Another year, another stunning victory for pubs around the North West, as our region holds its own yet again on the prestigious Top 50 Gastropubs list.
The Estrella Damm pub guide awards, now in their 12th year, celebrate the best food-driven pubs around the country.
The 50 front-runners were announced last year but the pubs’ rankings were only revealed at a ceremony in London this week.
And for another year, Greater Manchester and the surrounding North West region has nabbed plenty of room on the Top 50 Gastropubs list.
The Edinburgh Castle in Ancoats, which stormed onto the list for the first time last year, has climbed even higher into 16th place.
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The pub’s kitchen is currently closed for a refurb as it readies to welcome a new head chef, following the departure of award-winning Shaun Moffatt last year.
The Edinburgh Castle said of the accolade: “We are all extremely proud of this, and although the kitchen is closed this month for a refurbishment, we have a new kitchen team all raring to go with some fantastic new menus that we can’t wait to share!
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The Edinburgh Castle has been named in the Top 50 Gastropubs again in the North WestFood at the Edinburgh Castle pub in Ancoats
“Thank you to all our wonderful guests, our dedicated team past and present who have helped us get here – and of course Top 50 Gastropubs for including us.
“Congratulations to the other 49 too, we can’t believe what esteemed company we are in and you all completely deserve it. 2025 is going to be a big year!
“Now, who’s popping in for a celebratory pint?”
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Also on the Top 50 Gastropubs list elsewhere in the North West was, once again, the Michelin-recommended The Pack Horse in Hayfield.
Just on the very outskirts of the region where Greater Manchester nudges the Peak District, this beautiful country pub quietly serves a fantastic pre-hike breakfast as well as a seasonal evening menu of modern British food.
The Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc GroupDinner at the Pack Horse in Hayfield. Credit: The Manc Group
Chef and owner Luke Payne said: “Four years in the top 50, three years in the top 20.
“It means so much to us to have the love and respect of our peers, fantastic business operators and beautiful people who continue to puts us among such esteemed company, it is an honour and a privilege, and we love you all.
“This consistency is a testament to our incredibly hard working team who continue to weather the storm of the hospitality industry with vigour and laughter every single day; our tireless, incredible suppliers, and of course our guests, who ultimately give us purpose.
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“It is a personal aim of mine to visit as many of these incredible gastropubs over the coming year, your support means the world.”
The Parkers Arms up in Newton-in-Bowland in Lancashire, previously a pub that took the top spot on the list, made it in again in fourth place.
It’s particularly well-known for its pies but at this lovely countryside spot you really can’t go far wrong.
Also making it into the top 50 in Lancashire were The White Swan at Fence, and the Three Fishes in Whalley.
Now that’s an achievement worth raising a pint to.
Inside Mollie’s Motel and Diner in Manchester as beautiful new hotel opens with rooms from just £109
Daisy Jackson
Mollie’s Motel & Diner has arrived in Manchester, with beautiful hotel rooms from just £109 plus a retro diner serving American classics.
The space has taken over five floors of the iconic Old Granada Studios down at St John’s, with interior design that celebrates the building’s history.
Mid-century modern details like dark woods, textured upholstery, and retro lamps abound in this stylish new opening for Manchester.
Soho House Design has worked on the build of Mollie’s Motel to preserve the modernist facade of Old Granada Studios and make playful nods to the building’s vibrant history.
This is particularly obvious downstairs in Studio IV, a cocktail bar with a live music stage, where vintage TVs have been inserted over the bar and guests sink into plush couches for pre-dinner drinks.
You can already check out Mollie’s Diner, which is open now (with a decent discount for its launch – more on that below), with the Mollie’s Motel bedrooms set to launch early 2026.
The hotel rooms at Mollie’s Motel Manchester
A bunk room at Mollie’s Motel ManchesterA Mollie’s Motel suiteAnd a tub with a viewThe bedrooms are all beautifully designed
Hotel rooms at Mollie’s Manchester start from an incredibly reasonable £109, with different size and spec bedrooms and suites for guests.
There are cosy bunk rooms where up to four guests can tuck into their own bunk pods, suites that have their own Peleton room, and cosy double bedrooms with gorgeous views of the southern side of the city.
Regardless of the level (or price) of your chosen room, you’ll have the same design detailing (dark wood panelling, terrazzo and aged brass finishes), plus rainshowers, a super king bed, Dyson hairdryers, GHD straighteners and Cowshed toiletries.
Mollie’s Diner in Manchester
Mollie’s Diner is open nowBreakfast dishes at Mollie’s DinerBurgers and fried chicken at Mollie’s DinerClassic thick milkshakes
The diner space itself looks like it’s been lifted straight out of Hollywood’s Golden Age, with deep burgundy leather banquettes, counter seating, and globe pendant lights.
It’s all been inspired by the interior of a vintage Cadillac, and has space to 110 diners plus private dining for 30.
As for food and drink, you can expect everything from waffles and French toast to huge burgers and steaks, with thick milkshakes to wash it down.
You can get 50% off food if you book Mollie’s Diner HERE.
The rest of the spaces in Mollie’s Motel & Diner, Manchester
Studio IV cocktail barStudio IV cocktail barThe library snug
As you enter this reimagined building, you’re plunged straight into its design-led vision, with couches and cosy corners everywhere.
The communal reception space has a library snug, coffee counter, and beautiful bar, but you head downstairs you’ll find the real treat – Studio IV.
This beautiful bar is built around a magnificent central bar, with retro TV screens above it and scalloped leather bar stools surrounding it.
There’s a mid-century-era stage, too, which will host live entertainment to a crowd gathered on couches before it.
You can get 25% off signature cocktails in Studio IV if you pre-book HERE.
20 amazing new restaurants and bars that opened in Manchester in 2025
Daisy Jackson
It’s been a really big year for new openings in Greater Manchester, with restaurants, bars, cafes and bakeries springing up all over the place.
What’s set this year apart is the sheer scale of the new restaurants that have opened – multi-storey Italian giants, multi-million-pound rooftop spots, gigantic food halls, and plenty more.
But look beyond all those incredibly flashy newcomers and you’ll find plenty of homegrown talent, like bakeries moving up from hatches to their own cafes, Manc favourite pubs expanding to new sites, and beloved names pitching up in new food courts.
From global giants like Soho House and Joe & The Juice to local favourites like The Flat Baker and The Thirsty Korean, these are the 20 biggest restaurant and bar openings in Manchester in 2025.
Chotto Matte
Chotto MatteA private dining space at Chotto Matte in Manchester
Another new head-turner – which happens to be just upstairs from Circolo Popolare – is Chotto Matte, which has joined the list of rooftop restaurants in Manchester city centre.
With truly unbeatable views across Albert Square, the Manchester Town Hall, and beyond, plus a whole host of dazzling restaurant and bars inside too, it’s easy to see why this is one of the new openings that had the city talking.
The 20,000 sq ft space splits into two concepts and cuisines – Nikkei cuisine (sushi, tempura, robata) and an exclusive new concept called Claude’s, a Mexican-inspired sky view bar with literally hundreds of mezcals and tequilas.
Circolo Popolare
Inside Circolo PopolareA giant lemon meringue pie
From the Big Mamma group, this extravagant restaurant opened back in June, where every inch of the space is a feast for the senses.
There are ceilings draped in jasmine, thousands of vintage booze bottles, hand-painted crockery and more, plus authentic Italian dishes and a graffiti-defying lemon meringue pie, too.
Circolo Popolare is a show-stopper of an addition to Manchester’s restaurant scene.
Tangerine
Tangerine is a brand-new, multi-purpose food, drink, entertainment and leisure destination that’s just opened opposite Salford Central.
From the same team behind Ramona and Diecast, Tangerine’s achingly cool space glows in a hundred different shades of orange beneath one of the city’s railway arches.
Inside, you’ll find resident kitchens, a live music hall, an arthouse stage, a speciality martini bar, a cosy cheese and wine lounge, and plenty more.
Treehouse Hotel
Pip has been added to the Michelin GuidePip has been added to the Michelin Guide
Standing proud at the foot of Deansgate is the Treehouse Hotel, which feels a little like stepping inside a bird house, but in a chic way.
This massive new hotel is also home to Mary-Ellen McTague’s Michelin-recommended Pip restaurant, which serves seasonal, comforting British food.
And there’s still more to come, with Sister Moon – a 14th-floor Southeast Asian dining destination by Sam Grainger – still to open in 2026.
Us Mancs waited a LONG time for Soho House, with the redevelopment of the Old Granada Studios hitting more than a few stumbling blocks along the way.
But now it’s (partly) opened, with lavish, beautifully-designed spaces open to members and their guests, plus an already-impressive roster of live events that’s included appearances from Loyle Carner and Mike Skinner.
There’s lots more to come yet, including that long-awaited rooftop pool.
Mollie’s Motel
Another one that took its time to get the doors open is Mollie’s Motel, which also stands within the Old Granada Studios building.
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While not technically open for visitors until early 2026, the Mollie’s Diner element of the hotel has softly opened in the last few weeks of the year, and the spaces are beautiful.
From the American-style diner restaurant to the communal lounge spaces designed by the Soho House Design, plus the luxury bedrooms with the surprisingly affordable price tag (from £120), this is a fantastic addition to the city’s hotel scene.
Had you spotted that the UK’s largest Korean BBQ has opened, weirdly, in Piccadilly Gardens?
The 165-cover Bullgogi restaurant has taken over the old M&S site on the corner, promising premium cuts of meat, seafood, and veggies, cooked by yourself and your mates (or date) at the tabletop grill.
Alongside the BBQ offering, the menu features truly authentic Korean dishes including bibimbap, crispy Korean pancakes, and soju-based cocktails.
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Lina Stores
An 80-year-old London icon finally landed in the North this year, with a huge restaurant, an Italian deli, and even a hidden, moody cocktail bar in Bar Lina.
There’s an array of starters at Lina Stores, including fried ricotta gnudi, burratta, and springy focaccia, plus handmade pasta dishes and secondi.
And who could resist a tiramisu or a giant cannoli before you head off?
Cut & Craft
The Cut & Craft in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
New openings don’t come much grander than this one – The Cut & Craft totally transformed a former banking hall on Mosley Street into a gilded, glittering restaurant space.
The setting is lavish, and the food matches – top-quality, locally-reared steaks, British seafood dishes, gorgeous sides and a champagne and wine list that’ll keep you busy all year.
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You’ll find bank holiday brunches with bottomless Whispering Angel and Moet, a gossip room downstairs, and toilets so fancy they put a time limit on how long people were spending in there.
Flat Baker
The Flat Baker is not a new name for Mancs – this Brazilian-influence bakery has been selling its viral pistachio croissants and other bakes out of a hatch in Ancoats for years.
But this year, the couple behind it finally took the leap and opened their very own bakery just across the road from their original site.
It’s sunny and yellow, with counters full of their award-winning bakes which you can enjoy with a coffee – and next year, there’ll be brunch too.
The Thirsty Korean
The Thirsty Korean in Chorlton. Credit: The Manc GroupThe Thirsty Korean’s brunch spread
The Thirsty Korean shutting down was one of the worst things to ever happen to us (no, YOU’RE not being dramatic ENOUGH), so when owner Eunji Noh announced a new location it had us sprinting straight to Chorlton.
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This vibrant little Korean spot has always packed a punch, but now it packs in some brunch too.
On its brunch menu you’ll find cheesy tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes), dakgangjeong (sweet and sticky fried chicken), and pajeon (spring onion pancakes), as well as Eunji’s now-legendary batter-fried chicken wings, kimchi fried rice, and our new favourite dish, an egg-coated cod known as daegu-jeon.
It’s all super spicy, super moreish, and proper feeds the soul.
Polish bakehouse Sticky Fingers now has a new (second) home just around the corner from their original home in the Market Hall, which means even more chance of grabbing one of their insane bakes.
Run by partners Adrian and Klaudyna, the new cafe is serving up all of their usual best-sellers, with everything from savoury-filled brioche buns, banoffee pie, and cherry almond danishes on the lineup, alongside proper good coffee to pair with it. It’s no wonder they sell out the minute stuff hits the trays.
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It’s a welcome addition to the Underbank – be sure to pop by soon.
The Eastern Garden food court
The Trafford Centre added yet another string to its bow this year, launching The Eastern Garden within its food court, home to four locally-founded restaurants.
There’s Blanchflower, an independent coffee shop and bakery, plus a new site for Chit n Chaat serving Indo-Chinese street food.
Hello Oriental is here too, with a menu of their best-sellers from the city centre, plus a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant from Nichi.
House of Social
House of Social is opening in ManchesterA full House of Social spread
Yep, another food hall for Manchester – but this one is a little different to the others. Modern interiors, and brand-new names for the city centre have made this a big opening for 2025.
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Inside you’ll find FIVE kitchens, including a city centre outpost for Curry Mile legends Mughli, and the first Burger and Beyond outside London, all wrapped around a towering central bar.
You’ll also be able to tuck into dishes from Dough Religion, Ok Taqueria, and Choi Wan.
There’s even brunch on offer in here, like breakfast burritos, pancake stacks, and breakfast buns.
O’Connells
Guinness at O’Connell’sUpstairs in the new O’Connell’s bar
The Thirsty Scholar shutting down was a real blow to Manchester’s bar scene, but the site of the legendary student boozer wasn’t empty for long.
In swooped O’Connells, creating a surprisingly cosy spot for a new bar thanks to the owner’s commitment to sourcing antique furniture and trinkets.
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Spanning across two floors with loads of cosy corners, snugs and reclaimed furniture, O’Connell’s has live music, rivers of Guinness, and more than a few Teeling whiskeys too.
Wynwood Lanes
There’s been a bowling bar in this spot of Whitworth Street West for a while – but Dog Bowl is gone, and in its place is Wynwood Lanes, a Miami-themed venue with a food menu to match.
Along with five upgraded bowling lanes, there are pool tables, basketball hoops, darts boards, live sports, and of course, Guitar Hero, all in a venue that’s been decorated in palm trees and retro sunset colours.
There’s fresh new cocktails too, like a raspberry frozen marg or a creamy colada, plus the legendary Kong’s is back serving up their famous fried chicken burgers, tacos, and loads more.
Have you ever had a celebratory smoke machine go off over your head when you bowl a strike? Now’s your chance.
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Royal Nawaab
Jay Rayner has published a rave review of Royal Nawaab at Stockport PyramidJay Rayner has published a rave review of Royal Nawaab at Stockport Pyramid
It’s acually incredibly silly that the Stockport Pyramid – that landmark structure just off the M60 – is now an enormous all-you-can-eat Indian restaurant.
But here we are, and the refit carried out by the Royal Nawaab team is quite something to behold.
As well as the world-class buffet restaurant (unlimited trips for £30 per adult), there are banquet halls for up to 800 people.
Freemount
You might be squinting at these pictures and thinking: “That’s not a new pub?”
But it is, actually – The Freemount picked up and moved just across the road in the Northern Quarter, taking over the old Dry Bar site.
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It’s almost spooky how much they managed to transfer the character from one pub across to the other, but here we are.
Joe & The Juice
Juices at Joe & The JuiceJoe & The Juice at the Trafford Centre. Credit: The Manc Group
Manchester got not one, but TWO new Joe & The Juice sites this year – one huge spot on Cross Street and another over in the Trafford Centre.
You might’ve thought we’d lost our appetite for Joe & The Juice given that it disappeared from the city when Debenhams folded, but you’d be wrong – these spots are busy ALL THE TIME.
Juices, smoothies, and those Scandi-style sandwiches have been keeping them with a roaring trade.
GRUB has teamed up with Campfield for a new sort of market place in Manchester city centre, with three buildings stuffed with independent retail, food and drink every Saturday.
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Beneath the building’s iconic glass roof, you’ll find up to 50 hand-selected traders that will change weekly.
You’ll also find Manchester’s first Euro-style food hall, with 12 stalls selling produce like charcuterie and oysters, plus the family-owned Spanish brewery Estrella Galicia.
And in Castlefield House, there’s always an array of street food favourites and farmers market classics.
Daisy Jackson -
31st January 2025 
