The best restaurants and bars to open in Manchester in 2022
From divine pasta kitchens and stunning rooftop restaurants, to award-winning bars, street food stalls, backstreet sandwich dealers and quirky cafes, Manchester's food scene delivered in spades this year.
After a few dreary years of Covid lockdowns and weird rules on what constitutes a ‘substantial’ meal, 2022 brought some brilliant new openings to Manchester as UK operators got a spring back in their step.
From DIY furlough dreams made into a reality to big-time movers and shakers upping sticks from other cities to make their mark over here, despite rising living costs leading squeezed consumers to spend less Manchester’s restaurant and bar scene hasn’t shown much sign of slowing down.
Yes, there were some heartbreaking closures too – but for every place that shut its doors, it seems that two more opened in its stead.
Keep reading to discover our top picks of the best restaurants and bars that opened in Manchester in 2022.
Ornella’s Kitchen
Run by Sicilian-born Ornella Cancila, formerly head chef at Ancoats bakery and cafe Pollen, this tiny Tameside pasta kitchen has been getting everything right since opening its doors in Denton.
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Having first begun life as a takeaway service during the pandemic, owner Ornella made the leap to open her own cafe earlier this year and has been inundated with praise ever since. It’s not hard to see why.
Opened by seasoned street food operators Mama Z and Wok’s Cluckin, aka Zos and Yen, this little shop and cafe selling Filipino, Malaysian and other ESEA (East or South East Asian) dishes has made a great addition to Didsbury in 2022.
Bringing pan-Asian food and drinks, retail, workshops, and supper clubs together all under one roof, Yes Lah sees the friends realise a long-held dream – and we’re very much here for it.
Gooey Cafe
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
When Gooey first arrived in Manchester in 2020, it did so in perfect step with the pandemic.Tentatively launching the same month the country plunged into lockdown, no one knew just how much its salty-sweet treats would shape the course of our isolation.
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Beginning life as a small pop-up in borrowed space, its bakers soon became Manchester’s go-to sugar dealers as the business pivoted into home delivery. In 2022, owners launched their own cafe – light, airy, and modern, with a full kitchen and on-site bakery.
Petisco
Pork belly, pig cheek, curly quaver, artichoke puree at Petisco. / Image: The Manc Eats
Battered fried runner beans with peri-peri salsa, aioli. / Image: The Manc Eats
Opened by four friends who’ve all known each other since childhood, Petisco has more than held its own against Stanley Squares’ more established new residents this year. The Portuguese-inspired restaurant, opened inside a former Greenhalgh’s bakery as part of the transformation of Sale’s brutalist concrete shopping complex, wowed diners in 2022 with its tapas-style plates and gorgeous wine list.
Longtime Liverpool favourite Maray finally made its way over to Manchester in 2022, opening a stylish new restaurant on the newly-developed Lincoln Square.
Known for killer cocktails and adventurous small plates like its ‘Disco Cauliflower’ – served whole and doused in chermoula, harissa, tahini, yoghurt, pomegranate, almonds and fresh herbs – the La Marais-inspired eatery combines Middle Eastern flavours with Parisian chic and has been a real hit with Mancs.
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Rise
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Before we met Sam at Rise, we had no idea what our pizzas had been missing: a cheesy parmesan crust. No word of a lie, this Michelin-trained one-man pizza band made us fall in love with slices all over again and cured our 2022 flatbread fatigue. We look forward to seein what his next adventure brings in 2023.
More street food stall than restaurant, Takoyaki Master took over the old Wholesome Junkies unit at the Arndale Market earlier this summer.
Run by former Hong Kong residents Violet and Pong Ho, Takoyaki Master brought something entirely new to Manchester: little fried balls of batter stuffed with diced octopus, sweetcorn and bonito soup. Topped with scallions, bonito and seaweed flakes, Japanese mayo and Okonomi sauce, they’ve proven a real hit with locals.
Yum Cha
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Another Liverpudlian baddie to make its mark on Manchester this year, Yum Cha brought the heat with a new restaurant inside Kampus – just across from the Gay Village.
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With handmade dim sum to die for (made by a chef with over 30 years experience, who’s worked under two Michelin-trained chefs no less), its own house-roasted Cantonese meats and some very reasonably-priced large plates, this was one of our favourite new openings of 2022: no doubt about it.
Blinker
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Bringing everything founder Dan Berger learned from his time at the 5-star London hotel The Ned and overseeing the bars for Gordon Ramsay’s restaurant group, Blinker has earnt its stripes in no time at all after being named one of the best in the UK just six months after opening.
Whilst the news took some by surprise, for anyone who has visited the accolade is a real no brainer. Inside, you’ll find an exquisitely compiled cocktail list combining seasonal favourites and a solid, dedicated martini menu.
From the team behind the acclaimed Covino in Chester comes Climat, Manchester’s newest rooftop restaurant boasting panoramic views of the city. At just 100 covers, the new restaurant boasts a comprehensive wine cellar featuring more than 250 different vintages – 40% from one specific Burgundy vineyard.
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On the menu, classic vol-au-vents are resurrected alongside a selection of small plates and large sharers designed to share such as whole turbot, slow-cooked lamb shoulder, and ex-dairy cuts on the bone. Hailed a triumph following its opening weekend, it may have arrived late in 2022 but is one of Manchester’s most exciting new openings of the year nonetheless.
Exhibition
Image: Supplied
Image: Supplied
Housing a premium cocktail bar, fine wine list, fresh beer straight from in-venue Manchester Union lager tanks and three of Manchester’s best cheffing talents under one roof, at swanky Peter Street food hall Exhibition diners can tuck into fine Brazilian-British fusion, Scandinavian and Basque dishes.
Home to the Michelin-recommended Osma team, Michelin-trained Carlone Martins of the Sao Paulo Bistro, and Ramsbottom’s lauded Basque fire cookery restaurant Baratxuri, Exhibition comes from the team behind the aperitivo and coffee bar Haunt and has already proven a hit with Mancs.
MUSU
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Japanese fine dining restaurant MUSU makes a welcome addition to Bridge Street, transforming the site formerly home to Ed Baine’s Randall & Aubin.
Here, you can dine from specially created 7 and 11 course tasting menus with wine pairings, or opt for a traditional ‘chef’s choice’ experience at its six-seat Omakase counter. Expect exquisite service, sashimi, sushi wine and more as part of the restaurant’s ‘multi-sensory’ experience.
Neon Tiger, Bridge Street
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Inspired by the sort of cool New York neighbourhood joints where you can just pop in and enjoy quality plates with good wine and cocktails, Neon Tiger got off to a slow start when it opened on Bridge Street at the start of the summer – then wowed with the introduction of a new Northern Thai-inspired breakfast and brunch menu later in the year.
Think muffins loaded with big-flavour fillings like crispy pork belly, tempura and sautéed mushrooms and roast topside of beef, the latter served with a red curry dipping sauce. The site has also since launched a seasonal six-course tasting menu for under £20.
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Now That’s A Burger
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
From the team behind Batard bakehouse and Super Happy, Manchester’s best burger came and went at the speed of light.
From the most perfect house baked potato bun, to the homemade pickles, elite ‘Super’ sauce, gorgeous patties and a fried buttermilk chicken thigh dipped in Szechuan chilli oil, its residency at Ducie Street Warehouse may have been shortlived but it still overshadowed every other burger we ate in 2022. Now we just have to wait for them to find a new home to 2023.
Sterling
Marking the start of an exciting new journey for Manchester’s eminent Schofield brothers inside the Stock Exchange hotel, Sterling bar quickly became one of the swankiest places to drink in the city in 2022.
The third site in the city for the brothers, who have also opened Schofield’s Bar and Atomeca off Deansgate in the past few years, in 2023 it will be joined by upstairs dining concept the Stock Market Grill – the brother’s first venture into the restaurant world.
Hello Oriental
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Housing an Asian-inspired bakery and cafe, a Vietnamese restaurant, a Chinese supermarket, and a huge food hall serving East Asian street food, this multi-storey ‘super-venue’ beneath Symphony Park on Oxford Road introduced Manchester to something entirely new in 2022.
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Inspired by dining destinations like Bang Bang Oriental in London, and 1800 in Miami, at its heart is Downtown Oriental, a vast market hall with a fast-paced open kitchen where diners feast on everything from Chinese roasts to dim sum, baos to noodles, and fried rice to seafood.
Pollen
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The second Manchester cafe from bankers-turned-bakers Hannah Calvert and Chris Kelly, Pollen is the bakery that needs no introduction. In 2022, they levelled up with a new garden-side site at Kampus and what a beauty it is.
Housing a sleek glass kitchen that allows diners to watch pastries being rolled and shaped whilst they brunch, the new site also saw owners roll out a new menu that introduced us all to the ‘squegg’ bun – with a perfectly formed square egg, oozing with added Westcombe cheddar and flecked with a sprig of watercress.
Thie hole in the wall sandwich spot drew fans from near and far in 2022. Technically not a restaurant, nor a bar, we still felt that Fat Pat’s deserved a mention as one of 2022’s great new openings.
The allure of a hidden alley walk-up, combined with mouth watering Philly Cheesesteaks, Hot Honey Fried Chicken and Meatball Parm baguettes earnt it the lauded title of ‘Manchester’s best sandwich’ by many – including our former Takeaway Champions host Joe McGrath. If you visit, make sure to order in advance online.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Eats
The tiny van parked beneath a tram stop that’s quietly making some of the best coffee in town
Danny Jones
In a city as big and bustling as Manchester, let alone all the other great on-the-go food and drink spots across the ten boroughs, it can be hard to know where to start – that’s why Elliott’s coffee van is cleverly grabbing people on their way in and out of town to sample his stuff.
With brilliant blends, bakes and other kinds of brews up for grabs, it’s becoming a regular stop for us.
Finding a good cafe in transit can often be somewhat of a challenge, especially when you want to support independent businesses wherever possible.
If you’re happy to settle with one of the big brands that you’ll find at most major stations, grand, but if you want a proper good grind, perfect temperature, not to mention great service from a friendly face, then come and see Elliot.
Having recently celebrated more than a year since he first posted up outside the admittedly ‘no man’s land’-ish Metrolink station, this busy little bee has brought a welcome dose of energy and colour to this particular Bee Network interchange.
While Cornbrook doesn’t feel as lonely and forgotten as, say, Pomona, just one stop along, it’s long felt ever so slightly too out of the way, lonely, and a bit grey.
Thankfully, these days (at least if you time it right), when you go around the corner and head towards the archways bordering Castlefield and the edge of Trafford, you’ll now hear tunes coming down the road, and instead of simply smelling petrol or dank water, you’re hit with a whiff of freshly roasted beans.
We get the same warm feeling when we arrive here as when we see neighbouring Libby’s canal boat cafe floating just outside The Wharf.
It’s also worth noting that Elliot doesn’t just buy any old grounds: he’s a passionate barista who has such a love for the good stuff that he decided to buy a little Piaggio Ape 50 three-wheeler van and turn it into a mobile cafe, serving speciality coffee from around Greater Manchester and loading it all up himself.
Spotlighting everyone from Kobean and Assembly to wholesalers like Carter – not to mention fresh pastries and sweet treats from beloved Stockport bakery, Sticky Fingers – this lovely lad is indie through and through.
As well as loyalty, he even does gift cards.When we say everything is freshly pressed, we mean it…
Having gone full-time last August after starting in June 2025, we’re chuffed to bits to see it going so well for him, especially seeing him slog through the Manc weather come rain or shine, even giving us our fix during the colder months in that often rather dark Cornbrook corner.
What’s more, he’s also got some solid tunes on rotation, whether you need an extra early morning pick-me-up on your commute besides the caffeine, or just want that added boost later in the day.
Elliot serves with a smile and is always happy to have a little chinwag; better still, while he’s getting bigger and longer lines nowadays, the queue always moves quicker than you think it will.
For anyone looking to pay him a visit, his opening hours are 7am-1pm every day bar Mondays (six days a week is still no joke), and you get him for an extra hour until 2pm on Saturdays.
The best Mexican restaurants in and around Manchester
Danny Jones
Whenever we have a bit of decent weather here in Greater Manchester, we always imagine what it must be like for those abroad, just sitting and eating their national dishes al fresco without a care in the world; think, say, Mexican food – a.k.a. one of THE best kinds of cuisine on the planet.
Yes, pound for pound, it’s probably one of our go-tos.
Somewhat inspired by one of The Hoot team recently visiting the country, and partly because we personally can’t get enough of it, we thought we’d give you another one of our famous foodie round-ups.
We’re not sure where exactly it lands in our top five favourites, but what we can do is tell you some of the best Mexican food in central Manchester and a little further afield. ‘¡Venga!’
Top 10 Mexican restaurants in Greater Manchester
1. Madre – Kampus
Up first, where else to start than with the marvellous Madre over Kampus. This Modern Mexican restaurant isn’t just one of the best within its genre, but is arguably up there with the best Latin food in all of Manchester.
Whether you want to stick to menu staples like those crispy pork belly bites and chicken wings, are happy sticking with their tacos, wings and margaritas at sister bar Salon Madre, or perhaps fancy trying their Hispanic Sunday roasts and even a deep-fried pig head, you won’t find a bad mouthful.
Since opening early in the summer of 2025, El Piloto over at Society food and beer hangout has gradually carved a credible little culinary corner for itself, standing out as one of the best vendors of the bunch – and there’s plenty of great competition within that 8,000-square-foot independent trader hall.
Best known for their tacos, but also specialising in other authentic, more roadside-friendly favourites like charred corn ribs, our personal favourites are those chipotle hash browns, not to mention some great quesadillas, we’re big fans of this place.
3. Don Tacos – Piccaddilly, Rusholme and Bolton
Sticking with tacos, they may do plenty of street food, but Don Tacos is still one of the best-known Mexican restaurants in all of Greater Manchester, now boasting a pair of central sites, plus one over in Bolton, not to mention a couple of others across the country now.
Whether you’re after brilliant birra, quesadillas that are just the right amount of greasy (yes, there is an ideal level), Korean twists on tacos, or just some really good barbacoa, you can’t go wrong here. They’ve also featured on our very own Takeaway Champions series, and we can confirm it travels well.
Credit: The Manc Group
4. Birria Brothers – Northern Quarter
Speaking of birria, we can’t go an inch further without singing the praises of NQ legends, Birra Bros, who are posted up in one half of Koffee Pot over on Oldham Street and serve as the perfect transition from breakfast and dinner into tea.
Getting a bit posher now, you won’t find many places as pretty and transportive as Ocasa: the contemporary restaurant and bar bringing “Mexico City soul with Manchester heart”; their words, not ours, but having now tried this place a few times, we’re certainly feeling the love.
Aside from the stunning space itself, this noon-until-midnight venue – 1am on Fridays and Saturdays – specialises in elevated Mexican dishes such as guajillo beef shortrib, some of the best nachos you’ll ever eat, and traditional tortas (think very good sandwiches). It’s also great when the sun goes down here…
Whilst we’re on venues that thrive just as much when it comes to their nightlife as their main menu, there’s much more than just food and drink on offer at Maracas: arguably one of the liveliest spots in all of Salford. There’s also much more than just Mexican classics to enjoy
Located underneath the recognisable Chapel Street arches just on the edge of the city and just over the road from The Lowry Hotel, this is another day-into-night venue that you visit not just for hearty Latin American eats, but for drinks, dancing, and pure vibes. They even do guided language exchanges.
7. Pico’s Tacos – Mackie Mayor, Altrincham and mobile
From a cult favourite cantina among various Latino cultures here in central Manchester, to one of the best indie vendors and food hatches in the city centre, and its equally popular Trafford partner over at Alty Market: the one and only Pico’s Tacos.
Much more than just what the name would suggest, not only do they create some great and unique takes on taco flavours, but they’ll also do one of THE best margaritas in town – they’re super zingy and go great with the spicy rim – not to mention you can now get burritos from their van currently on Oxford Rd.
Since we’re heading further afield, let’s wing our way over to Stockport and one of the very few Mexican restaurants you’ll find in the town centre, sitting pretty on the edge of the marketplace and historic Old Town district; this particular writer actually used to work there when it was the old Blackshaw’s cafe…
While they’ve still kept the original building name, pride of place above the entrance, the food now being served here is way different compared to a few years ago – now they have a great selection of tequila, nail tacos, have a lovely charred and breadcrumbed hispi cabbage, and even do all-day brunch.
Sticking in the SK direction, we’re heading to the Heatons for our second-to-last stop on this Mexican restaurant tour of Manchester, where 113 MCR is not only plating up a reminder to Stopfordians that they ARE, in fact, part of Greater Manchester rather than Cheshire these days, but some great food, too.
Sharing a name with the previous entry, this place is technically three in one: two kitchens, all under one roof – La Capilla and Roost – with 113 bar serving as the third, and they offer everything from cheesy birria tacos to frozen margs, signature cocktails, boozy shakes, and DJs until late over the weekends.
Last but not least, we wanted to show our love to a locally-run restaurant over in Fallowfield that is simply called The Mexican. Sat along Wilmslow Road as you venture into ‘student central’, just before you get the iconic 256 bar, this family-friendly spot has plenty of charm and very solid scran.
We don’t know how much of it is down to the affordable and filling food, the colourful decor inside, or them sticking their adorable son Hugo on socials to guilt trip you into coming a support a Manc businesses, but it all works on us. Even if you only fancy ordering one of their burritos for delivery, do it.
Now, before we wrap this thing up, we couldn’t call it a day without shouting out the likes of the more grab-and-go type venues like Listo, Pancho’s and Casa Mexica, just to name a handful.
Then you’ve got the likes of other beloved street food vendors like El Jefe Birria, Fuego 1987, and you know what? Beloved British chain Barburrito started right here in Manchester, and we’re damn proud of it, too – it still SLAPS no matter how big they get.
We’re even enjoying Cane and Grain’s current Latin menu over on Thomas Street, and we sincerely hope it sticks around for a long time.
Georgina Pellant -
30th December 2022 
