More images have been released giving a glimpse of how Fenix, a luxury new Mediterranean restaurant in Manchester, will look when it launches in November.
The new restaurant promises to deliver authentic and high-end contemporary Greek food from its site in Spinningfields, with a dazzling interior to match.
Fenix comes from the team behind Tattu, widely considered to be one of Manchester’s best restaurants, under their Permanently Unique hospitality group.
And anyone who signs up for the newsletter will get exclusive access to bookings – and get the chance to be the first to dine at Fenix for their 50% off food soft launch.
Their newest venture has been inspired by the fine-dining scene of Mykonos, and will focus on modern Greek-Mediterranean cuisine, breath-taking design, live sounds and cutting edge light technology designed to mimic the setting sun and rising moon across the Greek isles.
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The latest set of images released by the new Manchester restaurant give a new glimpse of how the site will look come day and night.
A huge central kitchen where contemporary Greek food will be live-fired in front of diners. Credit: SuppliedA huge tree and gold fauna will be the stars of Fenix’s beautiful restaurant interior. Credit: SuppliedFenix when the lighting transforms it to a moonlit Greek island. Credit: Supplied
Features inside include driftwood dining chairs, stunning stone floors, huge plumes of grasses, and carved stone walls.
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Much like Tattu with its legendary cherry blossom tree, Fenix will use nature as its show-stopper, from the dense canopy of gold fauna hanging overhead to the twisting olive tree reaching between floors.
A video shared on Fenix’s Instagram pagealso shows a wall of flames flickering above the bar space.
Fenix looks set to be one of Manchester’s most beautiful restaurants.
Bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to Manchester will be executive head chef Ippokratis Anagnostelis (who has worked across the best establishments in Mykonos and Athens) and head chef Zisis Giannouras.
Their vision for Fenix will see tables filled with dishes to share amongst friends and family, promising to take traditional dishes from the best Greek restaurants and reimagine them for modern diners.
Influences will of course come from the chefs’ beloved Greece, as well as South America and Asia.
Cutting-edge lighting will transform Fenix’s restaurant from sunset to moonlit night. Credit: Supplied
Dishes will include everything from fresh pita served with grilled aubergine, tomato confit and feta espuma, hummus and a smoked Taramasalata with fresh white fish roe cream, to hearty portions of spiced beef meatballs, grilled octopus with Aegean fava beans, shrimp ‘Saganaki’ and Wagyu beef dumplings.
Dishes will be flamed live in front of diners on a spectacular charcoal fired grill, located at the heart of the space.
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Also on offer are a wealth of pasta and rice dishes, a ‘Raw’ menu including Sea Bass ceviche and steak tartare, clay pot roasted leg of lamb folded in vine leaves, and Tiger prawns with yuzu sauce.
Fenix will bring a taste of Mykonos to Manchester. Credit: Supplied
To compliment Fenix’s food offering, the site will also be home to one of the city’s best bars, headed up by Will Meredith.
The ground floor will be transformed into a vibrant luxury drinking den, with live DJs and service running into the evening.
Will has drawn inspiration from his Greek heritage and the stories of ancient Greece to create a drinks menu that splits into four sections: Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.
Each of the 16 innovative cocktails will be served in custom glassware, and the bar team will even be carving every piece of ice into boulder-like shapes.
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Fenix will be offering 50% off food during its soft launch period for anyone who signs up for exclusive access to bookings at www.fenixrestaurants.com.
BOX sports bar on Deansgate is putting on the perfect night out for fans of horse racing
Danny Jones
With Cheltenham Festival 2024 coming up, both casual punters and die-hard horse racing fans are getting ready for the massive sporting weekend and Deansgate’s beloved sports bar, BOX, has come up with the perfect event to get in the mood for it.
Put simply, if you like the thrill of horse racing or the idea of race day vibes but aren’t so keen on the real thing, this might be perfect for you.
Simply dubbed ‘Race Night’, the new monthly series combines the virtual world and interactive games with one of the biggest sporting disciplines on the planet, as well as plenty of booze and food to go along with it. Oh yeah, and plenty of friendly competition, of course.
Revolving around a virtual horse racing simulator which everyone inside the bar can get involved with, BOX’s mini Manc version of Cheltenham has already got underway and you can be a part of it – plus it goes towards a good cause too.
Having now visited ourselves, we can confirm Race Night brings a proper party atmosphere and a healthy dose of wanting to rub your victory in your friends’ faces.
Don’t worry, they get plenty of those too, even if not the bragging rights all for themselves.
As you can see, it’s all quite simple: you place bets on the virtual horse racing events via your phone and watch the heats live on the many big screens located around BOX bar’s massive Manchester venue on the main Deansgate strip.
With a total of five races to try and win during the night, you’ll have plenty of chances to holler your head off and cheer on your winner. Whether you’re a pro, a ‘once-a-year flutter’ kind of person, or just joining your mates for a laugh, we can certainly voucher for the vibes.
Better yet, beyond the user-fuelled action on the telly, there’s plenty more entertainment to be enjoyed on the night, from BOX‘s regular DJs and live music to plenty of other interactive party games to give other guests a chance to win extra prizes.
A very fun and often silly party. (Credit: The Manc Group)
‘What’s the top prize?’, we hear you ask: how does a £200 bar tab sound?
Even from entry, your £5 entry fee scores you a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival and, as always, there’s plenty of delicious food and drink to tide you over throughout the night.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of how Race Night works:
Guests place their bets with fun money tokens through our virtual bookies on their phones.
You can bet on multiple horses per race but you are only paid out for the winner.
This payout goes directly into each of their betting accounts so will change throughout the event.
Odds are worked out via the software and vary by however many people bet on the same horse.
Races are pre-recorded – it all comes down to the luck of which horse you pick.
The winner is the person at the end who has the most fun money in their betting account.
The overall winner gets a £200 bar tab.
Table downstairs for our live band at 9pm.
Two rounds of the ‘Chair Jockey’ game: first to pop the balloon gets a round of shots for their table.
Put your inhibitions aside, folks – there’s booze to be won. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Set to happen every month, with the next event taking place from 7-9pm on Friday, 14 March – the week of this year’s Cheltenham Festival – you don’t want to miss out on the unique virtual and immersive sporting event.
You’ll also be glad to hear that all profits from the tickets, which are again just a fiver, will be donated to MNDA (Motor Neurone Disease Association), with a guaranteed minimum donation of £2.50.
Before you inevitably get off your seat to cheer on a digital horse and jockey, you can book yours HERE.
With just a few days left of the competition, it also happens to be one of the best places to watch the 2025 Six Nations.
Hit theatre production set at a house party to visit Manchester on UK tour
Daisy Jackson
Alright then, 24 hour party people, we’ve found a theatre production you might like the sound of – it’s called The House Party, and it’s set in (you guessed it) a house party.
This smash hit production by pioneering theatre company Headlong is set to land at HOME in March as part of the arts venue’s 2025 theatre season.
It tells the tale of a wild 18th birthday party, where Christine is trying to pick up the pieces of her best friend, a newly-dumped Julie (who happens to be the birthday girl).
Themes of class, power and privilege are all explored with a raw intensity as the cast on stage plough through shots and dive head-first into a night that will change everything they know.
The House Party, which has received glowing reviews from previous showings, is filled with ‘privilege, desire and destruction’.
When it stops off in Manchester, its cast will include Bridgerton’s Sesley Hope as Christine, Synnøve Karlsen (Miss Austen, Last Night in Soho) as Julie, and Tom Lewis (Gentleman Jack, Patience) as Jon.
The ensemble of Frantic Assembly performers includes Ines Aresti, Oliver Baines, Cal Connor, Micah Corbin-Powell, Rachael Leonce, Jaheem Pinder and Jamie Randall.
The House Party is written by Laura Lomas and is a reimagining of August Strindberg’s Miss Julie for today’s generation.
It’s directed by Headlong’s artistic director Holly Race Roughan, who directed the Royal Shakespeare Company’s world premiere of David Edgar’s major new political play The New Real.
The House Party. Credit: Ikin YumThe production will be at HOME. Credit: Supplied
Movement direction will come from Frantic Assembly’s Scott Graham.
Prior to the UK tour of The House Party, Headlong celebrated its 50 year anniversary, including the hit production of A Raisin in the Sun which played nationwide.
The House Party will be at HOME in Manchester between 25 and 29 March, 2025 – you can get your tickets HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
1st November 2023 
