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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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
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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.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 3 – 9 October 2022
Emily Sergeant
Everything is starting to look that little bit more autumnal across Greater Manchester.
Now that October is here, and the spooky season is creeping up on us, with another new month comes an events calendar that’s filled with lots of different things to be getting up to, so we’ve cherry-picked a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide.
As always, some of the events we’re going to mention are completely free, while others will set you back a few pounds, and many will need to be booked in advance.
Here’s our top picks.
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Scare City Experience
Camelot
Monday 3 October – onwards
Scare City Experience / Credit: Park N Party
Scare City Experience is back for 2022.
The hugely-popular outdoor immersive horror experience is taking on a new life just in time for Halloween, and this time round, it’s set to take over the derelict site of one of the North West’s most iconic theme parks.
Events company Park N Party has announced that its sell-out success Scare City is coming to Camelot with a new walkthrough scare attraction, and it’s already being described as a “blood-soaked ordeal”.
For those who’ve got the guts to enter this year, a trek through “nightmarish zones” awaits.
Manchester‘s first new park in the heart of the city centre for more than 100 years has officially opened to the public.
It’s been a long journey to get here, but Mayfield Park has become a reality.
Over the last 18 months, the vast and mostly-derelict former industrial site next to Piccadilly Station has been transformed into what project developers are calling a “stunning, accessible, and varied” green space for everyone who visits the city centre to enjoy.
Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail / Credit: Chester Zoo
Tarantulas, komodo dragons, and poisonous dart frogs are just some of the creatures you can meet on Chester Zoo‘s newest interactive trail next month.
With the spooky season right around the corner, Luna’s Lost Spell Halloween Trail is set to take over the UK’s biggest charity zoo for the whole of next month from Saturday 1 – Monday 31 October, and it looks set to be an ideal day out for families during the half term.
The trail is free with the price of admission, and aims to raise awareness of all the “creepy but crucial creatures” at the zoo that are venomous and poisonous.
Coronation Street Stars Tour / Credit: Coronation Street: The Tour
Coronation Street’s famous ‘Stars Tours’ have returned, and it means you can meet “mystery” cast members on the legendary cobbles.
Just as the name suggests, the Stars Tours not only include the standard 90-minute guided tour of the external Coronation Street set in MediaCityUK, but they also give you the opportunity to meet the a surprise cast member from the show.
While bosses of the official guided tours are keeping names of the mystery cast members who are set to make appearances close to their chest, they have assured fans that they’ll pop out to say hello, and pose for pictures, as well as letting you in on a few filming secrets or a story during the special events too.
Yard & Coop Student Free Fried Chicken / Credit: The Manc Group
Yard & Coop is giving away free fried chicken to help students this week.
From 12pm until close on Wednesday 5 October, students of Manchester and Salford can get their hands on some of the Northern Quarter restaurant’s famous buttermilk fried chicken thighs and fries at no cost at all.
You’ve got the option to pay a fiver to upgrade to a full portion if the hangovers are really getting the better of you.
GRIMMFEST is back for its 10th anniversary special in our city this weekend.
A truly-independent genre film festival, GRIMMFEST is committed and dedicated to sharing great movies from both new and established filmmakers in the world of cinema in the horror, cult, extreme fantasy, and sci-fi genres.
Some of the northern premieres film fans can expect this year include Better Watch Out, Replace, Game of Death, Killing Ground, Still/Born, 68 Kill, Ruin Me, Double Date, Freehold (2 Pigeons), Leatherface, and Attack of the Adult Babies.
For one night only on 7 October, the iconic Victoria Baths will be transformed into what is being described as the ultimate shopping experience.
From artisans, artists, and jewellers, to designers, bakers, and candlestick makers, The Night Market showcases the finest local small business talent with over 100 independent stalls, plus there’ll be street food to feast on, multiple bars to whet your whistle, alongside a Vintage Pool Party filled with the finest vintage treasures.
There’ll also be a DJ, some live music performances from Manchester based singer/songwriters, and so much more.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP is back at the Science and Industry Museum for the first time in three years, taking ticket-holders on a journey through five decades of gaming, with everything from retro arcade games, to state-of-the-art virtual reality, and so much more.
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Power UP is taking place every weekend and school holiday all the way through to December 2023, and every ticket includes unlimited play all day.
Headspace x Feel Good Club Free Therapy Sessions / Credit: Self Space
To help mark this year’s World Mental Health Awareness Week, mental health services provider Self Space is teaming up with Manchester’s very-own Feel Good Club to offer 30-minute therapy session slots at its cafe hub in the heart of the Northern Quarter for completely free of charge.
Free sessions will take place on Sunday 9 October.
All you have to do is register, walk in, and have a good conversation with a qualified person.
One of the standout experiences on the 2022 East Lancashire Railway (ELR) events lineup has to be the chance to go on a ‘wizarding adventure’ and ride a Harry Potter-themed train through Greater Manchester.
Aspiring witches and wizards can gather at the ELR for a day of sharing spells and magic-themed fun.
This interactive adventure will see visitors, both young and old, enjoy a range of performances from colourful characters and magical creatures – provided by performance company Funcast – all before boarding the ‘Wizard Express’ for a two-hour round trip journey through the Irwell Valley of wonders.
The new restaurants and bars opening in Manchester this month | October 2022
Georgina Pellant
Another month, another round of new openings – and there’s plenty to get stuck into.
Whether you’re into glitzy late-night hang outs, casual dining turnarounds or award-winning burritos, let’s just say there’s something on the list for you this October.
From the brand new Shogun Ramen and Bar, which sees beloved Chorlton restaurant Peck & Yard give it ‘one more shot’ with a ramen and sushi concept, to Mayfair celeb haunt Mnky Hse, keep reading to discover where to put on your list this month.
Shogun Ramen and Bar
Image: Shogun Ramen and Bar
Image: Shogun Ramen and Bar
Fans and staff alike were heartbroken when Chorlton restaurant Peck & Yard announced it was closing its doors for good in August, so we’re all happy to see the team return under a new guise.
Switching from baskets of fried chicken to steaming bowls of ramen and handrolled sushi, bosses will try something entirely new as they delve into the world of Japanese cuisine.
The concept is something they had originally considered before opening Peck & Yard, and they said that “with the times we’re in” they thought “why not go back to the original idea and give this one last shot”.
Soft launch 1 October from 5pm, open from 6 October.
Mnky Hse
Image: Mnky Hse
Image: Mnky Hse
Late-night bar and restaurant Mnky Hse (pronounced “monkey house”) is set to be taking over a space in Lloyd House this month.
First opened in Mayfair, London, in 2016, it will be the second UK site for the restaurant and its first in the north of England when it opens its doors this September.
Known for its ‘hidden entrance’, Instagram-friendly interiors, live music, extensive cocktail menu and Latin American dishes, here you’ll find a great range of tacos – both soft and crunchy – alongside a range of sushi, ceviche and grill dishes.
14 October
Tortilla, Oxford Road
Image: Tortilla
Image: Tortilla
Mexican food chain Tortilla has arrived in Manchester, bringing a new burrito shop to the Oxford Road student stretch this month.
Offering a range of award-winning burritos, nachos and tacos, you’ll also find quesadillas, chips and salsa, salad bowls and more on the menu.
The most hyped brunch restaurant in the city is opening a third site at the Circle Square development on Oxford Road at the end of this month.
With a later license allowing it to stay open longer and serve cocktails, beers and natural wines into the night, Federal Cafe & Bar will look to host occassional events at its new home
Plans for the new site include a new cafe set up, the addition of a corner shop, as well as a late alcohol license.
A new arrival in Longridge, Fell Bistro comes from former Masterchef the Professional finalist Oli Martin who previously spent eight years at four AA rosette restaurant Hipping Hall.
With head chef Rikki Hughes, previousl of Tom Kerridge’s Michelin pub The Hand and Flowers in Marlow, heading up the kitchen we expect great things.
The menu offers a selection of classic dishes with their wood fired oven and grill featuring prominently. Elsewhere, find hearty Sunday lunches and light bites.
Open now
Bread and Bowl, Spinningfields
There are carb overloads, and then there is Bread & Bowls‘ Full English breakfast in a hollowed-out loaf.
First launched in February 2020, these ginormous loaves of sourdough – stuffed with fry-up favourites like high-grade local sausages, crispy streaky bacon, beans, cheese, mushrooms, grilled tomatoes and hash browns – became something of a hungover lockdown sensation.
Now, you can find them at the new Spinningfields coffee shop 92 Degrees, housed inside the no.1 Spinningfields building Served between 8am and 4pm every day.
Open now
Bold Street Coffee, Oxford Road
Liverpool-born Bold Street Coffee has just opened its second shop here in the space of a few months.
Moving into the universities territory, the new site is found at University Green just off Oxford Road.
Serving the same menu as its Cross Street site, head down for egg boxes, signature BSC frys, and hearty bowls of super porridge and granola.
Open now
Feature image – Federal / Tortilla / The Manc Eats
Georgina Pellant -
12th September 2022 
