October will be a big month for new restaurant openings in Manchester, with some of the most high-anticipated launches of the year taking place.
There is, of course, Sexy Fish, that hugely glitzy London establishment that’s moving into Spinningfields at long last.
Also branching across into Manchester in October will be Louisiana fried chicken legends Popeyes, Leeds’ favourite ramen house House of Fu, and Broadway Diner, where wait staff sing musical numbers at you while you eat.
You’ll also find new restaurants to check out right across Greater Manchester, from an Italian restaurant in Stockport’s Underbanks to a couple of new spots at Kampus in the city centre.
Keep reading for all the new restaurant and bar openings in Manchester this October.
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Bondi Bowls, Kampus
Bondi Bowls will open its first permanent base at Kampus this September, offering healthy choices to residents and visitors alike.
Bondi Bowls first began life as a delivery-only service during the pandemic before taking on residencies at street food markets Hatch and Freight Island.
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Set up by founder Jamie Tones, a chef who has worked in kitchens around the world, the menu takes inspiration from his time in Sydney with a selection of different açaí and poké bowls.
Diners will find an all-day brunch offering from morning to night with global flavour inspirations from the likes of India, Mexico, and Australasia.
Finally, Manchester Victoria is going to have a decent beer bar – and we honestly cannot wait.
The team behind Piccadilly Tap and Euston Tap are at last gearing up to open their new taproom at the city’s original train station, and are promising commuters their arrival will mark a new chapter with ‘no more £7 pints’.
Progress on the site seems to be ticking along nicely with an opening date due in the coming week.
Opening date TBC
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Love From, Kampus
Karl Constadine at Love From, a new alcohol-free bar pop-up at Kampus. Credit: SuppliedKarl Constadine at Love From, a new alcohol-free bar pop-up at Kampus. Credit: Supplied
A new alcohol-free pop up bar experience is taking over the bungalow-on-stilts at Kampus next month, promising a series of events that don’t rely on booze.
The pop-up, open between 12 and 22 October, is founded by Karl Considine, who hosts the What Next podcast and shares stories of sobriety.
Love From will help to pave the way for the rapidly-growing alcohol-free market as more and more people turn their backs on booze.
New restaurant Ikaro has opened in the old Panacea site in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupNew restaurant Ikaro has opened in the old Panacea site in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Manchester’s iconic nightclub Panacea – a celeb favourite – has reopened its doors as Ikaro, a new grill and champagne bar.
This lavish newcomer has announced its arrival with huge LED screens that light up John Dalton Street with stunning graphics.
At the restaurant, diners will find two menus focusing on two different elements, fire and ice. On the first, you’ll find Grilled Lobster Tails, Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye, and Australian Wagyu Tomahawk.
On the second an array of Sushi and Sashimi such as Torched Hand Dived Scallops and Bluefin Tuna Otoro.
Open now
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House of Fu, Portland Street
House of Fu is opening a new restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Hoot LeedsHouse of Fu is opening a new restaurant in Manchester. Credit: The Hoot Leeds
An all-time favourite of our pals across the Pennines in Leeds, House of Fu will be making its first foray into Manchester in October.
The ramen restaurant will bring their modern ramen, rice bowls and small plates to Manchester from 11:30am every day.
The venue also boasts a late-night party spot, state-of-the-art karaoke rooms, and a private dining room, offering a brand-new feasting menu for parties of up to 30, alongside their everyday menu.
Opening Friday 20 October
Birria Brothers Tacos, Northern Quarter
Birria Brothers Tacos has opened a new Manchester restaurant space beside Koffee Pot. Credit: The Manc GroupBirria Brothers Tacos has got a permanent restaurant space in Manchester. Credit: Instagram
You probably already know Birria Brothers Tacos – they had a queue going right down Oldham Street during one of the many lockdowns when they popped up at Koffee Pot.
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And now it’s official, with the team taking over a chunk of Koffee Pot’s cafe and tiling above the door shouting ‘TACOS’ to passers-by.
The order of the day here is almost always traditional birria tacos, a Mexican dish where slow-cooked beef is stuffed into corn tortillas, ready to be dipped in the rich cooking stock.
Open now
Sexy Fish, Spinningfields
Sexy Fish is coming to Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupSexy Fish is coming to Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
One of the most luxurious and highly-anticipated openings of the year is due to open this month, with Sexy Fish taking shape in the former Armani site in Spinningfields.
The Manchester restaurant will be the third global outpost for the restaurant concept, which has already seen electrifying openings in London’s Mayfair in 2015 and Miami’s Brickell district in 2022.
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On the menu will be high-end sushi, a large Champagne collection with a selection of the world’s top vintages from leading estates, and an excellent sake wine selection.
OpeningThursday 12 October
New Wave Ramen, Tib Lane
New Wave Ramen has opened a new restaurant space in Manchester. Credit: The Manc GroupNew Wave Ramen has opened a new restaurant space in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
New Wave Ramen has built a reputation for having the best bowls in the city, despite not having a restaurant space of its own – until now.
The Mackie Mayor legends have taken up a two-storey space in a historic building on Tib Lane, serving signature ramen bowls and small plates from the binchotan-fired grill, alongside sustainable seafood.
These giant bowls of broth and noodle are so moreish you could drink gallons of the stuff.
All of us Mancs over a certain age will remember Cord, the legendary Northern Quarter boozer that opened at the turn of the millennium.
Now the founding team behind that institution are heading to Stockport to open Alfredo’s Social, an Italian social, in the Winter’s Building.
They’ll be serving authentic Neapolitan pizza, small plates, salads and charcuterie, with ingredients sourced locally or even grown in their own allotment.
Opens Saturday 14 October
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Popeyes, Piccadilly Gardens
FINALLY – Louisiana’s famous chicken chain Popeyes is opening its brand new Manchester restaurant this month.
Known for serving fried chicken dishes with sides like red beans and rice, Cajun fries, mashed potatoes with Cajun-style gravy, Cajun rice, macaroni & cheese, southern-style biscuits, and coleslaw, it’s opening a new location on Piccadilly Gardens.
And then there’s the breakfast menu, with dishes including the Big Breakfast Roll (a sausage patty, egg, streaky bacon, and American cheese in a soft bun), a variety of sausage, bacon, egg and cheese muffins, cajun hash browns, and its famous Louisiana buttermilk biscuits served with cinnamon sugar or Nutella.
Opening Thursday 26 October.
Broadway Diner
A Broadway-themed diner where the wait staff serenades you with hits from your favourite musicals is set to bring a little razzle-dazzle to Manchester.
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Staff at Broadway Diner, which comes from the team behind Karen’s Diner, will sing hits from iconic Broadway musicals, like Oliver!, Rent, Lion King, Hamilton, Cats, and more.
The new musical diner, which is set to open in the Trafford Centre later this year, will also host performances from local artists in a bid to give back to the local community and offer a platform for up-and-coming homegrown talent.
Opens Sunday 22 October
Things to do and events in Manchester in October 2023
Zouk in Manchester
Oast House Teepee – The Oast House has confirmed that its legendary Christmas tipi draped in twinkling lights is set to return for the festive season. The Teepee will be made up of three tents joined together with a huge open hub. It opens on Wednesday 11 October.
Madre Sunday roast – Kampus’s excellent Mexican restaurant Madre is launching a Sunday feast menu, where you can order a choice of meat cooked Mexican-style, accompanied by traditional sides including salsa, papas con crema (roast potatoes but better), Refried beans, Elote and grilled cabbage.
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Evelyn’s new menu – This Northern Quarter institution has a shiny new menu from October, with seasonal dishes focusing on Levantine and Pan-Asian flavours. New additions include whol Cornish sole, Za’atar lamb chops, picanha steak, and chocolate soufra.
Indy Man Beer Con (IMBC) – Manchester’s enormous celebration of independent breweries is heading back to Victoria Baths between 5 and 8 October. There’ll be talks, tastings, street food, merch, and everything else a beer-lover could possibly want.
Strike Steak at Hawksmoor – Hawksmoor decided in summer to start selling absolute bargain steaks whenever the trains were on strike (so, always), and are now switching the deal up. For £15, you can get a Hawksmoor burger with beef dripping chips, between 12pm and 3pm, on strike days (30 September, 4 October, and 6 October).
Bundo does Oktoberfest – To celebrate Oktoberfest, Bundobust have shaken a spice rack over some iconic German dishes for hungry punters to enjoy alongside a cold German beer. A proper match made in heaven if you ask us. The limited-edition specials will be available until Sunday 15 October,
Bottomless curry at Zouk – For National Curry Week, Zouk’s famous bottomless curry offer is back, with all-you-can-eat curry for £20 per person. The deal is available from Monday 2 October to Friday 6 October, with 120 bottles of Cobra given away each day to the first people through the door.
Featured image: The Manc Group
Eats
12 new openings to still look forward to this year in Greater Manchester
Daisy Jackson
We may be halfway through the year already, but the second half of 2026 is shaping up nicely with some huge new openings still to come.
There are reborn pubs, glitzy new restaurants, giant street food venues, and even a bookshop/wine bar hybrid.
On the list of new openings coming to Greater Manchester this year, you’ll spot a fair few familiar names from the region, some total newcomers, and some big businesses from elsewhere in the UK.
And these new openings span everywhere from Stockport to the city centre, and from the Etihad Campus to… well, a secret location we actually don’t know yet.
Here are a dozen things to look forward to this year.
12 new openings coming to Manchester in 2026
1. Prologue, Stockport – opening this summer
A huge new bookshop, cafe and wine bar is opening in Stockport
Could you imagine a better afternoon than buying a new book and then reading the first few chapters with a glass of wine? Me neither, which is why you’re going to LOVE this Stockport newcomer.
Prologue will be a bookshop, cafe, and wine bar, from the same team behind Bramhall’s award-winning independent bookshop Simply Books.
It’s set right in amongst the new Weir Mill development from Capital&Centric, and will be hosting all sorts of writing workshops, book clubs, live music and other events.
2. Zadie’s, Etihad Campus – opening this autumn
Manchester City’s £300m Medlock Square development is shaping up to be something impressive, with a new Man City museum experience in the works along with The Medlock Hotel.
And now there’s major restaurant news to look forward to at the new entertainment complex too, with the arrival of Zadie’s.
Zadie’s will be an intimate and glamorous pan-Asian restaurant, offering high-end dining, cocktails which ‘border on the chaotic’, and late-night entertainment.
3. Manchester Street Food, Piccadilly – opening this summer
Inside the new Manchester food hall opening in a Grade II-listed building
It’s all gone a bit suspiciously quiet over at Ducie Street Warehouse, where the Grade II-listed building is being transformed into an enormous food hall concept.
It’s tipped to open this summer still, and will be home to 11 kitchens plus an outdoor terrace, mini cinema, tequila bar, and game rooms.
Manchester Street Food will also have a self-service beer tap wall and two stages, with space for 450 people inside plus another 180 on the south-facing terrace outside.
The Shamrock, an iconic old pub in Ancoats, is set to reopen under a new name this year after a major £2m refurbishment.
Set to relaunch as The Spinner’s Rest, the 200-year-old pub will be operated by the family-run Joseph Holt Brewery.
There’ll be space for a truck or cart to run an independent food operation for the pub, plus one of the few beer gardens in the neighbourhood.
They promise that while the refurb will be ‘extensive’, the historic charm of the pub will be preserved.
5. Gardens Lounge, Salford – open now
Gardens Lounge in Salford is open now
This one caught a lot of eyes for the wrong reason at first – it decided to house a live Macaw, beautiful Rio, in the middle of the restaurant in a glass box.
But now Rio is gone, and it’s time for us all to pay attention to what’s going on beyond the birdcage.
Gardens Lounge is a new Mediterranean restaurant and shisha lounge, right on the banks of the River Irwell.
With beautiful interiors, and huge windows overlooking the water, it’s a stunning new addition to the Salford/Manchester border.
Beloved Manchester street food OGs GRUB are bringing their signature events programme and award-winning chefs to a new location this summer – a car park.
Plans are in place for GRUB to take over a space in the heart of Stretford, filling it with independent street food traders, family-friendly experiences, and more.
It’s set to be an 18 month residency that will host everything from neighbourhood socials and town fairs to match day warm ups and beer festivals – including the World Cup this summer.
By day the 300 capacity venue will be home to a bakery, coffee shop and popup bottle store before transforming into a larger-scale evening destination.
7. Locker, NOMA – opening this autumn
New Century to open new 450-capacity gig venue, Locker, in Manchester
Following the whispers of New Century’s ‘new chapter’ earlier this year, the venue is now introducing a 450-capacity, intimate live music space called ‘Locker,’.
Opening this autumn, the venue is set to host a wide range of genres from rock, jazz and hip-hop to electronic music, alongside one central food concept.
This new gig venue has vowed to showcase some quality emerging talent from Manchester and further afield, creating opportunities for artists and providing amazing live performances at an affordable price.
And their existing bar is there to stay, alongside the spectacular outdoor seating area which will remain capturing the sunlight just right in these summer months, as well as there being plenty of exciting plans in place for us over summer, including screenings for the World Cup and much more.
8. Ad Maiora – very secretive
Everyone’s favourite homemade focaccia sandwich spot Ad Maiora is expanding to a new location here in Manchester. Aren’t we lucky!
In case you’ve been living under a rock – Ad Maiora serves up huge traditional Tuscan schiacciata bread, packed out with premium Italian ingredients to create beloved butties like the Nonna, the Colosseo alongside crisp Sardinian beers to quench your thirst.
This shop has well and truly won the heart of Manchester. So much so, we’re getting another – Daniela and Enrico have teased a second location is on the way soon.
While we haven’t been told much more just yet, it’s fair to say 2026 is looking up, and we’re so happy to see a (quite literally) homegrown business like this doing so well. Make sure you pay them a visit.
9. Forbici, Trafford Centre – opening this summer
Forbici is opening at the Trafford Centre
One of the North’s fastest rising foodie names is set to expand yet again.
Rooted in Naples, formed in Manchester, then making its debut in Sheffield earlier this year, Forbici have just announced yet another location, this time at the Trafford Centre.
After being dubbed some of the ‘best pizza I’ve ever had’ by Marco Pierre White, these stone-baked showstoppers will soon be available to all of you shopaholics.
Whether you’re in desperate need of some energy mid-way through a spending spree, you need a pick-me-up after breaking the bank or you make the trip for the food alone, you won’t be disappointed.
10. Bruncho, Northern Quarter – opening June
A glimpse inside Bruncho Northern Quarter
One of the city’s favourite brunch spots, Bruncho, is getting closer to opening its second site in the Northern Quarter this June.
Since launching in Deansgate, Bruncho has soared in popularity with people queuing down the road to secure a table. Like many, we’re hoping that this new location will alleviate some of the waiting and allow everyone to get their hands on some of the best breakfast food in town.
The team have now confirmed that their new venue will have a salad bar, vegetarian buffet and even coffee raves with DJs at select hours.
We just can’t wait to see it.
11. The Nest and Sister Moon, Deansgate – opening this summer
A glimpse at Sister Moon, the new sky-high restaurant opening in Manchester
When one rooftop restaurant closes, another opens. Only a day after Climat announced its closure, we were treated with news of a brand-new sky-high spot opening this summer.
Sister Moon will be the latest project from acclaimed chef Sam Grainger, who’ll be opening a Southeast Asian BBQ concept, boasting bold sharing dishes made with the freshest produce in a relaxed setting way up above the city on the 14th floor – now that’s what we call food with a view.
Not only that, there will also be a brand new bar – The Nest – which is set to be a private rooftop lounge on the uppermost floors of the Treehouse Hotel Manchester.
12. The Abbey – open now
One of Manchester’s beloved historic pubs, The Abbey, is opening its very own 100-capacity live music venue, facilitating a brand new space for grassroots artists and emerging talent, right in the heart of Hulme.
This iconic pub has forever been a cornerstone here since the 1890s, with a stunning 19th-century bar that is set to remain at the heart of the venue, alongside lots of exciting changes and not just one, but two beer gardens to choose from.
On the taps, you’ll find their own house pilsner, alongside beers from Manchester’s Blackjack Brewery and with Pieminister as their in-house kitchen, you can now grab an unreal pie and a pint for £9.99.
A traditional pub, new music, outdoor seating and top notch pies whilst you’re there – what more can you ask for?
Five genuinely cheap eats and great value-for-money lunch deals in Manchester city centre
Danny Jones
A daily dilemma for us seems to be deciding what to have for dinner (you heard), especially as we’re all trying to save more pennies nowadays, but luckily, Manchester does have some great lunch deals if you look hard enough.
You just need to know where, and in some cases, exactly when to find them…
That’s where we come in; we’re not talking about anything close to a tenner either, as that’s more of a monthly treat and few can feasibly afford to spend that kind of money on scran every day.
So, without further ado, here are some of the best and ACTUALLY cheap lunchtime deals and offers in Manchester city centre.
Five of the best lunch offers in central Manchester
1. Vanilla Fudge – Bridge Street
Up first is an old favourite of ours that doesn’t seem to have changed over the years, no matter how much the cost of living crisis continues to linger. We’ll be honest, we first tried this place after a night out in Mojos next door way back when, but we’ve been coming ever since we saw the specials board.
It may look like one of many standard Manc butty shops/kebab houses when the sun sets, but for our money, Vanilla Fudge still has one of the best lunch deals in Manchester to this day: TWO big, well-packed wraps ‘of the day’, complete with protein, plenty of salad and your choice of sauce for just £5.50.
You’ll always find a few in the know on their break.We always hope to see Cajun chicken as the special. You can add cheese for an extra quid, or chips and a drink for £8.50. Bosh. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
2. Zaytoni – Multiple
Any cheap eat in Manchester that starts from under a fiver in this day and age is a winner in our books, and with Zaytoni, you can get plenty for just that and no more than a ‘bluey’; better still, their menu – be it the low-end or stuff that creeps over that amount – always slaps.
With two regularly busy sites (hardly a shock) on Oxford Road and the edge of the Northern Quarter/Piccadilly, you can get some very solid pizzas and garlic breads from between £4.50 and £7, but our advice is to go for a super-filling fatayer, with loads of fresh salad, and split one with a mate.
From one simply but satisfying spot to another, you can’t do a round-up of the best deals you can grab on your dinner in Manchester city centre without mentioning the local breakfast and lunchtime institution that is Rustica over in NQ.
Run by Manc mum to many, Jeanette, she and her team have literally been given a lifetime achievement award not only for keeping their food affordable for more than 25 years now, no matter what state the economy is in – and with lines around the block almost every single day without fail, it’s no wonder.
Next up is the still incredibly best and well-kept secret, Meridian Cafe and Bar, tucked down the side streets not far from Market and King Street, and just around the corner from Pall Mall. Well, we say ‘secret’ – it’s not really anymore, sorry… But this is some of the best halal Asian fusion in town.
That being said, it never fails to surprise us how many people haven’t heard of this place when we bring it up, and the weekly midday crowd is still relatively manageable given just how good their offer is: a massive lunch box starting from just £5.80. You can add more if you want, but trust us, you won’t need it.
The catch is, it’s only up for grabs during a specific window – find out when right here.
This and That – NQ
Last but not least, it would be nothing short of a crime to overlook one of the most legendary lunch deals in Manchester: the original rice and three offer from the storied This and That Cafe on the otherwise unsuspecting Soap Street, just around from NQ’s bustling Thomas St strip.
This place should need no introduction, really, and it may not be the only place that does this kind of offer, but with nearly four whole decades of serving up some of the tastiest curries in the city centre for cheap, this is the epitome of what we want from the Manc foodie scene on our dinner hour. Iconic.
Honourable mention
Bunny Jacksons
Last but not least, to round things up to a nice even half dozen in case none of these takes your fancy, how could we possibly forget Bunny’s? Arguably the best dive bar not just in Manchester but the entire world, this place is built on serving up great value-for-money scran, especially in hard times.
Wings from just 20p have kept us going until the end of many a long month waiting for payday, and while this place truly comes into its own come the evening when the playlist gets even louder, and the likes of bandaoke get going, it’s still a great place to nip at noon. Six is plenty, and 12 is more than enough.
Daisy Jackson -
29th September 2023 
