Some big, familiar restaurant names have rocked up in Manchester in recent weeks, and will continue to do so into June.
But there’s plenty of homegrown talent popping up all over the region, including some old favourites moving up in the world.
Take Pollen, who have just moved into their enormous new site at Kampus, or pizza pedlars Corner Slice, who have paired up with Jimmy’s in Ancoats.
Then there’s a very familiar old name in the form of a new Blockbusters cocktail bar, and plenty more newcomers joining the fray.
Keep reading to see the new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester this June.
Kitten Izakaya, Deansgate Sq
Image: Wikimedia Commons
When it opens on Deansgate Square this June, Kitten will feature modern Japanese fine-dining and contemporary cocktails in a swanky setting
Guests can dine with a front-row seat to the sushi chefs, glancing into the semi-open kitchen to see dishes grilled over one of the largest charcoal Robatayak grills in the city.
Bringing modern Japanese fine-dining to the heart of the city, the menu will focus on high-end sushi, sashimi, and robata-grilled dishes, all served in an exceedingly glamorous setting boasting a 5-metre-high Bonsai treet, bamboo walls and elegant Venetian plastering.
Opens 17 June
Blockbuster NQ
Image: Supplied
Nothing says Y2K quite like spending your Friday night in a Blockbuster, which makes the arrival of this new Northern Quarter bar particularly timely.
Paying homage to the glory days of video rental, the video shop-themed bar has gone the whole hog with cocktails like the ‘VHS Presso Martini’, ‘Alcopop-corn’ and the ‘PG&T’.
Split across two floors, its main floor is modelled on the classic Blockbuster store set up and even includes a ‘naughty films’ section hidden at the back.
DVD cases line the walls and there’s even a separate x-rated section dedicated to adult videos.
Downstairs, meanwhile, black walls, velvet chairs, and a sparkly stage for performances lend a cinematic feel to the bar’s entertainment space.
Open now
Tim Hortons
Tim Hortons has opened on Market Street, bringing its best-selling donuts, breakfasts, and burgers to Manchester city centre for the first time.
Open until late, you can get your fix of Tim bits (made using the leftover dough taken from the donut holes) and those liquid gold French vanilla lattes on Market Street throughout the week.
Open now
Adelphi Lads Club
Image: supplied
Salford’s historic Adelphi Lads Club will reopen this month as a new bar and kitchen after over a decade of closure.
The 134-year-old building will be brought back to life by the teams behind Elnecot and Tokyo Ramen, who will bring a new BBQ food concept to the historic Salford site.
Diners can expect to see similar themes running through the new bar and kitchen, with signature bold flavours, smoke and fire all playing a prominent part on the menu.
From the team behind crazy golfing aficionados Junkyard Golf comes Paradise Skate World – a new ‘intergalactic’ roller skating rink set to open on Deansgate this June.
With a cutting edge rink and huge bar serving ‘intergalactic cocktails’ alongside a selection of Japanese and Mexican bar snacks, it’s certainly something a little bit different.
If you fancy sipping on space cocktails and skating off into the cosmos, well, then look no further.
Opening in June
Neon Tiger
A new Thai BBQ restaurant, Neon Tiger opens in Manchester this June in the former Grindsmith unit on Bridge Street.
It will pay homage to traditional charcoal cooking methods with a host of grilled skewer dishes and sharing plates, bringing street food-style barebque dining to the city.
Using traditional cooking processes of live fire and smoked meat, diners can expect to find the likes of house made lemongrass and turmeric smoked sausages, King oyster mushroom skewers, and coal-roasted aubergine on menu when Neon Tiger opens its doors later this month.
Manchester’s hip-hop-themed burger shop has returned to Stockport after an eight week hiatus, and we’re buzzing to have them back.
The dirty burger peddlers are back at The Drawing Room in Bramhall serving up a menu full of towering smashed patties, fried chicken, and loaded fries.
Dishes are named after hip-hop icons like Snoop Dogg and Childish Gambino, and are are available to order for delivery or collection only.
Read more:Manchester’s hip-hop-themed burger shop has returned to Stockport
Open now
Pollen at Kampus
Image: The Manc Eats
Six years after its fledgling opening in a Piccadilly archway, Pollen is gearing up to open its second Manchester cafe.
The new cafe and kitchen at Kampus will serve a varied menu alongside pastries, cakes, speciality baked goods and its much-loved range of sourdough bread.
It will also boast a ‘glass gallery’ looking into the kitchen, meaning diners will be able to watch Pollen’s talented pastry chefs at work as they tuck into a seasonally-changing menu of breakfast, brunch and lunch dishes.
As well as offering diners a front-row seat to all the kitchen action, the new cafe will also be significantly bigger than the Ancoats site.
It will open from Wednesday to Sunday, with plenty of seating both indoors and out, with an al fresco area overlooking the green foliage of the Kampus garden.
Opens 9 June
Corner Slice x Jimmy’s
Manchester’s original Detroit pizza slingers, Corner Slice, are officially making their move into the city centre with a new dine-in kitchen at Jimmy’s in Ancoats.
The hugely popular Failsworth pizzeria still retains its original location, adding a second string to its bow with a kitchen takeover at Cutting Room Square.
Known for its exquisitely fluffy deep pan pizzas, finished with marinara, traditional Italian toppings and a curly cheese crust, its already cornered the market in East Manchester – now its moving into town.
Corner Slice will be in the kitchen at Jimmy’s all summer, serving up their Motor city-inspired rectangular pizzas. If you’ve not tried one yet, this is your cue to go.
Read more:Popular pizza ‘peddlers’ Corner Slice to take over Jimmy’s kitchen in Manchester
Opens 3 June
Box on the Docks
Box on the Docks returns to Salford Quays this month with flowing beers, freshly-baked bagels, and boozy ice cream.
Back for its third year in a row, MediaCity’s popular outdoor dining concept takes on a brand-new format for 2022.
Working in partnership with Salford-based brewing company Seven Brothers, head down to discover a rotating residency of the region’s best established and emerging independent food and drink pop ups.
There’ll also been an exciting lineup of live music and events for all ages.
The very best ice cream places in Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
We know it’s not often sunny out in these parts to enjoy the proper summery joy of lapping up lots of ice cream, but there are still bloody wonderful places to get it here in Greater Manchester – and we know some of the best.
It doesn’t matter if you prefer it chock-full of chocolate chips and coffee, mouth-frothingly fruity sweet, you’re in your pistachio phase or cannot get past the raspberry ripple, there are plenty of places to get whatever you’re after.
Be it Manchester city centre or beyond, we do ice cream pretty darn good for a place that basically rains for two-thirds of the year.
In no particular order, by the way, because we already hate playing favourites and all those serve our infinitely sweet tooth are created equal.
The best ice cream shops and parlours in and around Manchester
1. Grandpa Greene’s – Oldham
First up, there are few other fitting enough places to start than the Diggle Lock’s legendary Grandpa Greene’s, which serves not just some of the best desserts we’ve EVER had but stunning, homemade ice-cream that we here at The Manc have even helped make in the past.
In fact, this place has been such a hit in the area that they’ve gone on to open their own bistro and, unsurprisingly, it’s proved just as impressive and popular.
2. Milk Maids – Bolton
From Oldham over to the borough of Bolton and native favourite, Milk Maids, whose award-winning dairy farming expertise has seen them garner an iconic status among locals, and it’s no wonder.
We’ve been on to this place in Over Hulton for ages, but now they’re approaching a decade of serving their oh-so-sweet scoops, we can’t pretend to take even the remotest bit of credit. Their reputation precedes them and is about as long-standing as their lines.
3. Ginger’s – Northern Quarter
Number three is a go-to ice cream place for anyone in Manchester city centre: Ginger’s over in Afflecks Palace. Well, Ginger’s Comfort Emporium, to give them their full title, and we can only concur that it does provide us with immense comfort whenever we call upon it.
Made in small batches using award-winning, home-churned dairy ice cream just like Milk Maids, these guys have actually been here even longer, serving the massive multi-floored shopping complex and indie paradise since 2010. There are new flavours and specials on all the time, each as delicious as the last.
In at number four is arguably the ice cream and dessert parlour with the very best name in Manchester, and that’s Big Licks, which recently relocated from Liverpool Road over in Castlefield to Printworks.
Now positioned in a much more central location, it’s no surprise that the spot has seen an increase in queues of late. You’ll find pretty much every combo you could ask for here; they also do some pretty banging burgers if you fancy eating both tea and afters here.
As a native Stopfordian myself, my grandma only ever called dessert a ‘sweet’ or ‘pudding’, regardless of what it was, but regardless of what you call it around your way/in your family, we have a Stopfordian ice cream spot that you need to visit.
Macari’s Gelateria opened up over in Heaton Moor back in 2023, and it’s quickly grown a passionate cult following – ourselves included. From their punchy and/or fruity flavours, to the super soft texture that their perfectly flaky wafers just about hold up to, it’s pretty perfect. Remember the name.
Credit: The Manc Group
6. Lazy Sundae – Manchester Arndale
We’re past the halfway mark now, and if you’re not already feeling a bit sluggish after this sugary feast for your eyes, you almost certainly will after looking at the super indulgent Lazy Sundae, who do everything from bubble tea and creative Korean desserts, to standard ice cream cones.
But make no mistake, there’s nothing plain or basic about this place: it’s remained one of the best places for ice cream in Manchester, and while we may have said goodbye to their OG spot in NQ back in January 2025, the Arndale parlour now serves as the perfect flagship location.
Sticking with the city centre and whipping our way back to NQ (pun very much intended), we’ve got the brilliant Black Milk up next, who we confess most regularly visit for a proper good milkshake, but they do shine when it comes to pretty anything sugary, to be honest.
Ice cream-wise, you can’t go wrong with their cookies and cream sundae, and their special St. Patrick’s Guinness gelato is still one of the most unique desserts we’ve ever had. Speaking of gelato…
Heading out to Trafford now and the ever-growing foodie scene in Sale, their increasingly well-known Gelato Creamery® store has been making waves for some time now, and by waves, we mean perfectly swirled scoops of ice cream’s somewhat healthier but still just as tasty Italian cousin.
They have a more central pod at Jacuna Kitchen over in Ardwick on the outskirts of the city centre, but really do recommend visiting their shop on School Road for a lesson on what proper good gelato should taste like.
The penultimate blood sugar pincher is the famous Get Baked, who barely even turned the key to unlock the doors before they had a crowd waiting outside the shop window of their first Manchester location.
Whether you’re three for big cookies, the famous Matilda-inspired ‘Bertha’ cake’ or their free-flowing soft-serve that is easier to drink than water – we know we have a problem, we’re working on it – you won’t be disappointed by no matter how long you wait.
Credit: The Manc
10. Baby Mayhem – Ancoats
Last but certainly not least of the latest newcomers to the Manc dessert scene and while it may not be strictly just an ice cream parlour, it is one of the best places for anyone who is powerless to resist their cravings for things fresh, cold, filled, fried and covered in sugar.
Baby Mayhem is where ice cream and doughnuts collide in one superior pudding. How does a ‘donut ice cream sandwich’ sound? Incredible? We thought so. It’s popped in the old Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria site and is already following in its footsteps of filling locals’ bellies to the max.
That should just about do you for now, and if this list wasn’t sickly enough, don’t you worry…
You best believe we’ll be going around all around Greater Manchester in search of more ice cream and the best places that do it whenever the sun is out.
So, just keep your eyes peeled for when we inevitably update this one, because there’s always room for one more scoop.
Ancoats bar Sammy’s closes after ‘online smear campaign’
Daisy Jackson
A popular late-night bar in Ancoats has announced its official closure after several months of silence.
Sammy’s Bar, which was styled as a retro 70’s diner and stayed open into the early hours, has said the bar ‘is officially no longer’.
In a statement shared on the bar’s Instagram stories, founder Sammy Shonn said that there was been an ‘online smear campaign’ and has decided to sell the bar ‘for my own mental wellbeing’.
The account, and the bar itself, will now be transferred to new owners.
Sammy’s opened in 2019 and was a popular, hidden-bar-style spot for late-night cocktails and DJs.
Their full statement reads: “It’s with regret that I inform you Sammy’s is officially no longer.
“Whilst I vehemently maintain my total innocence against all of the hurtful allegations made against me and my character in a recent online smear campaign, for my own mental wellbeing, I’ve made the difficult decision to sell the bar, along with all its associated assets, including this social media account.
“Thank you to everyone for your custom, your love and your support since 2019.
“Together we created something special. I am now transferring this account to the new owners, who I am sure will post something shortly regarding their plans.”
Georgina Pellant -
5th June 2022 
