The most romantic day of the year (or the most tiresome, depending how loved-up you are) is almost upon us, and Manchester is ready for another Valentine’s Day.
Whether you’re looking for the ultimate in luxury dinners, or just something a bit more casual you can do with a few mates, there’s no escaping the love season.
On the higher end of things, there are set menus with views of the city, wine tasting tours, and luxury spa packages with dinner thrown in.
Or if you’re more of a casual cupid, you can go for bottomless tacos, heart-shaped cookies, or tequila disguised as a love potion.
You can even go and sculpt a p*nis out of clay, if that floats your boat…
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Platzki, Great Northern
Platzki on Deansgate. Credit: The Manc GroupPlatzki on Deansgate. Credit: The Manc Group
One of Manchester’s most delightful little restaurants, Platzki is a perfect Valentine’s spot for foodies.
They’re doing a traditional Polish feast this year exclusively on 14 February.
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For £50 per person, you can have confit duck pierogis (or beetroot and goat’s cheese) and a choice of main courses including Kaszotto (pearl barley risotto) and Sarna (thinly-sliced venison steak) served with homemade dumplings.
Evelyn’s, Northern Quarter
Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter in ManchesterSteak at Evelyn’s in the Northern Quarter in Manchester
Evelyn’s is a real neighbourhood spot, always full of groups of mates nattering over brunch or couples sipping wine in the candlelight.
They’re doing a Valentine’s Day menu where, for £45 per head, you get a selection of snacks to share, a small plate and a main from the grill each, and a pudding per person, plus a glass of champagne on arrival.
Down on Oxford Road there’s Zouk, one of the best curry houses in Manchester, who love an excuse for a good party.
The restaurant is doing a special Valentine’s Day feast, which includes a ‘lovers sharing platter’ with Pubjabi lollipops oyster pakoras, tandoori grilled prawns and samosa chaat, then a choice of curries, and a selection of hand-made desserts.
And if you’d rather be on the other side of the kitchen, you can do the Valentine’s cooking class on 17 February.
Late-night cookies served warm straight from the oven – it’s no wonder that Insomnia Cookies has been a roaring success from day one and has already managed to open three sites in Manchester since first arriving here last summer.
For Valentine’s Day, you can order special gigantic heart-shaped red velvet cookies, or mini ones that come with a pot of vanilla frosting for dipping in.
And you can order an extra treat with The Sweet Beats – a six-piece brass band you can book to serenade your sweetheart on their doorstep.
To be in with a chance of having the brass band-o-gram rock up with your red velvet heart-shaped cookie, just pre-order via insomniacookies.co.uk by 8 February and select 14 February as your delivery date.
Tattu, Spinningfields
Tattu in manchester has been bathed in red for Valentine’s Day. Credit: The Manc GroupTattu’s Elixir of Love cocktail for Valentine’s Day 2024
Manchester’s beautiful Chinese restaurant Tattu has been bathed in red ahead of Valentine’s Day, turning its pink cherry blossom tree extra-romantic.
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For the special occasion, they’ll be serving up a limited-edition sharing cocktail called the Elixir of Love, a partnership with Laurent Perrier.
Each cocktail comes with a small red envelope, which will contain a golden ticket for one of three spcial gifts.
It’s running alongside their Lunar New Year celebrations too, so there’s plenty of banquets and feasting menus to try. Book here.
Madre, Kampus
Madre at Kampus is doing date night right with bottomless tacos. Because nothing screams romance like indigestion.
For £35 per person, diners on 14 February can stuff themselves silly with the restaurant’s excellent Mexican tacos, with fillings including Pollo Asada, Cochinita Pibil, Birria, Hongos Asada or Brussels.
If you like to go BIG on Valentine’s Day, 20 Stories is the place to do it – it’s a beautiful restaurant with unrivalled views across Manchester.
This year they’re doing a four-course menu of canapes, starter, main and dessert, with dishes including seared scallops, treacle-cured beef, and dark chocolate marquis.
Manchester’s most notorious pizza join – where the margs and the slices flow until the early hours – has gone all soppy on us for Valentine’s Day 2024.
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Crazy Pedro’s is doing a £35 bundle that includes a massive calzone, two drinks, and ‘love potion’ (that’s tequila, apparently).
They’re even promising fancy table cloths, silver service, fizz, and even cutlery. Email [email protected] to book your spot.
Big Licks, Liverpool Road
There’s a bargain afoot with all that romance down on Liverpool Road, and it’s one that burger fans will want to get involved with.
Big Licks is serving up the ‘perfect date night’ – two desserts and two shakes for only £20.
And if you eat in, you can get two burgers and two fries for £20 too.
Rosa’s Thai, the brilliant little restaurant on Deansgate, will be giving diners a chance to win a free sweet treat for Valentine’s Day.
Guests will be invited to draw a card from a deck of cards – if they pull out a Heart, they’ll be given a free Thai dessert or a bubble tea.
Rosa’s is also urging groups of friends to join in the fun, not just couples.
The Lawn Club, Spinningfields
The Lawn Club in Manchester has heart-shaped pizzas on its Valentine’s Day menu.
Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s or Galentine’s this year, The Lawn Club’s got a little something to suit you.
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Their ‘Love on the Lawn’ deal includes two heart-shaped pizzas with two sides and two drinks, for £25 each.
Or the Galentine’s Bottomless Bunch event on 17 February comes with a soundtrack of heartbreak anthems and 90 minutes of bottomless drinks, including a Valentine’s special cocktail.
Manchester Wine Tours, city centre
If your dream Valentine’s Day date is more glasses of hearty Beaujolais than heart-shaped balloons, then the Manchester Wine Tour might be the perfect shout for the big day.
You and your chosen date (or mate) will head out in a small group from 3pm on Friday 16 February.
Then over the course of four hours, you’ll walk between several venues in Manchester city centre, drinking at least six different wines with elite snacks and learning a bit along the way too.
Manchester’s beautiful city centre boutique hotel King Street Townhouse will have a range of experiences for Valentine’s Day.
There’s a special dinner-for-two with a dedicated menu and bottle of wine per couple, an exclusive Valentine’s spa experience (which includes a hot stone massage, use of the thermal suite, and a two-course meal with champagne), and romantic film screenings in their secret cinema.
If you’re staying overnight too, King Street Townhouse have loads of special room packages to enhance your stay.
Ducie Street Warehouse has a couple of things on for Valentine’s Day – including the return of its ‘Sexy Sculpt’ event.
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You can mould your own p*nis-shaped decoration out of clay, with supervision from the lovely pottery experts at Cork & Clay.
They’ll also have a delivery of Half Dozen Other’s special Red Croissant with a passion fruit crème filling available to pick up from Ducie Street Warehouse on the day.
Refuge at the Kimpton Clocktower
The Winter Gardens at the Kimpton Clocktower
Just in time for Valentine’s Day, Kimpton Clocktower is opening up its beautiful Winter Gardens to diners for the first time.
The huge space has a giant glass ceiling and is full of trees, making it one of Manchester’s prettiest venues.
Diners will be able to enjoy a delicious tasting menu, made up of small sharing plates and hearty pies made using the finest from local ingredients, as well as an extensive cocktail list.
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Suki Suki, Great Northern
Suki Suki in Manchester
You can find your soy-mate (geddit… geddit) at Suki Suki, a brilliant pan-Asian restaurant on Deansgate, this year.
For just £30 each, you’ll get a three-course set menu and a glass of prosecco, and their deal is running from 13 to 15 February.
Dishes will include classic salt and pepper seasoned ribs, and honey and chilli-glazed pork belly. It’s all delicious.
The best afternoon teas in Manchester
Thomas Melia
Afternoon tea has been a British staple since 1840, luckily for us, Manchester has a great selection of places serving this midday tradition.
If there’s one thing Manchester does best after music, sport, style and, you know, everything else it’s definitely food and drink, especially British classics.
There’s nothing better than a good sandwich followed by a sumptuously sweet scone, and a dazzling selection of cakes.
However, if you put all of those things together and bring it out on a meticulously-organised, multi-tiered serving platter, you’ve got the key to the nation’s heart.
When it comes down to afternoon tea we certainly don’t mess around and that’s why here at The Mancwe’ve put together a list of all the best dining experiences that are worth every single penny.
The top 10 afternoon teas in Manchester
1. Kimpton Clocktower, The Refuge
Credit: Supplied
This historic building is serving up elevated classics that you would expect on your typical afternoon tea platter including sandwiches with fillings like truffled egg mayonnaise as well as smoked salmon and pickled cucumber.
Pair these nibbles with all your go-to cuppa choices such as an earl grey and peppermint black, or sample ‘The Refuge blend’ – a fruity and herbal infusion with rosehip, hibiscus, peppermint, blackcurrant, and strawberry leaves.
Once your sweet tooth kicks in, there’s a variety of sweet delicacies with their glazed lemon meringue pie and obvious breadwinner, the treasured scones.
Nothing says grandeur like dining in The Midland and their afternoon tea options are certainly not subtle in any way, shape or form either.
Sandwich fillings are not limited, there’s avocado and chive, chicken, tomato and basil, with many vegan alternatives like the coronation tofu and watercress.
All their scones are served plain however they do offer you Devon cream and a helping of Mrs Darlington’s jam, yum.
Where to find: 16 Peter St, Manchester M60 2DS
Price: £45 – £55 per person
3. Grandpa Greene’s, Diggle
Credit: The Manc Group
Ever fancied eating an afternoon tea in an igloo without the below-minus temperature? Well after this you definitely will.
Known and loved for their unreal ice creams, Grandpa Greene‘s are also all-around food caterers and their Afternoon Tea isn’t one you should be missing out on.
Enjoy treats, canapés, and of course, milkshakes made with that ridiculously moreish GG’s ice cream.
Where to find: Ward Ln, Diggle, Oldham OL3 5JT
Price: £24.95 – £29.95 per person
4. King Street Townhouse
Credit: The Manc Group
Quoted on their website as a ‘memorable Manchester experience’, there are two afternoon tea options to choose from.
Indulge in all the sweet treats you can possibly imagine with the ‘Traditional’ serving or if you’re someone who prefers savoury, delight in the ‘High Afternoon Tea’.
The first brings generously sized portions centred around the flavours of the season but always features a scone or two, while the latter sees orzo fritters and cheddar croquettes with cheese and chutney replacing the beloved scone.
This is another city centre hotel that’s putting on a dazzling display of tiered food and definitely not skimping on jam and cream with two pots placed perfectly next to those delicious scones.
There are finger-shaped sandwiches as well as a handful of mini cakes, and the multi-tiered platter exudes the Gotham style with its rose gold-tinged plates and matching teapot.
So why not take your pick at some bite-sized delights while perched high among the Manchester city centre skyline?
Where to find:100 King St, Manchester M2 4WU
Price: From £35 per person
6. The Martlet
Where better to enjoy an afternoon tea than in a historic Greater Manchester building that radiates notoriety and doubles as Rochdale’s newest fine-dining location?
The Martlet is preserving this British cuisine while bringing a modern touch with sandwich fillings like vegetable samosa and raspberry macarons to follow.
Of course, scones paired with the usual egg and cress sandwiches will still be present, but it’s always lovely to see some innovation where possible.
We’re pretty stunned by the whole thing, to be honest.
Where to find: Rochdale Town Hall, The Esplanade, Rochdale OL16 1AZ
Price: £21 per person
7. 20 Stories
Credit: Supplied
This Afternoon Tea reaches new heights, literally. 19 floors above the city centre is 20 Stories, which are branding itself as ‘The highest Afternoon Tea in Manchester’
20 Stories also has an exclusive mini cocktail pairing option where the drinks are hand-selected to go with your Afternoon Tea, because what fun day ever started with water?
Now all that’s left to do is choose between the Traditional, Piper-Heidsieck or Miniature cocktail Afternoon Tea, we’re really spoilt for choice!
Where to find:No. 1 Spinningfields, 1 Hardman St, Manchester M3 3EB
Price: £37.50 – £62.50 per person
8. The Lowry Hotel, The River Restaurant
Credit: Supplied
Enjoy an Afternoon Tea before heading off to your next theatre show – how could your day get any better?
Sample a turkey and lettuce wrap, smoked salmon, crème cheese and white balsamic ‘on a slider’ and a cheese and ham tart.
Vegans are well catered for too with hummus, red roasted pepper and rocket wrap with vegan cream and jam for the scones!
Price: £30 – £40 per person
9. The East Lancashire Railway
Finger sandwiches, homemade scones and patisserie all onboard a vintage steam train, yes please!
And to top things off, you’ll have a personal waiter on hand for your whole journey ready to attend to however much unlimited tea and coffee you can manage in 90 minutes.
This experience will be nothing but exceptional and all catering is to very high standards, so sit back, relax and watch the views of Manchester go by.
Their afternoon tea is just one of many luxury packages you can enjoy – here’s another one:
Where to find: Bolton Street Station, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 0EY
Price: £55 per person
10. Malmaison Manchester, Deansgate
This hotel really takes the concept of afternoon tea and combines it with a polar opposite: street food.
B&G slider, beef brisket bite, tuna taco and buttermilk fried chicken all for savouries with an unreal lineup of sweet tarts.
‘Fab Lollies’, carrot opera cake, choc chip cookie dough sundae, vanilla crème brûlée and to dust it off, a sticky toffee scone.
MediaCity launches brand new state-of-the-art creative content space
Danny Jones
Exciting times for Greater Manchester and young talent as a brand-new state-of-the-art content creation space has just launched over in Salford.
Over the past decade, MediaCity has become a highly celebrated creative and cultural hub, home to the likes of the BBC, ITV, Lowry and more.
It’s become more than just an outpost accessible via a short tram ride but a true heavyweight of the media and creative industries here in the UK, always looking to expand and push the boundaries.
Now, following the completion of its latest project, MediaCity looking to provide a space for future generations of content creators and aspiring media makers.
Credit: MediaCity (supplied)
This brand new £600,000 state-of-the-art content creation space marks a huge milestone in MediaCity’s continuing journey as not just a Northern hub for digital and creative innovation, but a go-to national destination for future media.
Designed to cater to the growing climate of cutting-edge content creation and offer a professional workspace at an accessible rate, Content Studio provides a range of versatile creative spaces, including light, dark and podcast studios – perfect for video and stills production, castings, photoshoots and more.
Curated by University of Salford alumni Ashley Salmon the studio has been designed to meet the needs of modern content creators, influencers, social media stars, brands and businesses of all kinds.
Promising to offer both a dynamic and inspiring space where people can produce high-quality and innovative content while fostering a supportive creative community, this place aims to live up to Greater Manchester’s media reputation: industry-leading.
The Content Studio will also be made accessible to students and creatives spending time over at the MediaCity campus, with a good chunk of the core production team including recent graduates from the University, giving them a valuable platform to showcase their skills and kickstart their careers.
Credit: Supplied
For the first time, creators will have access to a range of industry-quality facilities at an affordable rate, with spaces starting from just £10 per hour – a super reasonable price point, especially these days.
To further enhance the creative process, MediaCity has partnered with experienced on-site production companies to ensure every booking is fully equipped with all the facilities for seamless content creation.
Boasting everything from infinity walls and green screens to cameras, audio gear, props and pretty much everything you’d ever need.
To make things even sweeter, hiring the content creation space also comes with the option of one-on-one consultations, so creators can focus on creating rather than coordinating.
Even those who require significantly more space and tech requirements will be able to make use of the neighbouring dock10 studios.
Through a partnership with local creative community group Heads, creators will also have plenty of access to exclusive workshops and upskilling opportunities, ensuring they stay ahead in the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Credit: Supplied
The MediaCity Content Studio isn’t just another content creation/production space – Greater Manchester has tonnes of those – it’s also an exciting new outlet for new talent, collaboration, innovation and inspiration, not to mention an investment in the future.
Anyone working out of the space will have the tools to carve their own path and help shape the future of entertainment and digital media in the North and beyond.
To mark the launch of the new content creation space, MediaCity is even introducing a new podcast, This is MediaCity in partnership with University of Salford and produced by Stephen Chapman, Founder and Creative Director of 39 Pictures.
The podcast is set to spotlight the people and stories that make this particular corner of 0161 the creative powerhouse we know, love and remain immensely proud of.
Director of Marketing and Place at MediaCity, Caroline Aikman, said of the exciting project: “Content Studio represents our commitment to nurturing the next generation of digital creators and innovators.
“By providing the tools, spaces, and inspiration, we’re not just supporting the future of content—we’re empowering it. This marks an exciting chapter in MediaCity’s journey, cementing our reputation as the go-to destination for digital creativity.”