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.
The Man City Parade 2025/26 – route, timings, ‘The After Party’, performers and more
Danny Jones
After Man City became just the second team in English football history to win a domestic cup double, the Blues will once again be taking over Manchester city centre for a parade to mark the end of the 2025/26 campaign.
They may not have won the league this time, but it’s still another pair of trophies to add to the cabinet.
More importantly, with club legends Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and perhaps even Pep Guardiola (we’ll have to wait and see) leaving after a decade at the club this summer, ‘Cityzens’ will be coming from all over Greater Manchester to honour yet another memorable silverware-laden term.
With that in mind, we’ve put together a list of everything important you need to know ahead of the blue half of Manchester’s post-season celebrations.
Man City parade 25/26 – all the key info
When does it start and end?
For starters, for those wondering what the start time is for the latest City parade, this year’s event will be building up from around 4pm and finishing at approximately 6:30pm this coming bank holiday Monday, 25 June.
The last parade was ‘Fourmidable’.Credit: Press shot (supplied)/The Manc
Man City parade route for 2026
As for where the jubilation will be running from and to this time, they’re moving over to the Northern Quarter before the parade procession itself passes through Ancoats and towards their home stadium.
The open-top buses themselves will set off around 5pm, heading towards the Etihad Campus from Ashton New Road, before arriving at the Colin Bell Stand reception.
For those unable to journey elsewhere/just looking to enjoy from one spot, supporters will also be able to watch the full build-up and parade in its entirety on the big screens outside the ground from 4pm onwards, with an accessible viewing area and subtitles available, too.
Accessibility options
Great Ancoats Street (near the start of the parade route)
A designated area for wheelchair users and ambulant disabled supporters and companions.
Street-level area is free, with access on a first-come, first-served basis; stewards on hand to help.
Colin Bell Stand
Elevated platform available for wheelchair users and ambulant disabled supporters who would struggle to stand in the crowd.
Again, first-come, first-served.
Travel advice and parking info
Parking at the Etihad Stadium itself is only available for those with a ticket for the official ‘After Party’ event; however, there are free spots available at park and ride sites such as Ashton Moss, Ashton West, and Ladywell. You can find a full list of locations HERE.
Fans are encouraged to use public transport where possible, with Bee Network buses and trams running throughout the city and towards East Manchester.
Check out the Etihad’s dedicated travel and transport page for more guidance, and/or watch our guide on how to get to the Co-op Live down below.
Speaking of carrying on after the main event, ‘The After Party’ at Co-op Live and the surrounding area is also an option for Blues looking to have a ball – pun intended.
Besides the parade, the fun will also be getting underway at the same time over in the massive industry-leading arena next door to City’s home ground, doors opening from as early as 3pm.
Final entry into the venue itself is set at 5pm, with players set to head over and join in with the drinks, jubilation and big energy tunes once the parade finishes around 6:30pm.
On the subject of music, fans are also being treated to a live performance from none other than the much-loved Manc band, Doves, who will be playing a special in-person set, due to wrap up at 8pm.
Indie rock favourites Doves will be amongst the outstanding performers on a night to remember! 🎶
Join us at ‘The After Party’ on Monday 25 May at Co-op Live. 🙌
You can find all the details regarding general admission tickets, as well as VIP and hospitality packages, right HERE.
What else is on around the City parade?
For those looking to take in any extra festivities or even just some food and drink during the few hours you’ll be out singing ‘Blue Moon’, you’ll be glad to hear that a number of local institutions will also be getting involved.
As well as Northern Quarter favourites BAB offering their £10 lunch deal (12-3pm every day), happy hour deals, AND a small plates offer (Monday-Thursday, 4-7pm; Fridays from 4pm until close), fellow NQ neighbours, The Pen and Pencil, are also opening for the day to help host any crowd overspill.
Perhaps most notably, however, an official Man City pop-up will be opening in the city centre in the days leading up to the parade itself – so, for anyone who can’t make it on the bank holiday Monday, you can still spend at least part of your long weekend drinking in the splendour.
If you’re wondering what exactly this is going to be like, look no further…
Moreover, MCFC’s under-18s squad won a historic FA Youth Cup with their Manchester derby win earlier this month, too, making it multiple landmark results across the board.
With that in mind, this year’s Man City trophy parade and After Party looks set to be a more all-encompassing one than ever.
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Judging by the scenes for the likes of the last Treble, you won’t want to miss it.
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Publicity pictures (via Manchester City Football Club)
News
Arrests made following Piccadilly Gardens fight that left several men with stab wounds
Emily Sergeant
A number of arrests have been made following reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens one night earlier this week.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) confirmed that officers from the City Centre policing team responded to reports of a fight in Piccadilly Gardens at around 9:54pm on Tuesday (19 May 2026), and when they arrived at the scene, they discovered multiple people with stab wounds.
A man in his 20s was found at the scene by police with stab wounds and was taken to hospital for treatment.
A second man, in his 50s, was located nearby with a stab wound to his arm and was also taken to hospital, and a third man, also in his 20s, later attended Manchester Royal Infirmary with a stab wound to his back.
All three men have been arrested on suspicion of affray, GMP stated.
Officers do not believe there to be a wider threat to the public at this time, however the public is being told there will be an ‘increased police presence’ in the area as a precaution.
As enquiries continue at pace, detectives from the City of Manchester CID team are now appealing for information and witnesses.
“The use of knives or violence in our communities is completely unacceptable,” commented Detective Superintendent Ian McNabb, of GMP’s City of Manchester Central District. “Incidents like this are incredibly serious and can have devastating consequences.
“Our officers are working tirelessly in the city centre and across Greater Manchester to tackle this kind of offending and keep people safe.
“We will be relentless in our efforts to remove knives from our streets and to bring those who carry or use them to justice to prevent incidents like this happening.”
Can you help? Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, or via LiveChat online, quoting log 3667 of 19/05/2026.
Georgina Pellant -
6th September 2021 
