Make the most of your day in one of Manchester’s most creative neighbourhoods with our insider’s guide to the best things to eat, drink, and do in Chorlton.
With some of the city’s best bars, cafes, and independent shops, Chorlton has long held the title of Manchester’s most bohemian suburb.
The area’s often named as one of the best places to live in the UK — and with so much to offer and gorgeous green spaces nearby, it’s easy to see why.
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Make the most of 24 hours in Chorlton with our guide to the best the neighbourhood has to offer.
Chorlton is a brunch lover’s paradise, with loads of quirky independent cafes to choose from.
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Start your day by fuelling up with a hearty full English at Mary & Archie.
With brunch served till 3pm, it’s okay if you fancy a lie-in — this much-loved local gem will have classic breakfast dishes ready to go when you arrive.
They champion locally-sourced produce and there are plenty of veggie and vegan options, too.
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If you’re feeling creative, give the breakfast burrito a go.
It’s easy to spend a whole day strolling around Chorlton Ees — it’s a great place to take the dog for a long walk or to go on a bike ride along one of the many trails that lead to the River Mersey.
The perfect Sunday afternoon? A walk with friends around the nature reserve followed by a pint at the Horse and Jockey pub, ideally located on Chorlton Green.
Continue the book theme by popping to Chorlton Library.
This Grade 2 listed building has been at the heart of the community since it opened back in 1914 and has recently undergone a major refurb.
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It’s also Manchester’s second busiest library and hosts the Chorlton Book Festival every year.
There are brilliant shops to browse all along Beech Road, like The Curious Fox pictured below.
The Curious Fox. Credit: The Manc Group
Next, tuck into a hearty late lunch on the terrace outside the legendary Barbakan Deli.
Enjoy a fresh quiche, homemade soup or hot ciabatta sizzler while sipping on a cup of award-winning Italian roasted espresso.
All the breads, cakes and pastries at Barbakan are baked throughout the night on-site, so get ready for a seriously delicious smell when you walk through the doors.
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We believe Sunday lunch is the most important meal of the week, so don’t miss out on getting your hands on a delicious roast dinner if you find yourself in Chorlton on a Sunday.
The Chorlton Green serves one of the entire region’s best roasts, and even does a version for dogs so your pet can join in on the wholesome times.
There’s a choice of chicken, beef or nut roast served alongside carrot and suede mash, perfectly crisp roast potatoes, stuffing, seasonal vegetables and a giant Yorkshire pudding.
Kick off the evening with a couple of pre-dinner drinks at The Beagle.
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A long-time Chorlton favourite, this laidback neighbourhood bar has a welcoming atmosphere and offers 15 keg lines and three cask pumps – all serving modern, seasonal beers.
They have a belting happy hour too, running 4pm til 7pm Sunday to Thursday, and all day Monday, with £4.50 pints, £6.50 cocktails and £19 bottles of wine.
Once you’ve polished off your tipple of choice, head out for dinner at one of Chorlton’s many fantastic restaurants.
Bar San Juan, a Spanish restaurant in ChorltonBar San Juan, a Spanish restaurant in Chorlton
Bar San Juan is a small authentic tapas bar that’s been providing locals with some of the best tapas outside of Spain for over a decade.
The lively interior is sure to warm you up on even the greyest Manchester day.
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It’s frequently named one of the city’s best tapas restaurants and serves traditional dishes along with some modern twists on classic Spanish cuisine.
Just a few doors down is The Jane Eyre too, a relative newcomer to the neighbourhood after building up a loyal following in Ancoats.
The Jane Eyre bar and restaurant in Chorlton. Credit; The Manc GroupThe Jane Eyre bar and restaurant in Chorlton. Credit; The Manc Group
Here you’ll find brilliant cocktails and seasonal small plates in a beautiful mid-century restaurant and bar space.
Meet Larishka – the DJ making her mark on Manchester’s Garage scene
Emily Johnson
It’s time to meet Larishka – Audio North’s Artist of the Month for October.
For Larishka, music has always been around her in some form. Growing up surrounded by classical and rock music, she never expected her route into electronic music to begin with a Parklife set from Carl Cox, before eventually becoming a DJ, promoter, and co-owner of Manchester’s Ghosts of Garage.
Today, she runs events, DJs across House, Garage and Bass, and is helping build a community around one of Manchester’s most exciting electronic music brands.
From promoter to DJ
Larishka actually started out as a promoter while doing an apprenticeship at a music booking agency. She always knew she wanted to work on the events side rather than bookings, but felt like she wasn’t going to make many connections within the industry while living in Oldham.
Her plan was to go to university to study music, with the hope of learning to produce while also moving into Manchester and making connections within the city’s music scene.
Quite quickly into her studies, she joined Ghosts of Garage. After about a year, she had something of a lightbulb moment.
Meet Larishka, the DJ making her mark on Manchester’s Garage scene / Credit: Supplied
“I was studying music, I run my own nights, and I was always on the aux at house parties, so why have I not learned to DJ yet?” she explained.
That realisation came while she was sitting on MATTIK’s living room sofa, where she asked if he would teach her. Before long, she was calling him every day asking if they could go to the studio and practise mixing.
“I owe it to him really, he was a brilliant teacher.”
“I get it” – the Parklife moment that changed everything
Larishka’s introduction to electronic music wasn’t exactly the traditional one.
“I grew up on classical and rock music – my dad was a sound engineer in the 70s so that was his thing really, and my mum played the piano every single day so that’s what I was constantly around.”
She first heard house music when she was around 15 or 16, after a friend sent her a track they had found on SoundCloud.
“I listened to it out of my phone and didn’t really get it, it was too repetitive.”
A few years later, everything changed. After hearing Parklife from her window every year growing up, Larishka eventually went to the festival for the first time and watched Carl Cox close The Valley. He played ‘Finder’ by Ninetoes, and it was the first time she had experienced electronic music on a huge sound system.
“I remember being in absolute awe and turning to my friend and saying ‘I get it’ and from then, I was just absolutely hooked.”
It became a genuine turning point.
“I had my A Level exams that following week and when I was revising all I was listening to was house music and I remember my Dad coming in and saying ‘Is this you forever now?’ and I said ‘Yeah I think it is'”.
Larishka is Audio North’s Artist of the Month for October / Credit: Supplied
Why Manchester means so much
“I mean it’s home, and always has been.”
Having become part of the city’s music scene, she says she feels incredibly lucky to have found a community around her.
“There’s a certain camaraderie that exists here that I don’t know that you’d find anywhere else.”
For her, that sense of community is what makes Manchester’s music scene so special.
“Seeing people you know everywhere you go, you kinda feel like you’re never alone and that you’re actually part of something.”
That spirit extends beyond electronic music, too.
“And it’s not just in electronic music either, that spirit exists across all genres – Manchester music history is so rooted across such a broad spectrum of genres, and to see that still prevailing today is something we should all be proud of.”
Building Ghosts of Garage
It’s impossible to talk about Larishka’s journey without talking about Ghosts of Garage.
She’s a co-owner of the brand, having joined in 2021, and works across its marketing, bookings and creative direction alongside Rich Reason. For her, one of the biggest things that makes a Ghosts of Garage night stand out is its commitment to the music.
“The music and lineups truly never miss, which is a credit to Rich. The guy knows how to program a lineup.”
The team makes a conscious effort to champion new talent, often including at least one Manchester or UK debut on a lineup.
“A big part of each event is making them unique while keeping the brand consistent – each event has to have its own USP or else the nights get boring and people think they can just skip this one and go to the next and it’ll be the same.”
For Larishka, music has always been around her in some form / Credit: Supplied
Community is a huge part of the brand.
“We’re also big advocates of community and want to create the gap between audience and DJ as little as possible, so try to get the crowd involved as much as possible through things like our WhatsApp community.”
The aim is to make people feel like buying a ticket means becoming part of something bigger.
“We want people to feel like if you buy a ticket for our event, then you’ve unlocked a key to be part of something.”
Larishka’s advice for getting into Manchester’s music scene
For anyone hoping to break into Manchester’s music scene, Larishka’s advice is simple – go out.
“I’m way more likely to book you if we’ve met and we’ve had a good chat because it means I can put a face to a name and I know what you’re like.”
For her, being part of the community is about more than simply sending messages and asking for opportunities.
“Being an active member of the community means you’re already part of the night, so booking you to DJ just makes you even more part of it than you already are, rather than someone I’ve never met before who’s in my DMs.”
Ultimately, it comes back to the same thing that has shaped so much of Larishka’s own journey – showing up, meeting people, and becoming part of something.
Featured Image – Supplied
Feature
Manchester’s first banana pudding bar has opened in the city centre
Clementine Hall
Make sure to save room for pudding…because one of the city’s most-talked about dessert brands has found a new home.
Buttercup launched last summer, creating little pots of the hit US dessert made famous by the iconic Magnolia Bakery.
Each dessert features vanilla custard whipped with cream, soft sponge, and fresh banana, which you can then customise with rotating flavours and toppings.
And after a brief disappearance from the Manchester foodie scene, Buttercup is back with a bang with their beautiful new home on Deansgate.
Images: The Manc Group
And when we say beautiful, we really mean it.
Glossy burgundy tiles, butter yellow walls and sleek chrome furniture make up the space beneath the huge arched window, and there’s even a few seats for you to enjoy your pud and watch the world go by.
Open daily from 10am til 10pm, the menu includes three puddings on rotation ready to scoop.
Images: The Manc Group
Choose from the classic banana, indulgent tiramisu and an ever-changing seasonal special, alongside a wall of toppings for you to customise your own pud.
Each recipe has been perfected in-house and the proof really is in the banana pudding…because it tastes just as good as it looks.
Since launching, Buttercup has served around 50,000 puddings, hosted sell-out pop-ups across the city, collaborated with some huge brands, and built a loyal following around its signature build-your-own pudding bar.
Image: The Manc Group
With this new standalone space, you’ll of course be able to indulge in its signature banana pudding, as well as breakfast yoghurt bowls, coffee and matcha.
Officially opening tomorrow Saturday 26 September, the first 50 customers will get a free topping and sauce with the purchase of any pudding, plus a free lip gloss from Manchester-born beauty brand REFY.
Rachel Kevern -
24th January 2024 
