Another month, another set of new openings to shout about – and boy are there some crackers coming to Manchester this July.
From a spanking new late-night music venue, late-night bar and restaurant over on Oxford Road, to a teeny-tiny Japanese street food stall, there’s loads to look forward to this month.
Keep reading to discover our top picks to try out this July.
Rise Pizza
Image: The Manc Eats
After years spent cooking in high-end Michelin kitchens, chef Sam Astley-Dean has switched his chef whites for jeans and a tshirt, applying his skills to new one-man pizza pop-up Rise.
Pizza here celebrates quality ingredients, made with the likes of organic tomatoes and mozzarella, planet saving flour, imported italian basil and parmigiano reggiano di solo bruna.
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Sam can often be found popping up all over Greater Manchester, but for the month of July you can be sure to find his brilliant pizzas at Track’s taproom every Friday and Saturday between the hours of 3 and 9pm.
1 July, Track brewery taproom
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Read more:The Michelin-trained chef running a one-man pizza pop-up in a Manchester taproom
Primo Bagel
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Founded by three friends who have all previously worked together at esteemed Manchester bakery Pollen, Primo has spent the past few months popping up at the Cloudwater brewery taproom on Picadilly Industrial Trading Estate.
As of this month, though, the trio officially has a new home inside the Seesaw co-working space on Princess Street previously occupied by Batard.
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Find them serving up a host of generously-stuffed bagels alongside sweet bakes, hummus and chips, fermented cabbage, and bialy – a Polish treat made using leftover bagel dough, baked with half a red onion inside – with a selection of eight different bagels in flavours like salt, marbled malt, sesame, everything, pumpernickel, plain and poppy.
As for fillings, think salt beef with Swiss cheese and Russian dressing; spicy, pickled jalapeno schmear with bacon from Littlewood’s butchers; smoked salmon and ‘everything’ cream cheese with lemon, dill, seeds, onion and garlic; and a whipped Marmite cream cheese bagel with spring onions.
There are sweet cookies too, and a new ‘off/secret menu(ish) type of thing’ for those in the know combining a toasted bagel with plain cream cheese and apricot jam.
Liverpool favourite Maray will open its doors this month in the Bruntwood Works’ Union building on Brazennose Street next to ‘The Hidden Gem’ church.
In a central location that’s slightly off the beaten path, it will form part of the transformation taking place around the Town Hall and Lincoln Square.
Founded in 2014 by James Bates, Tom White and Dom Jones, the concept was originally inspired by the owners’ experiences in the Le Marais district of Paris – a vibrant area of the city famed as a culinary melting pot of Middle Eastern flavours and stand out cocktail bars.
In a nod to this, the menu at Maray features a selection of mezze, and small plates like falafel, lamb shawarma and baked halloumi.
It also boasts an extensive vegan and vegetarian offering – think wild mushrooms with cannellini beans, sweet potato with tahini and date molasses, and spiced lentil and rice mejadara.
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16 July, Lincoln Square
The Flat Baker
The Flat Baker is opening its first little shop in Ancoats this month, serving specialist treats and classic pastries with a Brazilian-inspired twist from a window hatch on Radium Street.
Opening on Saturdays only, here pastry and bread lovers will find a multitude of croissants and cruffins, pastel de natas, cinnamon swirls and faviours breads, including focaccia, cornbread, Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) and boozy brioche.
Elsewhere, there’ll be more specialist Brazilian treats for sale too, like carrot cake topped and filled with creamy chocolate truffle (brigadeiro), guava polenta cake, tonka bean brownies, and passion fruit and lime meringue tarts.
Frankie’s Toasties will open a new toasted sandwich stall at Manchester’s Arndale Market this month, selling retro Breville delights stuffed with everything from supernoodles to all the ingredients of a Full English breakfast.
Adding to its existing site on Portland Street, the new Little Frankie’s branch will offer daily grab-and-go toasties throughout the day until the market closes at 6pm.
The new food stall will offer all the same goodies as its existing site — albeit in a slightly smaller package – with Full English breakfast toasties, chilli con carne toasties, a toastie stuffed with four-cheese macaroni, chocolate and loads more all set to be on the menu.
Another new addition to Manchester Arndale, this time in the council-run market on the High Street side of the centre bordering the Northern Quarter.
Christmas market favourites Panc are taking over the former Salt and Pepper unit this month, bringing all their savoury favourites with them – as well as a range of sweet desserts under the new banner Yum Yum
Splitting the stall into two, Panc and Yum Yum will each be housed in their own individual sections – one serving up tasty vegan ‘junk’ food like kebabs, burgers, loaded fries, hot dogs and ‘chick’n’, the other focusing exclusively on milkshakes and desserts.
Yum Yum will boast a brand new chimney cake offering alongside vegan soft serve, bringing plant-based ice cream to the Arndale market for the very first time alongside Panc’s popular churros, loaded PANCakes and Belgian waffles.
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8 July, Arndale Market
The Ancoats Lad
Image: Google
Tiny Oldham Street boozer The Ancoats Lad is being given a new lease of life five months after its owners’ bit farewell via a heartbreaking letter plastered to its shutters.
Long known as a place that ‘encouraged awkwardness’ with ‘old-school’ customers, the miniscule pub, sandwiched between Gullivers and Chakalaka, will reopen as The Mancunian next month – with a hyper-local offering to reflect its new moniker.
Drinks will come from the likes of Salford Rum, Manchester Union Lager, Manchester Gin, Shindigger, Seven Brothers and more. “Pretty much everyone you could think of”, Perry and Josh tell us, adding they want to keeping everything as traditional and Manchester-based as possible.
Manchester’s first-ever dedicated sake bar, Monkey Trio will open at the Circle Square development on Oxford Road this month.
It will offer drinkers a range of different Japanese sake styles, as well as various Japanese-made whiskies and craft matcha beers.
TBC, Circle Square
Takoyaki Master
Image: The Manc Eats
New Japanese street food stall Takoyaki Master specialises in little fried balls stuffed with diced octopus, bonito and sweetcorn.
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Run by Violet and Pong Ho, it is pretty much a brand new arrival at the market. The pair have only been in Manchester a few months – having moved over here from Hong Kong, where they tell us they ran a very successful Takoyaki stall for “many years”.
There are two styles of takoyaki on offer – one topped with scallions, and one without. Both come filled with diced octopus, sweetcorn and bonito soup, then topped with bonito and seaweed flakes, Japanese mayo and Okonomi sauce.
If you don’t like octopus, though, they’ll happily switch it out for chicken, cheese or beef.
Open now, Arndale Market
Tsjuiri
Image: Tsujiri
Popular matcha dessert tea house Tsujiri is also tipped to open inside Circle Square this month.
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It is the second Manchester site for the brand, which already has an existing cafe in Chinatown.
Here, you’ll be able to pick up everything from mochi balls to matcha basque cheesecakes, black sesame chocolate tarts and tubs of matcha and roasted soy bean ice cream. Elsewhere, the menu will feature a range of bubble teas and lattes.
TBC, Circle Square
Cherry’s Boba Shop
Image: Supplied
From the cocktail wizarding team that brought Stockport Cherry Jam comes a new bubble tea shop, the first of its kind in the neighbourhood.
Cherry’s Boba Shop sees cocktail bartender Neil Garner turn his hand to wild and wacky and wonderful boba tea creations in flavours like strawberry shortcake, banana split, mango cheesecake and PB&J.
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In his own words: “If Willy Wonka made boba tea, this shop would sell them all.”
Opening opposite Red Rock Cinema at the start of July, there are also some cocktail-inspired (but alcohol-free) serves like Cherry’s Mojito and the Popstar Marteani (passion fruit and vanilla fruit tea with passion fruit popping boba).
1 July, Stockport
Canvas
Image: Supplied
A new music, entertainment and wellness venue, Canvas will open its doors this month at Oxford Road’s Circle Square development.
With live music, club nights, a members’ lounge with a programme of events, a late-night bar and restaurant, and a digital platform, it’s set to bring a whole new late-night offering to the busy student side of town.
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An official opening date is yet to be announced, but Canvas is expected to open in the second week of July.
TBC, Circle Square
Feature image – The Flat Baker / The Man Group / The Manc Eats
Manchester
Trafford Centre Boxing Day and New Year opening hours
Thomas Melia
Boxing Day is one of the best days of the year for shoppers, packed with offers, deals, goodies and most importantly, mega savings – especially at Trafford Centre.
One of Greater Manchester’s biggest shopping malls is preparing for one of their biggest days of trade in the whole calendar year with Boxing Day just around the corner.
Trafford Centre has it all, from its impressive decor to the brands and commercial businesses it houses within its 2,230,000 square feet of retail paradise.
Boxing Day can be very stressful for some and if you find yourself in this club, why not take a load off your shoulders by guaranteeing a parking space right outside the shop doors with the shopping centre’s new ‘Premium parking service’.
Eager-eyed shoppers will have spotted the usually bustling China Town section of The Orient food hall boarded up for quite sometime as it’s undergoing a huge facelift.
Brilliant Boxing Day walks around Greater Manchester
Daisy Jackson
It’s Boxing Day, and for a lot of us, the only requirement of the day is to sort out (eat) the leftovers and enjoy one last day of vegetating in front of the telly… walking is not high on the agenda.
But all that over-indulgence from Christmas Day can start to creep up on you – waistbands straining, head a bit foggy, bank balance definitely suffering from the Christmas Eve pub session.
Without wanting to sound like your nan, sometimes a bit of fresh air is exactly what you need to get yourself put back together again.
Not to mention it can help you to build up an appetite again to dive into that cheeseboard for the sixth time this weekend.
Greater Manchester is blessed with beautiful walks in all directions.
We’ve rounded up a handful of beautiful Boxing Day walks to try out.
There aren’t many places in the UK that look so much like a Christmas postcard as Macclesfield Forest, making it one of our favourite winter walking destinations.
Here, huge conifers dominate the landscape like giant Christmas trees – it’s about as close to an alpine wonderland you can get without travelling all the way to actual mountains.
There are a number of walking trails to follow, from a gently green route all the way to a more challenging red route that takes you deeper into the forest.
Greenbooth Reservoir is one of Greater Manchester’s most underrated beauty spots.
If you tackle a full loop of all three reservoirs, you’ll come across a small waterfall, a stunning view of the Manchester skyline from the dam wall, and paths carved into steep hillsides.
It’s all nestled up in the Naden Valley in Rochdale, just above Norden.
Let’s see how awake your quads are, shall we, with an entirely uphill climb from Ramsbottom village to its magnificent Peel Tower.
The walk’s not too tough if you take it at a slow pace, and it’s well worth it for the views. Trust us.
You can go straight up the hill and straight back down again if you’re not wanting to rack up too many miles, or turn it into a circular and stroll across Holcombe Moor instead (beware – it can get windy up here).
There’s a map of the circular route here and some great pubs in the village to relax in afterwards.
Dovestone Reservoir, Oldham
Dovestone reservoir. Credit: Unsplash @stravekc
Dovestone Reservoir is a beloved gem among many Mancunians – it might be busy on Boxing Day, but thanks to its mostly-wide footpaths and circular route it’s easy enough to have your own space on your walk.
The path around the water is mostly flat and accessible, making it ideal if you’ve still got a few generations’-worth of relatives hanging about.
You can keep going if you’re feeling adventurous, extending your walk to include Greenfield and Yeoman Hey reservoirs, or heading up to Saddleworth moor and the crags above.
You can find more information about Dovestone Reservoirhere.
This is far and away one of the best winter walks you can do locally, especially on a crisp sunny day (which we hope Boxing Day will be).
The water is surrounded by woodland and meadows, and you chuck in a stroll along the banks of the River Mersey while you’re out here.
The lake itself is actually an artificial one, and was flooded after gravel was dug up to build the M60 in the 1970s.
In summer it’s packed with people doing watersports, but in winter it’s a picturesque little local stroll – and as a bonus, you can even get the tram right to the gate.
Reddish Vale, Stockport
Reddish Vale, Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Right then, if you want maximum bang for your buck (as in soaking in as much fresh air and scenery as you can in as short a time as possible), Reddish Vale is the one.
There’s a really gentle loop that starts from the car park and skirts the edge of the bottom pond, also taking in views of the enormous viaduct that looms overhead.
And if you’re after something slightly more involved, you can keep exploring – this urban oasis spans 161 hectares with the River Tame running right through it.
Rivington Pike is a real gem in the North West, just across Bolton’s border with Lancashire, with loads to explore.
There’s a trio of reservoirs at the foot of the hill but most people head upwards, towards the historic tower at the peak, where you can soak in views for miles around.
The Terraced Gardens are well worth exploring too, where you’ll find a hidden Japanese Garden, lakes, waterfalls, bridges, sculptures and caves.
Heaton Park, Manchester
It might not be the most adventurous of Boxing Day walks – Heaton Park is one of Manchester’s most popular and prominent green spaces and one of the largest municipal parks in Europe – but it’s a perfect option for a family-friendly stroll.
The huge park has miles of accessible footpaths which loop around the boating lake, the Grade I-listed Heaton House, and the ‘Temple’, which stands at the highest point in the city of Manchester.
There are also cows and horses wandering about (even when the animal park itself is closed) and the old tramline to check out.
Hollingworth Lake, Littleborough
Credit: The Manc Group
What’s better than a walk where after you’re done you can stop off for a well-deserved friday night feast, fish and chips.
This is an accessible and flat walk suitable for all and if you’ve worked up an appetite there’s an ice cream truck courtesy of Northern sweet-treat greats Grandpa Greene’s on Lake Bank.
Located just a nine minute drive away from Bury town centre, Burrs Country Park is a great chance to be at one with nature while also making sure you’re not too far from home.
This lovely stroll is certainly a-MOO-zing with comforting pub grub at The Brown Cow or nearby ice cream parlour Jersey Girls’ – we may have a little ice cream obsession…
Featuring some a vast green space and some of the most intricately landscaped paths and patterns, Peel Park is like stepping into a mini Bridgerton inspired garden, all that’s missing is keys to your own castle (We wish).
Another Salford beauty spot is just a 20 minute walk away but if the conversation is flowing the time will fly by.
Kersal Wetlands is a circular route that offers visitors the chance to see some cute feathered friends, mainly ducks, while burning off some of yesterday’ Christmas treats.
Both these walks are flat making them accessible for all and are ideal for anyone with a pram or people who may struggle with strenuous walks.
A Didsbury gem, Fletcher Moss Park is a 15 minute tram ride away from Manchester city centre and just under 15 minute walk from Didsbury Village tram stop.
This is more than a park, it’s a hidden oasis with well-maintained and lush garden spaces to a fascinating rock garden that’s simply awe-inspiring.
Grab a coffee or hot chocolate from the retro food and beverages truck and take a minute to appreciate this quiet spot before making your return to the usual hustle and bustle.
Millennium Walkway, New Mills
Torrs Millennium Walkway. Credit: Getlostmcr
Ever wanted to ‘hover above a huge gorge’while getting all your steps in? Well this Peak District town has got you covered.
Situated directly next to the River Sett, the impressive 175 yard walkway can be incorporated into various walking trails and routes that surround the area.
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New Mills has it all, whether you’re after a walk that admires some grand architecture in the shape of the impressive railway arches, or the lovely forest trails and greenery, there’s something for every type of walker.
Georgina Pellant -
1st July 2022 
