Over on Deansgate Square, Salvi’s has just opened the doors to its latest restaurant.
A far cry from the cosy settings of the family-run brands’ other sites, this swanky new spot is something of a behemoth with a large covered and heated drinks terrace, elegant restaurant, Italian deli, bar, private dining room and exhibition space spanning 3,000 square feet.
Nestled underneath the luxury apartments of the Square’s many influencer residents, it hasn’t been open long but already features in a number of glossy and carefully edited grid posts – the opulent plant-filled terrace bar has clearly become a popular choice amongst Manchester’s glitterati already.
A huge gold sparkly pizza oven sits centre stage in the open kitchen and reminds me of a disco ball, like Salvi’s has entered its party era.
This year marks a decade since owner Maurizio Cecco opened his family’s first restaurant in Manchester’s Corn Exchange, and this new site feels like a celebration of that.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
In the corner, an Italian deli is overflowing with gorgeous ingredients (all of which also feature in the dishes here) giving visitors the chance to pick up top-quality Italian meats, cheeses, oils, vinegar and more to take home.
A large table in the middle gives it a family feel, with a variety of different gelato flavours sitting on display close by behind a glass cabinet.
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Keen to see how its new restaurant stands up against other Salvi’s in the city, we paid the new site a visit to check it out – and left, three hours later, full to the brim and grinning like idiots.
Serving everything from cichetti to contorni, Italian cakes and gelato, the menu here is just as expansive as the site itself.
The wine list is, as you’d expect, predominantly Italian, the cocktails similarly styled – a sweet and refreshing limoncello spritz, a Campari G&T, a sweet, Frangelico-spiked espresso martini.
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Image: The Manc Eats
We dig into huge plates loaded with the softest prosciutto di parma, gorgonzola drizzled with honey, smoked mozzarella peppered with sweet heritage cherry tomatoes, and Southern Italian grilled cheese with a sprinkle of balsamic, all designed to show off Salvi’s gorgeous imported produce.
Next, a giant bowl of mussels swimming in a rich and ever-so-slightly spicy tomato broth plops onto the table – adorned with slices of fresh bread, encouraging some hearty dipping as we attempt to soak up every last morsel of the shellfish’s accompanying sauce.
Pasta follows, and we dive into two of the restaurant’s best-selling dishes – the pistachio pesto-laden pasta Nonna Teresa is an instant hit, the molten pork fat from its guanciale (pork cheek) all juicy and salty, adding beautifully into the mix.
Another bowl, this time of baby octopus and spicy sausage paste pasta polipo ‘nduja, is rich and bright, its salty morsels of cephalopod cutting through the tomato base.
Suffice to say, the quality is just as good as you’d find in the Corn Exchange or the Northern Quarter restaurants, or in Italy itself, for that matter.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Full to the brim but unable to resist dessert, we finish on a beautifully-light pistachio cake served with a dusting of iced ricotta on the side, joined by that aforementioned silky sweet hazelnut espresso martini – a heavenly pairing, even if your trousers are beginning to strain at the waist (as mine are).
It all feels very glamorous, but with that warm, friendly Italian service – keenly suggesting this, enthusiastically encouraging that – that reminds you you’re in a neighbourhood place, and they really want you to enjoy their food.
A beautiful new addition to Deansgate Square, we highly recommend you pay them a visit – and grab some goodies to take home on your way out.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Food & Drink
A sports bar dedicated to women’s sports is opening in Stockport
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new women’s-led sports bar is opening in Stockport, marking a first for the North.
Rita Ray’s will be joining the line-up at Weir Mill, the new neighbourhood from Capital & Centric on the banks of the River Mersey.
While women’s sport has grown in popularity in recent years, Rita Ray’s founder says that ‘the spaces to watch it haven’t caught up’.
And so, this new sports bar concept has been born, with all the buzz of a classic sports bar but with women’s sport on the big screens.
The venue will be family-friendly by day, before shifting into a lively social hangout with great drinks, music, and post-matchday energy by night.
It plans to become a community cornerstone too, hosting things like run clubs, classes, quiz nights, book clubs, pop-ups, and community meet-ups.
Founder of Rita Ray’s, Becky Brown, has named the bar after her grandparents Rita and Ray, who loved life, games, golf, and good company.
She says there’s ‘nothing like this in the North at the moment’.
Rita Ray’s sports bar is the second independent venture announced for Weir Mill this month alone – Italian restaurant The Social Trattoria is also heading to Stockport this year.
Becky said: “Women’s sport has grown massively, but the spaces to watch it haven’t caught up.
“There’s nothing like this in the North at the moment, and Stockport and the Weir Mill neighbourhood felt like the perfect spot – creative, independent, and full of character. Rita Ray’s is about sport, community, and inclusion.”
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Rita Ray’s is exactly the kind of bold, indie concept we love bringing into our neighbourhoods. It’s a brilliant addition to Weir Mill and a great example of the independent operators helping shape this new part of Stockport.”
Cllr Micheala Meikle, Cabinet Member for regeneration, skills and economy, said: “Seeing the North’s first independent bar dedicated to women’s sport choose Weir Mill is a fantastic vote of confidence in Stockport.
“This kind of bold, community‑minded business will add to the growing sense of place we’re creating here – an inclusive space where everyone can come together to enjoy sport, meet friends, and feel part of something special.
“This is exactly what regeneration should deliver: new jobs, strong independents and more reasons for people to spend time in our town centre, while keeping the character that makes Stockport what it is.
“Investment of this quality shows the direction we’re heading and the momentum we’re building, ensuring Stockport remains a vibrant, welcoming and thriving place for residents, visitors and businesses alike.”
Rita Ray’s is all set to open this summer at Weir Mill in Stockport, just in time to roar on the Three Lions.
Mexican chain Wahaca might be returning to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
Mexican chain might be returning to Manchester, six years after its closure.
The much-loved restaurant group is eyeing up new locations in our city, as well as sites in Cambridge, Glasgow, and Birmingham.
Retail and leisure agency P-Three has been tasked with sourcing new sites across the UK for Wahaca, which had to permanently close 10 locations in the midst of the pandemic.
Wahaca restaurants that closed included its popular location in the Corn Exchange in Manchester.
Wahaca was founded in London almost 20 years ago, by MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers and Mark Selby.
Its menu showcases food from across Mexico, with restaurants that are inspired by the modern bustling culture seen in contemporary Oaxaca.
It’s also the UK’s first carbon-neutral restaurant group and multiple-time winner of the UK’s most sustainable restaurant group.
P-Three is looking for large restaurant units (2,500-4,500 sq ft) which Wahaca can move back into as it brings its vibrant food back across the UK once again.
Wahaca might be returning to Manchester. Credit: Wahaca
Thomas Rose, co-founder at P-Three, commented: “Wahaca has firmly established itself as one of the UK’s most authentic and lively restaurant groups, offering diners a bold, fresh and modern take on Mexican street food.
“A longstanding client of P-Three, we are excited to be supporting Wahaca with this next phase of growth and look forward to helping them bring their concept to new cities and locations across the UK.”
Mark Selby, Co-founder & Chairman at Wahaca, added: “After the huge success of our Paddington opening in 2024 and the incredible feedback on Wahaca Reimagined across our 14 individually designed restaurants, we are excited to be once again looking to bring Wahaca’s unique restaurant experience to different areas of the UK.
“We want to find buildings that lend themselves to our distinctive look and feel and know that P-Three will do an excellent job bringing that vision to life.”
Georgina Pellant -
2nd July 2022 
