The runaway success of Six By Nico is continuing, with the popular affordable restaurant about to open its second restaurant in Manchester.
Six By Nico is famed for making tasting menus affordable, with six courses for only £39.
And it’s built up a solid base of returning customers by changing its menu to a different theme every six weeks, taking inspiration from places, memories, literature and imagination.
For its newest opening, Six By Nico has returned to Manchester again and is launching a 75-cover restaurant on John Dalton Street, directly opposite IKaro.
The beautiful restaurant space features sage green walls, brown leather banquette seating, and dark marble and mahogany tables, as well as a checkerboard tiles floor and impressive overhead gold light fixtures.
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The brand new restaurant space splits into two areas, with a relaxed bar area looking out on the street outside.
Its design takes a few nods to Manchester’s history too, from huge woven hangings inspired by the city’s illustrious cotton trade, and timber and antique brass details.
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Inside Six By Nico’s new Manchester restaurant. Credit: The Manc GroupInside Six By Nico’s new Manchester restaurant. Credit: The Manc Group
For its launch, the menu will be Cooking Tokyo, available until 14 January.
The newest menu has once again been created by founder Nico Simeone, following a research trip to Tokyo, inspired by street food favourites and Japanese classics.
Dishes include chicken karaage, tempura mushroom, oknomiyaki (a pork and prawn pancake), ramen, and panko pork cutlet, with a white chocolate, matcha and strawberry dessert.
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As always, a full vegetarian version is available, where the protein is swapped for ingredients like kimchi, tofu, and pumpkin.
There’s the option to add a selected drink pairing for £30 alongside your £39 menu, plus a selected aperitif, which will be the £9 Sakura (gin, cherry, ginger, and lemon).
Panko pork cutlet and glazed pork belly at Six By Nico. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Cooking Toyko dessert at Six By Nico. Credit: The Manc Group
In 2023 alone, Six By Nico has opened sites in Leeds, Cardiff and Birmingham, and now has a second Manchester restaurant to its bow.
Nico Simeone said: “We are very excited to be opening our second venue in the vibrant city of Manchester.
“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.
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“Our aim at Six by Nico is to help our guests create memories and stories together, by pushing our creative boundaries with a new menu every six weeks.
“We look forward to welcoming new and regular guests when Six by Nico Deansgate opens its doors on 30th November.”
Lavish Spanish restaurant backed by Pep Guardiola announces shock closure
Daisy Jackson
Tast, the luxury Spanish restaurant in Manchester that was launched with the backing of Pep Guardiola, has announced its sudden closure.
The beautiful restaurant in King Street, led by acclaimed executive chef Paco Pérez, said that it’s taken the ‘difficult decision’ to close the doors for the ‘very last time’ this week.
Tast opened back in the summer of 2018, taking over the site that was previously home to restaurants like Quill and Suri.
It had a much better run of things than those previous occupiers, thanks to its menu of Catalan-style rice dishes and traditional but refined tapas.
Sadly, Tast Cuina Catalana has now decided that it’s reached the end of the road, and will be closing its doors for good on Saturday 20 December.
They cited a number of factors leading to the closure, including ‘exceptionally challenging trading conditions’ and ‘increased costs’, stressing that the restaurant’s ‘shareholders and the dedication of our team’ have seen the restaurant through the last seven years.
Tast wrote in a statement: “We are proud to have been able to share some of Catalunya, our beloved country, with the people of Manchester.
Tast will close for good on 20 DecemberTast on King Street launched in 2018 with backing from Pep Guardiola
“Between now and our final service on 20 December, we look forward to welcoming you and celebrating what Tast has always been about: great food, great people and memorable moments shared around the table.”
Other restaurant owners in Manchester have been sharing their messages of support with Tast, including Beeswing, who wrote: “This is so sad to read. Such lovely food and thoughtful service — a real reflection of how hard things are for hospitality right now. Manchester will miss you.”
Mary-Ellen McTague, the renowned chef at Pip, said: “Really sad news! Sorry to hear it.”
Tasts’s full statement reads: “After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close Tast’s doors for the very last time on 20 December 2025.
“Tast has been built on the passion, talent and commitment of an exceptional team, and we want to begin by thanking every single person who has worked with us over the years. Your creativity, care and professionalism have been the heart of Tast.
“To our loyal customers: thank you for choosing to dine with us, celebrate with us and support us. Your belief in Tast has kept us alive for seven years and it has been a privilege to welcome you through our doors.
“We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to our suppliers, producers and partners. Your quality, reliability and collaboration have played a vital role in shaping what Tast stands for.
“Like many in the hospitality sector, we have faced exceptionally challenging trading conditions and increased costs. But the unwavering support of our shareholders and the dedication of our team have seen us through these past seven years.
“Above all, we are proud to have been able to share some of Catalunya, our beloved country, with the people of Manchester.
“Between now and our final service on 20 December, we look forward to welcoming you and celebrating what Tast has always been about: great food, great people and memorable moments shared around the table.
“Thank you for being part of our journey. With gratitude, Tast Team.”
Anyone with vouchers to dine at Tast will be automatically refunded if they can’t be spent in the next few days.
Tast will officially close on Saturday 20 December.
Inside Mollie’s Motel and Diner in Manchester as beautiful new hotel opens with rooms from just £109
Daisy Jackson
Mollie’s Motel & Diner has arrived in Manchester, with beautiful hotel rooms from just £109 plus a retro diner serving American classics.
The space has taken over five floors of the iconic Old Granada Studios down at St John’s, with interior design that celebrates the building’s history.
Mid-century modern details like dark woods, textured upholstery, and retro lamps abound in this stylish new opening for Manchester.
Soho House Design has worked on the build of Mollie’s Motel to preserve the modernist facade of Old Granada Studios and make playful nods to the building’s vibrant history.
This is particularly obvious downstairs in Studio IV, a cocktail bar with a live music stage, where vintage TVs have been inserted over the bar and guests sink into plush couches for pre-dinner drinks.
You can already check out Mollie’s Diner, which is open now (with a decent discount for its launch – more on that below), with the Mollie’s Motel bedrooms set to launch early 2026.
The hotel rooms at Mollie’s Motel Manchester
A bunk room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterA Mollie’s Motel suiteAnd a tub with a viewThe bedrooms are all beautifully designed
Hotel rooms at Mollie’s Manchester start from an incredibly reasonable £109, with different size and spec bedrooms and suites for guests.
There are cosy bunk rooms where up to four guests can tuck into their own bunk pods, suites that have their own Peleton room, and cosy double bedrooms with gorgeous views of the southern side of the city.
Regardless of the level (or price) of your chosen room, you’ll have the same design detailing (dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes), plus rainshowers, a super king bed, Dyson hairdryers, GHD straighteners and Cowshed toiletries.
Mollie’s Diner in Manchester
Mollie’s Diner is open nowBreakfast dishes at Mollie’s DinerBurgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s DinerClassic thick milkshakes
The diner space itself looks like it’s been lifted straight out of Hollywood’s Golden Age, with deep burgundy leather banquettes, counter seating, and globe pendant lights.
It’s all been inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac, and has space to 110 diners plus private dining for 30.
As for food and drink, you can expect everything from waffles and French toast to huge burgers and steaks, with thick milkshakes to wash it down.
You can get 50% off food if you book Mollie’s Diner HERE.
The rest of the spaces in Mollie’s Motel & Diner, Manchester
Studio IV cocktail barStudio IV cocktail barThe library snug
As you enter this reimagined building, you’re plunged straight into its design-led vision, with couches and cosy corners everywhere.
The communal reception space has a library snug, coffee counter, and beautiful bar, but you head downstairs you’ll find the real treat – Studio IV.
This beautiful bar is built around a magnificent central bar, with retro TV screens above it and scalloped leather bar stools surrounding it.
There’s a mid-century-era stage, too, which will host live entertainment to a crowd gathered on couches before it.
You can get 25% off signature cocktails in Studio IV if you pre-book HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
27th November 2023 
