Father’s Day is approaching fast, and if you’re anything like us you’ve left sorting something out to the absolute last minute.
Don’t panic, though. It’s all going to be ok. We’ve got you covered.
If you’ve got a dad who already has everything he wants and is, frankly, impossible to buy for, the best thing you can do this Sunday is head out for a bit of quality one on one time.
Fortunately, there’s plenty of places around town offering little gifts and freebies – so all you need to do is book the table, and the staff will take care of the rest.
Keep reading to discover where to take your dad in Manchester this Father’s Day.
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Yard and Coop – Free beer
Image: Yard and Coop
Image: Yard and Coop
This Northern Quarter fried chicken institution is famous for its gigantic buttermilk chicken burgers, fiery wings and chips, and this Father’s Day you can get all three with its Big Daddy Combo.
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The perfect gift for the man who is impossible to buy for, you can get a burger, fries, wings, plus a free pint of Yard’s house pilsner for just £20.
Note that the offer excludes the Massive C*ck burger.
The Real Greek – Free baklava
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Image: The Real Greek
Image: The Real Greek
Head down to The Real Greek inside Manchester’s sun trap Corn Exchange this weekend to soak up some rays on Exchange Square with your old man.
With the warm weather set to continue all weekend, pull up a pew, enjoy an al fresco lunch and let dad enjoy a free baklava on the house.
The Lowry Hotel – Free beer
Image: The Lowry Hotel
Image: The Lowry Hotel
This Father’s Day, The Lowry Hotel is giving away a free Hofmeister beer to every dad.
The 5 star hotel will host a celebratory Gentleman’s Tea with pork pies and scones topped with bacon jam and chive sour cream, from midday to 4pm.
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Those heading down can enjoy a complimentary beer alongside the new Afternoon Tea.
20 Stories – Free gift from Grey Goose
Image: 20 Stories
Image: 20 Stories
For dads who like the good things in life, head up to rooftop bar 20 Stories this Sunday for a special rooftop dining experience in partnership with Grey Goose.
The restaurant is serving a special Father’s Day menu for one day only, and those who get down early will also receive a free gift from Grey Goose.
Honest Burger – £10 off your order
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Great for burger lovers and sun seekers alike, this Bridge Street burger bar is famed for its top-quality beef and salted rosemary hand cut fries.
This Father’s Day, spend over £40 and get another £10 off your bill by using the code FATHERSDAY10.
Suki Suki – Free beer
Image: Suki Suki
Image: Suki Suki
If your dad considers himself a bit of a jokester, then this offer should be well up his street.
Great Northern Warehouse newbie Suki Suki is giving away free pints of Japanese lager Asahi in exchange for its customers’ best dad jakes all day long.
Albert’s Schloss will be handing out free beers to dads from 12pm this Sunday in celebration of Father’s Day.
With belting roast dinners served all day until 9pm as part of the venue’s wunderbar Sunday Service, choose from Lancashire beef, Schwienshaxe, Cheshire chicken or a brand new vegan roast with mushroom celeriac, sun-dried tomato stuffed confit onion, vegan cheese and vegetable gravy.
Featured image – Yard and Coop
Manchester
Legendary Northern Quarter bar Trof is reopening as a classic pub and dining room
Daisy Jackson
Trof is one of the Northern Quarter’s finest offerings, and has been ever since it launched in the early 2000s – but the times are a-changing.
Trof has now revealed a brand-new era, reopening later this week as a classic pub and dining room, complete with refreshed interiors and a new food offering.
Soon operating as The Trof, the latest era will come from the team behind acclaimed Manchester restaurant Stow.
The Trof will be a classic pub right in the heart of the Northern Quarter, serving a menu of British pub classics that will showcase top local produce.
That’s alongside a considered wine list, and a range of cask ales from Thornbridge across in the Peak District.
Expect mains like ox cheek pie with Ratte potato mash, a classic beef burger in a milk bun, and a pork collar with cabbage and bacon, chased by proper puds like a sticky toffee pudding, and a pistachio and cherry Bakewell tart.
And there’ll be proper roasts on Sundays, with quality joints of beef rump, porchetta, chicken, and Knutsford roast lamb from Littlewoods, served family-style and accompanied by all the trimmings.
The menu and drinks offering is a real nod to co-owner Jamie Pickles’ Peak District upbringing.
Everyone in Manchester’s got a Trof story, whether it’s first dates or regular after-work pints, and The Trof hopes to continue being a space for both drinkers and diners.
Inside, the space will have a refurb that will accentuate the building’s character, while evoking the cosiness of a local pub, with pine wood features and flooring, a centrepiece bar, and even a piano.
The building itself dates way back to the 1880s, but was opened as a neighbourhood bar in the early 2000s by the legendary Adelaide Winter and Joel Wilkinson (Firehouse, Ramona, Schloss) before being purchased from Mission Mars by co-owner Matt Nellany in 2022.
Matt and Jamie joined forces at Trof the following year, before launching Stow.
And now they’re realising their long-held dream of refurbing and relaunching this iconic Northern Quarter venue.
Matt Nellany, co-owner and landlord of The Trof said of the change: “It’s nerve wracking to make such a big change to a venue which is so significant to so many people!
“Ask anyone in Manchester and they’ll have a Trof story – we seem to have hosted a LOT of first dates here over the years – but we felt that it was time for the next chapter in this beautiful building’s history.
“We love pubs, and we’ve always wanted to do that elegant, city centre pub which you see so much across London – being able to do that with fabulous northern produce including cask ales from Thornbridge and meats from Marcus at Littlewoods right in the heart of the Northern Quarter is a privilege we will take very seriously!”
Jamie – co-owner and heading up the food said: “The Trof sits right in the heart of what was Manchester’s market district and hopefully the menu pays homage to that – fabulous veg, great quality meat, excellent bar snacks – all served with well cellared cask ale and a great wine list – this will be a pub truly for Manchester’s people and we can’t wait to get it open.”
The Trof will reopen at midday on Friday 1 May, with space for walk-ins plus reservations for the dining room.
A shop where you can buy mystery lost parcels is coming to Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A viral lost parcels ‘treasure hunt’ is heading to Manchester next week, giving you the chance to potentially snap up a right bargain.
King Colis is a concept that’s been triggering huge queues across Europe, selling on mystery undelivered parcels.
When it lands in Manchester, you’ll be able to dig through 10 tonnes worth of parcels, which have failed to reach their end destination whether it’s through incorrect address or a failed delivery attempt.
Every year, thousands of these parcels end up in landfill but now, thanks to King Colis, you have the chance to intercept them.
These parcels are now being given a second life, helping to reduce waste while creating a completely new kind of retail experience.
The catch is, you don’t know what’s inside the parcel you buy – imagine Christmas morning as a kid where you’re shaking your present praying for a Barbie, but this time you’re praying that the anonymous parcel has a designer item or gadget inside.
Each visitor is given 10 minutes to rummage around for their parcels, which are sold by weight at £2.50 per 100g.
Queues are expected when King Colis lands in ManchesterShoppers can buy ‘lost’ mystery parcelsShoppers won’t know what they’ve bought until they open the box later
And it’s only once you’ve made your purchase that you can actually open your box or bag to see what’s inside.
Past shoppers have uncovered everything from designer fashion and high-tech gadgets to rare collectibles, with some items worth thousands. In previous pop-ups, finds have included a Pokémon card valued at over £2,000, and even gold.
King Colis will be at the Manchester Arndale for one week only, selling on lost mystery parcels.
The concept has already visited cities including Paris, Rome, Berlin, Dublin, and Newcastle, has drawn significant crowds.
Speaking on the Manchester launch, King Colis co-founder Killian Denis said: “We’re really excited to be bringing King Colis to Manchester. Every city has had an incredible response so far, and it’s always amazing to see the queues build from day one.
You never know what you’re going to find. That’s what makes it so exciting. I’d definitely recommend getting there early as stock is limited.”
King Colis will be at Manchester Arndale’s Exchange Court (next to Next and River Island) between Monday 4 and Sunday 10 May, with free entry. Fast passes will be available for £15 each HERE.
Georgina Pellant -
12th June 2023 
