A brand-new restaurant is set to open in Manchester this week, from the same team behind the Northern Quarter’s well-established Trof.
Stow is opening on Bridge Street this Friday, bringing live fire cooking and a seasonal menu, plus plenty of local beers to the mosaic-clad spot in the city centre.
The new Stow site has, at various points over the last few years, been a Grindsmith coffee shop, Thai BBQ Neon Tiger, and Juicebox wine bar.
We’ve had a sneak peek inside today ahead of its official launch later this week, and the Stow team have transformed this place into a cosy, relaxed restaurant space.
There are low pendant lights, white brick walls, and a beautiful tiled bar, in an understated and neutral interior.
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As for the food, the entire Stow menu will be cooked over a custom-built grill from Firemade in Somerset, fuelled by wood and charcoal, with a concise menu of meet and fish plus veg-centric sides and snacks sourced from the ‘best produce they can get their hands on’.
Stow will be owned and operated by Matt Nellany and Jamie Pickles from Trof, who want to celebrate the ‘simplicity of great ingredients cooked over open fire with very little faff’.
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The wine list will be exclusively French but the beer list will show off local breweries, and cocktails will feature classics with a twist like a Cremant Cocktail.
Inside Stow, a new restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Jame and Matt both come with a proper hospitality pedigree.
Jamie left restaurant management in 2018 to return to his hometown in the Peak District, working in The Devonshire Arms pub in Pilsley before holding a kitchen residency at Saint Francis Provisions in Kinsale, Ireland.
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Once back in Manchester, he’s been developing dishes and writing menus for various restaurants, including Trof.
Dishes at Stow are seasonal and cooked over open fire. Credit: The Manc GroupStow is a new restaurant from the team at Trof. Credit: The Manc Group
Matt took over as general manager of Trof and eventually acquired the business from Mission Mars in 2020.
His career started in cocktail bartending but includes management roles for large groups like Living Ventures and Revolution.
Stow will open to the public on 22 November on Bridge Street in Manchester.
Glamorous new pan-Asian restaurant Zadie’s to open at Medlock Square
Daisy Jackson
The flagship restaurant for the new Medlock Square development on the Etihad Campus has been revealed.
Zadie’s will be an intimate and glamorous pan-Asian restaurant, offering high-end dining, cocktails which ‘border on the chaotic’, and late-night entertainment.
It will be opening above Medlock Square, a new entertainment destination that’s being constructed alongside the expansion of Manchester City’s homeground and the new The Medlock hotel.
Zadie’s comes from some renowned hospitality heads, including Laura Montana (who created Sexy Fish alongside Richard Caring and also launched Monkey Bar in Manhattan); head chef Paolo Bianchi (Lucky Cat, Alain Ducasse); and Cressida Lawlor, a well-known face on the local bar scene, who’ll step in as head of bars.
The stylish new launch will be designed in collaboration with international hospitality studio Gorgeous Group, which counts Dishoom and Six Senses among its previous collaborations.
Laura said of the project: “I’m delighted to be leading this incredible project – Zadie’s is the culmination of years of work, hundreds of ideas and tiny details I’ve spotted, collected and loved as I’ve travelled and opened operations around the world.
“I’ve moved to Manchester and it feels alive with the kind of energy I’ve not felt in a long time – this is going to be a huge year for us!”
Founder of Gorgeous Group Robbie Bargh said: “What a project for the team and I to be involved in! And to be working in my home town of Manchester too, it’s so exciting.
“We love to bring desire and emotion to restaurants and bars we work on, and this one has mountains of it – Zadie is cool and she’s fun – she’s the girl you want to follow and the girl you want to hang out with – we can’t wait for you to meet her.”
You can now have dinner in the actual dressing rooms at Co-op Live
Daisy Jackson
Co-op Live has now launched exclusive backstage dining experiences – which means you could be having dinner inside the very dressing rooms that have hosted music megastars.
These new groundbreaking new Backstage Private Dining experiences feature menus curated by Simon Rimmer.
This will be the first time that the arena’s most exclusive artist areas have been open to guests.
There’ll be 10 selected dates from May 2026, where ticket-holders can eat dinner in dressing rooms that were previously occupied by the likes of Lady Gaga and Bruce Springsteen.
Guests will be able to choose from several packages, from intimate receptions and private three-course dinners inside the dressing rooms, to lavish extras like a Bentley chauffeur-driven arrival, live entertainment, and extended backstage access.
The most premium package will also offer access to Co-op Live’s adidas Originals recording studio.
Proceeds from the Backstage Private Dining will go towards supporting Co-op Live’s official charity partner, the Co-op Foundation, which tackles inequality and supports communities across the UK.
Chef Simon Rimmer commented: “Having worked with Co-op Live for some time, it’s incredibly exciting to now be involved with this unique series of Backstage Private Dining.
“It’s a rare opportunity to further combine the world-class music venue with exceptional food, and I can’t wait to showcase how these experiences can come to life together, creating truly unforgettable evenings for our guests.”
Becci Thomson, Chief Commercial Officer at Co-op Live, said: “From day one, our ambition has been to challenge expectations of what an arena can deliver, and we’re now delighted to introduce a new dimension of premium hospitality at Co-op Live.
“This collaboration unlocks new creative potential within the venue, offering experiences that have not previously been possible. It reflects our commitment to innovation and meaningful impact within the communities we support.”
Designed and delivered in partnership with Taylor Lynn Corporation (TLC), Founder and CEO Liz Taylor said: “Opportunities like this are rare. Co-op Live is a venue built for scale, spectacle and ambition — and that’s exactly how we are approaching these events.
“Whether it’s an intimate milestone celebration or a brand hosting at the highest level, these will be immersive, one-night-only experiences designed to deliver real impact. We are proud to have been chosen to help shape this next chapter, bringing creativity, precision and bold thinking to a space that demands nothing less.”
Daisy Jackson -
19th November 2024 
