Fallowfield and Withington have long been known as Manchester’s student heartland – but things are always changing in these vibrant suburbs and they make a great day out for anyone.
From community projects that have turned blank walls into artwork and empty fields into giant veg patches, to hip new bars and underground nightclubs, there’s loads going on.
You can never walk through this part of town without stumbling upon some scene of madness or some sort of creative pop-up.
In our next instalment of A Manc’s Guide to: we dig a bit deeper into these brilliant little suburbs just south of the city centre.
Food and drink
Image: Kyotoya
Kyotoya – Famed for its mixed sushi platter, which comes served inside a pretty wooden boat, Kyotoya has been feeding Withington’s students and locals for well over a decade. Reasonably priced, find a range of sushi and sashimi, starters and stir-fried dishes on offer.
Fuzion – Another longstanding student favourite, as the name suggests the dishes here are all about fusion. This popular noodle bar sits just opposite Sainsbury’s and has been serving up a variety of Pan Asian dishes since 2003.
Tzatziki’s – This family-run business in the heart of student land is credited with getting more undergrads through their degrees than any other local eatery. The gyros are legendary, but you’ll also find a variety of dishes from Greece, with some wider Mediterranean inspiration. Prices start from £4.30.
Fuel – Something of a Withington high street institution, Fuel was cooking up vegan dishes long before anyone thought it was cool. Its quirky interiors make it worth a visit alone, and upstairs you’ll often find live music going on in the evening. Basically, it’s a whole vibe.
Aladdin’s – This Lebanese / Middle Eastern gem is one of Manchester’s oldest restaurants, dating back to 1988. It’s also bring your own booze, with a conveniently-located corner shop across the road. The chicken kebab is a popular order, but we love its fresh salads, fluffy pittas and homemade baba ganoush.
The Victoria – On any given night, you’ll find locals and students rubbing shoulders inside this traditional boozer. A keg of Old Rosie behind the bar is deemed so strong that it’s only served it in halves, and out the back, there’s a nice little suntrap beer garden (for warmer days). The Vic’s pool table and karaoke nights also deserve an honourable mention, oh and you can generally catch live sport here too.
Southside Tequila Joint – Formerly known as Solomon’s, this little neighbourhood bar has long been the local of one of Manchester’s biggest bar operators. Then, in May 2020, he went and bought into it, turning it into a taco and tequila joint. Happy hour runs from 9-11pm, if you’re watching the pennies.
Herbivorous – A vegan diner specialising in comfort food classics, all the booze behind the bar is also vegan – something that’s harder to find than it sounds. The Big Kahuna Burger (a nod to Tarantino) is a favourite, but the menu also boasts a list of loaded fries, sandwiches and housemade sauces.
Image: Fuel Cafe Bar
Image: Herbivorous
Allen’s Fried Chicken – Every drunken night out needs a fittingly greasy takeaway at its end, and Fallowfield is well-equipped. However, not all late-night takeaways are created equally. Allen’s certainly hits the spot, with buckets, burgers and popcorn pieces galore.
Michael’s English Cafe – No muss, no fuss, this is the place to come for a greasy fry up the morning after the night before. This family-run cafe is open throughout the day, and you’ll also find paninis, cold sandwiches and freshly-made sandwiches on the menu.
Cafe Blah – Part coffee shop, part bar, part art gallery, this cute little neighbourhood joint also hosts film screenings using a projector that beams onto its back wall and pop-up vintage clothes sales. Well worth a look-in.
The Orion Pub – A Joseph Holt boozer with a good range of ales on tap, this rough and ready pub can be found just on the edge of Withington estate, en route to Burton Road – just before you head into full-blown West Didsbury territory.
Image: Haus Fallowfield
Image: Fuel Cafe Bar
Haus – Said to serve some of the best pizza in Fallowfield, dough here is proved for over 30 hours before being fired up in the oven. Pizza is served from 4pm until late, and Haus also has a decent brunch menu that runs from 10am until 3.30pm every day.
The Friendship Inn – Another solid boozer with a huge amount of outside space, this is the place to be in the summer when you want to sit outside, day drink, and just catch some rays. The beer is pretty reasonable, and there are loads of big screens showing the football if that’s your sort of thing.
Coffee Lab – Describing itself as the ‘first and only Greek franchise 3rd Wave Coffee in Manchester”, this coffee shop can be relied on for a sugar and caffeine pick-me-up, thanks to its decent barista-made brews and array of sweet treats.
Almost Famous – This dirty burger joint started a revolution in Manchester when it first opened behind an unmarked office door in the office quarter. Ten years later, it’s still going as strong as ever – with its winning fries, house-made sauces, and flaming Molotov cocktails all proving hits with locals.
Shopping
Fallow Garms
When it comes to Manchester’s student heartland, it’s all about the cheap, cheerful, and pre-loved.
Vintage fashion is king around Fallowfield and you’ll fairly regularly stumble across pop-up sales where you can buy kilos of clothing for a few quid.
Fallow Garms is the best in the business, at one point operating out of Haus but now mostly relegated to the online resale haven that is Depop.
There have also been vintage sales at 256 Wilmslow Road where everything costs less than £20 (so cheaper than a night out, really).
Crossing over into Withington and you’ll find independent gems like Mockingbirds, selling a gorgeous range of women’s clothing (it is print HEAVEN), homewares and gifts.
A Curious Collection is another jewel, which despite moving out of its proper retail space in Withington has continued to thrive.
Now you’ll have to aggressively stalk their Instagram to work out which markets and pop-up events you’ll find their curated collections of art, homeware, accessories and more.
Just recently, Alphaville Emporium threw open its doors above Cafe Blah.
It’s an independent record store and book shop with seriously sleek mid-century vibes.
Eco-conscious Withington locals will love Lentils and Lather, an eco-friendly and ethical superstore where you can take your own tupperware to fill up with bulk foods and cleaning products.
There’s also fresh bread, ethically-sourced coffee, chocolate, and loads more supplies from local independent makers and manufacturers, all plastic-free and sustainable.
Then, of course, there’s the mighty Platt Fields Market Garden, a phenomenal community project which regularly hosts markets where you can buy plants, food and other handmade items.
You’ll find Manchester Urban Diggers (or MUD) based here too, facilitating all sorts of gorgeous home-grown veggies.
Nightlife and hotels
Credit: Southside Tequila Joint
One of Greater Manchester’s most successful operators runs a bar out of Withington, so you know you’re in safe hands after dark.
Southside Tequila Joint comes from the same team behind Crazy Pedro’s, Bunny Jackson’s Juke Joint, and Lost Cat, and it’s got a real penchant for tacos and tequila (can relate).
Open until 1am and with a wall full of tequilas, it also knocks out a two-for-one happy hour between 9pm and 11pm – you’ll never want to leave.
Housed in a former church building, 256 Wilsmlow Road is a party venue with a big roster of live events, as well as themed club nights throughout the week.
You can dance into the early hours at the venue’s House Party nights, noughties nights, and at Society Wednesdays, with discount prices on pints, cider, soft drinks, cocktails, bottled beer and shots.
Still going strong is XLR in Withington, where the club nights run allllll week long and the vibes are immaculate.
This tardis of a nightlife hub is a student favourite which gives a platform to up-and-coming DJs – you can see what’s coming up and book tickets here.
Withington Public Hall Institute underwent something of a transformation in recent years, and is now a community hub with pizza, pints, and various creative spaces.
It hosts a load of public and private events, and has just recently tested the waters with some live music.
It all started with Repeater, a new music all-dayer that ran through into the early hours – but we can imagine there’s plenty more to come.
Culture
Platt Hall. Credit: Instagram, mag_platthall
When most people think of Fallowfield culture, they might think of Owen’s Park, where the culture revolves around student parties and drinking games.
But there’s a bit more to it than the University of Manchester’s biggest student halls lets on.
As is usual with Greater Manchester’s suburbs, you can find a bit more green space and outdoor activities to enjoy around Fallowfield and Withington.
There’s Platt Fields Park, a huge expanse of green with a five-a-side football pitch, tennis courts, BMX track, a lake and boathouse and skatepark.
You can hop on your bike (or scooter, or rollerblades, or just your feet) and travel around the Fallowfield Loop cycleway, which will whisk you all the way to Chorlton along a tree-lined, traffic-free route.
Even walking around the area’s more built-up and urban spots is a feast for the eyes, thanks to the arts project Withington Walls.
Boring old shutters, plain walls, and even electricity boxes have been painted by local artists and turned the streets in Withington into one giant, free, outdoor art gallery.
Locals rave about Withington Baths, and for good reason – this charming Edwardian swimming pool with a full gym and loads of fitness classes is a gem.
Platt Hall has stood on a corner of Platt Fields Park for more than 250 years, and until recent years was Manchester’s costume museum.
Now, it’s going through a transitional phase and goes by Platt Hall Inbetween – while it’s closed to the public most of the time, there are open days where you can come and explore its historic interior.
Transport
The trams haven’t made it out this way yet, but why would you need them when Fallowfield sits at one end of the bus-laden artery that is Oxford Road.
It’s also one of the more cycle-friendly neighbourhoods around Greater Manchester, perfect for reliable, environmentally friendly and cheap travel around town.
For Withington, it’s just a short walk from Burton Road Tram Stop.
Property
Most of the housing market around Fallowfield is terraced housing, and it’s not all stuffed with student pads.
The average price of a terrace house around here over the last year was £217,857, while semi-detached homes tend to sell for around £306,801.
In Withington, the average property price is a little more expensive – you’re looking at an average price of £327,805 over the last year.
Here, it’s mostly flats that are sold, for around £230,928, while semi-detached properties bump the average up with a usual price around £384,626.
Featured image: Akse P19 / Track Brewing Co
Feature
14 iconic Oasis locations you need to visit in Manchester
Thomas Melia
Oasis are back and ahead of their sold out Heaton Park gigs, we’re showing you some of the band’s most iconic Manchester-based locations.
If you haven’t heard already, the Oasis reunion is well and truly in full swing, so what better way to celebrate than visiting some of the band’s most iconic locations in and around Manchester city centre.
Whether you want to visit the place where the boys sat together practicing their hits and eating ‘Digsy’s Dinner’, or feel ‘Supersonic’ as you stroll past their favourite football stadium, these locations should be on all Oasis fan’s radars.
Take it easy and ‘Roll With It’ as you admire an Oasis mosaic in Manchester’s Northern Quarter or ‘Go Let It Out’ as you fangirl before posing next to the actual fireplace from the Definitely Maybe album cover.
Enough time talking, now we’ve got to figure out ‘The Masterplan’ to fitting a visit to each of these iconic Oasis locations all in one day… ‘Stand by Me’ we’ve got some ground to cover.
Iconic Oasis locations around Manchester city centre
Oasis are set to play five historic sold out nights at Heaton Park in Manchester this July.
Etihad Stadium
Both Liam and Noel Gallagher have been Manchester City supporters since day one / Credit: The Manc Group
If there’s one thing Manchester loves as much as its music – it’s football, and these two Burnage boys are no different, because they’ve been showing up for a familiar blue team since day one.
Located and right next to Manchester’s newest live entertainment venue Co-op Live, why not pay the Manchester music landmark a visit too.
Where to find: Etihad Stadium, Etihad Campus, Manchester M11 3FF
India House
Noel lived in a flat at India House from 1989 to 1993 / Credit: The Manc Group
Just off Oxford Street you’ll find a very impressive Edwardian-style building with a big gold plaque outside labelled ‘India House’ – it’s even more impressive when you learn that Noel Gallagher had a flat here.
Legend has it the Gallagher brother came up with lots of the Britpop band’s most legendary hits including ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Star’ here. Oh to be a fly on the wall when Noel wrote ‘Live Forever’.
He loved this city centre flat so much that he decided to pose outside it in 2023 for a student-led photography project titled ‘Greater Mancunians’.
Where to find: India House, 73 Whitworth Street, Manchester, M1 6LG.
This place needs no introduction as the second you even speak the word ‘Hacienda‘ the yellow and black striped poles, spotlights and cigarette smoke hit you like a brick.
Besides being one of Manchester’s most famed nightclubs thanks to the help of performances from The Smiths, New Order, Oasis and even pop royalty Madonna.
Unfortunately, this piece of Manchester’s music history was demolished in 2002 but its legacy lives on with the film 24 Hour Party People Where one scene was filmed on a rooftop in Rochdale – now The Hacienda Apartments stand in its place.
Where to find: The Hacienda Apartments, 21 Albion St, Manchester M1 5DA
The Boardwalk Nightclub
Oasis played their first gig at The Boardwalk on 14 August 1991 / Credit: The Manc Group
The Boardwalk was once a thriving nightclub and entertainment venue that welcomed the likes of The Charlatans, Happy Mondays, The Stone Roses and of course the venue where Oasis played their first gig.
The basement of this popular live music venue was once a rehearsal space for some of Manchester’s most recognisable names including James and Simply Red.
From the 90s until its closure just before the Millennium, The Boardwalk became a cultural hub for all things indie rave scoring itself a blue plaque as a ‘Madchester Venue Nightclub and Rehearsal Rooms’.
Where to find: 21 Little Peter St, Manchester M15 4PS
The next place isn’t just an iconic Oasis location, it’s also one of the most important as it’s where the band came to fruition.
This terraced property is the childhood home of founding Oasis member and guitarist, Paul Arthurs, more often known by his nickname ‘Bonehead’.
The West Didsbury house is also a part of global music history with the band shooting the artwork for their 1994 debut studio album Definitely Maybe, now one of the most recognisable Britpop covers ever.
Where to find: 8 Stratford Avenue, West Didsbury, Manchester, M20 2LH
Fog Lane Park
The Didsbury green space has a very special place in the Oasis brothers’ hearts after being an outdoor area they used to play football at growing up.
Eagle-eyed Oasis fans will be able to recognise particular shots from the band’s ‘Shakermaker’ music video which features Fog Lane Park and Burton Road.
This park is also not too far from Sifter’s Records, another notable Manc spot for the band, which also sits pretty on, you guessed it, Fog Lane.
Where to find: 139 Fog Ln, Parkville Rd, Park, Manchester M20 4UP
This musical instrument superstore near both Manchester universities has been a trusted trader for all artists and acts since 1955.
Oasis pay homage to the blue-and-yellow-signed music shop in their The Masterplan video which sees the matchstick figures of the band woven into Lowry paintings with an Oasis twist.
Roadhouse himself was known as Manchester’s Mr Music so it’s only fitting that Manchester’s biggest musical export added this shop in this animated music video.
Where to find: 123 Oxford Rd, All Saints, Manchester M1 7DU
New Islington Marina may have been completed after the boys stopped making and releasing music but it sure knows its musical history.
This canal side spot has attracted many due to its modern charm but it’s also drawn in an Oasis fan or two who have spotted a hidden message under the marina’s footbridge.
Underneath this raised walkway, Oasis fans have spotted that the title to their 1995 track ‘Cast No Shadow’ reflects in the water below, now isn’t that just ‘Supersonic’.
Where to find: New Islington Marina Prom, Manchester M4 6BX
If you know your Manchester lore then you know this record shop we’re talking about here – Sifters in Burnage is well known for being mentioned in Shakermaker by Oasis.
‘Mr Sifter sold me songs when I was just sixteen..’
Walking through the doors is like stepping through a time machine and you’re transported back to an era when physical media was still appreciated and music came on round pieces of plastic.
Microdot Boutique
Microdot on King Street is run by Brian Cannon, the designer behind iconic artwork for Oasis and The Verve (Richard Ashcroft is supporting them at their Manchester gigs), plus loads more.
It’s packed with original prints, rare memorabilia, and design history you’ll recognise instantly, such as the actual fireplace from the ‘Definitely Maybe’ cover, kindly on loan from Bonehead himself.
From the original Oasis logo to some of the most iconic sleeves of the 90s, this store is a proper slice of UK music culture – whether you’re just having a nosey or looking to take something home.
Definitely Maybe bar (and mosaic)
Everywhere in Manchester has been pretty lively ahead of the reunion shows – but it’s really going to go off at Definitely Maybe, a new Oasis-inspired bar beneath Afflecks in the Northern Quarter.
There’s a menu of cocktail inspired by the Burnage brothers, loads of memorabilia and photography from the band’s illustrious career, and even a pair of Liam’s Tommy Hilfiger underwear pegged up alongside a variety of awards, posters and vintage memorabilia of the Manchester music pioneers.
A new mosaic by Mark Kennedy has also just been unveiled on the side of Afflecks just outside.
Oasis Live ’25 wall art
Now this, is a Wonderwall.
The Coach and Horses pub in Whitefield, which has found itself on the doorstep of the Oasis reunion shows in Heaton Park, unveiled a new mural last year dedicated to the Gallaghers.
Painted by Snow Graffiti Scott, it replicates that first photo we had of the boys together for the first time in 16 years.
adidas shop
adidas made a return to Manchester city centre in spectacular style last month, launching back onto Market Street with a huge store packed with sportswear and streetwear.
And they’re honouring The Band with the Three Stripes too, with an entire section dedicated to the Oasis x adidas collection.
The limited-edition 26-piece drop brings together classic 90s silhouettes with a fresh twist including bucket hats, Firebird tracksuits, jerseys and more. So if you’re heading to Heaton Park this month, you know where to head to.
Five Manchester artists we’ve been listening to this month | June 2025
Danny Jones
Hello there. That greeting may be giving Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars vibes, and we can’t lie, we have listened to some cantina music while working this month… but not as much as we’ve been immersing ourselves in more new Manchester artists.
You should know the drill by now, and it is very much a what-it-says-on-the-tin scenario, but every few weeks, we round up some of the music – all crucially hailing from the Greater Manchester area – that we’ve been listening to of late.
We don’t discriminate when it comes to genre either. There’s only one simple rule: if it’s good, then we listen to it and then, hopefully, so do you.
Get your playlists at the ready.
Five Manc music artists we’ve been listening to recently
1. Arkayla
First up for June are relative newcomers Arkayla, whose name is inspired by “a terrible Oasis demo” from 1991 (their words, not ours – thought it is…) of the same name, a.k.a. ‘I Will Show You’, in which describe Liam Gallagher’s now legendary as once sounding “like a dodgy Ian Brown impressionist.”
However, there’s nothing dodgy about these lot and, thankfully, they’re in an era when you don’t have to hand out tapes recorded in the Boardwalk basement on the street to be heard. The Manchester band, which only formed in 2020, may be Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, but they’ve already got a sound.
There’s an unmistakable British indie element to them and hints at everything from The Kooks to The Lathums, but most notably, there are ’60s guitar notes and some real maturity already. Standouts include ‘Ella Malone’, the acoustic version of ‘Lost In a Valentine’, where the lead singer, Cal Blakebrough, really shines, and ‘Rita’ is such an addictive track.
They don’t get more unknown, undiscovered, but sure to be up-and-coming than iNNAFIELD, who are a female-fronted psychedelia-forward five-piece with roots in Brighton but building a career in 0161. Having recently shone at The Deaf Institute playing a support slot at Academy 1, they have our interest.
If a glimpse of lead singer Jessie Amy Leask’s curly hair, 70s belts and long, flowing skirts plants Stevie Nicks and Fleetwood Mac in your mind, you’d be right in thinking so; a listen to their other live tracks scattered across their socials confirms there’s plenty of other influences going on too, though.
Now, they’ve only got one proper recording out on Spotify called ‘Tell Me What’s On Your Mind’, but we’ve had it popping up on our algorithms everywhere, and we can see why: there’s soft, twinkly strumming, soft almost sleepy vocals before a nice big breakout at the end. Glorious stuff.
No, not that one, the Princess of Monaco isn’t back from the dead, but ‘r Grace Kelly, who is based right here in Greater Manchester, is playing her part in the ongoing country revival taking place across the music world, offering her soulful voice and faux American-folk vibes to our ears.
She may not be a Mancunian by birth, having moved from New Zealand to our shores back in 2022, and although the weather change might have been a big sea change for her, there’s no culture shock to be found in her style; from the audio to the aesthetic, it still somehow feels pretty authentic.
Uplifting acoustic guitars, drum brush strokes, solos, Southern-twang harmonies – you name it, all the ingredients are there. The thing is, if you spend enough time immersing yourself in a genre, you can still pull off tracks like ‘Carry On’, ‘San Jose’ and the intimate ‘For Us To Change’.
We’re really lane switching when it comes to genre this month; maybe it’s because festival season is in full swing and we’re just being exposed to so much different stuff in a short space of time, all we know is we’re not complaining about it.
And neither should you, especially when you’ve got names like hip-hop, grime, soul and flag-flying Afrobeats rising star, Prido, being platformed. Blending all the above with R’n’B and a sprinkling of not just Northern but easily detectable Manc slant, it makes his music stand out in the ever-thriving space.
‘Free Ur Mind’ was the first track we ever heard, so we’ve struggled to shake that as our favourite, but ‘DND’ is a supremely dancey but chill example of laid-back of the genre that you need in your mixes this summer, and we also have a soft spot for his verse on the sensual ‘Lifeboat’ by Prima.
Last but not least on our list of new Manchester artists for this June, we’ve got local DJ Josh Baker, whose name you might recognise from the headlines surrounding Parklife 2025, as his set was unfortunately cancelled due to problems out of his control.
Festival-goers flocked to The Matinee Stage for a highly anticipated back-to-back bill of Baker followed by Dutch counterpart Chris Stussy, both of whom have thrilled some of the biggest club crowds in the country – sadly, he didn’t get to do so this time. That being said, we thought we’d give him a shout-out.
We’ll confess to only having got around to his discography following this news, but ‘Back It Up’, ‘Something To Me’, and ‘You Don’t Own Me’ with Prospa and RAHH are all bangers. We’re looking forward to listening to more.
And that should just about do you; there are five artists and, at the very least, 15 new tracks for you to give a go – there should be at least of few of them you like.
But, let’s be honest: be it unheard, new, current, old or anything in between, Manchester music very rarely ends up being filed in the skippable category.
Then again, you can always check out last month’s list of Manc artists from last month and see if you get a better hit ratio.
Georgina Pellant -
20th October 2022 
