Food & Drink

Manchester’s new dive bar Salt Dog Slims is opening its doors tomorrow

Who's ready for some "steins, brines, and good times"?

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 19th October 2021

Salt Dog Slims will welcome its first customers through the doors tomorrow.

It’s one of Liverpool’s most infamous dive bars – and now it’s bringing its “steins, brines and good times” right here to Manchester, with a new venue on Bow Lane in the heart of the city centre.

Known for its late night parties, emporium of world beers, bespoke cocktails, and American-style chilli dogs, Salt Dog Slims is the perfect day to night spot for everything from post-work drinks to weekend celebrations.

Fancy hitting the dance floor?

Well, you’ll be met with what can only be described as the most varied of beasts – the bartender’s choice playlist, which famously features just about everything from indie anthems, to absolute pop bangers.

Salt Dog Slims is bringing its “steins, brines and good times” / Credit: Salt Dog Slims

The bartenders are likely to be propping up the bar post shift, joined by those who don’t want the party to stop and taking advantage of the bar’s late-night closing time.

Queueing at the bar is set to be a thing of the past too, and that’s because Salt Dog Slims has its own beer vending machine to take advantage of, and there’s also no need to worry about the moments you might forget, as there’s the legendary graffiti wall free for party-goers to leave their mark.

The Bow Lane venue in the city centre will be opening tomorrow / Credit: Salt Dog Slims

With plenty of booths and bookable spaces, the venue is perfect for group parties too.

Salt Dog Slims will open this Wednesday 20 October, and you can book a table ahead of the grand opening on the venue’s website here.

Featured Image – Salt Dog Slims

Food & Drink

Bar Shrimp announces opening date as Higher Ground team gear up for new project

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Bar Shrimp announces opening date as Higher Ground team gear up for new project

Bar Shrimp, a new seafood and cocktail bar in Manchester from the team behind Higher Ground, has officially got itself an opening date.

The hotly-anticipated newcomer will be serving cocktails, beers, and British seafood and snacks from its spot on New York Street.

As well as confirming an October launch date, the team have also shared a glimpse of the menu Mancs can expect from next month.

Bar Shrimp will be offering an Oyster Happy Hour every weekday, as well as caviar with house-cut crisps, devilled eggs, and Sussex smokie fritters.

Expect shellfish over ice, Cornish crab cocktail, bar snack classics and even beef burgers.

It comes from the same team behind Higher Ground and Flawd, headed up again by hospitality dream team Joseph Otway, Daniel Craig Martin and Richard Cossins.

And they’ve partnered with Stockport-based MasterSounds, to install a state-of-the-art custom-designed sound system with music director Lukas Stankunas curating the music programming on a weekly basis.

They say the venue will be a ‘dynamic space where the music and energy evolves throughout the evening’.

Team behind award-winning Higher Ground to open new seafood bar, Bar Shrimp, in Manchester
The team behind award-winning Higher Ground are opening a new seafood bar, Bar Shrimp, in Manchester

Inside, it’ll be decorated with plush-red banquettes, floor-to-ceiling drapes, and table service throughout.

Matt Pazos, Bruntwood SciTech Retail Commercial Manager, said of the announcement: “Bar Shrimp promises to be another big success for the team and we can’t wait to welcome them to Faulkner House.

“This exciting new concept, bringing together the team’s exceptional knowledge and experience of food and hospitality combined with their passion for music, will further complement the thriving community in this part of Manchester city centre.”

Walk-ins will be welcomed for drinks but reservations are encouraged for dining.

Reservations for Bar Shrimp have gone live today ahead of its official launch on Wednesday 22 October – sign up HERE.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Food & Drink

A long-standing Italian restaurant in Trafford has sadly announced its imminent closure

Danny Jones Danny Jones Little Italy Timperley closing permanently

Another day, another bit of unfortunate hospitality news, as long-standing Greater Manchester restaurant, Little Italy in Timperley, has announced it is closing permanently very soon.

The Trafford favourite, which has been serving locals for nearly 20 years, has informed regular diners that it will sadly be closing its doors for good, with Little Italy’s final service set for later this month.

Having earned plenty of praise in its time, including being one of the few spots in and around the Altrincham area to have won a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence in 2015, before the borough saw its foodie boom begin.

But fast forward a decade, and the Timperley institution is yet another culinary casualty to be confirmed of late, with Little Italy sharing a tear-jerking statement online.

Sharing the tragic news on social media this Friday (5 Sep), the restaurant wrote: “To all our lovely customers, it is with a heavy heart that we share some news with you all. After over 18 years of serving you all in Timperley, we will be closing our doors later this month.

“This has not been an easy decision. Unfortunately, rising costs and a significant increase in rental [costs] have made it impossible to continue in a sustainable way. As much as we love what we do, the reality is that it has become too difficult to maintain under these circumstances.

“Over the coming weeks, we will continue to cook with love and serve with the same passion as always. We would love to see you all and share one more meal, and raise a glass together.”

Safe to say that the post has been met with an outpouring of condolences and support from natives nearby and those who have travelled to enjoy their food.

Little Italy went on to add that they will detail more about their final week of business as soon as possible.

They can’t be accused of not keeping up with times and not trying to promote via social media either, as they small family-run team – headed up by Sam Cauchi, who bought the site back in 2008 – have always given things a go besides the day-to-day operation of the restaurant.

Being one of many saddened customers to respond underneath the announcement, we couldn’t possibly sum up things better than local Vanessa Nice, who said: “Look at all these amazing comments – you certainly made your mark as a home from home for the residents of Timperley.

“The end of an era will always be sad, but sometimes life and families have to move on.”

As for Cauchi and co., they signed off by simply adding: “From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your support, kindness and friendship over the years. Timperley has been our home, and you have all been our family.

“Love from all the team at Little Italy.”

It goes without saying that we’re gutted for the gang and our thoughts are with everyone involved at this difficult time. For now, we can only say thank you to the countless Greater Manchester locations that continue to fall foul in the face of the rising pressures industry-wide. Case and point…

Award-winning chippy in Prestwich announces heartbreaking restaurant closure

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Featured Images — Little Italy Timperley (via Facebook)

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