How is it nearly September already? Despite the promise of gravy-soaked Sunday roasts, red wine season and cheese boards, the end of summer still seems to have come around a tad too quickly.
Not that we should complain. There are, after all, some great new restaurants opening in Manchester this September – not least the trendy Mayfair restaurant Mnky Hse, which will mark the latest in a long line of new ‘glam sushi’ openings making their way to the city.
Elsewhere, the new arrivals are varied, ranging from a non-profit cafe and bookshop being opened by the charitable arm of a local solicitors firm, to a no-nonsense butty shop where you’ll find established local bakers building hench sandwiches from the bread up.
On top of all this, think a new arrival in the old Northern Quarter Cafe Cafe, a swanky new cocktail bar in a bank vault, a new chicken wing shop, dessert cafe and more.
Keep reading to find out where to put on your list this month.
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Yes Lah
Image: Yes Lah
Image: Yes Lah
Newly opened in West Didsbury, Yes Lah comes from street food favourites Mama Z (Zos Fulwell) and Wok’s Cluckin (Yen Tham). Part shop, part deli and restaurant, they’ve funded the whole thing through Kickstarter.
Between them, they’re serving Pan Asian favourites like nasi lemak, daily rice and noodle bowls like chicken adobo, alongside kimchi bowls, fat baguettes, and a selection of treats from the deli counter. They’re also planning to host supper clubs and workshops in the future.
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Open now
Gooey Cafe
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Opening inside the former Cat Cafe unit on High Street, Gooey’s new home boasts an in-house open bakery, new all-day brunch menu and take-out coffee offering.
Serving up brunch classics delivered with a Gooey touch (think dulce de leche-filled French toast, crispy hash browns and black pepper-cured bacon sandwiches), diehard fans will also find a counter full of the cookies, doughnuts and other sweet treats the bakery has become known for.
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Open now
Read more:Inside Gooey’s new cafe and bakery as it prepares to open in Northern Quarter
Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria
It all feels like musical chairs in the Northern Quarter this month, as a number of our established favourites move from one place to another. Lazy Tony’s Lasagneria, most recently found slinging out slabs from the Alvarium kitchen, is one such place.
As of the end of August, owner Danny has moved once again – this time into the kitchen at Northern Monk, where he’s offering all the staples, alongside some new slabs and Italian subs.
Open now
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Kong’s Cantina
Fried chicken heroes Kong’s is opening another concept this month as the team makes a permanent move into the kitchen at Black Dog Ballroom.
Taking over from modern Chinese takeaway favourites Salt and Pepper, from September you can expect to find a range of suped-up tacos and quesadillas coming out of the kitchen.
Open now
Salt and Pepper
Image: Salt Pepper Manchester
Image: Salt Pepper Manchester
At last, Manchester’s favourite modern Chinese street food pop-up has found a permanent home of its own. This month sees it move into a new restaurant opposite the Arndale Market, where it all began for them in 2019.
Opening next door to the English Lounge pub, diners can expect big flavours, fast food-style service and a new boozy list of drinks to wash it all down.
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TBC
Coffee Block
Image: Supplied
This new addition to Stockport’s Merseyway Shopping Centre specialises in barista coffee alongside a wide selection of delicious cakes, paninis, and sandwiches.
Opened by David Howarth, a Stockport local with 25 years’ worth of experience in hospitality behind him, find it next to The Body Shop on the High Street.
Open now
Sterling
Image: Sterling Bar
Image: Sterling Bar
From the same brothers behind award-winning bars Schofield’s and Atomeca comes Sterling, an appropriately-named cocktail bar in a bank vault.
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Housed underneath Ryan Giggs’ Stock Exchange hotel, the new bar promises a high-end selection of classic cocktails.
TBC
The Food Hall at New Century
Welcoming six new food traders, legendary 60’s concert hall New Century unveils the first phase of its redevelopment this month.
Here, you’ll find a new butty shop from Adam Redi (of The French at The Midland), a wild pizza concept from PLY, award-winning street food from father and son duo BaoBros23, plus Japanese delights from Zumuku Sushi, top-quality steaks at Tallow and Vietnamese bites from Bahn Vi.
There are also coffee and grab ‘n’ go concepts from New Century, plus local beers, wines, cocktails, teas, juices and smoothies.
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Open now
Mnky Hse
Glam sushi is definitely the key food trend for Manchester’s hospitality newcomers this year. / Image: Mnky Hse
Another ‘signature mirror room’ for the glitterati crowd to pose infront of. / Image: Mnky Hse
Already a popular late-night fixture in Mayfair, Mnky Hse will try its luck in Manchester this month.
Moving into a unit in Lloyd House, just off Deansgate, the music-led Latin American restaurant and bar is known for ‘hidden entrance’, Instagram-friendly interiors, extensive cocktail menu and Latin American dishes.
The 102-cover restaurant will boast a central bar and open kitchen serving a great range of tacos (soft and crunchy), sushi, ceviche and grill dishes.
A non-for-profit cafe and bookshop, The House of Books & Friends will open inside The Manchester Club on King Street later this year.
Set up by local law firm Gunnercooke, this new not-for-profit cafe and independent bookshop has been specifically designed with the intention of helping to combat loneliness in the community.
Stocking books for both adults and children, the cafe will use the profits from its book sales to engage with those around the shop – working with local charities to combat social isolation.
TBC
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Creams
Image: Creams UK
Dessert cafe Creams is opening a huge new site at Manchester Arndale this month, bringing its loaded sundaes and waffles with it.
The popular UK-wide dessert shop is taking over a huge space at Halle Place, offering everything from takeaway ice cream cones to boxes of Biscoff and icing-laden donuts and slices of cake.
It is the second Creams site for Manchester, building on the popularity of its Cheetham Hill cafe which first opened in 2017.
TBC
Super Happy MCR
Image: Super Happy MCR
Image: Super Happy MCR
A new no-nonsense sandwich shop from the team behind Batard, Super Happy MCR opens inside Ducie Street Warehouse this month – taking over the counter from popular bagel shop Bread Flower.
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Switching out bagels for butties, every sandwich is built from the bread up – with house-made hoagie rolls and potato brioche buns both set to feature on the menu. Elsewhere, you’ll find choux pastry crullers and Turkish breads, all made using organic flour from Wildfarmed.
1 September
Wingstop
Image: WIngstop
Now open inside the Trafford Centre, this new arrival marks the third Manchester site for Wingstop.
Known for its classic wings, boneless wings and tenders, all available in ten different bold flavours including lemon pepper, this is the newest go-to for chicken lovers, who’ll also find fries and a new ‘ Big Flavour Burger’ on offer.
The Speak In Code team ‘Double Down’ on their cocktail making craft with new basement bar
Danny Jones
Just over on Jackson’s Row, an often overlooked side street in Manchester city centre, cult favourite late-night drinking spot and cocktail connoisseurs, Speak In Code, have just launched a new basement bar called Double Down, and it’s already living up to its title.
Taking that moniker seriously, not just in name but by nature, Double Down is an entirely new concept that is centred around just a few core but simple pillars: really good drinks, great service, and strictly “no gimmicks”; they save all that for behind the curtain.
Oh, and hip-hop – they love great, old school hip-hop, and it really does add to the overall levels of chill.
There’s a lot of focus and decades of expertise that go into this place, but fortunately, they’ve done all the work for you, and far ahead of time, meaning you don’t have to think; you can just drink.
If you’ve been to SiC, it’ll feel familiar, but they’re taking things a step further (Credit: The Manc Group)
In here, cocktails aren’t just treated like part of the menu or even ‘an art’, as so many places claim these days: this is pure science and craftsmanship approached with the utmost calm and precision, and it shows in the whole experience.
From freezing and carefully cutting their own ice with a rather large state-of-the-art machine and batching their own mixes served on tap – you heard us right – to perfecting aromatics and distillates with chemistry set-ups that Heisenberg would be proud of, we were blown away by the attention to detail.
They’re even training up an ex-alum from another award-winning bar in Manchester to specifically become their ice expert, with each different type of cube, ball, oblong, crush, etc. adding its own effect.
Seriously, it’s the real deal in here…
For instance, all of their various and equally delicious mixes are kept at different pressures and temperatures on separate taps. It takes 28 hours in the full cycle, but just six seconds to pour, saving everyone time so they can crack on with the good times.
We’ve seen the ‘pornstar martini on draught’-type approach before, but nothing quite like this.
There’s a whole workshop with chemistry flasks and beakers behind creating these. (Credit: The Manc)
As well as monitoring the gauges on a regular cycle like clockwork and preparing literal gallons’ worth of the stuff in advance, they’ve also got single lines for everything (yes, even the Guinness), so not a drop is anything less than perfection.
They still, of course, have very gifted bartenders making things in front of you for those who love watching magicians at work, but these batched drinks are designed not only to maximise flavour but also the amount of time you spend with your people, sipping your bevs and enjoying the truly charming room.
It’s also more than capable of turning the party levels up when called upon; the hope is that the capacity will soon jump up above 140, plus they’re already gearing up to replace some of the tables and chairs with extra comfy booths, bank seating and other 1970s-influenced flourishes.
Best of all, although this is a super stylish and laid-back, mid-century modern space, with low-lit vibes – not to mention the utmost lo-fi soundtrack you’ll find in town – you’re invited to take as much interest in the full process as you like.
They don’t just love this stuff; they live for it, and to repeat a phrase that the team themselves have taken to using, your job is simple: “Don’t think, just drink.”
You’ll have to visit for yourself and walk over ‘The Well’. (Credit: The Manc)
An app that can get you 50% off at top local restaurants has arrived in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
An app that unlocks exclusive restaurant deals in top local spots has officially arrived in Manchester.
EatClub has launched into our city with some big local restaurant names included, like Maki & Ramen, Noi Quattro, and Salvi’s Mozzarella Bar.
The rapidly-growing dining app is backed by Marco Pierre White and has been picking up pace across the UK since launching in London last year.
EatClub is bringing next-level, exclusive dining deals to Mancs, while helping our local restaurants make the most of quieter times.
Participating restaurants and bars can offer smart, real-time pricing during off-peak hours, which can mean up to 50% off deals appear for diners.
As a customer, that means you can save big by dining when it’s quieter, knowing you’re filling vital tables for your favourite businesses.
EatClub has been designed by restaurateurs who understand the realities of running busy venues.
CiaoooSalvi’sKAJI
You’ll find local favourites, hidden gems, and much-loved brands on the app, which handles the entire discount process discreetly in-app.
Once you’ve downloaded EatClub, you unlock an EatClub Pay digital card to add to your phone wallet – then select your chosen offer before you arrive, dine, and pay your bill with the EatClub Pay card to apply your discount.
Wondering where you might get to eat for less in Manchester? Restaurants already signed up to EatClub include Italian favourites like Ciaooo, The Pasta Factory, Noi Quattro; South Asian restaurants like Maki & Raman and Soul & Surf; and stylish spots like TYGA Restaurant & Bar, On The Hush, and Avan Lounge Restaurant & Shisha Bar.
You’ll also find refined restaurants like KAJI, plus Doux Chaton, Fress, Chai Latte, Stan-M1, Arnero, and Napoleons Restaurant on EatClub in Manchester.
The Pasta FactoryMaki & RamenDoux Chaton
Based on data from London, EatClub users increase their dining frequency by 70%, while restaurants see up to a 10x uplift in targeted off-peak windows, equating to roughly a 12% annual revenue lift.
Originally founded in Australia by hospitality insiders including CEO Pan Koutlakis and legendary chef Marco Pierre White, EatClub is now expanding across the UK, following a $27 million AUD (£14m+) oversubscribed Pre-Series B funding round led by Marbruck, with continued support from EVP and CoAct.
Pan Koutlakis, CEO and co-founder of EatClub, said: “Manchester has such incredible energy when it comes to hospitality and we’re so excited to be working with a fantastic range of venues from day one.
“EatClub is all about making it easier for people to dine out more often, discover new favourites and enjoy great value, all in a way that feels effortless.”
EatClub is available to download now, with loads of Manchester restaurnats already signed up – download and find out more HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
25th August 2022 
