‘Theatrical’ rotisserie chicken restaurant to open just off King Street

A new ‘bold and theatrical’ restaurant with dishes cooked over fire and a full-scale rotisserie is opening in Manchester later this year.

Plans have been revealed for The Counter, a 62-cover new restaurant inside a new building on John Dalton Street.

When it launches, The Counter will offer all-day dining, from breakfast flatbreads to rotisserie-led feasting, large sharing plates and nostalgic desserts like a knickerbocker glory.

It comes from Open Restaurant Group, a hospitality collective led by restaurateurs Sam and Emma Morgan alongside Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan.

Set to launch in September, The Counter hopes to be a ‘bold, theatrical and unmistakably Mancunian’ destination for long lunches, late-night dinners, and cocktails.

The 1,700 sq metre space, designed by the Open Restaurant Group, will feature polished concrete, aged brass, leather finishes and dramatic lighting.

At the centre of the restaurant will be towering four-metre elm trees, plus curved booth seating and a brass wine display.

There’ll be space for between six to eight guests at a chef’s counter, plus room for 20 more customers out on the terrace outside.

The restaurant will also feature dedicated meat and fish dry-ageing cabinets alongside a full-scale rotisserie, showcasing traditional rotisserie chicken, large joints of meat, whole cuts, seasonal game, slow-roasted fish and changing produce-led specials cooked over fire.

The rotisserie will also be the star of The Counter’s Sunday lunch experience.

The team behind the restaurant want it to be an ‘ambitious, design-led restaurant that genuinely feels built for Manchester’s creative community’.

Sam Morgan said: “Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world for music, creativity and culture. We wanted to create a restaurant that genuinely reflects that energy.

“The Counter is about atmosphere as much as food. It’s glamorous but still grounded. High quality but relaxed. Somewhere people can come three times a week, whether that’s for breakfast, drinks, dinner or a long Sunday lunch. We want this to feel like a restaurant Manchester can really own.”

Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan added: “The food at The Counter is all about cooking the things we genuinely love eating.

“We want guests to order naturally, share everything, stay longer and enjoy the experience. It’s ingredient-led, produce-led and chef-led, but most importantly it’s fun.”

The Counter Manchester will officially open in September 2026.

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Featured image: Supplied