So, summer is officially over – such as it was. Bit disappointing, but no matter because now Autumn is here, and we’re ready for lots of cheese, red wine, gravy, roasts and all the good things that come out of the kitchen once the weather gets a little bit cooler.
September in Manchester also brings a host of new bar and restaurant openings, with some of the year’s most hotly-anticipated new venues throwing open their doors.
Must-visits this month include Media City’s giant new food hall Kargo MKT – soon to be home to a lovingly curated collection of 20 different food traders – as well as Manchester’s only 2D Japanese cartoon cafe, Waku Waku, and new station-side craft beer bar Victoria Taps.
Add to that a new Irish and Scottish cafe in Levenshulme serving up classic frys, the arrival of world-famous coffee roastery Allpress Espresso at NOMA, a new dive bar on Oldham Street and a gorgeous new gelato parlour in Heaton Mersey, and we’d say there’s plenty to be getting excited about.
Keep reading to discover the best new food and drink openings in Manchester this September.
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Kargo MKT at Central Bay, Media City
Rio Mex will be moving into Kargo MKT serving up delicious tacos and burritos. / Image: The Manc Eats
Ad Maiora is moving its epic schiacciata butties out of its Northern Quarter flat into a shiny new kitchen in Media City. / Image: The Manc Eats
This might just be one of the most exciting new openings of the whole year, and we don’t say that lightly.
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With 20 independent street food partners, a 2,000 sq ft outdoor terrace, five waterside shipping container kitchens, and a shipping container bar run by Salford’s booziest family (Seven Brothers Brewery and Four Sisters Distillery), Kargo Mkt will be the largest venue of its kind in Greater Manchester.
Traders moving in include Ad Maiora, Bab K, Baity Palestinian Kitchen, Boba Cha, Chuan Chuan, FEED, Hot & Wild, House of Habesha, Jerk Junction, Leopard Pie, Locale Coffee, Nila’s Burmese Kitchen, Nori, Rio Mex, Rottu Kadai Dosa, Tang Hot Pot, Tzatziki, Vnam, What’s Your Beef and Wong Dumplings.
Victoria Tap
Victoria train station is about to get a new beer bar. / Image: The Manc Eats
Victoria Tap is set to open at the end of September. / Image: The Manc Eats
Finally, Manchester Victoria is going to have a decent beer bar – and we honestly cannot wait.
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The team behind Piccadilly Tap and Euston Tap are at last gearing up to open their new taproom at the city’s original train station, and are promising commuters their arrival will mark a new chapter with ‘no more £7 pints’.
Whilst an official opening date is still to be set, we have it on good authority that this will be opening sometime in September. Keep an eye on their socials for more updates between now and then.
Outside Italiana Fifty Five in Didsbury Village, formerly home to Croma pizza. / Image: The Manc Eats
A carbonara at Italiana Fifty Five in Didsbury Village. / Image: The Manc Eats
Following its rebranding from Cibo to Italiana Fifty Five, the Manchester Italian restaurant group has opened a third site in Didsbury Village.
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Taking over the former Croma site, on the menu you’ll find a large selection of traditional pasta and pizzas, mains and desserts, as well as some dramatic extra touches – such as flaming parmesan wheels.
To celebrate the new opening, the team is also offering 50% off food until the second week of September.
The full Irish fry-up at Bia. / Image: Bia via Facebook
White pudding at Bia. / Image: Bia via Facebook
Formerly home to the much-loved Aunty Ji’s, it’s all changed in Levenshulme as Bia moves into the empty unit serving delicious Irish and Scottish cafe-style breakfasts throughout the day with freshly-baked soda bread available to takeaway.
By night, things change again with tapas-style small bites and drinks into the evening.
Open now
Finders Keepers
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This new bar at New Islington comes from the teams behind Didsbury Gin and ARLU rum, so, as you might expect, there’s a big focus on high-end spirits and cocktails.
Located on Keepers Quay (get it?), peruse the signature list or, if you’re feeling like a classic, don’t be afraid to ask – the bar staff here known their Gibsons from their Martinis, having come from some of the best cocktail bars in town.
Open now
Waku Waku
Image: Waku Waku
Image: Waku Waku
A new addition to Manchester’s Chinatown district, Waku Waku brings something entirely fresh to the city’s dining scene as Manchester’s first-ever 2D Japanese Cartoon cafe.
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Its owner, Chris Lui, painstakingly drew the artwork inside the cafe himself by hand over the course of four months using over 150 pens – and the results are mind-blowingly impressive.
Of course, it’s not all about the art and something has to be said about the food here too. The signature dish here is the omelette rice, but other dishes worth trying include the katsu bowls, udon soup, Japanese fried chicken and seared sushi.
Open now
Allpress Coffee, NOMA
Allpress is teaming up with Oatly to give away 500 free tubs of soft serve on its opening day. / Image: Supplied
Allpress roasts coffee for some of the best cafes in the world. / Image: Supplied
Known for its speciality coffee, Allpress Coffee already roasts beans for some of the best cafes in the world – now it’s opening its own in Manchester.
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Located at NOMA opposite Cloudwater pub The Sadler’s Cat, the team at the new Northern hub has collaborated with Oatly to create a special espresso-flavoured soft serve which they’ll be handing out on opening day to the first 500 through the door after 11am.
TBC
Archies, Trafford Centre
Archie’s has opened a new burger spot inside the Trafford Centre. / Image: Archies
It serves breakfast as well as an all-day menu of burgers and shakes. / Image: The Manc Eats
For Mancs that love their burgers, this hot pink fast food institution needs no introduction.
Having begun life in a car wash, today Archie’s is one of the city’s best-loved indie burger brands – just as popular for its naughty breakfast offering as it is for its late-night curly fries, Peri Peri burgers and celebrity-inspired milkshakes.
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The team has just opened a new site inside the Trafford Centre in August – perfect for a stop-off when you’ve done a shop and feel ready to drop.
Open now
Macari’s Gelato
Gelato doesn’t get much better than this. / Image: Macari’s
Macari’s gelato parlour is opening in Heaton Mersey this September. / Image: Macari’s
Heaton Mersey is about to get a new gelato spot, just in time for the end of summer – but who says it’s only a warm weather treat?
Traditional to the max, this spot is showing locals how it’s done in Bologna – storing its precious gelato (aka ‘the Don Corleone of Ice Cream’, as one local has put it) inside a Pozetti to ensure that every spatula is just as perfect as the first.
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Expect a range of different flavours when it opens its doors on 2 September.
2 September
HOP Vietnamese, Trafford Centre
Image: HOP Vietnamese
Image: HOP Vietnamese
A new Vietnamese restaurant promising super fast food service is opening in Trafford this September.
Called HOP Vietnamese, it is already a huge hit in London and is famous for its super speedy service – promising to have you in, ordered and out with your food in three minutes.
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Now, having conquered the capital, the team has its sites set on Manchester as owners gear up to open the first HOP Vietnamese site up north inside the Trafford Centre this September.
Choices on its London menus include traditional bahn mi baguettes stuffed with Asian pickles and meats like duck, chicken and pork, alongside a range of ‘HOP Boxes’ that combine various proteins with crunchy Vietnamese salad and rice.
13 September
Bondi Bowls
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Bondi Bowls will open its first permanent base at Kampus this September, offering healthy choices to residents and visitors alike.
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Bondi Bowls first began life as a delivery-only service during the pandemic before taking on residencies at street food markets Hatch and Freight Island.
Set up by founder Jamie Tones, a chef who has worked in kitchens around the world, the menu takes inspiration from his time in Sydney with a selection of different açaí and poké bowls.
Diners will find an all-day brunch offering from morning to night with global flavour inspirations from the likes of India, Mexico, and Australasia.
TBC
Mean Eyed Cat
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Cocktails being made at The Mean Eyed Cat bar in Leeds. / Image: The Mean Eyed Cat
The Mean Eyed Cat is known for giving out free pizzas with every drink. / Image: The Mean Eyed Cat
Part Deep South-inspired dive bar, part underground Tiki bar, Leeds’ favourite party bar Mean Eyed Cat will take over the former District unit on Oldham Street when it opens later this month.
Known for giving out free pizzas with every drink, the new bar will open until 3am during the week and 4am on weekends with full on party vibes allowing customers to ‘roll the dice’ for free (or discounted) shots,
Pizzas, meanwhile, come in a host of Deep South-inspired flavours including Texas BBQ and smoky chipotle, and are included free with any drink ordered before 9pm, whilst must-try drinks include the house signature Mean Marg cocktail (where margarita meets Corona).
28 September
Manchester Urban Diggers (MUD) cafe
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Image: MUD
Image: MUD
Manchester Urban Diggers (MUD) are an urban community of market gardeners based in Greater Manchester, who host a weekly brunch and farmers market down at Plattfields Market Gardens.
Later this month, the team will open a new kitchen in Fallowfield focusing on sustainable, seasonal produce and cooking with fire – serving lunch from Fallowfield, as well as catering for various events.
End of September
Things to do and try in September
Block Steak Shop bottomless brunch, 2 September – The team at Block Steak Shop has launched a new bottomless brunch, running every weekend starting from September. Think steak and eggs, breakfast bagels with black pudding, unlimited pints, spritzes and glasses of prosecco, for £32 a head.
Bloody Mary and Oyster Partyat Henry C, 3 September – From 2pm, Henry C will be opening up the kitchen and serving fresh seafood in collaboration with the chefs at their sister site 10 Tib Lane alongside a sexy selection of Bloody Marys.
Sip and Shop at Kerb, 3 September – Local Manchester maker July Child Jewellery and women-led store Neon Rose will both pop up inside Ancoats wine bar Kerb this month for a special ‘sip and shop’ event, running from 1.30-6.30pm.
Whiskey Festival at The Whiskey Jar, 3 September – Tariff Street favourite The Whiskey Jar hosts a celebration of all things whiskey from 12.30-7pm on Sunday with live music, cocktails and some top-shelf whiskey brands. Tickets cost £20 and include 5 measures of whiskey.
Trade wine tasting at Flawd and Erst, 11 September – One for the industry heads, two of Ancoats’ best wine wine bars Flawd and Erst will host a large trade tasting from 10-4pm featuring new arrivals and delicious wine from the likes of Wayward Wines, Beattie & Roberts and Under the Bonnet Wines.
David Bailey//Bathe Daily Exhibition, 14 September – David Bailey launches a brand new exhibition of work at Port Street Beer House this month, and is throwing a party where you’ll be able to grab free slices of Nell’s Pizza, a big old set from SebMakingSense and the launch of “The Sparkler” PSBH’s three-way collaboration attempt at a modern rework of the Northern Classic, Boddingtons, brewed with Dave Bailey and BlackJack Beers.
If there is one thing us Brits have got down to a tee, it is how to spend a Sunday properly.
Go on, try and name a better way to spend the end of your weekend than heading out for some seriously hearty food and a pint with loved ones – I’ll wait.
There truly is nothing more comforting than a proper roast, especially as we head into the depths of winter and one thing is for certain – the UK is absolutely spoilt for choice on where to get a fix of this absolutely timeless meal. The question is where is serving the best?
While everyone argues over whose local is better, global travel site Big 7 Travel, decided to put it to the test.
Every year, they thoroughly investigate this pressing issue for us and release their list of The 25 Best Sunday Roasts in the UK, judging everything from quaint countryside pubs to inventive city-centre restaurants.
Their strict marking criteria covers everything from how the meat and trimmings are cooked, to how much care goes into sourcing ingredients.
They’ll also take into account what other diners say about the Sunday lunch, the atmosphere, and value for money.
This year our beloved Elnecot, nestled in the heart of Ancoats, did us proud being named the sixth best Sunday roast in the UK.
Elnecot in Ancoats is a neighbourhood favouriteThe Sunday roast at Elnecot has been named one of the best in the UK
It is clear to see why – with their killer Sunday roast serving a delicious selection of starters, followed by a choice of dry aged native topside; slow-roasted shoulder of Yorkshire lamb; lemon, thyme and butter roasted confit chicken leg; crispy, slow-roasted Yorkshire pork belly; or a nut and squash roast.
All accompanied by the crispiest roast potatoes, giant Yorkshire puddings, pork/vegan stuffing, roasted carrots, parsnips, sautéed greens, broccoli cheese and gravy.
Not to mention their mouth-watering extras such as truffle broccoli cheese, buttered greens in confit garlic or a beef shin stuffed Yorkshire pudding.
Oh – and only the best desserts selection you can imagine to follow, consisting of a burnt Basque cheesecake with mixed berries, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch tiramisu, an affogato or even an ice cream sundae – by this point we we’re drooling too don’t worry.
This year, the top 10 included some pretty big names making this even more of an achievement for Elnecot:
The Hawthorn – Haworth
Kyloe – Edinburgh
The Camberwell Arms – Southwark, London
Coorie Inn – Crieff
Impossible Restaurant & Wonderbar – York
Elnecot – Manchester
The Horse & Groom – Bourton-on-the-Hill
Blacklock – Soho, London
The Abbey Inn – Byland
Skein – Nottingham
Now all that’s left to do is go and try them all out for ourselves – what a shame.
The best food and drink to enjoy at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
Daisy Jackson
The Manchester Christmas Markets has developed a more diverse food and drink offering every single year since its inception.
Long gone are the days where all there was to eat was a bratwurst served off a swing grill, or a mound of garlic potatoes (though those do still exist, and still serve their purpose).
Now, the Manchester Christmas Markets are packed to the rafters with local traders and brilliant independent businesses serving food from all the way across the globe.
This year, there are more than 200 stalls spread across 10 locations, so we’ve whizzed round them all to find where the very best food and drink traders are lurking.
From viral hits like fried chicken waffle sandwiches and croissant pots, to new taste sensations like a cheese fondue served in an edible bowl, there’s plenty to fill you up.
Pie and mash from Great North Pie Co – King Street
The 14 hour braised beef and ale pieA Lancashire cheese and onion pie, with extra gravy
Back for a second go at the Manchester Christmas Markets is Great North Pie Co., serving the absolute perfect winter warmer food on King Street.
You’ve often be able to pick up their award-winning pies here, but usually to take home and heat up yourself.
Now, they’re available piping hot, on a bed of mash with lashings of gravy. The Lancashire cheese and onion is world-class, and if you ask nicely they might have a suet pudding for you too.
Prices – £9 for pie, £4 for mash, £2 for gravy
Fondue in a bread bowl – Cathedral Gardens
Fondue at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
What could be better than a bowl of melted cheese? A bowl of melted cheese where the bowl is made of sourdough bread, obviously…
Fondue is a newcomer to the Manchester Christmas Markets, serving up the Alpine food classic with a festive twist.
Your cheese fondue is served with dipping croutons and pickles, then topped with things like hot honey chicken, or pulled duck and cranberry sauce.
Prices – between £12.50 and £14.50 for a fondue bowl; £4.50 for a side of potatoes
Crème brûlée French toast from HK Toast – King Street
We love a Christmas Markets snack with a side of fire, and HK Toast is back doing exactly that.
They’re taking classic deep-fried Hong Kong-style French toast, then topping it with a load of different flavours like Cantonese egg tart, crunchy pistachio, and peaches and cream – plus their new theatrical torched crème brûlée offering.
These guys were one of our favourite traders from last year and things are only getting hotter.
Prices – £9.50
Yorkshire pudding wraps from Porky Pig – Exchange Square
Yorkshire pudding wrap and a loaded bowl from Porky PigDeep fried pigs in blankets with melted camembert
These guys have been part of the Manchester Christmas Markets for donkeys years now, and are still always going to pull in a queue.
Porky Pig serve up all your classic roast dinner bits – carvery meat, veggies, stuffing and gravy – inside a gigantic Yorkshire pudding wrap.
But they don’t stop there – you’ll also find carvery boxes, battered pigs in blankets, meat barms, and all sorts of other bits.
Prices – from £10.50 for a Yorkshire pudding wrap
Cheese skirt dumplings from Hot Dumplings – St Ann’s Square
Hot Dumplings at the Manchester Christmas Markets
The latest concept from our favourites at Oi Dumplings is Hot Dumplings, where you can get piping hot trays of gyoza and dumplings to go.
A real highlight is the chilli cheese skirt chicken gyoza, which are all stuck together with a crispy, cheesy bottom, and the warming chicken soup dumplings.
Don’t forget to add lashings of crispy chilli oil and dumpling vinegar for one of the best bites of food at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Prices – £9, including three sauces and toppings
Deep fried mince pies from Yard & Coop – St Ann’s Square
Deep-fried mince pies from Yard & Coop. Credit: The Manc Group
Yard & Coop just love a deep-fried bit of nonsense, and this year, that’s a deep-fried mince pie.
Alongside their usual chicken and fries trays, the Northern Quarter fried chicken icons are now serving up a battered festive dessert, too.
Warning – the inside will be hotter than the surface of the sun, which is actually just what you want after freezing your butt off at the Christmas Markets.
Prices – £4
Tiramisu from Misu – Market Street
Misu Tiramisu at the Manchester Christmas Markets
These were one of the really big food hitters from the Manchester Christmas Markets last year, so you’ll be pleased to see Misu have made a return.
This time, they’ll be selling their tiny tiramisu drawers from Market Street, with loads of different flavours to choose from.
Whether you’re a classic coffee gal or are fancying a seasonal special like gingerbread, salted caramel pretzel, or orange chocolate, there’ll be something to tickle your fancy here.
Prices – between £8 and £9
Croissants from Flat Baker – Albert Square
Flat Baker’s new Albert Square bakery stall. Credit: The Manc Group
Flat Baker opens at the Manchester Christmas Markets and the people flock to it like a moth to a flame – and this year looks set to be no different.
Debs and the team have got a prime spot on Albert Square, and for the first time in history, they’ve built a mini bakery inside their market stall.
That means you can watch them rolling and folding their phenomenal festive treats, from their viral croissant pots to bakes like a gingerbread cinnamon roll, pecan danish, a smores croissant pudding slice, a chocolate orange Danish, and loads more.
Prices – Between £3 and £6.95
Fried chicken waffles from Waffle Kart – King Street
Waffle Kart are back at the Manchester Christmas Markets 2026. Credit: The Manc Group
These guys surely need no introduction – Waffle Kart is one of those stalls that will send a queue halfway down King Street every single year.
Look out for the screaming rubber chicken stuck to the outside of their wooden shed, and you’ll find their incredible pickle-brined fried chicken dishes.
Expect chilli crisp sandwiches with waffles for bread, Szechaun chicken, and loaded waffles too.
Prices – between £11.95 and £14.95 for mains
Birria tacos from Fuego – Lincoln Square and Exchange Square
Fuego at the Manchester Christmas Markets. Credit: The Manc Group
A favourite at the now-lost Piccadilly Street Food Market, Fuego are here for the coming weeks with two locations at the Manchester Christmas Markets.
Expect phenomenal birria tacos stuffed with slow-cooked meat, as well as their ultimate winter warmer, a pot of birria ramen.
They’re part of the new food-focused area on Lincoln Square as well as sandwiched in right next to the ever-busy Porky Pig.
Georgina Pellant -
1st September 2023 
