Manchester in November. Credit: Supplied
You know it’s Christmas when the little wooden huts start popping up around Manchester – and the ones at Bar Hutte are home to more festive spirit than anything you’ll find at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
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Bar Hütte’s legendary karaoke cabins are coming back, bringing Alpine vibes, cosy furnishings, twinkling lights, live music sessions, and flowing drinks – with not one, but two locations in Manchester city centre.
While Bar Hütte at Great Northern Square is heading back to Deansgate, with 15 cosy private hüttes neatly-positioned under a heated stretch tent and twinkling lights, Bar Hütte at Kampus will also see a new outdoor terrace, comprising of eight snug, wooden karaoke hüttes nestled beneath the trees, and an ‘Aprés Ski Bungalow’ serving as an indoor alpine bar.
Bar Hütte at Kampus also teamed up with its neighbours, Nell’s and Great North Pie Co, so that hungry foodies can order pizza and pies delivered straight to their hütte via a QR code system.
Kampus, Aytoun St, M1 3GL; and Great Northern, 235 Deansgate, M3 4EN| Opening 8 November
Fenix, Spinningfields
Fenix is one of the most exciting new restaurant and bar openings in Manchester this month
Bringing a taste of Mykonos to Manchester will be Fenix, a luxurious new Mediterranean restaurant from the team who founded Tattu.
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Fenix will be serving high-end contemporary Greek-Mediterranean food in Spinningfields, in a truly beautiful restaurant space that includes carved stone walls, gold fauna hanging from the ceiling, and cutting-edge lighting design that will mimic the setting sun and moonlit nights in the Greek isles.
Expect everything from fresh pitta and hummus to spiced beef meatballs, grilled octopus with Aegean fava beans, shrimp ‘Saganaki’, and Wagyu beef dumplings.
And a spectacular charcoal-fired grill in the heart of the new restaurant will see fresh seafood and locally sourced meats flamed live in front of customers.
You can get 50% off its soft launch period and have exclusive access to bookings if you sign up to their newsletter.
The Goods Yard Building, M3 3BG | Opening late November
Prestwich’s food and drink scene just keeps thriving, with a brand new neighbourhood restaurant joining the high street this month.
After a wildly successful Crowdfunding campaign, which saw it selling rewards including food for life, The Pearl has pulled in acclaimed chef Iain Thomas to craft a menu of locally-sourced plates.
Prior to launching The Pearl, co-owner Sam launched the successful sandwich delivery service SanSan during the Covid lockdowns.
425 Bury New Rd, Prestwich, M25 1AF | Opening 4 November
11 Central, Salford
11 Central is set to open in Salford, from the teams behind Seven Brothers Brewery and the Sisters Distillery
The huge group of siblings behind two of Manchester’s best drinks brands are teaming up to open a new bar, with 11 Central set to launch in Salford very soon.
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The bar will form part of the new Central Bay site at MediaCityUK and comes from the teams behind Seven Brothers Brewery and the Sisters Distillery.
11 Central will take its name from the fact that all 11 siblings are joining forces to create a new watering hole for Salford .
The bar will have a mix of food, drink, live music, bar games and waterside views across a 2000sq ft terrace.
Central Bay, Salford M50 3XW | Opening 17 November
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Dear Sailor, Spinningfields
Tucked in just across the road from Sexy Fish is Dear Sailor, a new cocktail bar inspired by the underground jazz cafes that sprung up around Tokyo in the 1930s.
It’s taking over the old Wolf Italian site in the heart of Spinningfields and will promise plenty of cocktails, plenty of music, and plenty of classy vibes.
Details are pretty scarce at the minute but it’s pitching itself as ‘discreet fine partying and drinking’.
Spinningfields Square, M3 3AP | Opening late November
One of The Manc’s favourite lunches is, hands-down, a gyros – and now there’s a new kitchen dedicated to the Greek street food opening right around the corner from our office.
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Soft, traditional flatbreads will be stuffed with spiced meats, pulled chicken, and fried halloumi, plus chips (because potatoes in bread is an elite food group).
It’s taking up the space left vacant by the old Venus flower shop on Oxford Road.
95 Oxford St, M1 6ET | Opening 13 November
Things to do and events in Manchester in November 2023
Duvel x Maray – Middle-Eastern favourite Maray is teaming up with Duvel for a one-off, five course menu, each dish paired with beer. Perfect. It’s happening on 15 and 16 November and costs £50 per person.
Wine to Water charity cocktails – One of Manchester’s most iconic speakeasies The Washhouse, along with new Kampus LGBTQ+ cocktail bar Red Light, will be offering a new range of charity cocktails this month in support of clean water charity Wine To Water. £1 from each purchase will be donated to the cause, with drinks available until mid-November.
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Bundobust Pizza – Indian street food legends Bundobust are partnering with Slice Culture and Track Taproom for a one-night-only Indian-inspired pizza collab, with toppings including Biryani, korma, and saag paneer. It’s happening on Friday 3 November at Track’s taproom near Manchester Piccadilly.
Manchester Christmas Markets – Here they come again – the Manchester Christmas Markets will officially kick off on Friday 10 November, bringing festive cheer, loads of beer, and plenty of sausages to the city’s streets.
Bombay Curry Club – A new bottomless curry offering is heading to Freight Island, with Payal serving all-you-can-eat curries between 6pm and 9pm every Thursday, accompanied by live DJs. It all kicks off from 2 November.
Loaf’s birthday – Beloved Oxford Street cake shop Loaf is celebrating its birthday with 50% off from 12pm until 4pm on Saturday. Their full range will be half price for one day only.
Featured image: Fenix
Eats
Chorlton’s Horse and Jockey is reintroduced to the suburbs after stunning transformation
Danny Jones
The much-loved Horse and Jockey in Chorlton is back open for business following a major and marvellous refurb, which has seen the heart and soul of the pub restored to its former glory.
Opening just in time for the bulk of cosy boozer season, we’re about to spend A LOT of time in here.
With an impressive culinary pedigree to boot, the ‘new and improved’ Horse and Jockey was always bound to be a hit with critics and natives alike, we just weren’t expecting them to knock it quite so far out of the park – or, in this case, Chorlton Green.
Giving the already gorgeous 200-year-old structure a new lick of paint and then some, the new Horse and Jockey looks set to reassert itself as one of the prettiest, cosiest and tastiest pubs you’ll find in central Manchester.
Benefitting from sitting just outside the city centre, you’ve still got plenty of footfall from those who have seen Chorlton become a foodie destination all of its own, and those who have lived there all their lives.
Yes, you’ll still find plenty of old boys sipping their well-deserved pints and dogs curling up on the carpets here.
Now boasting up to 82 covers outside in the familiar evergreen beer garden, with table service in the summer, you can see this being a go-to spot for grub and a reliable watering hole for all year-round.
It’s also worth noting that it’s a pretty roomy venue inside as well, with an entirely refurbished upstairs seating area and a dedicated private dining space now, too.
The Horse and Jockey is glistening once again ahead of reopening this month. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Other touches we especially liked are bringing Chorlton Pale Ale – which used to be brewed right here in the Jockey itself prior to Covid – back on draught. It may be made elsewhere nowadays, but we’re glad to see it being shipped back to and served out of its ancestral home.
And it just gets better.
As well as supporting the local art scene by sourcing works from Greater Manchester creatives, they really are aiming to make this a community cornerstone.
They’ve taken the holistic idea of a public house right back to its roots, providing not only a place to meet, eat and drink for regulars, but also a real social outlet right in the middle of the suburb.
It’s also about supporting and celebrating traditional British pubs and the Northern working-class culture that goes along with it.
There’s still a recognisable style and familiar feel to the Horse and Jockey refurb. (Credit: The Manc)
The majority of the furniture is even salvaged from the pubs we sadly lost up and down the country, not to mention other businesses that have unfortunately closed post-pandemic and the continuing struggles facing the industry.
We’re lucky to have people like this putting drinks in our hands and keeping our bellies full, so we’re glad that they’re doing what they can to pay homage to those who have come before them as well.
Perhaps most heartwarming is that not only have they kept pre-existing staff in post during the switch-over, but they’re all welcoming back familiar faces from the past. Once again, this is about championing the beauty of British pub culture in all of its facets.
This is a proper foodie pub at its core, boasting cosy vibes just in time for the colder months; they even restored three of the five original fires that used to burn through the autumn and winter back in the day.
Bookings are live already, and if you’ve tried the Sunday roast at The Black Friar, you expect this place to fill up just as quickly – we’d reserve our tables early if we were you…
The food offering is substantial, filling and full of flavour. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
This may be a big rebrand and transformation, but there are also still the same old Joseph Holt favourites on the taps for those who love the classic lineup, and they’ve even used their ‘Trailblazer’ stout glaze on one of their cheesecakes. Safe to say, they have our undivided attention with that one.
Owner Neil Burke, who formally acquired The Black Friar two years ago and now heads up the revamped Horse and Jockey, said of the reopening: “I have a personal history with the Horse & Jockey and it’s always held a special place in my heart.
“It’s such a beautiful building, but it hasn’t been shining the way it should in recent years. As a local myself, I felt Chorlton deserved a proper foodie pub – somewhere that delivers brilliant food in a setting that does justice to the building’s history.”
To top things off, they’ve got Michelin-trained head chef Paolo Bianchileading things in the kitchen.
“The Horse & Jockey is an iconic part of Chorlton’s history and I’m proud to be leading its kitchen with the brilliant Black Friar team”, says Bianchi. “After gaining years of experience in Paris, Dubai and London, it feels great to be rooted in Manchester, a city I’ve really fallen in love with.”
“My vision is simple, to serve British classics that people know and love, elevated with seasonal local ingredients, touches from my Italian heritage and international experience. The menu will be ever-changing, so guests can expect something fresh every time they visit.”
As for your job, it’s simple: expect great, hearty pub grub classics elevated to a gourmet level, with all the welcoming warmth of a traditional English pub.
This isn’t just a metropolitan boozer trying to be acountry-style pub; the Horse and Jockey is a Chorlton gem reborn. It opens on Monday, 20 October, and you can guarantee you’ll be seeing us there.
The best foodie freebies you can get in Manchester on your birthday
Danny Jones
Nothing says ‘Happy Birthday’ quite like free food and drink simply for being born, especially when you can get it right here on your doorstep in Manchester, don’t you think?
There’s no doubt tonnes of different places that do special complimentary offers on your big day throughout the 10 boroughs, but that inevitably gargantuan list is for another day.
For now, we thought we’d simply put together a quick and easy round-up of the best birthday freebies you can get in and around central Manchester.
You can thank us later when you’re all full up and your wallet isn’t even the tiniest bit lighter.
Places that offer free stuff on your birthday in Manchester
1. Money off at J.W. Lees
Start your birthday off right with a pint from one of Greater Manchester’s most famous beermasters: J.W. Lees Brewery, who’ll give you a tenner off when you visit the bar on your birthday.
All you have to do is quickly sign up for their mailer to get your £10 voucher; they’re also the legend behind the ongoing Boddingtons revival, so you already know how best to spend it.
Next up is a Manc favourite that’s never shyed away from dishing out the odd freebie – spoilers, but it usually involves some kind of chicken…
In all seriousness, be it free wings for students with ‘Yard Card’ or kids eating at no cost when the adults book in a family meal, the kings and queens at the Coop are always looking out for us Mancs. It’s not different on you’re birthday either, when you get a free main meal by signing up to the newsletter.
Next up, you’re going to need something to wash down all that lovely salty fried chicken, so why not queue up some cocktails at Simmons over on Deansgate?
These still relatively recent London exports are so kind as to offer a £25 bar tab when you book a table with them for your birthday; you can sort yours HERE.
4. Nell’s Pizza freebies
Ok, so now you’ve whetted the whistle and can probably line up your next bit of scran – we’re assuming you’re going to do what we do and cram all these into one single day – so it’s time to grab some pizza at Nell’s if you ask us.
Better yet, not only are their slices reasonably priced, but you can also cop yourself a voucher free ‘Birthday Cake’ flavour (yes, the pretty one with the sprinkles) ice cream sandwich when booking online. You’ve also got a new venue you can enjoy this deal at, too.
We’ve had a free ice cream sandwich at Nell’s in Manchester on our birthday for at least the last three years.
5. Bonus baked goods at Gail’s
If a little ice cream sandwich hasn’t quite satiated your sweet tooth, then you’ll be glad to know that the growing presence of Gail’s Bakery in Greater Manchester not only involves some unreal tastes and smells, but some brilliant birthday freebies, too.
For those who are members of Gail’s Loyalty Programme, where customers can also collect stamps to earn back coffees, cakes and more completely gratis, you are also entitled to a free sweet from their baker’s table treat during your birthday month. Say no more.
Question is, which treat will it be?… (Credit: The Manc Group)
6. Good old Greggs
Room for more dessert (they do say it’s a second stomach, after all)? Well, if there is, you can’t go wrong with a Northerner’s first love: Gregg’s, who also keep things nice and straightforward by simply congratulating you on being born by giving you a free sweet treat you can claim via the app.
Oh, and by the way, I was once genuinely given a Gregg’s gift card by a mate for my birthday and don’t sleep on it – that was genuinely one of the best things in the haul that year.
Left it too late to buy a Mother’s Day present and now all the shops are shut? We do digital gift cards. Just saying... https://t.co/46ETSh1gc0
Ok, it’s all feeling a bit sugar-heavy at the minute, so let’s swap back onto the savoury and another brilliant chain that isn’t just beloved here but actually started the fast-food burrito culture here in 0161.
Many of you may have already copped this freebie in the past, but in case you still need to be initiated, Barburrito have been handing out free birthday burritos since like forever – the only catch nowadays is you need to download the app and make sure you’ve spent at least £6 before the date rolls around.
8. Chopstix for cheap
Last but not least, how about some late-night noodles to finish things off? We here at The Manc (Eats, specifically) are guilty of getting a last-minute takeaway to round off a long work day or spice up a weekend evening spent at home.
That being said, it’s a very easy plan to fall back on during your birthday week if you don’t have much booked in for an insignificant number in your 20s, let’s say; simply sign up for the newsletter and select the small box of your choosing. It isn’t just food they’re doing these days either…
Daisy Jackson -
1st November 2023 
