Ten of the best restaurants and bars to visit on a date in Manchester
From swanky sky-high bars, restaurants and terraces to chilled out daytime venues, we've picked out some of Manchester's best places to go to on a date
Dates are meant to be fun, romantic, staring into each other’s eyes and all the rest. But the stress of organising them is far from enjoyable.
Scrolling through Google, Instagram and TripAdvisor reviews from two years ago is exhausting and gets you nowhere, leaving you tearing your hair out before the date’s even begun.
Stress no more, though, because we’ve done the research for you to help you bring back the breeziness to your dating life.
Keep reading to discover our list of perfect venues to take a date in Manchester.
With the choice of sitting in either the restaurant or bar whilst enjoyin some of the best views of the city, 20 Stories is a date night must / Image: 20 Stories Manchester
20 Stories
Spinningfields
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Picture this: reclining on an oversized cushion, cocktail in hand, low lighting and an unbeatable 360-degree view of our stunning city of Manchester. Romantic right? Well, you can live the dream at 20 Stories.
Kitted out with a rooftop restaurant, cocktail bar and rooftop garden terrace towering above Manchester, 20 Stories is located in the heart of Spinningfields.
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Cocktails are a given and they even have their own Tanqueray menu, but if that doesn’t tickle your fancy then try their Afternoon Tea instead and add a new element of class to your dating life.
Note that the dress code is smart, they kindly ask you to ditch the football shirt and we would recommend making a booking, their views are in pretty high demand.
Image: Dukes 92
Duke’s 92
Castlefield
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Duke’s 92 canalside car overlooks the Rochdale canal and is perfect for a chilled but romantic evening out. Subtly flirt over classy starters like crispy chilli beef before getting down to the good stuff with mains like 10oz rib-eye steak and pan-fried seabass.
Relax on the wooden terrace and watch the sunset over Manchester’s iconic redbrick canals or, for those who prefer it by the fire, the interiors here are also stunning – and you can watch the bar staff whip up some impressive cocktails behind the huge bar.
Bookings are not necessary, there is a large number of tables for food and drink on a first-come, first-served basis every day.
Image: Bar San Juan
Bar San Juan
Chorlton-cum-Hardy
For those who want to get away from the city, Bar San Juan is a hidden gem in the suburbs of Manchester. Date the Spanish way with authentic tapas dishes, red wine, sangria and round wooden tables set against mismatched tiled walls.
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If you’re a croquette lover, chorizo kind of couple or just really into your padron peppers, it’s all delicious quality at really affordable prices.
Diners can eat alfresco on the edge of Chorlton’s colorful streets or tucked into the intimate booths inside. Not only do you feel you’ve gotten away from Manchester, but you might as well have hopped on a plane to Spain together.
Image: Australasis
Australasia
Spinningfields
If you’re going for super chic elegance, this is the place to go. A real dress-up spot perfect for date night, Australasia aims to capture the true essence of modern Australia with light and open decor.
A unique cocktail list includes sweet martinis flavoured with rose and lycee, green apple, or kiwi and honey martini, amongst staples like pornstars and gin and tonics.
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You and your date can go unnoticed in their intimate booths, enjoying cocktails and sushi in private. Come prepared to spend a bit more than usual, splitting the bill is probably a good idea here.
Image: Hatch
Hatch
Under the Mancunian way on Oxford Road
A bustling hub of different bars and street food traders, Hatch is a party amongst large shipping containers. A great place for a lighthearted casual date with lots of people around, your conversation can flow easily – but if there are awkward silences you can happily make three a crowd.
Find street food, communal tables, and lots of beer in this independent village hidden beneath the Manchester bypass in a tangle of fairy lights and greenery. Hatch is a sanctuary from the concrete streets outside.
Image: Tattu
Tattu
Spinningfields
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Get your cameras ready, because the whole interior at Tattu screams “Instagram me!” A huge, pink statement blossom tree sits in the middle of the upstairs restaurant, surrounded by oriental hints and sleek dark features.
Contemporary Chinese cuisine and cocktails labeled Geisha’s secret and crouching tiger are as sexy as they sound and great to set the mood. Previously named as one of the most romantic restaurants in the world, Tattu has long been a favourite date night spot for some of Manchester’s most famous couples.
Tattu’s attention to detail will make your date flawless and definitely a night to remember. Be warned, your bank account will probably remember it too.
Image: YES
YES
Charles Street, Manchester
Grab a slice and a cocktail in the downstairs bar, then head up to the roof garden for an absolute class setting for a date. Think exposed brick and hanging plants, a covered outdoor terrace and a cosy little nook inside too.
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An absolute steal on the cocktails deals, YES is also very generous with slices of pizza costing just £2.80.
At three stories high, YES has loads of events on offer in the afternoons and evenings. If you don’t want your date to end, then head down to The Pink Room on the middle floor to catch some live music – there’s always something good on here.
Image: Mackie Mayor
Mackie Mayor
Swan Street, Northern Quarter
Who says dates have to just be in the evening? If you’re someone that prefers a cool daytime meet-up, Mackie Mayor is the place to be.
Breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, vegan, veggie – they do it all. Dine under the amazing glass roof of the 1858 market turned cosmopolitan food hall. All open plan, simply place your order and then wait for them to bring the food (and drinks) to you.
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An easy location in the Northern Quarter means your date doesn’t have to end there, in fact, if it’s going well you can go on to enjoy an afternoon visiting all of Manchester’s sights.
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.
Dolly Busby -
4th October 2021 
