The new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester this week | 13 – 19 December 2021
Think the best pizzeria in the world (yes, we know, but really), giant sharing cocktails in disco balls, magical heated dining domes in Heaton Park and more.
It might nearly be Christmas, but that’s not putting off new restaurants and bars from opening in Manchester.
This week, we’ve got some exciting new additions to shout about – not least, the world’s best pizzeria L’antica Pizzeria Da Michele, which has just opened its doors on King Street.
Elsewhere you’ll find a new wing spot, magical dining domes serving up afternoon tea, and a new hotel bar that’s selling giant sharing cocktails in disco balls.
Keep reading to discover the new Manchester openings you need to check out this week.
Manchester is, without a shadow of a doubt, spoilt for great pizza. We are so spoilt, in fact, that whenever a great new pizzeria opens many locals cry, “not another one”. But l’antica Pizzeria Da Michele is no ordinary ‘great’ pizzeria. It’s widely considered the best in the world.
ADVERTISEMENT
Known as the ‘Sacred Temple of Pizza’ by Naples locals, it also featured in the 2010 film Eat Pray Love. Now it’s opened in Manchester on King street, we implore you to give it a go. L’antica is as strong a contender as it gets for anyone after a new Mediterranean side piece.
The newest hotel to arrive in Manchester, Moxy first caught our attention for its dog-friendly status – something that’s still a bit of a rarity in Manchester’s city centre hotels.
The ‘fun’ Spinningfields hotel is filled with affordable rooms and also boasts a Manchester-inspired bar, kitted out in artwork that nods to the city’s history and stacked with plenty of games ranging from foosball and cards to board games, such as Scrabble.
Menu-wise, think light bites and cocktails – including a special house sharer called Disco Diva, which comes served in a disco ball and combines vodka, limoncello, elderflower and prosecco.
ADVERTISEMENT
Find it at 8 Atkinson St, Manchester M3 3HH.
Heated winter dining domes at Heaton Park
Image: Lightopia festival
Opened especially for the festive season, Heaton Park has got ten heated dining domes available to book throughout the day serving four different afternoon tea menus.
All curated by Heaton Park Cafés: operators of The Stables Café and The Lakeside Café at Heaton Park, there are special vegetarian and vegan options, a ‘classic’ tea and a hearty pork savoury tea.
Priced at £20 each with a pot of tea included, with the option to upgrade to a glass of house Prosecco or local ale for £5, the ‘Afternoon Tea Beneath the Trees’ experience is available to book every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until early January 2022.
Find it at Heaton Park, Sheepfoot Ln, Manchester M25 0DL.
Ok technically this one opened up earlier this month but we missed it off our list, so we’re popping it in here now so you don’t have to miss out too.
American chicken chain Wing Stop has opened on Piccadilly serving wings and tendies in ten different flavours, ranging from lemon pepper to spicy Korean, ‘atomic’, Louisana rub and more. There are burgers and fries on the menu too, plus churros for dessert, but as the name suggests you’re really stopping in for wings here.
Find it at 11-13 Piccadilly, Manchester M1 1LZ.
News
Full list of Manchester restaurants set to add an extra £1 to bills to tackle homelessness this Christmas
Emily Sergeant
A handful of local restaurants will be adding an extra £1 onto every bill over the festive season to help fight street homelessness.
As November arrives, the temperatures begin to start dropping, and the nights set in a little earlier, people in Greater Manchester are once again able to give back while they dine at some of the best restaurants the region has to offer in the run up to Christmas, as the successful StreetSmart fundraising initiative is back for another year.
This year, 15 fantastic restaurants have come together to support local homeless charities as the campaign launches today (1 November).
Manchester independents such as Proloco, Erst, Ezra & Gill, Stretford Canteen, and Blue Eyed Panda are among those taking part in the campaign this year, alongside several city centre chain restaurants such as Lina Stores, Tampopo, Banyan, Manahatta, and San Carlo.
Now in its 29th year, StreetSmart works by each participating restaurant adding an extra £1 to every bill they deliver throughout November and December, with all of the money raised going directly to local homeless organisations, thanks to StreetSmart’s official sponsorship from LandAid.
Manchester restaurants are adding an extra £1 to bills to help fight homelessness this Christmas / Credit: Supplied | Rifqi Ali Ridho (via Unsplash)
Since launching in 1998, the campaign has raised over £16.2 million to support charities across the UK, providing practical help, from meals and emergency accommodation to healthcare, training, housing advice and routes towards finding a permanent home.
The StreetSmart team says it’s determined to deliver another record-breaking year in 2026, and provide much-needed support to the services that help some of the most vulnerable people in the city.
Manchester restaurants taking part in StreetSmart 2026
Proloco
Hache MCR
Bar Posie
SAMPA
Blue Eyed Panda
Ezra & Gill
Erst
Little Seeds
Lina Stores
Stretford Canteen
Hawksmoor
Manahatta
San Carlo Bottega
Tampopo
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
“The festive period can be an incredibly tough time for the vulnerable people in our community,” explained Glenn Pougnet, who is the Director of StreetSmart.
“StreetSmart provides a simple way for people to help some of our city’s most in need. Giving back whilst dining out at Christmas is what StreetSmart is all about, and we’re thrilled to have so many restaurants already taking part.
“Every £1 added to a bill adds up and makes a huge difference.”
Featured Image – John Carey (Supplied)
News
‘Groundbreaking’ new police team launches on Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world
Emily Sergeant
A ‘groundbreaking’ new policing model aimed at making the Bee Network one of the safest public transport networks in the world has launched.
Described as being ‘pioneering’, the first-of-its-kind approach – named the Transport Policing and Crime Command (TPACC) – will bring Greater Manchester Police (GMP), Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) even closer together to tackle crime, antisocial behaviour, and safety issues across the region’s transport network.
So, how will it work then? Well, according to TfGM, the command will ‘effectively establish’ the Bee Network as GMP’s eleventh policing district.
It will bring together up to 300 personnel, including new police officers, who are all involved in keeping the network safe and providing greater reassurance to passengers travelling across the region.
Efforts to keep passengers safe on buses, trams, active travel routes, and roads across Greater Manchester will be ‘strengthened’ through the new team – improving co-ordination in response to incidents, and helping to reassure communities.
A ‘groundbreaking’ new police team has launched on the Bee Network to make it one of the safest in the world / Credit: TfGM
The new team will also incorporate the existing Roads Policing Unit within GMP that includes specialist functions such as the Central Ticket Office, the Tactical Vehicle Intercept Unit, the motorbike unit, the Commercial Vehicle Unit, the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, and more.
Overall, the key focus of TPACC is to:
Increase public confidence on safety across the transport network
Reduce violence, antisocial behaviour and criminality across the transport network
Increase the number of users of the Bee Network across Greater Manchester
The launch of TPACC is said to represents ‘the next phase’ of Greater Manchester’s commitment to creating a ‘safer, more secure, and more welcoming’ transport network for everyone who lives, works, and travels across the region.
“I want a world-class Bee Network where everyone feels safe,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.
“Our new dedicated transport policing command will bring together more than 300 police and safety officers, with high-profile patrols across our roads and the Bee Network. It means a stronger presence in our communities and faster action when people need help.
“TPACC will also crack down on dangerous driving to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on our roads, which have devastating consequences for families and communities.”
Georgina Pellant -
13th December 2021 
