Eats

A new social ‘osteria’ and Italian restaurant is opening in Stockport town centre

'The new Berlin' or the next Bologna?

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 6th March 2026

You may not have come across the phrase ‘osteria’ before, but all you really need to know is that it’s Italian, involves food and drink, and the concept is coming to one of the most exciting new developments in Stockport.

Put simply, an osteria is somewhere that typically serves up wine and simple, rustic food in a more laid-back setting; they’re even more chill and perhaps extra focused on gathering friends and the communal side of the culinary world than a traditional trattoria.

However, the lines have been blurred over time, and in fact, it’s The Social Trattoria over in Poynton, just on the Cheshire border, that is bringing this concept to the flourishing Greater Manchester town.

Being headed up their team and property firm, Capital and Centric, who will be providing the space for the new social-first foodie spot, it will form a popular hospitality hub in the middle of a new mini-district.

social italian trattoria opening in stockport
The first CGI of the soon-to-open space. (Credit: Supplied)

That epicentre is the soon-to-be fully reborn Weir Mill: a new housing, business and leisure neighbourhood revolving around the old Grade II-listed cotton factory of the same name.

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Scheduled to open later this year and deliver more than 250 new homes, a slate of cafes and bars (as well as Social Osteria), not to mention lots of new jobs, the aim is to make it one of the most vibrant places with an SK postcode.

While the Social Osteria doesn’t quite have a specific opening date just yet, it’s set to be one of the big focal points of the new and improved Weir Mill.

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Promising all of the favourites from pasta, pizzas, antipasti, Aperol, other aperitivos and plenty more, they’re hoping it’ll be a place to meet throughout the day rather than just evening dining.

Clocking in at 2000 square feet – not including the 65,000 sq ft of surrounding outdoor space, paired riverside terrace and another exciting new opening in Stockport, Weaver’s Square – they’re looking to make a big impression on the locals, as well as bring even more tourists to the up-and-coming area.

You can read more about how Weaver fits into the Weir works down here:

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The Social Trattoria – the Poynton go-to founded by Will Okill, Jeremy Alexander, and Daniel
Barron – was named best Trattoria at the Italian Awards UK 2025 and is up for four more this
year.

Co-Founder Will Okill said of the plans: “You can’t help falling in love with this building, and that’s what happened when I walked into Weir Mill.

“It was stripped back to its bare bones, but the atmosphere was already there, you could feel the character – and then the outdoor space overlooking the river sealed it; as soon as I saw it, I could picture what we’d create here.

“We’re all about taking traditional Italian cooking and making it fresh for today – everything from scratch and using locally-sourced ingredients wherever we can. Stockport’s indie food scene is booming, and we can’t wait to be part of it.” Exciting times ahead indeed.

Take a closer look at the kind of dishes and drinks you can expect Trattoria to carry over to the new Social Osteria site down below.

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Featured Images — Publicity pictures (supplied via Font Comms)