A huge new restaurant has just opened up in Spinningfields, taking over the former Artisan and Manchester House sites.
Called Sakku Samba, it will fuse Brazilian and Japanese cuisine together in a swanky all-you-can-eat setting – complete with fistfuls of pink sakura trees, floral walls, neon lighting, and plenty of selfie traps, not least a room filled solely with giant lightbulbs.
Split across two floors, the new space includes a ground-floor caipirinha bar and a first-floor restaurant and bar with room for 400 covers, as well as two plush private dining rooms.
Elsewhere, there is a second restaurant for VIPs only with its very own access and private VIP corridor – something that is sure to appeal to the city’s glitterati crowd.
Image: The Manc Eats
Brought to the city by restauranteur Zack Isaak, the new arrival borrows from two popular concepts already well-established across the Pennines and promises a glitzy cocktail menu alongside a range of sushi platters, prime Brazilian steak cuts and small plates.
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The new dining concept will see guests order fresh sushi and traditional Brazilian meats in unlimited quantities via digital tablets on each table, meaning they will have access to over 150 varied dishes at the simple click of a button.
From Brazilian picanha and pork belly to Japanese hosomaki and fresh sashimi, the extensive menu at Sakku Samba celebrates a fusion of two distinct cultures.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Though this is restaurant owner Zack Isaak’s first Manchester-based endeavour, his other restaurants SAKKU and Estabulo have proven to be extremely popular with sites all across England.
Speaking on the new concept, Zack Isaak said: “Sakku Samba is all about creating an incredible dining experience. From the moment guests walk through the doors, to the minute they leave they’ll be blown away by our stunning decor, unique cocktails, beautiful menu and high end service.
“We wanted to come to Manchester with a bang, and that’s exactly what we’re going to do at our launch tomorrow evening. SakkuSamba is set to become the go-to place to dine here in Manchester.”
Sakku Samba’s arrival in the business district comes at a time of change for the area, which has been dominated by current and past Living Ventures businesses like Australasia, Manchester House, The Alchemist, and The Living Room almost since its inception.
This year will see more out-of-town concepts follow in its wake, with the planned arrival of brands like Sexy Fish in the former Armani unit, Giggling Squid in the former Carluccio’s site, Soho House at nearby Granada Studios and Mnky Hse at nearby Lloyd Street.
The restaurant will open its doors to walk ins on Wednesday 27 July following a swanky VIP launch party on Tuesday. Bookings can be made online now from 1 August onwards by visiting their website, www.sakkusamba.co.uk.
Feature image – The Manc Eats
A huge new restaurant has opened up in Spinningfields, returning a touch of glamour to a part of the district that has lain empty and forgotten for years.
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Taking over the former Artisan and Manchester House sites, once a mecca for Manchester’s glitterati, it
Called Sakku Samba, the glamorous new behemoth combines two popular existing concepts, Brazilian steakhouse Estabulo and sushi restaurant Sakku, to fuse Brazilian and Japanese cuisine together in a swanky all-you-can-eat setting.
Complete with fistfuls of pink sakura, neon lighting, and its very own VIP restaurant with separate access and corridors, this huge block of real estate has become a place for the city’s glitterati to gather once more.
The new restaurant and bar will launch
its Instagram-friendly brand of dining to Manchester – complete with a special VIP dining area and corridor.
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Taking over the former Artisan and Manchester House sites to form a glamorous all-you-can-eat behemoth, newcomer Sakku Samba fuses together Brazilian and Japanese cuisine under one roof.
Launched by restauranteur Zack Isaak, the new site combines two popular existing concepts, Brazilian steakhouse Estabulo and sushi restaurant Sakku, to offer Manchester something it hasn’t seen before – limitless dining in a VIP setting.
Inside, there are two bars, two private dining rooms, two restaurants (one for VIPs only) and a special private corridor for
the concepts of Estabulo Rodizio, an all-you-can-eat Brazilian steakhouse with a number of popular sites in Yorkshire, and Leeds’ all-you-can-eat sushi and Japanese grill venue, Sakku.
Split across two floors, ground-floor caiprinha bar and a first-floor restaurant with room for 400 covers.
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Beyond that, you’ll find a VIP dining room and two extra private dining rooms, an ‘Instagram trap’ selfie room lit with hundreds of kilowat bulbs, lemanc2020
At 400 cacpacity, it’s absolutely huge – with two private dining rooms, a private VIP corridor and restaurant as well as
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Microdot exhibit for BRITs 2026: the artwork of Oasis, Verve and more up in Manchester Piccadilly
Danny Jones
If you’ve passed through Manchester Piccadilly of late, you might have noticed two things: one, it’s really quiet, and two, there’s loads of cool Britpop merch and memorabilia on display, including original Oasis, The Verve, Inspiral Carpets art and more – all courtesy of Microdot.
Set up as part of the city’s own BRITs celebrations, along with a raft of other nationwide festivities, as the annual music award ceremony prepares to make its Manc debut at the Co-op Live this month, the showcase features special edition frames and more, all pride of place in the middle of the train station.
This collection, simply entitled ‘A Microdot Design’, is all done by the legendary Brian Cannon, the graphic designer and art director behind so much recognisable visual material within the genre.
We recently had the honour of speaking to the man himself in person ahead of Piccadilly’s temporary closure; you can see our interview with him right here:
The Wigan-born artist and visionary didn’t just make promotional materials for some of the biggest bands in the 1990s; he’s responsible for what has gone on to become some of the most familiar iconography in British music history.
With this pop-up exhibit available for a limited time only, we strongly urge you to go along and, for once, take your time rather than rushing around the station as you peruse the boards placed right near the main entrance.
Charting his work from circa 1990 up until now, it’s crazy to see just how many of Brian and Microdot’s fingerprints are all over so many different bands and artists.
From native names like Oasis, The Verve and the Inspirals, as mentioned, as well as the likes of Cast, Super Furry Animals, Suede and Ash, plus so many more, this guy has been nothing short of prolific over the past few decades.
Audio North took a little tour of the King Street South unit last year in the lead-up to Oasis Live ’25 reunion world tour, and we felt like kids in a Britpop sweetshop.
While this site has sadly since closed, shutting up shop back in July, Brian’s mini, modest, but nevertheless magic Microdot Boutique up in the Lake District is still standing.
Located in the popular North West town and tourist attraction, Kendal, it’s worth a trip there to see more of his portfolio alone.
Currently on display at Manchester Piccadilly ahead of the full 2026 BRITs Week and shindig at Co-op Live, it’s one of the best completely free things you can do in town at the moment – but the exhibition finishes on Sunday, 1 March, so make sure you don’t miss it.
Speaking of the BRIT Awards, if you’re wondering what else is on as 0161 gets ready welcome them for their two-year stint (at least), look no further…
Two brothers from Oldham are beating out the likes of Taylor Swift in the iTunes charts
Danny Jones
A pair of brothers from Oldham who simply go by Two Connors are now holding on to the top spot in one of the biggest iTunes charts, and they’re beating the likes of Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Bad Bunny and many more.
Stuff your global music stars, we’ll back a duo from Greater Manchester all day long.
Danny and Callum Connor, a couple of blokes from Oldham in their mid-30s, are currently number one in the iTunes singles charts with their latest song, ‘Familiar Faces’, but this isn’t the first time they’ve gone big with a release online.
Carving out their own little corner not only in the old Lancashire borough but a small pocket in the UK’s wider grime, drill, rap and hip-hop scene, they’ve only gotten bigger over the last 18 months or so.
After releasing their first two tracks back in 2024, Callum and Danny have been on a very gradual rise, but they quickly gained a cult local following in and around Oldham.
Writing about life and around the area, with high personal and anecdotal lyrics that feel like niche references and in-jokes specifically for‘Roughyed’ residents – it’s not just music by them but FOR them.
In addition to recording their own unique cover of ‘Bad Habits’ by Ed Sheeran, they also went fairly viral for releasing a music video featuring crowds of local children.
Putting their own chant-based chorus slant on ‘Hi Ho, Hi Ho, “It’s off to Work We Go”‘, written by Mitch Miller and The Sandpipers (yes, as in the main theme from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs), it was a fairly radio-friendly tune that was easy for kids and more to sing along with.
With various other natives getting involved in the music video, joining them on the town centre streets and lip-syncing the lyrics, it was circulated online all over Britain and beyond.
You can watch it in full down below.
Fast forward to February 2026, and not only have they grown their following across the region, but even further afield now, as it turns out; currently sitting ahead of ‘Opalite’ from worldwide smash-hit album, The Life of a Showgirl, who needs big label backing, eh?
Bringing smiles to even more Greater Mancs by quite literally shining the spotlight on ‘Familiar Faces’ and punters from nearby pubs such as The Up Stepps Inn and former nightclub Sruples, it is a real tribute to their homeland.
Only time will tell how long they’ll cling to that iTunes top spot, but with nearly 73,000 monthly listeners on Spotify and counting, they might be one of the biggest music names to come out of OL in some time.
In other big news over in Oldham, on the sporting side of things, RLFC are staring down yet more uncertainty, with local hero Bill Quinn also wrapping up his time at the club.
Georgina Pellant -
25th July 2022 
