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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
A groundbreaking new multi-use entertainment and leisure venue is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
A new multi-purpose food, drink, entertainment and leisure destination is coming to Manchester city centre and the Salford border this autumn, and you won’t find many places that roll so much into one spot.
Mancs, get ready to welcome ‘Tangerine’.
Conceived by an impressive collective of local creatives, indies and those with plenty of experience catering to the Northern masses, Tangerine is promising everything from multiple resident kitchens, a live music hall, an arthouse stage, a specialist martini bar and more.
Better yet, after a year in the making and quietly chipping away at the striking space, it opens later this month, so you don’t have to wait long to try it for yourselves.
Located on New Bailey Street, just on the edge of Spinningfields and Salford Central, this groundbreaking new venue features two main platforms (utilising the integrated charm of the historic railway arches), each boasting its own selection of attractions.
While platform one will offer a bakery, coffee roastery, wine store and bottle ship, the ‘Canteen Club’ and even a florist, number two will contain the music hall, arthouse stage and the stylish ‘Grand Departures’ bar – serving seven espresso martini alone – Tangerine will deliver a seamless day to night transition.
Arguably, however, the centrepiece is the ‘Cantina Collective’. The food and drink hall promises seven in-house kitchens, showcasing a variety of cuisines.
The opening line-up already confirmed includes Vanda: a family-run Parisian-inspired Ukrainian bakery; Mexican taqueria, PANTERA, burger joint Juicy, as well as Yo Dutchie (a unique fusion of Dutch-Japanese food) and a new Korean/ramen concept from local sushi favourites, Unagi.
Our stomachs are already grumbling just thinking about it.
CGI renders of the completed space. (Credit: Supplied)
Designed not only by the brains behind Northern Quarter’s beloved Mala hidden garden but WANT STUDIOS, who will be ensuring local artists, independents, and traders will be regularly spotlighted, the site will boast a capacity of well over 300 people.
Artyom Dmitrijev, owner of Tangerine and Mala, said in a statement: “Over a year in the making, we’ve used all our experience in design, interiors, architecture and hospitality to create our dream project. A place for all the independents to come together and thrive.”
Andy Windsor, Director of WANT STUDIOS, added: “Tangerine unites the city’s independent kitchens, bar tenders, bakeries and entertainment specialists. It is a unique showcase of what we do in the city. This is a new space for creativity, food, and culture, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
Debuting to the public with a big Halloween weekender on the evening of Friday, 31 October, with another launch event the following Saturday, you can sign up for exclusive early access for free, which could see you score a few freebies to boot.
Featured Images — Press shots (supplied)/Tangerine MCR (via Instagram)
Eats
Bottomless curry deal returns to popular Manchester Indian restaurant Zouk
Danny Jones
One of the best-loved Indians in Manchester has relaunched its bottomless curry offering and is chucking in free rice and naans to boot.
Zouk over on Chester Street has brought back its endless curry, rice and naan deal to ease the last of those January blues.
Every night this week, you’ll be able to tuck into a full buffet of the tea bar and grill’s award-winning, authentic curries, showcasing dishes from all over the Indian subcontinent.
Costing just £20 a head, you can feast until your heart’s content on some of the very best curries in the city – no exaggeration.
What does ‘bottomless curry’ night at Zouk look like?
The bottomless curry deal at Zouk first ran this year back in January, but it’s now back for National Curry Week (6-12 October 2025), and we can’t wait to stuff ourselves silly yet again.
Every single day, there’ll be four different curries to choose from, always including two meat options, a vegetarian curry and a vegan dish.
What exactly can you get on Zouk’s bottomless offer?
As mentioned, each booking also includes unlimited rice and naan to go with your curry of choice.
Tables are for 90 minutes per booking, giving guests plenty of time to take on the increasingly popular bottomless curry challenge.
Question is, do you have the stomach for it?
With an ever-rotating selection of curries inspired by various distinct regions and speciality cuisines, you’re not short on variety either. You can see Zouk‘s current bottomless curry menu in full below:
Monday
Chicken Karahi – A speciality from the Northwest region of Pakistan. Tender pieces of chicken cooking in a sizzling wok over hot flames with tomatoes, crushed peppercorns, cumin, ginger and garlic.
Lamb and Potatoes – Tender chunks of lamb cooked with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Mutter Paneer (V) – Indian Paneer cheese with new potatoes, yoghurt, tomatoes and garlic.
Chole Masala (VG) – From Delhi to Punjab, this authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic.
Tuesday
Tamater Kadei Murgh – A delicious chicken and tomato curry cooked with mild spices. Perfect with rice or bread
Lamb Do Pyaaza – Medium-spiced North Indian speciality: tender pieces of lamb slowly cooked with lavish amounts of caramelised onions in a spicy masala
Tarka Dall (V) – Channa and mung lentils cooked in a spicy sauce
Gobi Mutter (VG) – Spicy cauliflower sautéed in a rich tomato masala with peas
Wednesday
Chicken Do Payaza – Spiced North Indian chicken dish with tomatoes and caramelised onions
Lamb & Bindi – Tender pieces of lamb cooked in a spicy masala with ‘lady fingers’ (okra)
Chole Masala (V) – Authentic channa masala is a tasty street food classic
Mili Juli Sabzi (VG) – Fresh vegetables fused together with herbs and spices
Over the halfway hump, room for more? (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Thursday
Chicken Tikka Masala – A simple classic chicken tikka masala. Chicken pieces marinated in yoghurt tossed inside a balti of garlic and ginger.
Lamb Rogan Josh – A speciality from Jammu and Kashmir, with chillies and juicy tomatoes.
Dall Makhani (V) – Black lentils in a smooth and creamy sauce.
Palak Aloo (VG) – Spinach leaf and fenugreek cooked with new potatoes and coriander.
Friday
Chicken Handi – Punjabi-style chicken curry slowly cooked over burning flames with tomatoes, onions, garlic and Zouk’s special garam masala.
Lamb Jalfrezi – Lamb pieces cooked with capsicum, onions and tomatoes in a thick spicy sauce.
Bengan do Pyaza (V) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of aubergine cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
Bindi Do Pyaza (VG) – A medium-spiced North Indian dish of Okra cooked with tomatoes, spices and lavish amounts of onions.
And now we’re stuffed…
If you’re looking for somewhere to get bottomless curry in Manchester, this is the place for you. (Credit: The Manc)
Zouk has become one of Manchester’s leading restaurants since it opened in 2009, even drawing in famous fans like Rihanna, Drake, Manchester United stars and, of course, many a Mancs each and every day – because there’s never a bad time for a curry.
Available all throughout this week, you can make the most of this incredible bottomless curry deal like we do every year and trust us, Manchester: it genuinely NEVER disappoints.
You can find more information – including all terms and conditions – on the website and book your visit HERE, or over the phone on 0161 2331 090.
Georgina Pellant -
5th June 2022 
