Manchester Food and Drink Festival is back for 2021.
Following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s unveiling of the government’s “irreversible” roadmap to lift England’s current national lockdown and reopen society over the next few months – with an aim to end all social restrictions by 21st June, at the earliest – the city’s flagship food and drink festival and undoubtedly one of the highlights in the annual events calendar has announced its grand return this September.
Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) will take place from Thursday 16th – Monday 27th September.
This year, the festival – which will once again be headline sponsored by food delivery platform Just Eat – is open to the entire Greater Manchester hospitality industry and will be supporting the recovery of its dining and drinking economies by showcasing and celebrating as many businesses as possible.
MFDF 2021 promises “a magnificent celebration of the region’s food and drink and all the talented people that bring it to the table”.
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Fans of MFDF will be pleased to know that the ‘Festival Hub’ is returning for 2021.
Taking place in Cathedral Gardens, he Festival Hub will, as always, be free to enter, but this year, there will be a limited number of bookable tables available, meaning for a reservation fee of £5, guests can guarantee a table and skip the queues.
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Advanced table bookings are now live and can be made here.
The team behind MFDF are also thrilled to announce that the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards are back “in the flesh” for 2021 too, and will taking place at a brand new venue.
The MFDF Gala Dinner and Awards will take place on Monday 27th September at Manchester Hall.
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After a year out of action, the event this year promises to be the “hospitality homecoming” event of the year, as MFDF brings the industry together to celebrate and recognise the achievements and challenges of this extraordinary time.
The 2021 award categories will be announced soon, so keep your eyes peeled.
Manchester Food & Drink FestivalManchester Food & Drink Festival
Speaking on the festival’s return this year, Alexa Stratton-Powell – Festival Director at Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) – said: “This year’s festival is about celebration, reflection and recovery [as] it has been an extraordinarily difficult time for the hospitality industry, and so too for the festival and all the events companies and professionals around the country.
“Postponing last year’s MFDF was a very difficult decision, but the right one.
“This year we’ll come together to do what Manchester does best – support each other and our city. We want to create the most exciting festival yet, celebrate as many of our hospitality businesses as possible and make sure everyone has a brilliant time enjoying the region’s amazing food and drink.
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“We’re particularly excited to be announcing the MFDF Gala Dinner and Awards are back [as] they give everyone a chance to recognise the achievements of our unrivalled hospitality community [and] we will be back soon to announce the award categories, nominees and how to vote.
“[This will] give everyone the chance to get behind their food heroes.”
Andrew Kenny – Managing Director of Just Eat UK – added: “We’re delighted that the plans for MFDF have been finalised and we can share the good news. We are really looking forward to celebrating with our customers, our local restaurant partners and the whole of Manchester at MFDF this September.”
Manchester Food & Drink Festival
As it stands, Manchester Food and Drink Festival (MFDF) will be delivered in line with current event guidance, and the festival team will be monitoring the situation closely as they continue to plan the event.
The new ‘MFDF Planner’ is ready to download for 2021 too.
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Bringing the “festival to your fingertips like never before”, app users will be able to browse the full festival programme, reserve tables at the Festival Hub and vote in the MFDF awards too, so head to the Apple and Android app stores to download by searching ‘MCR Food and Drink Festival’.
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You can find more information ahead of the event via the MFDF 2021 website here.
Food & Drink
Manchester Christmas Markets 2026 – prices for beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more
Emily Sergeant
It’s timeeeeee… Manchester Christmas Markets are officially open for 2026.
Now in their 27th year, Manchester Christmas Markets are known and loved for bringing thousands of people into the city centre each year to fill up on the fantastic festive treats and soak up all the Christmas atmosphere.
This year sees an even bigger return of Albert Square, and there’s also some new locations too for 2026. Lincoln Square has joined in on the action, and there’s also some big changes to St Ann’s Square – with what is being described as a ‘brand new layout’, bringing in a bigger number of market stalls.
There’s a total of 210 stalls spread out across the city centre, but we know there’s one question on everyone’s lips… ‘what’s it gonna cost me?’.
We’ve been running around the markets this morning checking out all the prices on things like beer, mulled wine, bratwurst, and more, so without further ado, here’s everything you need to know.
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Average food and drink prices at Manchester Christmas Markets 2026
Mulled wine – £6.50
Beer – £7
Prosecco – £7
Hot chocolate – £5
Bratwurst – £8
Albert Square
Bratwurst King on Albert SquareThe North Pole pub at Albert Square
Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development reveals plans for FOUR new food and drink openings
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville’s landmark St Michael’s development has revealed a major new food and drink arrival – actually, FOUR new arrivals.
The huge site in the city centre has announced that acclaimed restaurant group Pasture will be opening four different food and drink destinations here, including a new era for the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub.
Pasture will also have a flagship restaurant on the ground floor of the 43-storey St Michael’s tower, operate the W Lounge hotel bar, and breathe new life into the much-loved historic pub that has stood here long before the development began taking shape.
Pasture has partnered with Relentless Developments and Salboy to bring its food and drink offering to the huge city centre scheme.
The group will take over the much-loved historic Abercromby pub, which is being sensitively restored as part of the development, as well as Terrace, an outdoor dining destination serving a Mediterranean-inspired, all-day menu.
Together, the four concepts will bring a varied hospitality offering to St Michael’s, adding to the restaurants and bars already operating at No.1 St Michael’s such as Circolo Popolare and Chotto Matte.
Founded in 2018 by chef-owner Sam Elliott, Pasture began in Bristol and has since expanded into Cardiff and Birmingham, becoming known for its expertly prepared meat, lively atmosphere and commitment to provenance.
St Michael’s will welcome Pasture to ManchesterSt Michael’s new food and drink offering will also feature an outdoor terracePasture is coming to Manchester
Speaking about the announcement, Sam Elliott said: “Manchester is a city with a huge personality, a strong independent spirit and a real passion for great food, so bringing Pasture here is incredibly exciting.
“St Michael’s gives us the opportunity to create something that goes beyond a restaurant, with four distinct destinations that each have their own identity while sharing the same values around quality, provenance and memorable experiences.
“From our signature open-fire cooking at Pasture Manchester and Mediterranean-inspired all-day dining at Terrace, to the atmosphere of W Lounge and the much-loved character of the Abercromby, we’re looking forward to becoming part of the city’s dynamic hospitality scene.”
Gary Neville, director of Relentless Developments, said the restaurant group was exactly the kind of operator the team wanted to attract to St Michael’s.
“When we started St Michael’s, our ambition was to create a destination in the heart of Manchester that genuinely reflects the energy, confidence and character of the city.
“Pasture is exactly the kind of operator we want to attract. Sam and his team have built something special, and bringing four distinct concepts into the scheme will add another layer of quality and personality to what we’re creating here.”
The announcement forms part of the second phase of St Michael’s, which also includes 75,000 sq ft of premium office space, a 162-room W Hotel and 217 W Residences within the 43-storey tower.
No opening dates for the four Pasture venues have been confirmed yet.
Emily Sergeant -
5th March 2021 
