Whilst Manchester is not short of Polish shops, when it comes to restaurants, sadly, it’s a bit of a different story. To that, we say thank goodness for Platzki.
A fixture in the city since 2018, this popular Deansgate spot serves an interesting list of Polish wines and vodka alongside traditional dishes like dumplings, pork neck and meatballs – all on beautiful Polish-made plates imported from abroad.
It has a gorgeous plant-filled terrace that backs onto the Great Northern Warehouse, and is packed out when we visit midweek – always a good sign.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The staff happily plonk themselves down to chat with solo diners, and clearly know the menu inside-out – regardless of the fact that it is regularly changing.
Manager Ana tells us they have the best pierogies in town, and – after trying them – we’re very much inclined to agree. The trick, we hear, is all in the dough, which has to be “not too thin, not too thick”.
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We opt for those famous pierogi, generously stuffed with confit duck and drizzled in a juniper and plum sauce, alongside a divine cold beetroot and cucumber soup with boiled eggs, cherry-laden pickled herring and beetroot carpaccio to start, with a few vodka spritzes on the side.
After that, we dug into succulent Karkowa (roasted pork neck that simply fell apart it was so tender) with spinach egg noodles and giant veal and chicken meatballs served with mash, chives and creamy gravy, before ending with a chocolate crumb cheesecake and layered fruit jelly sponge.
Then we rolled ourselves home, very full and happy. A real gem in the city centre, if you’re a fan of Polish cuisine then Platzki si well worht a look in. We can’t recommend it highly enough.
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Find Platzki on Deansgate at 229, Manchester M3 4EN.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
Manchester
Deansgate bar Simmons closes just over a year after opening
Danny Jones
London-born bar brand Simmons has closed their Manchester site just over a year after opening their first Northern location.
They’ve lasted roughly 15 months on one of our busiest nightlife strips.
Opening on Deansgate back in October 2024, Simmons Manchester wasn’t just their first foray here up in this half of the country but their only other venue outside of the capital.
An otherwise well-established and popular chain down south, they have a total of 15 different bars in central London, but things clearly haven’t quite taken off as planned here in Manchester.
Placing a poster in the unit’s shopfront besides the likes of Be At One, Yours, The Moon Under The Water Spoons and the Deansgate branch of Slug and Lettuce, as you can see, the fellow franchise founded over a decade ago said: “After much consideration, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our doors.
“It’s never easy to say goodbye”, they add, “We’re incredibly proud of what the team built here and so grateful to them, as well as everyone who joined us over the past year.
“We’ve had some unforgettable nights. We love Manchester, and we hope to be back under the right conditions.”
They go on to thank everyone for being “part of the journey”, but for now, it looks like the room has closed effective immediately.
Simmons started back in 2012 when founder Nick Campbell opened the first bar below his flat in Kings Cross, and their presence has grown hugely since then. The closing sign was spotted and shared on social media earlier this week.
Offering everything from stylish cocktails to New York-style pizza, live music and even private karaoke booths, the place had plenty going on.
With rising business rates, energy bills and more dovetailing with the continuing cost of living crisis that is still hampering both hospitality and the nightime economy, they are just one of many to unfortunately close their doors of late.
For instance, it was only earlier this month that we saw multiple well-known names shut up shop here in the city centre or elsewhere in Greater Manchester, including another long-standing late-night favourite, Revolution.
It’s a shame for any business to close, and we certainly hope they’ll return someday with a model that can be sustained in the current climate.
Heaton Park’s historic tramway will be back up and running this summer after major funding secured
Emily Sergeant
Historic trams are set to run through Heaton Park once again from this summer thanks to some major new funding being secured.
For just over a year now, trams have been unable to run through Manchester‘s largest suburban park as the electrical substation which powers the Heritage Tramway needed an overhaul to bring it up to current safety standards – but now, some substantial funding has been secured to enable the essential restoration work to begin in the spring.
The trams operate on the only remaining section of the original tramway in Heaton Park, and offer locals and visitors alike a real glimpse into the past.
This piece of local history is operated by the volunteers of the Manchester Transport Museum Society (MTMS) on behalf of the Manchester Tramway Company Limited (MTCL) – a joint venture company between the Manchester Transport Museum Society and Manchester City Council.
This major investment into the existing infrastructure will ensure operation of the trams can continue for many years to come.
The £481,000 funding investment – which has been secured from Manchester City Council – should mean the tramway can restart in summer 2026, which just so happens to coincide with the 125th anniversary of Manchester’s first electric tramways in 1901, so it’s a big deal.
“Our support of the much-loved Heaton Park Tramway not only preserves an important piece of local heritage, but a piece of living history,” commented Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, who is the Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods at Manchester City Council.
“The vintage trams hold a special place in the hearts of many people.”
Heaton Park’s historic tramway will be back up and running this summer after major funding was secured / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
Geoff Senior, who is the Chairman of the Manchester Transport Museum Society, called the securing of funding ‘wonderful news’.
He added: “It represents a huge vote of confidence in the hard work and dedication [volunteers] have shown in the last 50 years of working to build, develop and run this vital piece of Manchester’s transport heritage, not only for the citizens of Manchester but those who travel to the park from wider afield.”
Georgina Pellant -
22nd July 2022 
