When it comes to dining out in Manchester on a budget, there are plenty of great restauraunts offering deals and set menus to help you save a few pennies without comprising on taste.
This May, we’ve handpicked some of the best Manchester restaurant deals, discounts and offers to help you head out and support your local independents without breaking the bank.
From bottomless brunches and wing feasts, to 50% off the whole menu at Northern Quarter favourites Trof and The Pen and Pencil and half-price tasting menus at Masterchef winner Simon Wood’s First Street restaurant, there’s so much to get stuck into this May.
Keep reading to find out the best Manchester bar and restaurant deals to put on your list this month.
50% off food and drink – Manchester May dining deals
Image: Bab
Image: Bab
Bab
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What is it: Casual venue with an industrial vibe, prepping meze & kebabs with homemade sauces & marinades.
The offer: Two courses and bottomless drinks for £40.
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T&Cs: Available Fridays only in May between 3-10pm (last sitting at 8pm).
The Blues Kitchen
What is it: Dedicated blues bar serving hickory-smoked comfort food, plus regular live music & DJs.
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The offer: 90 minutes of bottomless wings for £12.
T&Cs: Offer available every Sunday from 12-6pm.
La Bandera
What is it: Market-fresh, classic Spanish cuisine in airy, contemporary space with yellow booths and banquettes.
The offer: Drink and pintxos for £5.
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T&Cs: Available from 4pm until close every Thursday and Friday.
The Pen and Pencil
What is it: New York-influenced all day kitchen serving imaginative menus, as well as craft beers & cocktails.
The offer: 50% off all food.
T&Cs: Available every Monday in May when you pre-book.
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Trof
What is it: Venue with a dedicated bourbon bar, gigs, open-mic nights and quizzes, plus food from breakfast on.
The offer: 50% off food.
T&Cs: Available all day on Tuesdays throughout May when you pre-book.
Wood
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What is it: MasterChef Simon Wood’s high-end restaurant down at First Street, perfect for a pre-theatre treat.
The offer: 50% off Wood’s tasting menu (£110 down to £55).
T&Cs: Available every Wednesday throughout May.
More Manchester May dining deals
Image: Volta
Image: Volta
20 Stories
What is it: High-style destination in a shopping complex for modern British dining & cocktails & sweeping views.
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The offer: Three courses for £22.50.
T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday between 12-3pm.
The Alan:
What is it: Hotel and restaurant favoured by Jay Rayer, located across the street from Manchester Art Gallery.
The offer: Four dishes for £25.
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T&Cs: Available seven days a week between the hours of 12-4pm and 5-6pm.
Image: Albert’s Schloss
Image: Albert’s Schloss
Albert’s Schloss
What is it: Bavarian-style beer cellar for traditional German food and pilsner beers on tap and in bottles.
The offer: Three courses for £27.
T&Cs: Available every Sunday from 12-9pm.
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Asha’s
What is it: Contemporary Indian cuisine in a sophisticated, low-lit venue with plush drapes and gold finishings.
The offer: Three courses for £23.95 and a complimentary glass of Indian lager.
T&Cs: Available every Friday between 1-5pm.
Bird of Prey
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What is it: Fried chicken and smashed burger joint at Circle Square on Oxford Road.
The offer: Selected burger, fries and soda for £10 / Three wings, fries and a soda for £5.95.
T&Cs: Available seven days a week from 11.30am-2.30pm.
Block Steak Shop at Canvas
What is it: Affordable steak shop that doesn’t comprise on quality.
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The offer: Two mains and house wine for £25.
T&Cs: Available every Wednesday, no bookings required.
Bundobust
What is it: Casual craft beer bar serving Indian street food menu amid bare brick and wooden benches and tables.
The offer: Two dishes for £8.50.
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T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday, 12-4pm.
Cibo
What is it: Modern cafe/restaurant and prosecco bar, for Italian pizzas, grill dishes and sharing plates.
The offer: Three courses for £19.99.
T&Cs: Available Sunday to Friday between 5-7pm.
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Colleen’s Ramsbottom
What is it: A modern British restaurant located in Ramsbottom, north of Manchester.
The offer: Three courses for £18.
T&Cs: Available from the ‘menu of the day’ only, Wednesday to Friday between 5-6.30pm.
Image: Cottonopolis
Image: Cottonopolis
Cottonopolis
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What is it: Lively destination for Asian-inspired menus in a warehouse-style venue with a full bar.
The offer: Two dishes and a side for £13.
T&Cs: Available on the express lunch menu, served from 12-3pm Monday to Friday.
Dokes Pizzeria
What is it: Restaurant serving seasonal pizzas using the finest British ingredients from the team behind Manchester favourite Elnecot.
The offer: 30% off bottles of wine when dining in.
T&Cs: Available all day Wednesday throughout May.
Edinburgh Castle
What is it: Historic 19th-century haunt offering pub grub, plus weekly live folk music & outdoor seating.
The offer: Two courses for £30.
T&Cs: From the set menu, served 5-6.30pm Wednesday to Thursday, and 12-3pm and 5-6.30pm Friday and Saturday.
El Capo
What is it: Mexican and Latin American dishes, plus tequila menu, in casual, bare-brick space with a tiled bar.
The offer: £1 tacos (usually £7.50 for three)
T&Cs: Available Monday – Thursday from 5pm.
Elnecot
What is it: Narrow, industrial spot offering cocktails, British small plates, weekend brunch & Sunday roasts.
The offer: Soup and a sandwich for £8. 30% off bottles of wine.
T&Cs: Lunch deal available weekdays from 11am to 3pm. Wine deals available every Wednesday throughout May.
Image: Elnecot
Image: Elnecot
El Gato
What is it: Tapas & drinks are provided in this 3-storey converted townhouse that has stylish interiors.
The offer: Three plates for £18.
T&Cs: Available between 12-4pm Monday to Friday and all day Sunday.
Hawksmoor
What is it:
The offer: Three courses for £29, £5 corkage on Mondays.
T&CS: Set menu available during lunch opening hours only (except Sundays).
Tattu
What is it: Modern Chinese cuisine and cocktails in sophisticated, dark wood bar/restaurant with carved screens.
The offer: Three plates for £28.
T&Cs: Available Sunday to Friday from 12-4.30pm and Saturday 12-2.45pm from the Moon Stand menu only.
The New Cross
What is it: Anew taproom style beer bar in Manchester city centre not far from Ancoats serving up chargrilled kebabs and beers.
The offer: Kebab and a pint or selected drink for £10.
T&Cs: Available every Thursday from 5-9pm.
Volta
What is it: Small plates, deli boards and charcuterie in an intimate bistro bar with wall lamps and a terrace.
The offer: £30 for eight to 11 sharing dishes, designed for a minimum of two.
T&Cs: Available all day every day at Volta throughout May.
Featured image – Volta
Eats
The best butties in town – the top 20 sandwich shops in Manchester and beyond
Danny Jones
There’s nothing better than a good filling between two fluffy slices of bread, and we’re here to tell you the best places to find them in Manchester – that’s right, it’s the sandwich list.
From hot roast sarnies and hefty subs as long as your arm, to solid breakfast butties, giant Sardinian schiacciata and saucy Napoli-inspired cuzzetiello, if you’re a sandwich lover in Manchester, then you’re well catered for.
We’re not happy to settle for a simple Subway or premium meal deal; we want big, honking artisan ‘heroes’ that’ll leave Tony Soprano talking with his most expressive hand gestures. Keep reading to find some of the best places to get a butty in Manchester and beyond.
Open your belt loop a notch, folks.
20 of the very best sandwiches in Greater Manchester
1. Marleo – Northern Quarter and Pollard Yard
Up first is one of our favourite underdog tales in recent memory, as Sicilian street food traders turned Manc sandwich specialists have gone from serving out of a shipping container yard to now taking over their very own flagship butty shop.
Maria and Leo (hence the name) have been mainstays at pretty much every possible Maker’s Market and pop-up stall just in the city centre, but all around Greater Manchester and even further out into the North West. It may have been a slow and steady journey, but years of hard graft are finally paying off.
Having added a Northern Quarter shop alongside their OG Pollard Yard base, you can now get their incredibly well-filled focaccia sandwiches and more on Oldham Street; we’d heartily recommend going for the classic mortadella, their signature ‘Marleo’ sandwich, or for that frankly ridiculous porchetta one.
If you’re a fan of things in bread (and honestly, who isn’t), then fellow NQ Italian sandwich dealers Ad Maiora are one that you absolutely need to get down your neck if you haven’t had it before. You could argue they walked so the likes of Marleo could run, and they, too, have a really great backstory.
Once collected from a door on a back street or for delivery, we’re talking giant handmade spongy schiacciata generously stuffed with the likes of ‘nduja, spicy Tuscan sausage, smoked scamorza, mortadella, burrata and red pesto.
With a total of nine different options to choose from, expect a huge array of different cheesy and meaty delights, including Parma ham, gorgonzola DOP, truffled brie, Milano salami and crumbled pistachios, plus a gorgeous vegan option with Italian hummus, roasted aubergine, olives, sundried tomatoes and rocket. We’re so glad they’ve also now got a proper brick-and-mortar base these days.
It was long overdue, but now it’s quickly become THE go-to place for Man City players on cheat days.
3. Katsouris Deli – Deansgate/Bury Market
First established in Bury‘s historic markets over half a century ago, this cross-cultural deli and cafe celebrates the mixed roots of its family with produce from Cyprus, Poland and Italy, plus plenty more from across Europe.
Specialising in sandwiches as well as boasting an impressive salad bar and carvery, its second home on Deansgate is just as well established after 30 years in town. An iconic sandwich spot, the lunchtime queues speak for themselves.
Made with bread from Chorlton’s award-winning bakery, Barbakan, the ciabatta is a favourite here, but you do have other options. If you’re in a rush or just in need of something comforting, the hot roast pork with crackling, apple sauce and stuffing hits the spot every time.
Other highlights include the veggie-friendly ‘Zorba The Greek’, and the hangover-curing breakfast sandwiches filled with your choice of bacon, sausage and fried egg.
Big portions and good value.Oof.Credit: The Manc Eats
4. Fat Pat’s – Chinatown
This hefty hole-in-the-wall sub sandwich spot drew fans from near and far when it opened in 2022, and it hasn’t stopped since.
The allure of a hidden alley walk-up, combined with mouth-watering Philly cheesesteaks, hot honey fried chicken and meatball parm baguettes, has earned it a place in our hearts and bellies forever.
Located just off Portland Street in the backstreets of Chinatown, ordering is done online in advance, and they tend to sell out quickly, so you need to be fast if you want to secure one of these beauties.
Ancoats Deli is a gorgeous little sage green deli just off a sunny courtyard, with shelves stuffed with wine, mini canned cocktails, antipasti, meats and cheeses, plus sunny seats outside for sipping on a wine or a spritz.
It’s also got the best meal deal we’ve seen – for a tenner you can get a HUGE sandwich stuffed crust to crust with delicious fillings, plus either a packet of crisps or olives, and either a coffee or soft drink.
You’ll often find a special or two, but you can’t go wrong with the classics – ‘jamon beurre’, egg mayo, and a tasty tuna melt are all absolutely banging.
This family-run Vietnamese restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown opened in lockdown and has become popular for its bahn mi, which are available from midday and often sell out within the hour.
Only made ‘for the tradition’ in limited quantities for the lunch service, this fresh pickle and herb-topped Vietnamese sandwich can be ordered with either sweet soy, sriracha or spicy mayo.
Typically made by scooping out the inside of the baguette-style roll, here the chefs like to press the bread down instead to make more space for their fillings. Popular choices include chicken and king prawn, with beef, pork, tofu and avocado also available.
Giggs reacted how everyone does…
7. Rack – Stockport and Manchester Arndale
This tiny Stockport sandwich joint might have started out as a small but mighty little corner in the town centre, but with sandwich fans travelling across Greater Manchester to sample its wares, they’ve managed to expand its reach to a pair of sites.
There’s not much room to sit down in the original shop, but there is a very cute outdoor terrace that catches the sun perfectly at lunchtime, and you’ll find plenty of people queuing up to scran a quick bit of dinner from here.
At each venue you’ll find a big chalkboard menu that lists its various options, with everything from egg mayo and Italian meats to a funky vegan option with handmade onion bhaji, chutney and pickles – they even do big fish finger butties nowadays.
Toasted sandwiches are a big speciality here, with highlights including a peppery Reuben, a three-cheese classic served with red onion dipping gravy on the side, as well as their hugely popular birria toastie, which is as naughty as it sounds.
Egg & Co specialises in gooey scrambled egg butties, with loads of different options to try, including sausage patty, turkey bacon, avocado or caramelised onions.
Do your stomach a favour: have this in the morning with a side of crunchy truffle hash browns and start your day the right way.
You can find them at Kargo Mkt at Central Bay in Salford Quays (as well as over in Sheffield), and now along the main Deansgate strip just down the road from its more expensive competitor.
First established in 2015, the grilled cheese OGs have been serving Mancs their naughty, cheesy sandwiches for nearly a decade. We know they’re toasties to most of us here in the UK, but we’re not in control of what foodie terminology sticks.
Widely considered one of the best places to grab a toastie in the city, its classic house staple features a blend of three different molten cheeses, all sandwiched in between golden sourdough bread, and is entirely customisable with extra free fillings.
For the adventurous, wilder Northern Soul options include the ‘Bacon Frazzler’ with Frazzles crisps, streaky bacon, blue cheese, onion and sriracha, and the Mexican Junkie with chipotle mac n’ cheese, jalapenos and Chilli Heatwave Doritos.
It would also be rude of us not to shout out their annual ‘Crimbo Dinner’ toastie – complete with gooey brie cheese, cranberry, stuffing and even a pig in blanket – which we still believe is one of the best sandwiches in Manchester full stop. We loved this place since, well, forever, basically.
Credit: The Manc Group
10. Bada Bing – NQ
In at number 10, we’ve got arguably the goat of all Manchester sandwiches, the return of the king if you will: Bada Bing has been bada BACK for a while now, and they’ve been biblically good ever since they returned to the scene.
Serving giant hoagies, heroes, subs – whatever you want to call them, they’re well worth the £10-13 price stage and you likely won’t need to eat again that day if you finish one.
From the self-titled ‘Bing’ packed with cured Italian meats, salami and yes, gabagool done just like Tony Soprano himself likes, to a stacked turkey offering, a veggie pistachio one that genuinely surprised, and a Chicago beef inspired by another US TV favourite, The Bear, we’ve happily devoured all of these.
Next up is one that has taken a loyal following over in Stockport and started expanding further out into Greater Manchester, combining brilliant brunch and brews for a tried and tested combo.
While it may not be a dedicated sandwich shop per se, their lineup of four fantastic sarnies are all well worth shouting about individually in their own right.
Choose from the classic ‘Caesar Royale’ flavour, another breaded and fried option called the ‘Emerald Chicken’, the Thai-influenced sriracha tuna, or their trademark steakhouse melt that is just pure gooey and just the right amount of greasy satisfaction.
Arguably best known for their more bistro-esque dishes like those big rotisserie chickens, Tartuffe, located within Side Street, quietly does very good sandwiches – especially if you like proper crusty French loaves.
We always feel like we could do with more baguettes in our lives, so we’re heavily biased towards the chicken Kyiv one on toasted garlic herb bread; the steak and brie one is also a combo we never expected to hit as hard as it does.
That being said, they also do a great club sandwich and a Niçoise variation for those who like something a little softer. Make no mistake, by the way: these might be on the ‘lunch’ menu, but they’ll fill you up just as much as any proper tea.
Returning to NQ and a Manchester staple through and through, Rustica isn’t just a long-standing city centre favourite, it’s nothing short of a local institution.
This humble little hatch, right in the heart of the neighbourhood, has been feeding the people for 25 years, and owner Jeanette isn’t just the modest Manc mum archetype personified, she’s an absolute legend who looks after he own.
One reason we adore these guys so much is the no-nonsense approach to everything; it’s an old-school butty shop down to a tee that welcomes everyone from builders and tradies to uni students and trendy townies. It may be no frills, but it always hits the spot, and the prices are still as great as ever.
14. Gooey – NQ, Circle Square, Manchester Airport, Trafford Centre
Now this one has one foot firmly in that viral spot that daytrippers organise entire schedules around when they visit Manchester, but Gooey have been making great butties well before they ever made it onto ‘the ‘gram’ or TikTok, etc.
Yes, they may be known for their sweet treats such as doughnuts, cookies, buns and more, but we think they’re still criminally overlooked when it comes to things bookended by bread.
Famous faces have sung their praises for the tofu sandwich, specifically, but the rest of their brunch and guest butties are also well worth writing home about. With several branches across the region, including NQ, Selfridges Foodhall at Trafford Centre, the Airport, and most recently Oxford, you can’t ignore them.
If you haven’t tried them already, what are you waiting for?
15. Half Dozen Other – Green Quarter and Oxford Road Corridor
From one bakery to another, Gooey and Half Dozen Other have lots in common, including some very good bread, which unsurprisingly makes for great sandwiches.
Their bakehouse in Red Bank might be the place to pick up a fresh focaccia/a roll or two to make your own at home, but another thing they share with Gooey is an invisible fence, for lack of a better phrase, as they’re also neighbours on Circle Square.
At this cafe location, they’re available from 10am onwards, either to eat in or take away, and once they’re gone, they’re GONE, so you’d best be quick about it.
Head inside the shopping emporium and indie paradise that is Afflecks, and you’ll find Panino 23 up on the first floor, serving up delicious Italian paninis (the plural, in case it hadn’t clicked).
They feel somewhat understated at first glance – maybe it’s because they’re tucked away inside a much larger, often overwhelming building – but it only takes one bite to know that they’re the standout in here when it comes to food and drink.
Menu-wise, it’s small but simple and satisfying, but we will say that the sandwiches themselves are more like big Italian-American style subs than what most of us may think of when we hear ‘panino’.
Either way, who cares? Just look at the state of this stack:
Up next, Provisions over in Bolton might be one of the furthest you’ll potentially have to go for a barm on this list, but we will say that if you’re in the area any time soon, you simply have to pop in here.
A family-run deli in the old Lancashire stronghold, many may still argue whether or not they’re in Greater Manchester, but there can be no question about the quality of produce on show.
It’s far from just things sandwiched between slices of bread here, but even if it were, we’d make the journey for the healthily-layered muffaletta, a toasted ham and cheese croissant, or that simple, salty and superb ‘Parisian’ alone.
Whether you try their Bromley Cross shop or the Heaton venue, you won’t be disappointed.
From one deli to another, this Vietnamese variant on the edge of Salford and Manchester city centre knows exactly how to scratch that very specific Southeast Asian itch.
This Blackriars bahn mi spot does offer lots more, but we’re not going to pretend this isn’t why most people head here on their dinner hour or for a quick grab-and-go bite.
Fairly simplistic in components but saucy, well-stuffed and satisfying, the cafe is just two minutes away from Deansgate and also serves sublime egg coffees.
Credit: The Manc
19. Loafi – Ramsbottom
Another one that’s a little bit further out, Loafi may be known for all manner of sweet bakes and pastries, but they also have a fabulous savoury offering too, like sausage rolls made with meat from Walmsley’s Butchers, and bacon butties on soft milk rolls.
Four or so different sandwiches drop onto the counter at 11am every day, each of them guilt-free, fuss-free, and affordable.
The fillings change regularly but are always local ingredients, prepared and made right in front of you, from cured hams and corned beef to coronation chicken.
One last dive into cheesy, gooey, toastie goodness, Grubfellas over at the likes of Ghost x Kitchens is arguably the most takeaway-type addition to this round-up.
Nevertheless, we thought we’d throw it in the mix right at the last minute because they serve as yet more proof that sandwiches are just a snack or the default launch back-up; done properly, and they can be the most satisfying meal around.
You don’t even have to eat in – just order for delivery and make a mess like Dean on almost every single episode of Takeaway Champions:
Last but not least, our go-to in the city centre for fresh falafel, technically this is a wrap, but we’re going to allow it. It’s not just the herby chickpea goodness that does it for us here – it’s all the salads, pickles and other saucy accoutrements that go in alongside it too.
Their wraps are stuffed with your choice of pickled cabbage, potato, salad, tahini, chilli sauce and lashings of fresh hummus, with grilled aubergine and an optional extra. Go Falafel also makes its own fresh juices to order, which are well worth a try.
With multiple locations across the North, including Piccadilly, Deansgate and Rusholme, they’ve looked after us for a long time, so show your appreciation.
And that should be your fill. To be honest, if you’re still hungry and looking for more after that, then we’d be seriously worried about your health and/or addiction to butties, though we do sympathise.
Bread is, after all, one of the single greatest inventions in human history.
Last but not least, we hope it goes without saying that this is by no means a totally exhaustive list of the best sandwiches in Greater Manchester, and we’re sure you can find the perfect place for you elsewhere in the 10 boroughs if you don’t find it here – and please let us know where it is if you do!
Every week is National Sandwich Week if you ask, so you might as well celebrate properly.
Dujour Bakehouse: yet more proof of why tiramisu and banana pudding are having ‘a moment’
Danny Jones
Banana pudding and tiramisu might be two of the biggest foodie phenomena around right now, and while each has a long history of its own, Greater Manchester’s fascination with them seems to be only just beginning, to the point where you have places like Dujour dedicated entirely to the duo.
Dujour Bakehouse, to give them their full name, is a story that started a few years ago, and whose latest chapter has seen them open up over at The Trafford Centre.
And upon paying our first visit, they had such a strong few hours that they were already running low on stock by the time we turned up.
Opening a simple stand within the Selfridges Foodall, the name might be a play on the French phrase for ‘of the day’, but make no mistake: this isn’t just here today and gone the next – they’re of the moment as these two ubiquitous desserts continue to dominate.
Popping up on the first floor of the large department store within the already giant collection of stores, Dujour is probably one of the smallest vendors within the entire shopping centre, but the somewhat unassuming yet classic-looking kiosk easily catches the eye.
In truth, it looks like a taste of France – what with the font and the striped canopy and signage that almost puts you in mind of a Parisian patisserie – and then you see the menu with just two items on it: banana pudding or tiramisu.
This makes for a relatively small operation, but the real fun is to be had with the toppings.
From all the sauces and toppings you’d usually expect with this sort of thing, to pretzels and even red velvet crumbs, this is about that extra little bit of decadence without going overboard.
There aren’t dozens of extras to choose from, so as to risk overindulging yourself and straying into sickly territory, but it easily satisfies any sweet tooth.
Being served in the takeaway, iced coffee-style cups also make it feel more grab-and-go, but don’t worry, the serving you get is plenty.
It’s also worth noting that this is very intentional, too; they have lots of experience running large-scale stuff, what with their dark kitchen in Bolton (where this all started back in November 2023) and their sadly short-lived setup in Leigh, but this feels like a conscious walk before running step.
They’ve clearly learned lots from both, and this latest venture does feel like it’s pitched perfectly, not only for the location but timing-wise, as well.
Yes, they may do way more at their OG unit, but this kiosk is very much capitalising on the ever-increasing craze and is already proving a hit even just with busy shoppers passing by.
Like with any trend, some people can’t stomach that saturation of a market, but we can safely say this Selfrigdes stand is one, well, we can more than comfortably stand.
If this sort of thing is right up your street, you’ll also be glad to know that they do wholesale and delivery across the region.
Once again, only a short trip out of the city centre or an easy option when you’re spending the day out shopping, this serves as yet another reminder that you should always venture out to the boroughs and find out what else Greater Manchester has on offer.
For instance, Rochdale Food and Drink Festival returns once again at the end of May to mark 10 years of the annual street eats celebration.
Georgina Pellant -
15th May 2023 
