There aren’t many places in Greater Manchester that sum up the city’s rapid growth quite like Deansgate and Castlefield.
The southern side of the city centre is simultaneously home to our oldest relics as well as our newest developments, with ancient Roman forts rubbing shoulders with our tallest, most luxurious buildings.
It’s faced rapid redevelopment over the years, leading to some incredible new cultural institutions, restaurants and bars, and residential developments.
From strolls along the cobbled canals to nights out with 20p chicken wings to high-brow theatre to phenomenal meals, there’s a lot going on here.
Here’s our guide to Deansgate and Castlefield, a vibrant corner of Manchester city centre.
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Food and drink
Federal Cafe Bar. Credit: The Manc GroupPlatzki on Deansgate. Credit: The Manc Group
The Wharf Pub – This purpose-built Castlefield pub offers an oasis in the heart of the city centre. A hop, skip and a jump from the bustle of Deansgate, head down for proper ales, a great gin selection and some of the finest roasts in the city.
Hawksmoor – Not just home to one of the best steakhouses in the city, Hawksmoor also boasts an amazing New York-inspired cocktail bar serving its own food menu alongside perfect martinis, gimlets, mudslides and more.
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Federal Cafe Bar – This antipodean coffee shop is known for serving some of the best brunch dishes in the city and regularly has a queue out of the door. It also has a no laptop rule, so be warned – this is not the place to turn up to do a spot of work. Dine and dash only.
Platzki – This brilliant Polish eatery serves an ever-changing menu of authentic dishes ranging from traditional breakfasts to handmade dumplings, pork neck and meatballs.
Siam Smiles – For seriously good Thai food, look no further than Siam Smiles. Having first begun life as a little cafe inside a Chinatown supermarket, it now sits up on Deansgate Mews serving popular dishes like stir-fried chicken Pad Ka Paow and KuiiTiwe Moo Nam Tok. Trust us, you can’t go wrong here.
City Road Inn – This charming turreted boozer sits at the end of Deansgate Locks and dates back to 1898. Whilst it looks big from the outside, in fact, there are just two rooms inside and the decor is rustic throughout, with bare wooden beams, and large murals on the walls.
Katsouri’s Deli – A lunchtime go-to for any office workers within a mile radius of Deansgate, Katsouri’s Deli can be relied on for delicious ciabatta sandwiches, a hot carvery, paella, breakfast and more. It also has a great sandwich bar and deli counter, just to make your decision even harder.
Katsouri’s Deli. Credit: The Manc GroupSiam Smiles. Credit: The Manc Group
El Rincon De Rafa – This backstreet tapas bar can be found just off the beaten path of Deansgate serving popular Spanish plates like boquerones, chorizo in red wine, patatas bravas, deep-fried olives and more. Tucked underground, it has a rustic charm all of its own.
Rosa’s Thai Cafe – This bright and airy Thai cafe is part of a chain that first began life in London’s bustling Spitalfields district. Opened in Manchester in 2020, dig into a host of flavourful dishes served on colourful plates in a welcoming, stylish space.
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Go Falafel – Another great lunchtime spot, Go Falafel basically just serves falafels – as the name suggests. Enjoy yours in a wrap with optional hummus, pickled cabbage, tahini, chilli oil and salad, or on top of a salad bowl. It makes its own juices too, also delicious in their own right.
Gaucho – Whilst Hawksmoor is the undisputed king of dry-aged steaks, if you prefer yours wet-aged then Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho is the place to be. So soft you can cut through it with a butter knife, it also has its own vineyards and offers some unparalleled wines.
Kitten at Deansgate Square. Credit: The Manc GroupKitten at Deansgate Square. Credit: The Manc Group
Deansgate Square – A new development of glass towers sitting on the edge of Deansgate and Castlefield, here you’ll find a collection of swanky spots to eat and drink, including sushi restaurant Kitten, Southern Italian eatery and deli Salvi’s and high-end cocktail bar Atomeca.
Jimmy’s Killer Prawns – Bringing trap kitchen-style dining to Castlefield, if you’re a fan of shellfish then you need to give Jimmy’s Killer Prawns a visit. Think a mountain of fifty grilled and marinated prawns, seafood platters of king crab, fish, calamari, rice and chips, and so much more. We’re obsessed.
Dimitri’s – A fixture in Manchester for over thirty years, this family-run Greek restaurant serves up all the classics: from mains like moussaka and stifado to grilled halloumi, vine leaves and minted lamb kebabs. If you like a bit of traditional Greek food, it’s definitely one for the list.
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Don Marco – A charming old-school Italian restaurant in the very best sense, Don Marco also boasts a gorgeous outdoor terrace that makes it a wonderful spot for al fresco dining.
Sapporo Tepanyaki – Offering diners a bit of theatre with their dinner, meals are cooked in the traditional tepanyaki style – over a hot grill in the centre of your table, with plenty of fire thrown in for good measure.
Hawksmoor. Credit: The Manc Group
The Oxnoble – A snug Castlefield pub just a stone’s throw from the Science and Industry Museum, it was first established in 1804 and pub derives its name from a Georgian variety of potato. A great place to watch the football, it also has bedrooms upstairs for those looking for a place to crash at the end of the night.
The Fish Hut – For lovers of fish and chips, The Fish Hut is definitely one to visit. Serving all the classics (think good fried fish, fish & chips and battered sausages) it’s pretty much always busy – a testament to its quality.
The Banyan Tree – This independent familyrun neighbourhood restaurant and bar offers an all-day menu and funky settings with booth seats and contemporary decor.
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Dukes 92 – Set in a former stable block, this grill restaurant and bar is a go-to in the summer for drinks thanks to its suntrap balcony and outdoor terrace.
Albert’s Shed – Housed on the site of a former tool shed, this modern bar and restaurant boasts a huge canopied glass terrace overlooking the water in Castlefield. It is a popular spot for drinks in the summer.
Evuna – This Spanish wine bar and tapas restaurant has a cosy feel with high tables, low lighting and exposed bricks, and is known for its speciality salt-baked sea bass.
Nightlife and hotels
Of course, when many people think of Deansgate their minds will conjur up one image in particular – that of Beetham Tower looming over the city.
The iconic skyscraper is home to the 23-story Hilton Manchester Hotel, with floor-to-ceiling windows, and a health centre with a pool and sauna.
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There’s also the newer Innside by Melia on First Street, and just a stone’s throw away is the legendary Midland Hotel, one of Manchester’s finest pieces of architecture and accommodation offerings.
When it comes to nightlife, there is of course the strip of canal-side bars along Deansgate Locks, where the likes of Lola Lo, Revolution and El Diablo serve up cheap drinks and party vibes until dawn.
For a more rough-and-ready night out, head to Bunny Jackson’s, a lively dive bar specialising in American whiskies, beers, and 20p chicken wings.
It’s got such a reputation that even global rising star Olivia Rodrigo popped down after her gig in Manchester and hopped up on stage to sing with the house band.
Newly-reopened is The Deansgate, an iconic pub (especially at this time of year when it’s draped in festive fairy lights) that many feared had shut for good during lockdown.
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But lo, it’s back open now, with bars and cosy snugs spreading across three floors, plus TWO rooftop terraces, and a programme of events to come.
The Deansgate. Credit: The Manc Group
Those who enjoy a bit of competitive gaming can’t go wrong with Junkyard Golf, where glowing neon graffiti illuminate mini golf courses that weave over scrap metal, emptied-out cars, and even slides carrying you between holes.
Another local gem in this part of town is Lock 91, a former lock-keeper’s cottage turned into a bar and event space, with a canal-side terrace.
And Atlas Bar just across the road has one of the largest gin collections in the city, a variety so large it has to list its gin menu online (we’re talking 500+ bottles).
With a suntrap outdoor terrace perfect for the warmer months, plus other drinks for those who don’t care for gin, this is a great boozer.
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Culture
National Trust gardeners – Castlefield Viaduct Planting – 10 June 2022
In the Deansgate Castlefield area, you’ll find some of the city’s top cultural and tourist attractions, from theatres to museums to historic sites.
There’s the newly-redeveloped Castlefield Viaduct, which the National Trust has taken from abandoned industrial landmark to urban sky park, much like New York City’s Skyline.
Just beneath that are the remains of the roman fort Mamucium, much of which was flattened to make way for development during the Industrial Revolution.
What’s left is now part of the Castlefield Urban Heritage Park, and visitors can see a section of the fort’s wall along with its gatehouse, granaries, and other ancillary buildings.
A view across Manchester to Castlefield Viaduct. Credit:James Dobson, National Trust Images
Just down the road from here you’ll find the Science and Industry Museum, one of Manchester’s best-loved cultural institutions where you can learn about our city’s industrial past as well as scientific breakthroughs and get a glimpse into the future of technology.
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The team behind Manchester International Festival recently opened the enormous, spaceship-like cultural giant that is Aviva Studios, which has already hosted some of the biggest names in music, the arts and culture.
HOME is one of Manchester’s newer cultural venues but already a globally-renowned one, thanks to its mixture of art gallery, theatre space, cinema and bar and restaurant.
On a smaller, more intimate scale is Castlefield Gallery, which regularly hosts community events and contemporary art exhibitions.
In summer, Castlefield is the place to be. The Castlefield Bowl area is turned into an outdoor gig venue that draws thousands every night to see some of the biggest music artists in the world.
Previous headliners have ranged from Foals to Kylie Minogue to Lewis Capaldi.
In the super-shiny skyscraper village that is Deansgate Square sits a surprising urban jungle, where vines crawl down the windows and palms tickle your face as you walk through.
This is Flourish’s biggest site yet (most of us will know their hole-in-the-wall florist on the side of the old Debenhams building) and it’s beautiful.
You can buy house plants, pots, flowers and everything else you need to turn your home into a lush paradise.
Deansgate Square is also hone to the most futuristic branch of the General Stores family, described as Manchester’s coolest cornershops.
Up on Deansgate, Futon is a gem for buying furniture at rock-bottom prices, and you can’t walk past the Great Northern without nipping in to buy some homemade chocolate from Dormouse or a pile of cake from Alex’s Bakery.
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Property
Yeah, this is an expensive corner of Greater Manchester, no two ways about it – that’s hardly surprising when you factor in all the good stuff going on here outlined above.
Properties in Castlefield had an overall average price of £246,819 over the last year.
The majority of sales in Castlefield during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £247,308. Terraced properties sold for an average of £195,000.
Overall, sold prices in Castlefield over the last year were 18% down on the previous year and 23% down on the 2021 peak of £321,868.
Three-bedroom apartments in the Deansgate Square towers rent for up to £8,330 a month for a penthouse as lavish as this.
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Rental prices drop down closer to £1000 when you look along City Road East’s smaller blocks, and the red-bricked Castle Quay development is one of Manchester’s most sought-after apartment blocks.
Transport
Deansgate and Castlefield are among the most well-connected locations in the entire region.
There are tram stops at both Deansgate-Castlefield itself (directly above Deansgate Locks) and at Cornbrook, which both connect the area to the rest of the region along the Metrolink network.
There’s also Deansgate train station here, with regular services to the airport, Liverpool, Blackpool and parts of Cheshire.
It’s right off the ring road too, so if you drive you’re never too far from the quickest route around town.
Featured image: The Manc Group
The Guides
A Manc’s guide to: Altrincham, officially one of the best places to live in the UK
Daisy Jackson
In 2020, Altrincham was named the best place to live in the entire UK – and it hasn’t exactly slowed down since then, so we’ve put together this handy guide to help you discover the town.
This leafy suburb way south of Manchester city centre, teetering on the border into Cheshire, is famed for a lot of things.
It’s the home of Altrincham Market, which paved the way for the town’s regeneration and inspired countless similar enterprises across the country.
There’s a lot of development currently underway in the Stamford Quarter too, which has welcomed some much-loved Manc indies into the fold in the last year.
We here at The Manc have already delivered you a pretty comprehensive guide to Prestwich, from its restaurant scene to its green spaces.
So for our next instalment of A Manc’s Guide to we’re heading south, to beautiful Altrincham, a town that’s putting itself on the map for all the right reasons.
Shopping
The covered market at Altrincham MarketTasty Records in AltrinchamIdahoA Manc’s guide to shopping in Altrincham
Altrincham town centre has always been centred around retail, but its shopping scene has really ramped up in recent years, as this guide proves.
There is, of course, Altrincham Market, where traders selling everything from fruit and veg to homewares prop up the stalls.
Bang opposite the market, you can’t miss Idaho, a lifestyle shop that practically sucks you in with its windows stuffed with vases, hanging plants, candles, cushions, socks, and all the other lovely lifestyle goods. It’s opened a second store at Stanley Square, too.
There are more plants and pottery, plus gifts and lifestyle bits, down the road at Green + Grounded.
A Manc’s Guide to Altrincham – So Marrakech
So Marrakech is a lovely spot for a coffee and a cake, but also has shelves stuffed with beautiful homewares, from cushions to crockery.
Music-lovers shouldn’t miss Tasty Records, where you’ll find all sorts of rare vinyls.
And when it comes to clothing, Madam Butterfly’s boutique sells all the summery, bright clothing that will make you finally pack your big coat away for the season.
There are a few bigger names that have moved in in the last year too, including affordable Scandi homeware store Sostrene Grene, and the first-ever LookFantastic concept store filled with cult and classic beauty brands.
Food and drink
Hive StoresPapa Dutch
Hive Stores – Part antiques store, part wine bar, part cafe, Hive Stores is a stunning little Parisian-style cafe that’s worth the short walk down from the town centre. Espresso martinis, cheese boards, fresh cakes and shelves of provisions are all on display here.
Papa Dutch – Specialising in Dutch favourites like mini pancakes and stroopwaffel, for a sweet treat in Altrincham you have to stop by Papa Dutch.
Yum Cha – This much-loved Hong Kong eatery has just recently opened its first restaurant in Altrincham, serving steaming baskets of dim sum (including their signature traffic light dumplings), gigantic bowls of noodles and rice dishes, and delicious Chinese roast meats.
Rudy’s – One of Greater Manchester’s fastest-growing hospitality enterprises, of course, didn’t wait too long before venturing out to Altrincham with its Neapolitan-style pizzas. Their spot just opposite Altrincham Market might be one of the best-looking Rudy’s in the country.
Unagi – Hand-rolled sushi, pan-Asian street food, and delicious Japanese cocktails are all on the menu at Unagi’s futuristic Altrincham restaurant, where bar-tops glow and there’s a huge vaulted ceiling.
UnagiRudy’s
Rigatoni’s – The original home of Sugo Pasta Kitchen in 2015, which rebranded to Rigatoni’s, this is where you’ll find their Puglian pasta dishes and jugs of wine, including their signature House Sugo pasta – beef shin, pork shoulder and n’duja ragu.
The Good Catch – For top-notch fish and chips, it’s got to be the award-winning, family-run chippy The Good Catch. Found opposite the famous Altrincham Football Club, you can get Hollands pies and salt and pepper squid alongside go-to Friday favourites.
Batch Bottle Store and Deli – As well as coming here to fill up your growlers and buy some natural wine to take home, you can also dine in (or out on the terrace) with mega sandwiches, Sunday roasts, and deli platters all on the menu here.
Altrincham Market House – An indoor food hall from the same team behind Mackie Mayor and Macclesfield Picturedrome, Altrincham’s Market House is home to traders like Little Window, Pico’s Tacos, Tender Cow, and Honest Crust. One of the first successful attempts of the multi-trader format to launch in Greater Manchester, it’s up there with the region’s best.
Blanchflower – Altrincham bakery and kitchen selling 3-day sourdough loaves, pastries, brunch dishes and bowls.
Tre Ciccio – Another Southern Italian kitchen specialising in Campagna staples like pizza Napoletana and roasted chicken with potatoes. A beautiful outdoor terrace allows for al fresco dining in the summer, with wood-burning fires keeping you cosy through the winter months.
Libero – A cute craft beer bar with a penchant for football and a striking mural by Manchester artist Caroline Dowsett, it’s not unusual to see punters donning vintage football shirts in here. Libero was only meant to be a two-week pop-up, but six years later it’s still going strong.
Toast – As the name suggests, the whole menu revolves around putting things on toast. You can have toast for breakfast and toast for lunch. That said, you’ll also find the likes of cakes and cheesecakes here – both minus toast.
Nightlife and hotels
The historic hamlet of Goose Green has become a bit of a destination in its own right, with a clutch of bars and restaurants to while away your evening in.
There’s cocktail bar the Gin Can (open until 1am at the weekends) and Traders Tiki Bar, which serves all sorts of tropical delights until the small hours.
If you need somewhere to stay overnight, there are the usual big chain budget hotels, but also some top-notch Airbnb options to get your own space.
There are a couple of rentals on the beautiful The Downs (like this Victorian house).
This huge property on Manchester Road has been turned into some very stylish apartments too.
Culture
Altrincham MarketWalking along the canals at Dunham Massey
Altrincham is far enough out of Manchester city centre that it feels very much like its own town, with its own identity and proper heart.
When it comes to culture, that encompasses everything from its luxurious boutique cinema, the Everyman (where you watch films with a cocktail, on a sofa), to its near proximity to the beauty of Dunham Massey.
There are events on at the National Trust property throughout the year, the most popular of which is arguably its magical Christmas lights display.
Altrincham has its own theatre, in the Garrick Playhouse, which has a bill of film screenings, family-friendly entertainment and up-and-coming theatre talent.
The Vegetarian Society has a cookery school here too, where you can get stuck in learn some new kitchen skills.
The most recent addition has been The Bowdon Rooms, which opened in 2021 with a line-up of talent that included Sir Lenny Henry, Shaun Ryder, and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Property
Houses in Altrincham are, on average, some of the priciest in Greater Manchester – but they have been dropping slightly in the last couple of years.
The average property price over the last year has been £541,726, the majority of which were semi-detached.
There are some seriously stunning homes dotted around though.
Transport
It might be right on the end of it, but Altrincham is handily connected to Manchester city centre on the Metrolink tram line.
It also has its own train station, with Northern Line services running to both Chester and Manchester Piccadilly.
There are loads of buses serving the area too, and you’re never far from the M56, which will whisk you away to Cheshire and beyond.
The best things to do in Greater Manchester this week | 20 – 26 January 2025
Emily Sergeant
Who’s ready for another fresh new week?
The snow has melted, we’re well into our first month of brand-new year, and not only does Greater Manchester‘s events calendar already seem very exciting over these next few weeks, but there’s also lots of things to look forward to in 2025 too.
Finding it a bit tricky to pick what to do though? We’ve chosen a few of the best bits for another edition of our ‘what’s on‘ guide to help you out.
Here’s some of our recommendations.
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David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away)
Aviva Studios
Monday 20 – Saturday 25 January 2025
David Hockney: Bigger & Closer (not smaller & further away) / Credit: The Manc Group
One of the most influential British artists of the 21st century, David Hockney, is taking you on a personal journey through 60 years of his art in the revolutionary Aviva Studios, and it’s now open for everyone to pay a visit.
This is a real sensory encompassing experience, from the grand and vibrant projections on the walls, to the sound system which will be playing throughout the exhibition.
Hockney opened this installation in London, and this is the first time these pieces of art have left the country’s capital to be viewed by even more spectators.
A groundbreaking new immersive exhibition exploring our relationship with the natural world is now open at Manchester Museum.
‘Wild’ look at how people are creating, rebuilding, and repairing connections with nature, and how the natural world has traditionally been presented and idealised through Western art, as well as looking at some unique approaches to environmental recovery too.
The exhibition will also crucially look at how we can tackle the climate and biodiversity crisis by making the world more wild.
There’s a Traitors-themed finale screening party happening down at Fairfield Social Club this Friday.
For fans of the hit BBC reality series, this party is set to feature sketches, prizes, and Traitors-inspired joy, all before you sit down to watch the final episode is see all the drama unfold on The Club’s huge screen.
Plus, guests can stick around for The Traitors: Uncloaked afterwards, where Ed Gamble and the gang react to the jaw-dropping conclusion.
LEGO Mini Master Model Builder Competitio / Credit: Supplied
Is your child a LEGO super fan? Do they reckon they could build impressive LEGO creations in their sleep?
Well, if they’re feeling brave enough and are ready to put their skills to the test, then you’ll want to take them down to LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Manchester this weekend, as from now until the start of February, the hunt is one for a talented youngster to be crowned the UK’s – and the world’s – newest ‘Mini Master Model Builder’.
GRUB – the street food market and social hub just outside the city centre – is known for hosting a jam-packed lineup of events all throughout the year, and the annual ExtraVEGANza is one of its best-loved each time it rolls around.
The popular venue will become a wall-to-wall vegan street food festival full of independent plant-based food traders this weekend.
A huge gaming event is happening in Manchester this weekend.
With more than 160 consoles and hundreds of games to play, Power UP at the Science and Industry takes 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.
Power UP is taking place each weekend only throughout this month, with each ticket including unlimited play all day.
Fancy making the most of all the January dining deals on offer over these next couple of weeks?
The time has come again for Manchester’s restaurants and bars to slash their prices in a bid to entice customers to keep eating and drinking out all throughout January, and that means hundreds of places are offering up half-price scran, added freebies, or two-for-one offers this month.
There’s loads of offers beyond Manchester city centre too, as suburban gems are getting in on the action in 2025.
So whether you’re looking for a date night for less, an affordable family dinner, or a cheap eat after work with your mates, we’ve got you covered.
Read our massive round-up of January dining deals here.
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Could a trip to the theatre could be on the cards this year?
Greater Manchester has firmly earned itself a spot as a place for world-renowned touring theatre productions to make a stop off at.
While the past couple of years amid and post-pandemic may have hit the theatre pretty hard, it’s a beloved industry that has now well and truly bounced-back – with the region’s three main theatres, Palace Theatre Manchester, Opera House Manchester, and The Lowry, all having welcomed some absolute show-stopping productions in 2024.
And 2025 is set to be absolutely no different.
Our region’s theatre events calendar is already jam-packed with award-winning musicals, family-friendly plays, inventive dance productions, and so much more in 2025, so we’ve rounded up 10 of the best shows to see and grab tickets for this year.
If there’s one thing Manchester is known for across the world, it’s music.
Our region is not only a historic musical hub in and of itself, having been the birthplace of so many legendary famous names, but it’s also a major UK stopping point on many global artists’ tour schedules too, thanks to the city’s various sizes of stage and venues.
This means there’s a jam-packed schedule of gigs happening all throughout 2025 – with something for everyone, no matter your taste in music.
From world-famous pop and rock stars, to genre-bending artists, and a few comeback tours too, most-notably by one of Manchester – and the world’s – most famous bands of all time (they’re called Oasis… not sure if you’ve ever heard of them?), 2025 has got it all.
Read our picks for 13 of the best gigs happening in Manchester this year here.
Daisy Jackson -
18th November 2022 
