Pistachio is having a bit of a *moment* right now – if it’s not green and nutty, Manchester doesn’t want to know.
This delicious ingredient, commonplace in Italian and Middle Eastern desserts for generations, has become the dessert It Girl of the 2020s.
Moving on from baklavas and gelatos, you’ll now find pistachio infiltrating lattes, cookies, cheesecakes, chocolate bars, pancake stacks and loads more.
Whether you like yours to still come in the shape of a nut, or are happy for it to be whizzed up into that ubiquitous pistachio creme, we’ve found 10 of the best places to get your pistachio fix in Manchester.
Half Dozen Other, Oxford Road and Red Bank
Pistachio cookie at Half Dozen Other, Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Half Dozen Other comes from the team behind Pot Kettle Black, with a huge bakery site over in the Green Quarter and now a cafe on Oxford Road too.
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It’s at that latter site where you’ll get one of the best pistachio desserts in Manchester – a luminous green cookie, stuffed to bursting with dark and white chocolate chips and pistachios too.
It’s proven so popular, and so delicious, it’s now part of their core bakes range.
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The Half Dozen Other team dream up brand-new bakes every single week to go alongside their staple croissants, and they’re all amazing.
Black Milk, Oldham Road
The full pistachio range at Black Milk ManchesterA pistachio milkshake with pistachio cake on top at Black Milk
Oh hi there, is that you, looking for the best desserts in Manchester? You’ve come to the right place.
These guys are the OG (and best) creators of pistachio creme, sold in jars online, in store, in Co-op and in Selfridges (ooh fancy). They also make their own granola, including a pistachio and white chocolate flavour.
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Black Milk has been a firm Manc favourite for years now, thanks to its outrageous cereal bowls (the bowl is chocolate), milkshakes topped with a slice of cake, cheesecakes constructed in a chocolate bowl, and giant pancake stacks.
You can get all of those with lashings of that iconic pistachio creme too – it’s a must-visit.
Sipp, Great Ancoats Street and Deansgate Square
Sipp has teamed up with Black Milk for pistachio matchas. Credit: The Manc Group
Matcha girlies, assemble! Sipp is a coffee shop that’s doing some of the best iced drinks in town.
Based in the General Stores in Ancoats and Deansgate Square – and with their own coffee shop soon to open in Chorlton – these guys don’t mess around when it comes to delicious flavoured matchas.
They’ve got one on the menu that’s made with Black Milk’s pistachio creme – a green dream – or you can order their best-seller, a refreshing coconut and raspberry concoction.
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Cocoa Cabana, Cutting Room Square
Cocoa Cabana in Manchester sells the viral Dubai pistachio chocolate. Credit: The Manc Group
If you haven’t yet come across the Dubai pistachio chocolate bars, you simply aren’t spending enough time online.
These enormous bars are stuffed with pistachio sauce and knafeh, a crunchy, traditional Arabic pastry that is sort of reminiscent of when you use to make Easter nests with a Shredded Wheat in primary school.
Cocoa Cabana finishes theirs in a shimmering coat of edible gold (because why not).
This brilliant chocolate cafe also has smores platters, fondue, afternoon teas and loads more – see more about Cocoa Cabana here.
Alex’s Bakery, Deansgate
You can get pistachio tres leche cake at Alex’s BakeryPistachio French toast at Alex’s Bakery
Tucked in amongst all the brilliant local names lining the side of Deansgate and Great Northern is Alex’s Bakery, which shot to fame for its cupcakes and brownies but actually nails every dessert you can think of.
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Come for the cakes but stay for the brunches, which include pancake stacks and huge wedges of French toast generously drizzled in pistachio creme and white chocolate.
Oh god and PLEASE don’t skip out on their tres leches cakes – soft sponge cakes beloved in South America, which come in loads of flavours here. The tiramisu and pistachio ones top our list.
If you can’t make it into town, Alex’s Bakery also has a big online shop you can order from.
The Flat Baker, Ancoats
Pistachio soft serve in a croissant from Flat BakerFlat Baker is the home of the pistachio croissant
It would be remiss of me to not include the Flat Baker in any round-up of pistachio flavoured things.
This Ancoats bakery goes viral all the time for its pistachio-stuffed croissants, with steady queues at their little hatch on Radium Street and queues at the Christmas Markets that were so long they actually left the markets altogether.
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Known for blending traditional baking with Brazilian influences, here you’ll find crispy pastries baked fresh daily – and it’s the home of the pistachio croissant.
In summer, they even serve pistachio soft serve in a croissant cone.
DGHNT, Mackie Mayor
DGHNT’s pistachio tiramisu doughnut in Mackie Mayor, Manchester
The biggest and best doughnuts in town are being served in Mackie Mayor, by the legendary DGHNT.
These artisan brioche delights are baked fresh daily, with a constantly evolving cabinet full of specials.
One of the best – and thankfully most frequently-returning – is the pistachio tiramisu, where that pillowy brioche dough is stuffed with tiramisu filling before being coated in a pistachio cream glaze and candied pistachios. Yum.
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Nur Cafe, Deansgate
There’s an Arabian cafe on Deansgate that’s a nur brainer (sorry) for authentic Middle Eastern pastries and sweet treats – and yes, that means pistachio aplenty.
It can’t stop going viral online for its sweet treats, from tres leches cakes to pistachio lattes.
There’s also really, really good baklava on offer here, plus full Turkish breakfasts, French pastries, spiced Saudi coffees, and shakshuka.
Ornella’s Kitchen, Denton
The pistachio carbonara from Ornella’s Kitchen. Credit: The Manc GroupPistachio gelato in a Sicilian brioche bun. Credit: The Manc Group
Italian restaurants don’t get much more authentic (or popular) than Ornella’s Kitchen in Denton.
This tiny little restaurant and deli has you’ll find proper Italian pistachio gelato, served in a soft Sicilian brioche bun.
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And it makes its way onto the savoury menu too, in the form of a pistachio carbonara with crispy guanciale pieces that burst in little salty mouthfuls against the rich and creamy pasta sauce.
This place will have been all over your FYP page if you’ve ever expressed any interest in food.
Chai Cabin in Bolton is serving up the creamiest cheesecakes we’ve ever had (we know, bold statement), plus the viral sensation; Dubai pistachio chocolate-covered strawberry pots, with that delicious crunch from the knafeh pastry.
They also do milkshakes, waffles, tiramisu, doughnuts and more. Honestly, this is a dessert-lovers heaven.
A massive bowling, games and entertainment bar is coming to Manchester next year
Danny Jones
A popular bowling and table games bar that has already proved a hit in Liverpool is coming to Manchester for the very first time next year.
If you’re from the North West, PINS Social Club may not be a new name to you; nevertheless, this will be its Manc debut, with the location not only their first beyond Merseyside but just their second site to date.
As the name would suggest, PINS is primarily about bowling and socialising, but there is plenty more going on at this social club as you’ll find out soon enough.
Scheduled to open in late spring 2026, Manchester and our nearby neighbours in Liverpool are about to strike up a firm party partnership.
CGIs of PINS Social Club Manchester (Credit: Supplied)
Selecting the shifting face of Sunlight House for the space – already home to the likes of Schofield’s Bar – the 25,000 sq ft unit will span three whole floors, offering a next-generation social and entertainment experience in one of Manchester’s most stunning buildings.
A Grade II-listed, Art Deco structure, Sunlight House is undergoing a major £35 million refurbishment, with ‘grade A’ offices set to take up a significant chunk, but it’s soon set to house the latest PINS venue.
Sitting on Quay Street, just off the main Deansgate strip, the busy Peter St corner, and adjacent to Spinningfields, PINS Manchester is springing up right in the midst of arguably the city’s busiest stretches for nightlife.
Promising not only bowling, darts, and table games like pool, shuffleboard and beer pong, but karaoke, live music and all the biggest sporting events on the box, PINS Social Club really does aim to be a one-stop shop for all your needs on a night out.
For instance, their food offerings will run all the way from breakfast through to the late evening, and PINS Manchester is also set to feature a main stage on the ground floor for “electric half-time shows”, with the gaming mezzanine looming just above.
Not only is this going to be PINS’ biggest venue yet, but it’s well and truly on track to be one of the biggest hospitality openings coming in the next 12 months.
Headed up by MD Daniel Kelly, who has also been helping run the resurrected Almost Famous brand here in Manchester, the team knows all about this city. Speaking on the announcement, Kelly said: “Manchester is a city that thrives on energy, culture, and community – everything that PINS is about.
“This new venue will be our biggest yet, offering a bold and exciting social space that’s purpose-built for entertainment, competition, and ultimately, having a great time. We can’t wait to bring our concept to Manchester’s incredible social scene. Keep an eye out for more details coming soon.”
Julien Buronfosse, Managing Director at Karrev (the estate company who have leased the building to the business) added: “The PINS offering is diverse, dynamic and will provide tenants and the local community with an unparalleled leisure experience.
“We wanted to work with an operator that understood our vision of breathing new life into a historic building, contributing to the new era that Sunlight House is entering. The building has ambitions to be much more than Grade A office space, with a specific emphasis on community building. The addition of PINS to Sunlight House will contribute greatly to that.”
Consider us here at The Manc GroupVERY excited for this one.
As you can see, they’ve got plenty of room to work with. (Credit: Calmafftaylor via Wikimedia Commons)
Featured Images — CGIs (supplied)/Wikimedia Commons
Eats
Didsbury favourite Rustik adjust plans to close after overwhelming support
Danny Jones
Didsbury favourite Rustik recently announced that they would soon be closing, seemingly for good, after more than a decade, but after a fortunate twist of fate, there looks to be a sliver of hope, and like they could be staying open after all.
The beloved neighbourhood cafe and bar has been a staple of the tight-knit foodie neighbourhood since 2015, but the independent Irish eatery confirmed that they were due to shut down permanently by the end of last month.
Confirmed on Wednesday afternoon, 17 September, the casual Manc restaurant and hangout informed their loyal followers of the unfortunate news.
To no surprise whatsoever, their social media has been awash with condolences, collective sadness and support for the local institution, which has also helped lead to a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
Updating their followers via social media on Monday, 13 October, Rustik wrote: “We Need You More Than Ever […] We know it’s been quiet since we closed our doors — and honestly, it’s been a tough time behind the scenes.
“So many of you reached out, checked in, sent kind words, and we’ve felt every bit of that love. Thank you. Truly. When we said goodbye, we weren’t sure what the future looked like. But due to unexpected changes and plans falling through, things have come back around… and now, we’re reopening.
“It’s not easy to say this, but like so many in hospitality right now, it’s tough. We know we’re not alone in this — many small businesses are facing incredibly difficult decisions. But instead of closing the chapter, we’ve decided to give it one more shot. With everything we have.
“So, we’re reopening this Wednesday, 15 October, with a brand new brunch menu and the same Rustik heart you’ve always known. For now, we won’t be open in the evenings — but that might change. What matters most is that our doors will be open again, and we can welcome you back.”
Not only is this obviously brilliant news, but Burton Road favourite is also offering guests a 20% discount off the menu until Halloween (31 Oct) – their way of not only encouraging new customers to come through their doors, but also as a thank you to all their loyal patrons over the years.
Again, the return of late dining and their usual full programme of nighttime events still looks uncertain, but for now, they’ll be “serving coffee and brunch Wednesday to Sunday, 9am–4pm, and hoping to see as many familiar (and new) faces as possible.”
They signed off by adding: “This is a fresh start, but we can’t do it without you. If you’ve ever loved what we do, now is the time we need you most. Your support, your presence, even just sharing this with someone who might pop in – it means everything. With love, gratitude, and a little bit of hope — The Rustik Team.”
This positive turn of events comes just a few weeks after what fans thought was the endgame for the West Dids community cornerstone.
Posting across all of their accounts on 17 September, Rustik wrote: “After an unforgettable 10 years on Burton Road, the time has come to close our doors. It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come — never in a million years did we imagine Rustik would grow into what it became.
Expressing their gratitude after the best part of a decade in the south Manchester suburb, they touched upon the post-COVID recovery period, rising business rates, supply chain costs and many of the same challenges that other hospitality venues have cited as reasons for the initial decision.
“From the chaotic, beautiful brunch shifts to late nights dancing on tables to ‘Wagon Wheel’, pushing through the challenges of COVID and helping our community with meals during hard times— we’ve done it all, together.
We sincerely hope the talk of closing proves to be merely a blip and that this next chapter signals the start of an incredible new era for Rustik, and as for you local foodies, we urge you to meet the further call for support and visit them during this crunch period.
Daisy Jackson -
26th February 2025 
