September looks set to be an exciting month for eating and drinking in Manchester, with a whole host of exciting new openings on the cards.
With new venues from Bundobust, Higher Ground, and Track Brewery all tipped to open their doors later this month we’ve got absolutely loads to look forward to – but this week, we’re celebrating the return of the legendary Stevenson Square ‘nonna’ pizzeria Slice, which has opened a new home just off Oxford Road after a lengthy two-year closure.
We also welcome new Chinese hot pot restaurant Xiong qi to the city, wax lyrical about Manchester’s new lemon pepper wet wings (if you know, you know), and check out a new natural wine bar in the Northern Quarter that’s turning things on its head by serving some gorgeous-looking cake on the side.
Keep reading to discover our top food and drink picks in Manchester this week. You won’t be disappointed.
The return of the legendary ‘nonna’ pizzeria, Slice
Long before Detroit pizza became a thing and we got used to eating our pizzas square, Slice was down in the Northern Quarter serving up the original ‘nonna’ to queues of hungry Mancs.
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The Stevenson Square restaurant was forced to close in early 2019, but has since found a new home and has now finally reopened outside Oxford Road train station after leaving us hanging for two very long years.
The signature slice here has to be their broccoli, chilli, and sausage – but on any given day there’s a whole host of rectangular pan-cooked pizzas to choose from. The old Slice site also had a banging homemade gelateria which is pipped to make a return soon, too.
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Find it at Manchester Oxford Road train station, M1 5NP.
Lemon pepper wet wings at Wing Dash, Burgerism’s new brand, are a must this week / Image: The Manc Eats
The best lemon pepper wet wings in the city
Ok, truth be told, we’ve never actually found anywhere that does lemon pepper wet wings in Manchester before – so to our knowledge, these may well be the only ones about.
The cult food is an institution in the peach state, originating in Atlanta’s strip clubs and progressing into the rhymes of hip-hop artists like Rick Ross, Drake and Meek Mill before ultimately getting its international TV debut courtesy of Donald Glover in 2017.
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Now, they’ve been brought to Manchester by the team behind Burgerism – a lockdown success story in its own right. Crunchy, salty, peppery, and oh so lemony, these beauties can now be ordered for delivery online via their new brand Wing Dash and are an absolute must-try for any fried chicken fans.
The Gooey team are creating some fancy cakes to be enjoyed here / Image: Lewis Loughman
Arlo’s has opened on Stevenson Square in the old Gooey unit underneath Selina hostel / Image: Lewis Loughman
A new natural wine bar (with cake) from the Gooey team
The founders of Instagram food account Eatmcr have teamed up with hospitality heavyweight Sax Arshad (Mughli, Evelyn’s Cafe, The Daisy, Les Deux Pizza Bar) to launch a new natural wine bar concept called Arlo’s.
The trio previously co-founded the successful cookie and donut brand Gooey, now they’re venturing into new territory on Stevenson Square with this tiny little wine bar/coffee shop/deli.
As previously mentioned, Gooey’s bakers are providing some top-notch fancy bakes created especially. Elsewhere, a small deli menu features local produce from the likes of Holy Grain, the Crafty Cheeseman and Northern Cure.
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Find it at 19 Hilton St, Northern Quarter, M1 1JJ.
Xiong qi specialises in serving traditional Chinese ‘hot pot’ and can now be found on Faulkner Street, right in the heart of Manchester’s China Town.
Already established in London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Southhampton, Coventry, and Leicester – they’ve now landed in Manchester with their award-winning concept, which aims to transport you back to Chengdu, China with its authentic and healthy bowls.
For those who’ve never hot-potted before, this is an absolute cold-weather staple. You start by picking your own broth from a choice of four before choosing from a selection of meat, fish and vegetables which you cook yourself in the boiling liquid at your table.
Play it safe with a mixed meat platter, or go more adventurous with choices like ox tongue, mutton, and prawn mash with bamboo fungus. The beauty is, it’s a hyper-personal experience meaning you choose to eat exactly what you want.
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Find it at 56 Faulkner St, Manchester M1 4FH.
Off The Press is a new specialty coffee shop and deli located in the former Daily Express building / Image: The Greek Eats
A new speciality coffee shop and deli in the Express Building
It’s one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings, even more so following a recent £4m refurbishment. Now, the Express Building has welcomed in a new coffee shop and deli downstairs – fittingly called Off The Press.
Complete with its own in-house bakery, this little spot offers some cracking breakfast and lunch options like cheese-skirt-loaded toasties, alongside wholesome muffins, salted chocolate chip cookies, and a whole host of gorgeous-looking cakes.
Coffee-wise, choices abound – you’ll find bright pink beetroot lattes here alongside more standard choices like flat whites and americanos. An ideal choice if you’re working from home and looking to get out of the house for a few hours.
Find it at The Express Building, 9 Great Ancoats St, Manchester M4 5AD.
Fans are preparing to pay tribute to Mani from The Stone Roses ahead of his funeral service
Danny Jones
Stone Roses fans and Greater Manchester locals alike are getting ready to pay their respects to the late, great, Gary ‘Mani’ Mounfield, following his tragic passing last month.
As well as details surrounding his funeral being announced earlier this week, the iconic Manc musician’s cause of death has also finally been revealed.
While Hatton’s service featured a high-profile cortège which started all the way from his hometown of Hyde, past multiple landmarks and ending at the Etihad Stadium, those local to Mani’s family home on the edge of Stockport are also being welcomed to help send him off.
It's the funeral of Mani of the Stone Roses on the 22nd. He lived locally. This poster is asking people to line the route of his funeral cortege to "show that he truly was adored". pic.twitter.com/X0DYHl10Hp
He had been struggling with emphysema for some time; he was declared dead at his home in the suburb of Heaton Moor, and is said to have died peacefully in his sleep.
As you can see from the posters put in various places around the area, residents wishing to pay their own tributes to Mani before his private funeral service at Manchester Cathedral are encouraged to line the long street leading down from St Paul’s and Heaton Moor United Church as he heads towards the city.
Departing Parsonage Road from 10am on Monday, 22 December, before turning right onto Heaton Moor Rd, then Wellington and eventually on to the Cathedral, you can expect plenty of people to show up.
One of those people will be his former bandmate and another influential guitarist, John Squire, who is one of many famous musical names to have honoured him in their own way over the last few weeks.
Other members of The Stone Roses, as well as Primal Scream (who he joined in 1996), are expected to join the close family and friends at the service itself.
Nevertheless, we have no doubt that plenty will be observing the funeral in their own way.
So, for those of you also looking to honour him, you know what to do; and to quote the poster itself, “together we can show this local legend and his family that he was truly adored.”
Plans to transform Chorlton’s old shopping centre have been green-lit
Danny Jones
Yes, after a prolonged period of uncertainty, the plans put together for redeveloping Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre are now moving forward.
Following an extensive consultation period back in 2023 and planning permission having now been approved by Manchester City Council, the transformation of the long-neglected retail complex has been green-lit, and the project will be moving forward even sooner than you think.
As confirmed earlier this week, Stretford-based construction company PJ Livesey will be working in tandem with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund to deliver the major regeneration, which will see even more living spaces and leisure facilities arrive in the already thriving suburb.
Following an official press release on Thursday, 18 December, we’ve now been given a latest glimpse at what the developers are hoping the new Chorlton Cross district will look like.
Credit: Font Communications (supplied)
Plans for the transformation of both the high street and the old Leisure Centre date back to 2023 and even further when taking into account the Council asking the public for their thoughts on what should happen with the area, but Chorlton Cross, specifically, has been the subject of debate for some time.
The bulk of units in and around the largely forgotten shopping centre are now empty, with just a few hold-outs still clinging on to their space.
Now, following extensive feedback from native Mancs and those who have flooded into the South Manchester town over the past decade, the approved plans have now been revealed.
They include:
A mix of 262 one, two and three-bed apartments, all with access to outdoor space through balconies and gardens
20% affordable homes available through a mix of tenures, with 18.5% of these being available for social rent
Around 3,500 sq metres of public open space, including a fully walkable route through Manchester Rd and outdoor seating areas to encourage people to stop and dwell
A mix of flexible retail spaces, such as a new ‘Makers Yard’ suitable for smaller, start-up businesses
Up to 60 new trees across the site with maximised retention of existing trees
Manc filmmaker, Bernard Leach – who has been making videos about the region since 2007 – shared a longer look at how the vision for this next chapter in Chorlton‘s residential and retail history is currently shaping up earlier this month.
As you can see, some sections of the old Lancashire village and ‘cum-Hardy’ parish could look rather unrecognisable sooner than you think.
Should everything go ahead as scheduled, those involved are hoping to get work underway in the New Year, with the ‘decommissioning’ of all existing buildings, including Graeme House, undergoing demolition by early 2026.
With the majority vacating their premises in recent years, it’s fair to say that it’s been vastly underutilised for far too long.
Posting on social media back in September last year, nearby resident Nigel Woodcock wrote: “Serious question, not just councillor-baiting, but can anyone explain why the retail businesses in Chorlton Precinct were booted out before any decisions were made about what’s going to happen to it?
“It makes no sense to me. No plans have even been submitted, so far as I’m aware, so why kick out those businesses and leave it derelict for so long? The land and buildings are actually owned by the combined GM Local Authorities, so one might expect a modicum of political and business nous to be applied.”
Similar to the new plans being put together for the stretch of land between Castlefield and Salford, most are just glad something is finally happening with the space.
Commenting on the plans progressing, PJ Livesey’s Managing Director, Georgina Lynch, said in an official statement: “This is a landmark moment for Chorlton, marking the transformation of the former shopping centre into a vibrant new hub for the community.
“Working closely with Manchester City Council, we’ve carefully balanced the delivery of much-needed new homes – including 20% affordable – with the creation of lively, welcoming spaces to shop, relax, and spend time.
“This site is at the heart of Chorlton, and we’re bringing it back to life, cementing the area’s reputation as a truly great place to live.”
What do you make of the Chorlton Cross Shopping Centre regeneration plans?
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2021 
