2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Jenna Campbell)
It's been quite the 12 months for Greater Manchester's food and drink scene - with a variety of restaurants, bars, cafes and pubs opening across the region. We've had fine-dining spots like Skof attract the attention of the Michelin Inspectors, while the likes of Cibo have brought their luxury Italian dining to the city centre, and Gail's have made their mark across the North. There's also been new burger joints, a Popeyes drive-thru and plenty of new brunch spots to try out.
Next year will see a host of new concepts launching in the city but before we get to that, there's still plenty of being packed in before the year is up. READ MORE: First images of lavish new Greater Manchester steakhouse as opening date revealed The former Greens site in West Didsbury has been taken over by some hospitality veterans serving up some of the best tapas outside of Spain, meanwhile, the Northern Quarter is getting another secret bar, and we'll have some new places to grab lunch across the city centre - including pillowy soft hot sandwiches and rotisserie chicken baps. Porta, Didsbury Porta Tapas opens its Didsbury site inside the former Greens restaurant this weekend (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News) This month, the brothers behind popular Porta Tapas bars will open their new site in the former Greens restaurant site in West Didsbury .
Vegetarian restaurant Greens had been a mainstay of Didsbury life for over 30 years, before celebrity chef Simon Rimmer announced its shock closure in January . Brothers Ben and Joe Wright opened the first Porta in Chester in 2012, before launching in Altrincham in 2016 and Chapel Street, Salford in 2018. As at the other locations, the menu will be a tour of Spanish tapas classics - all home made - alongside a host of daily specials.
41-43 Lapwing Ln, West Didsbury, Manchester M20 2NT Ego Death, Manchester Ego Death, a secret bar in Manchester's Northern Quarter (Image: Kenny Brown | Manchester Evening News) Earlier this month, The team behind one of Manchester’s lost famed bars announced plans to open a new ‘hidden’ venue tucked beneath a burger joint in the city centre. Specialising in Champagne, cocktails and bourbon, Ego Death will be based in the basement of the newly-opened Super Awesome Deluxe, on Thomas Street in the Northern Quarter . Co-founded by Cressida Lawlor, who has previously worked at the likes of London Cocktail Club and Sexy Fish, the bar is nestled behind a secret fridge door within the fast food spot.
Drinks will include ‘elegant’ classic cocktails, like The Samantha - a form of Champagne Cosmo named after Sex and the City’s Samantha Jones - and a fresh take on an Espresso Martini. 12 Thomas St, Manchester M4 1DH Salon Madre, Manchester First look at the new Salon Madre tequila bar and pool hall (Image: Salon Madre) Mexican restaurant and tequila bar Madre, located within the Kampus neighbourhood, opened last year and received high praise following its debut. Now, it's revealed plans to open a new sister site focusing on tequila and pool.
Called Salon Madre, it will open right next door to the famed restaurant and will boast a range of frozen and flavoured Margaritas and Palomas, alongside draft wines, local beers and Mexican specialities. Taking over the former Seven Brothers pop-up site, the Mexican bar will also serve up rotating taco’s of the day available, alongside al pastor tacos, as well as Gringas, loaded nachos and, of course, Madre’s now-famous burritos. Housing four pool tables, the venue will also screen regular Lucha Libre Mexican wrestling matches, alongside a schedule of live American sports.
The venue is set to open on December 6. Salon Madre will open on December 6 - located at Minshull Warehouse, 47 Chorlton St., Manchester, M1 3FY.
Follow on Instagram here . Ambers, Manchester The elusive club will operate on a strict no-photos policy (Image: Amber's) December also sees the arrival of Ambers, a new, 1,000 capacity nightclub in the city centre with affordable tickets and strict phones policy in place. Brought to life by a team of curators spanning across the music industry, including former music editors and resident DJs, Amber’s will open on Oxford Road on December 5.
The venue will operate as a fully functioning live space as well as an electronic club, with tickets to Saturday night events set to cost just £5 and will feature unannounced headliners each week. As well as being a 'no-photos' venue, there will also be an in-house welfare team on hand to ensure the wellbeing of clubbers. Ambers opens on December 5 in the former Canvas site on Oxford Road.
Half Dozen Other, Manchester Half Dozen Other will open its second bakery in Manchester this December (Image: Manchester Evening News) Also coming to the Circle Square neighbourhood on Oxford Road this December will be Half Dozen Other, the bakery arm of Pot Kettle Black. The new spot will serve up coffee, pastry and bread seven days a week from 7am with late openings on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Inside, it will house a pastry room, kitchen and café.
Products will arrive every morning freshly baked from the flagship Red Bank site before being hand finished in the pastry room visible via a window which customers can catch a glimpse of whilst waiting for their coffees and bakes. The new site will also offer an extended menu of sandwiches and hot savoury items, all created by head baker Mark Wegner, the man responsible for Half Dozen Other’s showstopping monthly menus. To mark the new opening, Half Dozen Other have also teamed up with Ozone coffee to offer £1 coffees every day throughout December.
Half Dozen Other, Circle Square, Manchester. Foldies, Manchester Foldies, a new sandwich spot, will open in Manchester next week (Image: Supplied) The people behind Brewski and American Pies are set to launch the 'world's greatest sandwich shop' this December in their former site on Spring Gardens. Located 100 meters from St Peter's Square, just opposite Manchester Art Gallery, owners Foldies will be open from 7:30am - 6pm Monday - Friday and 8:30am to 6pm Saturday and Sunday.
Customers can expect pillowy, hot dough stuffed with fillings such as nduja honey duck, chorizo and ranch, middle eastern lamb meatballs, slow cooked pork shoulder and more. Trading Route, Manchester The people behind three popular Manchester venues are joining forces to open a brand new food and drink concept for the city. (Image: The Trading Route) Originally due to open in November, this new spot will certainly be worth the wait when it opens its doors in the next few weeks over at St John's near Spinningfields.
The team at Trof are joining forces with Manchester Union Brewery and Monton’s Wandering Palate, to serve up a feast of hot chicken, cold beers and a selection of ‘upscale’ pantry items from the deli. Operating from dawn to dusk, the new bar will boast a purpose-built rotisserie offering freshly carved crisp whole and half chickens along with porchetta, complemented by an array of pickles and dips. The menu has been designed by the Trof team, and other menu items will include focaccia, fresh salads and homemade sweets.
The Trading Route will also serve as a lager house for the Manchester Union brewery. Their lagers will be served using a continental-style pouring technique and presented in bespoke Tübinger glasses. 1 Goods Yard St, Manchester M3 3BP Gail's, Sale GAIL's has garnered a loyal following for its fresh sandwiches, pastries and cakes (Image: Manchester Evening News) The London bakery continues its Northern expansion this winter with more stores set to open across Greater Manchester.
The bakery, which has gained a cult following for its fresh, handmade breads, pastries and cakes, will open in Sale on November 28 on the former Slater Heelis unit on School Road. It will be the second bakery for the chain in Trafford , following the opening of its Altrincham store in March last year on Shaw’s Road, next to Altrincham Market. As well as serving up its selection of baked goodies, there will be an eat-in area as well as a pantry and fridge selling jams, spreads, biscuits, cured meats, eggs and other fresh produce to takeaway.
16 School Rd, Sale M33 7XP.
