With the cost of living only ever seeming to rise, it’s becoming increasingly hard to enjoy dining out as much as we might like. Unfortunately, energy bills (and the rest) are having to come first.
However, what many don’t know is that a number of Manchester’s top restaurants offer fixed-price menus at certain times – meaning that you can dine for a fraction of the usual price, just by booking in at a certain time.
Although these menus have been designed for a pre-theatre crowd, there’s no stipulation that you need to have a ticket to get the deal. As long as you dine within the allotted period, you can get the saving regardless of whether you’re going to see a show or not.
Of course, we don’t want to put you off going out out. There are some great theatre shows coming to Manchester this season, with The Palace welcoming the likes of Dreamgirls and The Lion King coming to town this autumn.
On the other side of town, meanwhile, The Opera House will host performances of Jersey Boys and Mrs Doubtfire as part of its winter, and in between, there will be innumerable small shows popping up at the likes of 53Two, Hope Mill and The Edge.
So whether you’re looking to grab a bite before a show, or simply enjoy your favourites restaurants for a fraction of the price, these are the set menus you want to be checking out. Thank us later.
Don Giovanni
Image: Don Giovanni
Image: Don Giovanni
Offer: 2 courses £22.99, 3 courses £27.95
When: 4-6pm every day
An Oxford Road staple, Italian restaurant Don Giovanni has been happily feeding theatre-goers since it opened its doors here in the eighties.
Ideally located between HOME, the Bridgewater Hall, The Palace Theatre and Opera House, tuck into house favourites like pizza, lasagne, gorgonzola gnocchi and tiramisu for a fraction of the usual price.
When: Available for reservations made Monday-Saturday until 6.30pm and all day Sunday.
Whilst a meal at steakhouse Hawksmoor can often set you back well over £100, the restaurant’s quick pre-theatre or late post-theatre menu offers theatre goers an express alternative for under £30. A no-brainer, in our book.
With main choices like 35-day aged rump or fillet tail (+5.50), seam bream and charcoal-roasted cauliflower, plus pudding favourites like strawberry cheesecake, sticky toffee sundae and peanut butter shortbread, we’re not sure how you could resist.
Pistachio crusted hake fillet, Panzanella salad, chili and red pepper relish. / Image: Kala
Bone marrow, shallot, garlic, parsley, sourdough toast. / Image: Kala
Offer: 2 courses £22, 3 courses £25
When: Dinner (before 7pm)
At Gary Usher’s King Street Bistro Kala you’re guaranteed to find a selection of well-presented, elegantly styled dishes that celebrate seasonal produce throughout the year.
Every dish on Kala’s set menu comes with a recommended pairing, be that fino sherry with your boquerones or a light and fruity glass of Beaujolais with your roasted betroot salad.
Think sticky belly of bacon with sour cream, dill and pickled green beans to start, followed by pan-roasted pork ribeye with caper butter, wild mushroom ketchup, chicory, with a stack of truffle and parmesan chips on the side and a sticky toffee sundae to finish. (Pesce and vegetarian options are available too).
Whilst the views from this sky-high Spinningfields restaurant are an undeniable draw, the food is equally deserving of praise. With ex-Mana chef Daniel Scott now at the helm, diners can expect to find a range of refined dishes influenced by his experience and travels.
Pre-theatre menu choices include roasted chicken supreme with truffled potato purée, chicken and thyme sauce, ras el hanout cauliflower steak with romseco, and pan-fried salad, with sides spanning four different potato styles, salads and buttered veg.
Offer: Three tapas and a glass of wine or beer for £15
When: Sunday to Friday, 12-6pm (excluding bank holidays)
Savvy theatre-goers can dig into tapas favourites like pinxtos, Spanish tortilla and goats cheese-stuffed piquillo peppers at La Bandera for just £15 as part of the long-standing restaurant’s express deal.
With a glass of wine or beer included in the price, if you want to go all out you can also opt for a dessert for just £4 extra. Terms and conditions apply.
One for the steak lovers. Yes, we know we’ve already put Hawksmoor on this list but Gaucho offers something a little bit different with exclusively wet aged steaks from the Las Pampas region of Argentina.
The restaurant also has its own winery, with a selection of beautiful bottles on offer designed to complement your chargrilled cut of choice.
Think watermelon panzanella, sea bream ceviche or beef carpaccio to start, followed by a spiral cut rump steak, sirloin or burger, with a citrus brulee to finish. Veggies and vegans are provided for too.
A place to go if you want to be seen (and spot a few celebs), The Ivy in Spinningfields is split into several parts including its ground-floor Brasserie. Here, diners can enjoy a set menu throughout the week with two courses starting at £27.95.
Think mains like steak, egg and chips, baked salmon fillet and chargrilled halloumi, with sides starting from an additional £3.95. As for pudding, choices include camembert with rye crackers, chocolate brownie and a tropical sorbet with lime, coconut and white chocolate sauce.
If you’re looking for a bang-up curry to go with your night out at the theatre, look no further than Zouk. This popular family-run eatery is a long-standing fixture in the city and for good reason.
From classic curries like jalfrezi, butter chicken and lamb laziz, to a Rajasthan-inspired fiery ‘railway’ dish, schwarma and Zouk burger, there’s something to please everyone no matter their spice comfort level.
When: Matinee and evening shows, menu only available when there is a show on at The Lowry.
With mains like chalk stream trout with lentils and pancetta, summer vegetable risotto, roast chicken and celeriac steak, Pier Eight at The Lowry is well worth a visit if you’re catching a show in this part of town.
Elsewhere, its refined summer set menu features the likes of lemon cake with tahini custard and dark chocolate tarte, alongside Belgian waffles topped with locally-made Grandpa Greene’s Ice cream.
When: Monday to Thursday 12pm-close, Friday 12-7pm
Dining from Cote Brasserie’s Prix Fixe menu you can enjoy three courses for under £20 ahead of your show, provided it doesn’t fall on a Bank Holiday.
To start, opt for mushrooms on toast or cripy whitebait before digginig into haddock or steak frites, aubergine and red pepper cassoulet or lamb Parmentier, then finish off with a burnt orange tart, chocolate mousse of plum clafoutis.
Kendal Calling 2025 festival guide – everything you need to know ahead of a milestone year
Danny Jones
The fields are beckoning us back once more as Kendal Calling returns for its 20th anniversary, and we’re to deliver all the important information to you yet again, from the stellar lineup, stage splits, site map and more.
It’s hard to believe the Lake District‘s leading live music event has been going for two whole decades now and, as cliché as it may sound, it really has gotten bigger and better each and every time.
Having been three years in a row ourselves, we can certainly vouch for the recent form.
In fact, their big birthday edition saw the beloved Northern favourite festival sell out – as it has done every 12 months since it began – in record time and now we can’t think of anything else other than singing our hearts out in Lowther Deer Park. Hence why we wrote this guide.
Kendal Calling guide 2025 – all the key info
Without further ado, here are all the important details you need to know ahead of Kendal Calling’s milestone anniversary festival. Let’s start with the bread and butter, shall we?
Kendal Calling 2025 lineup and stage splits
We announced the Kendal Calling’s 2025 lineup late last year, which is set to be headlined by Greater Manchester’s very own Courteeners and The Prodigy, with other big names packing out the main festival stage and beyond.
Other regional acts were looking forward to seeing include Leigh’s The Lottery Winners, Sheffield’s famous sons and daughters, Reverend and the Makers; Leeds legends, Kaiser Chiefs, as well as The Wombats and The K’s, just to name a few.
You can see the full stage splits via Clashfinder HERE.
A party 20 years in the making…🙌 RT + Like for your chance to win 4 x VIP upgrades, Emperors Field camping & a £100 bar tab!
Main Stage – Where all the action and big headliners are playing at the northernmost spot.
Parklands – The second largest stage, pretty much smack bang in the middle of the site; there’s also a brilliant Glow takeover by night.
Calling Out – Rounding out the trio of Kendal stages with even more big acts to the west.
Woodlands – Exactly what it sounds like: a cosy stage set within the Lost Eden forest.
Chai Wallahs – Another large tent towards the North East of the site, boasting a variety of genres.
The Soapbox – Just northwest of Parklands, it’s where most of the live comedy is taking place.
Tim Peaks Diner – Named after Salford icon Tim Burgess himself, this little hut is built for more pared-down sets.
Desert Island Disco – Where the electronic scene goes to shine and usher in the late-night fun.
Roots – Built to spotlight emerging talent from across the region, there are gems to be found here.
The Town Hall – The latest addition to the festival alongside the official Kendal Calling pub, which debuted last year.
Tim Peaks DinerThe Stagger Inn pubShit Indie Disco at Calling Out stageOnce you’ve made it into Kendal Calling 2025, feel free to consult this mini-guide/overview of the stages. (Credit: George Harrison/Jess Huxham/Supplied)
Kendal Calling 2025 map
Now, while Kendal Calling is just generally considered a Lake District festival, it’s technically located in the sloping valley that dips down into Lowther Deer Park.
The large, woodland-lined expanse is situated within the Cumbria town of Penrith; the park itself is roughly 3,000 acres but forms part of the much larger 75,000-acre Lowther Estate.
For context, the increasingly popular event now welcomes around 40,000 festival goers every year, with Kendal Calling having grown from a 900-capacity seed to a giant, forest-spanning attraction.
Not much has moved around since last time, so you can always check out our video tour from 2024, but you can find an up-to-date site map down below.
Here’s a quick guide on how to get into the Kendal Calling festival site and a map of stages, facilities, etc. (Credit: Supplied)
Travel info – how to get there, parking and more
If you’re wondering how to get to Kendal Calling, once again: the festival takes place at Lowther Deer Park in Hackthorpe near Penrith, Cumbria (no, it’s not quite Kendal)
For the sake of ease when it comes to popping the location into the SatNav, the postcode is CA10 2HT.
By car
Located roughly 25 minutes north of its namesake Kendal, you can drive up there via the M6 and south down the A6 from Penrith. You can easily download full directions on Google Maps.
Parking
The general car park is adjacent to the general campsites, but BE AWARE, the further away you park, the longer the walk up that hill – and it is a big one, we’re afraid.
Also, pre-warning, you must bring any alcohol purchased from outside the festival site up on the first trip up to your pitch. We found out the hard way…
Hoping to encourage people to carpool and ride share where possible, with Kendal remaining a dedicated and environmentally-conscious event (see their ‘Leave Nothing But Memories’ mission statement, for example), there is a charge for parking separate from festival admission.
Passes can be purchased online in advance for £24.50, or you can pay on the day for £40, but just like downloading/printing out your tickets prior to entry, we’d obviously advise you plan ahead and get them ready beforehand.
Emperors Field, Great Plains, Deer Lodge and Tangerine Fields all have their own respective car parks, which require specific parking passes as part of campsite upgrade packages. You can see all the options and secure your parking HERE.
The nearest train station to the festival site is Penrith (also known as Penrith North Lakes), which is just a 15-minute taxi journey from the site.
Alternatively, you can hop on the special shuttle bus service that runs from the station to the festival at various points over the weekend. Various services are available from Scotland, Birmingham, London, here in Manchester and across the North West – for example:
From Birmingham New Street to Penrith (2h31m) — trains every hour
From London Euston to Penrith (3 hours) — trains every 30 minutes
From Glasgow to Penrith (1h21m) — trains every hour
From Edinburgh to Penrith (1h30m) — trains every hour
From Lancaster to Penrith (34 mins) — regular service
From Manchester Piccadilly to Penrith (1h41m) – trains every 30 minutes, change at Preston
Shuttles will run to and from Penrith (North Lakes) Station to Kendal Calling from 10am-18:45pm on Thursday and 8:30am-19:15pm on Friday. They won’t resume again until early Monday, with the final service lasting from 8:30am-13:15pm.
The festival has a dedicated pick-up and drop-off point (PUDO) outside at Green Gate. Follow the road signage as you get closer to the site for directions to the PUDO, which is also where you’ll find the taxi rank alongside our coach drop-off spot – just a short 5-10 minute walk to the wristband exchange too.
By coach/mini-bus
Speaking of coaches, you can find ticket prices for official services from destinations like Manchester, Leeds, Sheffield, and many more places across the UK HERE.
Now, it’s not all airborne pints and tunage, though there is plenty of that; one of the things that makes Kendal one of our favourite festivals not only in the North but the entire country is the wide range of entertainment, activities and spaces it offers beyond just bands and artists.
As well as child-friendly facilities like laid-back Picturehouse social cinema, the annual parade, a dedicated ‘Kids Calling’ zone for said little ones, and the chilled-out Green Room outdoor area, there’s live alternative theatre, silent disco and tonnes more.
For instance, Mancunian comedy veterans Jason Manford and Justin Moorhouse will both be performing their own stand-up sets, which should provide a nice sense of home even while you’re away in the fields. And that really is just the tip of the iceberg.
We here at The Manc will be there in person as part of our Audio North team as somewhat of a boots-on-the-ground representation of our Kendal Calling 2025 guide, so feel free to say hello if you happen to spot the logo bouncing around.
Not if we’re in the middle of the pit or dancing though – that’s private time and you daren’t interrupt one of us mid-groove.
And if any of you are first-timers facing some newbie jitters or simply wondering how good a time you’re about to have this weekend, we think our most recent review sums it up pretty well.
Featured Images — Audio North/The Manc Group/Press shots (supplied)
The Guides
Oasis setlist for final two Manchester gigs at Heaton Park
Daisy Jackson
It’s been the music event of a lifetime – and if you still have yet to see Oasis Live 25 in Manchester, you might not know the official setlist.
Liam and Noel Gallagher announced the band were getting back together last year, 16 years since their shattering split.
Their reunion shows have created more buzz in Manchester than we’ve seen in years – possibly ever – for their five hometown shows in Heaton Park.
The tour has already visited Cardiff and still has London, Edinburgh, Dublin, and cities across Europe to go, before going across the globe.
The setlist for the first five shows hasn’t changed yet, so if you’re off to Heaton Park for Oasis Live ’25 this weekend, you should have a good guess what’s coming.
There are some notable songs missing from the Oasis setlist – She’s Electric, Songbird, and Stop Crying Your Heart Out have all been chopped.
But they couldn’t please everyone and we reckon it’s a setlist for the history books.
Georgina Pellant -
12th September 2022 
