Oh, so you thought the new restaurant openings would slow down a little now that Manchester is running head-first to the end of the year, did you? You couldn’t be more wrong.
The city keeps on pushing forward with loads more new bars, cafes, pop-ups and restaurants popping up on the scene.
In December, we’ll see new spots open that are already loved nationally, like Blank Street Coffee at Piccadilly Gardens (Molly-Mae’s a huge fan, apparently).
Then there are some very familiar names that are returning to Manchester, like late-night favourite Hold Fast and Fairfield Social Club.
And that’s alongside all the huge openings we had in November, like Fenix, Dear Sailor, and Six By Nico.
Read on for our picks of the best new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester in December.
One Eight Six has risen from the ashes (quite literally) and is ready to inject some life and live music back into Manchester’s nightlife scene.
The subterranean bar on Deansgate, shuttered by a huge fire on New Year’s Eve in 2021, has been fully reborn.
Founder Dean Mac said: “After nearly two years, we are finally allowed to be back on our feet giving the people of Manchester what they have been waiting so patiently for.
“Thank you again for sticking with us and supporting our journey this far. This new chapter of ONE EIGHT SIX will be better than ever. Same vibe. Same location. Just a whole lot sexier…”
Restaurant, shop, and wine bar in one, this newbie is definitely one worth venturing across to Cheshire for.
Linden Stores started life in London before its owners, Chris Boustead and Laura Christie, moved up north.
This latest opening is their third, and it’s a stunner. On the menu you’ll find British and low intervention wines, alongside seasonal menus.
15 Minshull St, Knutsford WA16 6HG | Open now
Fairfield Social Club, Green Quarter
Fairfield Social Club will open a new pop-up in Manchester in December. Credit: Supplied
An old favourite is back, with Fairfield Social Club running a winter pop-up before making their full return in spring next year.
Tucked under the railway arches in the Red Bank area, the space will be home to two bars, a huge 250-seater event space, and a secret garden – plus a Christmas Tree shop.
There’ll also be a fully-stocked BlackJack Beers craft beer bar, and rotating pop-up traders, including the much-loved and now-closed shop Oklahoma.
Irk Street, Manchester M4 4JT | Opening 1 December
Piccolino Grande, Wilmslow
The highly anticipated new Piccolino Grande opened its doors this week, showcasing the very best of Italian hospitality.
The Piccolino brand is well-known for its decadent food, opulent interiors and outstanding service, and their newest venture in Wilmslow is no exception.
Following a £2m transformation, Piccolino Grande on Swan Street is a real feast for all the senses.
A long day on the slopes, followed by a steaming mug of hot chocolate and a whole vat of molten cheese laced with champagne. Except lose the slopes bit, you’re in Manchester here.
Fondue is a pop-up on the terrace at The Refuge, inspired by the chalets of the French Alps, from its cosy al fresco decor to its menu.
You can tuck in to slow-cooked French onion soup; the ultimate Gruyère and Champagne fondue, and a Manchester rarebit featuring Mrs Kirkham’s Lancashire cheese, Bury black pudding, dukkah and Pollen bakery sourdough.
It’s ‘basically a speakeasy’, but one they want you to talk about – so here we go.
Down in the basement level beneath Purezza in the Northern Quarter, you’ll soon find Parla – a queer bar, community project, vegan cocktail spot, and ‘super sexy space’, with a ‘big sexy curtain’.
They’ll even have Desert Island Dumplings, the geniuses behind cheeseburger gyozas and salt and pepper hash browns, in house on a kitchen residency.
Sounds like our kind of place, to be honest…
Basement, 75-77 High St, M4 1FS | Opening 14 December
Hold Fast, Northern Quarter
People dancing in Hold Fast in Manchester’s Northern Quarter
No no, you haven’t time-travelled back to 2015 – Hold Fast really is coming back to the Northern Quarter.
This nautical-themed late-night institution (with the best smoking area in the city) is reopening and it looks like it’ll be business as usual – resident DJs and open mic nights (with a free drink for those brave enough to hit the stage), a bespoke secret cinema room and a range of retro Sega video games.
Describing itself as a sailor’s drinking quarter, the bar will be dimly lit with ship lanterns and candles, with a wide selection of craft beers and 15 cocktails on its drinks menu.
How could you have missed this new Manchester restaurant opening – the queues were so long they left the Arndale and went onto the street outside.
It’s a fried chicken shop, but the hyper is all because of the men backing the place – YouTube heavyweights The Sidemen.
The double coated Nashville tenders are tossed 120 times, no more, no less and if you’re into your wings their seven signature sauces are the perfect addition.
From humble beginnings to absolutely unreal growth in three years, Blank Street Coffee is now heading to Manchester for the first time.
Their incredibly aesthetic green-and-white-fronted stores are found all over London these days, with people always traipsing out the door clutching beautiful swirling iced lattes, pistachio lattes, and blueberry matchas.
So far, so high-end – but then comes the location. Blank Street Coffee has chosen to open slap bang in the heart of Piccadilly Gardens, next to fellow viral sensation Bunsik.
Piccadilly Gardens, M1 1RG | Opening 13 December
Dainā, St John’s
Dainā (that’s pronounced day-nah) is a brand new Asian dining concept launching at Side Street Studio in St John’s and one of the most exciting new Manchester restaurants opening this month.
The kitchen residency will bring together chefs Jake Huxley and Samuel Jethro, who’ll use British ingredients and Asian techniques to create a menu of dishes including homemade bao, red braised pork belly, and smoked mackerel with daikon and lemon.
They said: “Our concept is a collision of love and appreciation for Chinese cuisine combined with the science of making perfect dough. We want people to enjoy the food we enjoy creating.
“Our food is best enjoyed in good company in a relaxed environment, making Side Street Studio’s setting an ideal backdrop. Our aim is to elevate some familiar and unfamiliar ingredients into wholesome dishes so we can showcase the brilliant art of Asian cooking in a way that brings something new to the table.”
ABC Buildings (Corner of Quay Street and Lower Byrom St, M3 4AE | Open now
Papparoti, Northern Quarter
Much-loved Malaysian dessert brand Papparoti is now open in the Northern Quarter, where you can pick up coffee-coated sweet buns and fruit teas.
The brand now has more than 400 cafes and kiosks globally and its first Manchester site is extremely good looking.
The premium bakery chain has a huge menu of speciality coffees and topping options for its buns.
Transmission House, 28 Church St, Manchester M4 1PN | Open now
Know of a new Manchester restaurant we’ve missed? Let us know on our The Manc Eats Instagram page.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
The restaurant that’s giving away free food simply by singing Oasis
Thomas Melia
A nationwide restaurant chain is giving away free food to any customer simply by singing an Oasis song to their server.
Well, if you haven’t heard of the long-standing phrase sing for your supper, this UK restaurant has taken this literally as its new offer makes you do just that.
Italian chain Prezzo has launched its latest deal, encouraging its diners to sing an Oasis song to get their hands on some free food, and it coincides with the summer reunion tour of the legendary Manc band.
Each day, the restaurant will be giving away a free portion of lasagne for up to four people per table if you can sing the opening verse from the 1994 cult classic, ‘Digsy’s Dinner’.
If you manage to recite “What a life it would be / If you could come to mine for tea / I’ll pick you up at half past three / We’ll have lasagne” when purchasing a drink, you could get your hands on some complimentary classic Italian scran.
You’ll have to act fast to claim your free plate of lasagne, as this offer is only applicable to the first two tables that recite the lyrics to the Oasis track every day, per Prezzo location.
Make sure you sing the verse from ‘Digsy’s Dinner’ before you order, as if you sing after placing an order, you may not qualify.
Hey, we take freebies seriously, so you don’t have to…
You don’t have to worry about staying in tune or doing your best Liam Gallagher impression either, as you’re singing technique is not being judged, just make sure your table-side performance is audible enough for your server to hear.
Prezzo Italian is running its ‘Oasis Sing For Your Supper Promotion’ from 4 July until 29 September 2025 and if you take part during the Live ’25 tour run, you can score yourself some free lasagne for up to four people on your table.
This sounds like a ‘Supersonic’ way to start your upcoming Oasis gig day or a perfect way to ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ after a jam-packed day of summer activities.
The closest Prezzo Italian location to Manchester city centre is over at MediaCity UK, and all the information you need to know before you warm up your inner ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ can be found HERE.
So, in answer to LG’s famous question, “Does anyone fancy some lasagne?” – yes, we do, especially if it comes free.
Featured Images – Press Shot (via Supplied)/Karolina Kołodziejczak (via Unsplash)
Eats
Some of the best Oasis-themed offers, deals and specials happening in Manchester right now
Danny Jones
Now, just in case you weren’t getting enough Oasis stuffed down your throat this month, their homecoming reunion gigs have seen a flurry of Britpop-themed deals, offers, event day specials and promotions spring up all over Greater Manchester.
You can move for ‘Champagne Supernova’ puns, lookalikes, lasagne and all the rest of it.
However, while there are simply too many for us to keep track of, let alone list in full, there are some pretty good ones here in the city centre that have caught our attention.
Let’s get cracking then, shall we? Here are just 10 of the best Oasis-related deals and offers we’ve seen in central Manchester so far.
10 top Oasis-related deals in Manchester city centre
Once again, this is by no means a comprehensive list, but let’s get stuck in:
1. The Liquor Store is hosting Oasis parties, plus travel to Heaton Park
First off, we can’t start anywhere else than the music-loving bar that’s hosting some of the biggest pre- and post-Oasis parties in Manchester, not to mention offering coach travel to the concerts themselves: The Liqour Store.
Having popped our heads in on opening day to see what it was like, we can confirm the tunes were turned up to 11, the rays were beaming down on the Manc gig-goers, and let’s just say that their atmosphere is a woman, ‘She’s Electric.’
2. Diecast are also hosting big Britpop pre-drinks
They are, of course, not even close to being the only ones hosting special pre-drinks and after parties for the Heaton Park homecoming, and another one that caught our eye was the even bigger suntrap and beer hall over at Diecast.
Not only are they doing a ‘Champagne Supernova’ bottomless brunch for just £35 per person, which includes bottomless pizza with endless Prosecco, frozen daiquiris and lager for up to 90 mins, but the Britpop tunes will be pumping non-stop.
A simple but satisfying one next; how does a pretty mint Mexican meal deal sound? Liam Gallagher might not speak Spanish, but we know a little and all we have to say is this: ‘Si, por favor’.
It might sound daft compared to just a few short years ago, but barring a basic meal deal, it can sometimes be genuinely hard to find a really good, filling, properly tasty and affordable lunch offering in the city these days, but with a jam-packed burrito and pack of tortillas, Zambrero’s isn’t bad.
Don’t mind if we do.Hat not included. Gutting, we know.Credit: The Manc Group/Zambrero (press shot)
4. An Oasis x Deliveroo fork helps ‘keep things fresh’
Now, this is undoubtedly the most random and ridiculous, not to mention the funniest on the list. Deliveroo are celebrating quite possibly one of the most hilarious things that both Noel and, more importantly, Liam have ever said. Yes, EVER.
In order to get your hands on a limited-edition and strictly decorative fork, all you have to do is order a pint of milk using Deliveroo HOP, and you could be in with a chance of getting your hands on a very humorous collectors’ item. If you know, you know – but if you don’t, well…
Still cracks us up every time…
5. 15% off Hello Oriental for Oasis fans
We’re at the halfway point now and getting peckish once again, so it’s a good job that Hello Oriental don’t just lend the first part of their name to the Live ’25 reunion tour setlist opener but are also offering a pretty decent discount on food for Oasis fans.
For those gig-goers heading to Heaton Park for one of the three remaining Manc dates this month, you can get 15% off your bill when presenting your concert ticket. That’s your pre-show scran sorted then.
There are multiple kitchens inside the subterranean food hallSpice bagCredit: The Manc Eats
6. Complimentary bucket hats with your meal at Tampopo
From one Asian food favourite to another, if you head to Albert Square instead of Circle, you’ll be happy to know that Manchester-founded Tampopo know how big a deal it is to the Burnage boys home.
With that in mind, anyone who spends more than £20 at any of their Greater MCR locations will receive a free Tampopo x Oasis bucket hat. Say no more.
🎸🍜 What do Tampopo & Oasis have in common? We both kicked off in 90s Manchester! To celebrate Oasis coming home, spend £20+ at Tampopo & get a FREE bucket hat!
As we come to the business now, we do realise that plenty of us are still without tickets, and while we completely understand your pain, we can’t help you with spares or anything like that.
However, what we can do is point you in the direction of Printworks, who are hosting a free Oasis karaoke event for all those of you still hoping to cry your hearts to, well, ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ and all the other bangers. Find out more down below.
Since it’s absolutely sizzling at the moment, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the pre-Oasis BBQ Britpop brunch (say that three times fast) that’s taking place at cult favourite Fairfield Social Club.
Not only will there big set of classic indie tracks from local legends Clint Boon and Dave Haslam, but if you pre-book, you can even get your hands on their ‘Champagne Super Saver’ deal – see, told you there was loads of them – which will score you BBQ meats and beer for a tenner.
Our penultimate pick is a bit of a different one and not one we expected, we’ll admit, but it may just get you zipping over to Heaton Park faster than you can name the most overplayed Oasis song of all time.
Yes, for anyone with a ticket for one of the Heaton Park shows, you can secure 20% off a trip to Zip World Manchester, which you’ll find in the very same place as the sea of Manc gig-goers this summer.
10. A special buy one get one free at Malmaison Deansgate
Last but not least, if the sun and the festival season vibes have you thinking ‘give me gin and tonic’, you’ll be glad to hear that a city centre hotel and bar is currently offering buy one, get one free on the classic summery drink to celebrate the Oasis fans flooding into Manchester.
We’ve seen them handing out the vouchers on the front doorstep all day, and with plenty of people staying over for the shows – not to mention making use of the main restaurant and stylish rooftop spot, Sora – enough footfall almost guarantees them keeping it up for every single date.
Malmaison has one of the most simple but effective Oasis deals in Manchester, for our money.BOGOFCredit:The Manc
Have you seen others? Let us and the good people of Greater Manchester know down in the comments.
Daisy Jackson -
1st December 2023 
