Manchester wakes up this weekend. But where will you be going?
It’s a big decision – choosing the first place to visit after lockdown. But it’s worth approaching with the same sort of mentality you had on any pre-quarantine weekend: What sort of flavours do you fancy?
We’ve broken down the list of reopened Manchester venues into categories, so you can settle on the right spot regardless of whether you’re craving a cocktail, burger or bottle of fancy wine.
Remember that many venues require bookings as table service is compulsory – so be sure to act fast and reserve a seat if you want to make the most of your first day of freedom in more than three months.
Booze. That’s front and centre for many right now.
ADVERTISEMENT
Classy cocktails. Carefully poured craft beer. Cheap pints at the local. They’re all back this weekend. And oh, how we’ve missed them.
Here are a few of the top spots in the city that are serving again from July 4. There’s also a welcome return for the best coffee houses – which could help sort out that sore head come Sunday.
Lucky back garden owners got to enjoy a few banging BBQs over the course of an unseasonably sweltering spring this year. But now normality has been restored and Manchester is wet once again.
If you’ve already forgotten what great summer grub tastes like, there’s a few spots in town where you can rediscover those flavours in all their glory.
ADVERTISEMENT
Almost Famous – booking required. Get a table here.
All Star Lanes – booking required (terrace available). Get a table here.
Hard Rock Cafe – booking required. Get a table here.
Hatch – no booking required.
Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn – booking required. Get a table here.
ADVERTISEMENT
Pizza & Pasta
Crazy Pedro’s
We’re inundated with top-quality Italian food venues in Manchester. Genuinely spoiled for choice.
Several of them have confirmed they’re ready to return from July 4, too – offering diners delicious dollops of cheese piled high on Instagram-worthy plates.
This one is going to give you a selection headache…
Ciaooo Pizzeria – booking required. Learn more here.
Fine cuts of meat. Fantastic fish. Crispy fried chicken. These are surefire solutions to satisfy your tastebuds with the treat they deserve after three long months of home cooking.
There’s a number of seafood restaurants and grill houses restaurants flinging open their doors this weekend – and demand is already surging, unsurprisingly.
Here are a few places where you can still reserve a seat.
We’ve had our fair share of Chinese and Indian takeaways during lockdown.
But guzzling sauce out of Tupperware boxes half-drunk in front of the tele just isn’t quite the same as tucking into a first-class meal at an elegant restaurant.
Here’s where you can head this weekend to taste some amazing Asian-style cooking.
The Manc is helping local businesses and venues get back on their feet after lockdown with our #BuzzingToBeBack campaign – offering as much support and exposure for Manchester hospitality as possible. Read more about what we’re doing for the industry here.
Michelin-recommended Greater Manchester restaurant announces imminent closure
Daisy Jackson
A neighbourhood restaurant in Greater Manchester has announced its imminent closure, in a real blow for the local food scene
Restaurant Orme, a restaurant in Urmston that had made its way into the prestigious Michelin Guide, notified followers that with ‘great sadness’ they are intending to sell the business.
In their statements the team acknowledged the ‘significant economic pressures’ facing the restaurant industry, writing: “We find an increasing disparity between perceived value and the true cost of operations, rendering long-term sustainability unfeasible.”
But they also detailed that a break in their lease has allowed them to ‘thoughtfully consider’ their circumstances and make the ‘right choice for our growing families’.
The business was founded and operated by a trio of friends, Jack Fields, Tom Wilson, and Rachel Roberts.
Restaurant Orme has said that it can’t yet confirm its final date of service but has encouraged diners holding restaurant vouchers to make use of them in the coming months.
They also wrote: “It has been a pleasure serving this wonderful community and beyond. We have had so much to celebrate over the last three years and will cherish the memories and experiences we have shared.”
Restaurant Orme has been the subject of rave reviews and critical acclaim since launching in 2023, with the Good Food Guide writing that the team were delivering ‘ambitious food while staying true to its local roots’.
Michelin-recommended Greater Manchester restaurant announces imminent closure. Credit: Instagram, @littlemcrhouse
It described Restaurant Orme as a ‘youthful and breezily energetic’ restaurant with ‘lively but serious’ cooking.
And the Michelin Guide hailed it as a ‘pleasantly welcoming’ space with ‘appealing menus’.
Restaurant Orme wrote: “It is with great sadness that we announce our intention to sell the restaurant.
“It is well published that our industry is facing significant economic pressures. Addressing the real impact on trade, we find an increasing disparity between perceived value and the true cost of operations, rendering long-term sustainability unfeasible
“This has impacted our decision, however as we approach a break in our lease, we have been presented with an opportunity to thoughtfully consider our circumstances and reflect on what lies ahead. We need to make the right choice for our growing families, right now that means stability.
“As we navigate through this process, we can’t yet declare an official date of closure, therefore if you have exsiting vouchers with a valid expiry date, we urge you to book in within the next six months. New voucher sales have been suspended.
“It has been a pleasure serving this wonderful community and beyond. We have had so much to celebrate over the last three years and will cherish the memories and experiences we have shared.
“Thank you for everything. We will keep you posted when we have clarity on our final farewell.
“Don’t be sad it’s over, be happy it happened!”
And that’s further proof that even the best-loved, most critically-acclaimed neighbourhood restaurants just can’t make the figures stack up in the current climate.
First look at Eggslut as cult breakfast brand finally opens in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Cult breakfast brand Eggslut has finally arrived in Manchester, serving up egg sandwiches, coffees, and its viral French toast sticks.
Founded in LA way back in 2011, Eggslut has gone on to become a global sensation, first opening in the UK down in London in 2019.
But now Eggslut has decided to branch out beyond the capital and take a crack at The North, opening a sunny yellow takeaway on Deansgate.
On the menu you’ll find all kinds of sandwiches where egg is the star of the show, including the Fairfax with soft scrambled eggs, and a classic bacon egg and cheese with runny yolks.
There are also all-day sandwiches like a spicy chicken sando, and cheeseburgers, plus fresh orange juice and quality coffees.
Or you can order a ‘Slut’ (which is a weird experience) for the ultimate posh dippy egg, baked in a jar with potato puree and served with slices of toasted baguette.
Pair that with some truffle hash browns, and don’t skip the French toast sticks with maple custard for dipping.
Eggslut officially opens on Valentine’s Day, with 100 free sandwiches for the first customers through the door from 8am.
A spread of food at Eggslut in ManchesterThe Fairfax and a fresh orange juiceThe French toast sticks with maple custard
And until the end of February, Eggslut with offer a Manchester-exclusive opening bundle: two sandwiches and two hash browns for £25, available in-store only.
Pedro Ribeiro, Eggslut’s Head of Ops, says of the opening: “Manchester has been crying out for an Eggslut for too long, and we were only too happy to make that dream a reality.
“The city is the perfect place to bring our kind of breakfast to a brand new area of the UK and we cannot wait to join such a fast-paced and buzzing food scene.”
Matt Pazos, Bruntwood SciTech Retail Commercial Manager says: “We’re delighted to be welcoming the first Eggslut outside of London to Manchester and can’t wait for the team to crack open their doors on Deansgate.
“The brand has built a cult following thanks to their delicious chef driven comfort food and we know that it will fast become a go-to spot for businesses based in Centurion House as well as locals and visitors to the city”
Eggslut Manchester is located in Centurion House on Deansgate and opens on Saturday 14 February 2026.