After much anticipation, a popular Leeds ramen spot has confirmed the date it will open in Manchester.
House of Fu will open their doors in Manchester on Friday 20 October 2023, serving up classic and inventive bowls of ramen, vibrant rice dishes and homemade gyoza, all paired with carefully selected cocktails, craft beer, sake and wines.
Located on Manchester’s Portland Street within the walls once occupied by the Architects Society, House of Fu is set to bring their modern ramen, rice bowls and small plates to Manchester from 11:30am every day.
The venue also boasts a late-night party spot, state-of-the-art karaoke rooms, and a private dining room, offering a brand-new feasting menu for parties of up to 30, alongside their everyday menu.
Ahead of the opening date, House of Fu will be holding a one night only soft launch with 50% off the entire bill for the lucky ones who catch a booking.
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The story of House of Fu begins in 2014 as a smash hit pop-up at Belgrave Music Hall which was awarded ‘Best of the Best’ at that year’s British Street Food awards.
House of Fu is opening a new restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
House of Fu is opening a new restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
The brand then popped up at various venues and music festivals as the team continually developed the concept, testing out ideas collected on inspirational trips to New York, Tokyo, Portland and Los Angeles.
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The first site opened in 2021 on Leeds’ The Headrow, going from strength to strength and gaining a loyal following for their innovative flavours and creative takes on Japanese favourites such as gyoza, katsu and tonkotsu broth.
Owners Simon Stevens and Ashley Kollakowski said of finding their ideal Manchester site: “Manchester is home to some of our favourite restaurants and shops and it’s been great getting to know the city a little more whilst looking for a home for House of Fu.
“There’s such an exciting food scene in Manchester and there seems to be more great openings announced every week, we’re really excited to be part of it.
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“We’ve developed some incredible new dishes for the Manchester menu which we can’t wait to share with you alongside the obvious hits like our spicy tantanmen and the sleeper fave, the cucumber salad.’
Ben Iley, a long-time collaborator of the team who formerly ran the kitchen at Michelin-recommended restaurant, Ox Club, is the engine driving forward a creative kitchen team and will oversee Manchester operations.
Many years ago, after planning to visit Tokyo for one month, a trip which turned into 10 years, Ben worked at some of the country’s most popular restaurants including Aquavit, The Tokyo American Club and Fujimamas (where he met his wife, Masayo).
Ben cut his teeth working alongside world-renowned chefs including Marcus Samuelsson, Bill Granger, and most notably Ivan Orkin, the chef behind the internationally acclaimed Ivan Ramen.
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Ben remarked: “Going for a bowl was the thing to do in Tokyo, it was almost a competition amongst friends to take the group to their newest find or introduce them to their favourite neighbourhood Ramen bar.
“It’s that excitement and love for a good bowl we want to bring to Manchester. Whilst the core menu will consist of some firm favourites, each week the kitchen team will be challenging their creativity, producing their own specials to serve up so our guests can enjoy something different and new every time they visit.
“We want House of Fu to be somewhere chefs want to train as much as they want to eat.”
House of Fu Manchester will support EatWellMCR, the local collective who are working towards the eradication of food poverty in Greater Manchester.
Eats
Drake-backed Dave’s Hot Chicken is opening in the Trafford Centre
Daisy Jackson
The cult LA-born fried chicken brand backed by Drake is expanding in Manchester once again, this time with a brand-new site at the Trafford Centre.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is set to open its latest location inside the huge shopping centre, bringing its signature Nashville-style heat to The Orient food hall.
Already causing a stir with its first Manchester site at the Printworks, the fast-growing US chain has built a reputation for long queues and a chicken spice level so extreme you have to sign a waiver to eat it (The Reaper is not for the faint of heart).
And now hoardings have appeared at the bottom of The Orient at The Trafford Centre, joining Five Guys, Shake Shack, and Slim Chickens.
The new Trafford Centre restaurant is expected to follow the same winning formula, serving up its famous hot chicken tenders and sliders, available in seven spice levels and served on a slice of bread to soak up all the spice levels.
Fans can also expect a menu packed with loaded fries, creamy mac and cheese, kale slaw, and indulgent top-loaded shakes, alongside refreshing slushers to cool things down after the heat kicks in.
Born in a Los Angeles car park back in 2017, Dave’s Hot Chicken has exploded in popularity in recent years, with Drake becoming a high-profile investor as the brand rapidly expanded across the US and into the UK.
The Trafford Centre opening marks another major step in the brand’s UK growth, following successful launches in London, Birmingham, and Manchester city centre, and signals that the fried chicken heavyweight is only just getting started.
If the scenes at previous openings are anything to go by, Mancunians can expect queues, hype, and plenty of spice when the doors finally open.
Popular Manchester brunch spot Bruncho teases what’s to come with new Northern Quarter cafe
Daisy Jackson
Bruncho has shared a glimpse of what’s to come when it officially opens the doors to its new Northern Quarter cafe.
The brunch spot has had queues down the street since launching on Deansgate, with enough popularity to warrant it opening a second location.
Bruncho is moving into the old Feel Good Club, a huge unit in Hilton House that’s been left empty since the cafe’s shock closure.
And as the clock ticks down to Bruncho’s launch into the Northern Quarter, they’ve shared an exclusive look inside at their very big plans.
The team have now confirmed that the new venue will have a salad bar and vegetarian buffet, as well as coffee raves with DJs at select hours.
New CGIs of the space also show a drastic change from the site’s days as Feel Good Club, filling the giant cafe with wooden tables, hanging pendant lights, plants, and soft textures.
Bruncho is known for its brunch dishes that have a real knack for going viral on social media, including New York-style breakfast rolls in croissant bread; fresh coconut water and matcha served in the coconut; and its absolutely stacked French toasts.
A glimpse inside Bruncho Northern QuarterBruncho will have a vegetarian buffet when it opens in the Northern QuarterHow Bruncho Northern Quarter will look
It’s consistently packed out at its original location on Deansgate, and now it’s taking over a 4,378 sq ft unit in the Northern Quarter too, set to open this June.
Omer Umut Mutlu, owner of Bruncho, said: “Manchester has shown Bruncho so much love, and expanding into the Northern Quarter feels like the natural next step for us.
“Hilton House gives us the space to elevate what we do – more covers, more events, and a new home for the kind of food and atmosphere people will make the journey for.
“We’re excited to bring something fresh to the neighbourhood, with the opening scheduled for June 2026.”
Georgina Pellant -
19th September 2023 
