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Popular Manchester Italian restaurant launches great-value express menu and mouth-watering new dishes

Get yourself to Italiana Fifty Five

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 5th April 2024

One of Manchester’s best Italian restaurants is ready to launch a brand new menu – with a top-value express deal too. 

Italiana Fifty-Five, formerly known as the foodie favourite Cibo, is expanding its offering with even more authentic pastas, pizzas, salads and seafood dishes. 

The restaurant has sites across Greater Manchester, including in the Great Northern, on Liverpool Road, and in Didsbury, all serving up authentic Italian food. 

And now the family-friendly eatery is ready for a new season, with a whole host of new dishes to sink your teeth in to. 

Italiana Fifty-Five’s new menu features a brand new Rigatoni Italiana, a spicy and rich pasta dish that’s baked so that it becomes a bubbling bowl of molten cheese and creamy tomato sauce. 

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Meatballs at Italiana Fifty-Five. Credit: The Manc Group
Meatballs at Italiana Fifty-Five. Credit: The Manc Group
Burrata bruschetta and tiger prawns from Italiana Fifty-Five
Burrata bruschetta and tiger prawns from Italiana Fifty-Five. Credit: The Manc Group
Risotto Zafferano with king prawns
Risotto Zafferano with king prawns

They also have a new Risotto Zafferano, a risotto cooked in saffron and pecorino cheese so that it arrives glowing a healthy yellow, with the option to add king prawns on top. 

For starters, there are new dishes like a mozzarella, avocado and tomato salad, meatballs swimming in a hearty tomato sauce, and a seafood stew with gigantic prawns and mussels. 

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You can also order huge tiger prawns cooked in garlic and chilli, their tender meat served still in their shells, or a roasted tomato bruschetta topped with fresh burrata. 

All these new menu items (and more) are available at Italiana Fifty-Five now, along with a brand new Italian Express set menu. 

Dishes on Italiana Fifty Five’s express menu. Credit: The Manc Group
Salami pizza at Italiana Fifty Five
Salami pizza at Italiana Fifty Five
Dishes on Italiana Fifty Five's express menu. Credit: The Manc Group
Dishes on Italiana Fifty Five’s express menu. Credit: The Manc Group

If you dine from the Express menu, you can get a delicious Italian dish served with a tea, coffee or soft drink, for only £14.75. 

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Choose from a creamy mushroom risotto funghi, the aforementioned Rigatoni Italiana, a classic chicken Caesar salad, pan-fried seabass with parsley, lemon and spinach, or a fiery Diavola pizza covered in spicy salami and red onion. 

To find out more about Italiana Fifty-Five and to book your table, click here. 

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Manchester’s iconic Bridgewater Hall to host FIVE Christmas events this year

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Bridgewater Hall has five Christmas events on this year

The Bridgewater Hall, one of Manchester’s finest music venues and concert halls, has announced a busy programme of Christmas events this year. 

The beloved landmark has a schedule that includes something for all ages, from family-friendly shows and carol singing to epic orchestral evenings. 

Over the course of the festive season, the Bridgewater Hall will host the music of the world’s greatest composers, travel back in time with nostalgic swing nights, and welcome in fans of all ages to get into the festive spirit. 

This year’s schedule includes appearances from Sir Karl Jenkins, Horrible Histories, The Glenn Miller Orchestra, and loads more. 

Have a read below for the five big Christmas events at Bridgewater Hall this year. 

Christmas with Sir Karl Jenkins

Christmas with Sir Karl Jenkins
Christmas with Sir Karl Jenkins

The Bridgewater Hall will welcome a musical icon this Christmas, with a very special evening with Sir Karl Jenkins. 

He’ll be conducting a spell-binding night of carols and festive classics, brought to life by the Manchester Concert Orchestra and presented by John Suchet. 

Expect choirs, a full orchestra and a timeless evening of live music to get you into the Christmas spirit. 

There’ll be music from Sir Karl’s hit festive albums Joy To The World and Stella Natalis, including Silent Night, Dulci Jubilo, Healing Light and plenty more. 

22 December at 3pm  | Tickets HERE

Christmas Carol Singalong

Christmas Carol Singalong
Christmas Carol Singalong

Can you think of a more magical way to ring in Christmas than with traditional carol singing on Christmas Eve? Because we can’t. 

The ultimate night of carolling will hit the Bridgewater Hall this winter, led by the inimitable Jonathan Cohen and featuring West End star Louise Dearman.

Belt your heart out to the likes of The Twelve Days of Chrismtas, Winter Wonderland, Frosty The Snowman, and plenty more beloved carols. 

24 December at 3pm | Tickets HERE

The Music of Zimmer vs Williams

The Music of Zimmer vs Williams returns to Bridgewater Hall this Christmas
The Music of Zimmer vs Williams returns to Bridgewater Hall this Christmas

Composers don’t get much more iconic than Hans Zimmer and John Williams, who between them have crafted the most legendary movie music soundtracks of all time. 

The 70-piece Manchester Concert Orchestra will be performing a selection of these in an almighty concert, where you’ll hear live renditions of soundtracks including Star Wars, Interstellar, Harry Potter, The Holiday, Pirates of the Caribbean, E.T., and loads more. 

This night will be an epic head-to-head battle between two of the film industry’s composing greats. 

27 December at 7.30pm | Tickets HERE

Horrible (Histories) Christmas

Horrible Histories
Horrible Histories

The legendary Horrible Histories team will bring Horrible Christmas to the Bridgewater Hall in December, taking audiences on a festive romp through British history. 

From Victorian villains to medieval monks, partying Puritans to terrible Tudors, and even a visit from St Nicholas himself.

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The show will follow a Christmas that’s under threat from a jolly man in red (clue – it’s Santa), and one brave child’s mission to save the day.  

It’ll be a night packed with family-friendly laughs, villains, and seasonal cheer.

28 December at 2pm and 4.30pm | Tickets HERE

The Glen Miller Orchestra

The Glen Miller Orchestra
The Glen Miller Orchestra

Wrapping up the seasonal programme at the Bridgewater Hall is The Glen Miller Orchestra, stepping back in time to relive the music that defined an era. 

The UK’s most celebrated big band will perform war-time chart-toppers from the 1940s, harking Manchester back to the golden age of swing. 

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Special guest Ray McVay will join the orchestra on stage, adding to the concert’s vintage charm. 

And for the second half of the show, the band will don the iconic US Army Air Force uniforms of the Second World War for a truly immersive experience. 

29 December at 3pm | Tickets HERE

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Featured image: Supplied

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There’s just one month to go until a blockbuster Manchester derby in the WSL at the Etihad Stadium

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Women's Derby WSL Etihad Stadium tickets

We’re just one month out until one of the best games on the football calendar: the Manchester derby in a Barclays Women’s Super League campaign that is shaping up to be one of the most tightly contested in some time.

Manchester City and Man United are both duking it out at the top of the table already, the high-flying East Manchester club and last season’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup finalists, each of the local teams has plenty of reason to go into the game confident.

With Man City boasting not just the home advantage but the bonus of playing in front of a crowd at the Etihad Stadium, many are already expecting a blue moon to rise once again.

This season may have only just begun, but Man City Women have already shown plenty of promise and signs of early form. Barring an opening day blip against the champions, Andrée Jeglertz’s side have looked pretty prolific; Man United are right up there with them, meaning we’re bound for a good clash.

Netting well over a dozen goals – the most of any team in the league – the Cityzens will understandably feel on the offensive when they host the visitors on Saturday, 15 November.

Man United are right up there with them, though, meaning we’ve got a derby day that shouldn’t disappoint. Let’s be honest, it rarely does.

Don’t you just love it when two rivals go into a clash in strong spirits?

There’s also an added element of feistiness bubbling under the surface, as this is also the first meeting between the two clubs since Grace Clinton swapped the red half of Manchester for a sky blue shirt, with Jess Park going the other way.

You can expect the pair to get a rousing reception when they rock up/return to the Etihad in just a few weeks’ time.

The 22-year-old scored on her debut in City’s 5-1 win over Spurs.

All eyes will be on this WSL fixture, especially with members of the back-to-back Euros-winning Lionesses squad taking to the pitch on both sides.

Clinton, Park; Lauren Hemp, Ella Toone, as well as more international stars such as Viv Miedema and Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw – there’s going to be so much talent on show.

Speaking to The Manc ahead of the match, first-team star and City vice-captain, Kerstin Casparij, gave us their thoughts on the historic and always hard-fought rivalry…

What does the Manchester derby mean to you?

The derby means more to me every year. It’s not just 3 important points, but also pride and bragging/banter rights. This year, I’d say it’s also about redemption for me, considering our home loss last season. 

Are there any standout memories of derby day that come to mind?

I think the away win at Old Trafford two years ago is a nice memory. Being booed for the full 90 minutes and coming away with a win feels extra satisfying.

It really is set up to be an unmissable meeting between the two heavyweights of the female football world, with a 1:30pm kick-off leaving plenty of time for added fanfare before and after either whistle.

Promising plenty of activities in and around the stadium, as well as the dedicated Man City Kids Fan Zone, a completely free event that runs for four hours before kick off on the indoor pitch of the City Football Academy, the ‘Blue Carpet’ experience, where you can see players arrive 90 minutes before the game and plenty more, there’s so much going on.

As well as fun games at half-time, live entertainment, not to mention a wide range of food and drink around the concourse, it’s going to be a great day out.

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Best of all, tickets are super affordable: general admission for adults starts from only £15 and £5 for under 16s. If you grab two adult passes and one U16 ticket, you can get any additional U16 tickets for just £1 each.

If you want to enjoy Hospitality at the Etihad Stadium, packages start from as little as £35. From the Sports Bar experience and the Tunnel Club, where you can see players getting read on the way to the dugout and pitch, or even a bottomless brunch before the game with your friends.

Whatever offer best suits you, fans can grab tickets right HERE.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — The Manc Group/Manchester City

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