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.
How to look after your cats and dogs this Bonfire Night
Thomas Melia
Bonfire Night may be a blessing for some families who can take advantage of the beautifully lit sky and incredible views, but for those who own cats or dogs, this isn’t necessarily the case.
When it comes to your furry friends then simply turning to their owners is usually the best point of call, but sometimes it’s still good to have a quick refresher on how to spot when your pet is in distress.
Luxury clothing retailer, Joules, is one of those leading research this year as they provide a list of tips and tricks on how to notice a change in your dog’s behaviour, soothe your cat’s stress and just generally make things more manageable for your four-legged companions.
72% of cat and dog owners see a change in their pets’ behaviour over this season, with 68% saying that they are frightened by the loud noises. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips on how to take care of your cats and dogs this Bonfire Night.
How to create a safe space for pets on Bonfire Night
Cover your windows where possible
Closing the curtains is always a good start; although this may not reduce the noise fully, it will help to block out the flashes from those pesky fireworks and even dial those big bangs down slightly.
In order to combat sudden light changes, dog owners are advised to keep their lights on, this way the animals are used to this setting and there are no drastic differences.
The simplest thing you can do is just make sure you’re there for your animals; much like us humans, they don’t like to deal with things on their own and sometimes it’s nice to have a helping hand by their side for reassurance – especially when that includes some always welcome petting.
It’s also good to keep their minds occupied by playing games and interactive activities with them to distract their cute little faces from all the madness outside.
Stay calm yourself
It might sound a little self-involved but it’s also important that alongside keeping your dogs and cats company and playing with them, make sure to keep calm yourself, much like your children and little ones you know, dogs are very reactive and can pick up on emotions easily.
As much as this information may be handy, you still know your pet best, so reacting to their behaviour and catering to their needs is definitely a must.
There are also some easy ways to spot something’s up…
Joules worked with animal behaviourist Kimberly Grundy to help develop these helpful Bonfire Night tips cats and dogs.They are one of many retailers that stock comforting cushions and blankets that are perfect for these occasions.
The best way to spot any changes in your dog or cat’s behaviour is to look for these nine surefire signs – if you spot them, they’re most likely feeling unsettled by the celebrations.
Whining or barking – this will include whimpering, crying, barking, and growling.
Clinginess – i.e. more than normal.
Excessive panting or drooling – can signal anxiety and distress instead of the usual excitement.
Hiding or trying to find a safe space
Trying to escape – make sure your doors and windows are locked and dog/cat flaps are covered.
Trembling and shaking – soothing strokes can still work wonders.
Pacing or restlessness – if you can get them to just sit with you that’s a step in the right direction.
Loss of appetite – but don’t try and force them to eat though, the goal is to help them relax.
Dilated pupils
Whether you’re cosying up to your cat or dog, or venturing out to a bonfire, make sure you stay safe this November and most importantly have fun!
You can find all the rest of the events happening for Guy Fawkes Night 2024 here:
Manchester to commemorate our armed forces with ceremony and parade this Remembrance Sunday
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is set to fall silent and remember the fallen during this year’s annual Remembrance Sunday commemorations.
Just as it does each year, Manchester City Council has now revealed the details of how the city will mark Remembrance Sunday this weekend, and has confirmed that the annual Remembrance Sunday Parade will set off at 10:25am from John Dalton Street.
Civic dignitaries, servicemen and women, service and ex-service organisations, faith leaders, emergency services, and other uniformed organisations, have all been invited to lay traditional poppy wreaths and pay their respects at the Cenotaph in St. Peter’s Square, along with members of the public.
Proceedings will start at 10:25am, and run through until midday.
Plans to mark Remembrance Sunday in Manchester have been announced / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
Veterans and military personnel will march from John Dalton Street to the Cenotaph, where a service will be held at 11am, along with a two-minute silence, all before a short march to Peter Street across St Peter’s Square then takes place to close out the commemorations.
The two-minute silence will be observed at 11am, and the start and finish of this silence marked by the firing of a maroon.
In order for necessary security checks and safeguards to be carried out, Manchester City Council has confirmed that a series of road closures will be implemented on Sunday 10 November between 7am and 1pm.
The following road closures will be in place:
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Cross Street)
Princess Street (Cross Street to Portland Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Back George Street
Cross Street (Princess Street to King Street)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street) with a ‘hard closure’ at Watson street and Hale Street
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Bootle Street (Deansgate to Mount Street)
Lloyd Street (Deansgate to Southmill)
Jackson Row (Deansgate to Southmill)
Central Street (Southmill to Mount Street)
Cooper Street (Kennedy to Princess Street)
West Mosely Street (Booth Street to princess Street)
Bow Lane (Clarence Street to Princess Street)
St James’s Square (South King Street to John Dalton Street)
Ridgefield (Mulberry Street to John Dalton Street)
All the road closures for the ceremony have been confirmed too / Credit: Manchester City Council
As well as road closures, there will also be a number of parking restrictions set to apply on the day too.
It has been confirmed that all parking bays – including accessible parking bays – will be suspended from 8pm on Saturday 9 November, right through to 2pm on Sunday 10 November.
The roads where parking restrictions will apply are:
Lloyd Street (Deansgate to Southmill Street)
Jackson Row (Deansgate to Southmill Street)
Bootle Street (Deansgate to Mount Street)
Mount Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Museum Street (Windmill Street to Peter Street)
Southmill Street (Windmill Street to Albert Square)
Peter Street (Deansgate to Oxford Street)
Oxford Street (Peter Street to Chepstow)
Princess Street (Albert Square to Portland Street)
John Dalton Street (Deansgate to Albert Square)
Ridgefield Street (John Dalton Street to South King Street)
Central Street (Southmill Street to Mount Street)
St James’ Square (South King Street to John Dalton)
Windmill Street (Mount Street to Watson Street)
Cross Street (Princess Street to King Street)
Cooper Street (Kennedy to Princess Street)
West Mosely Street (Booth Street to Princess Street)
Bow Lane (Clarence Street to Princess Street)
When it comes to other forms of public transport, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has confirmed that no trams will run through St Peter’s Square between 10am and 12:30pm on Sunday 10 November.
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2021 
