Food and Drink in the North

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

It’s summertime in the North, and that means multiple new restaurants and bars, plus rebooted menus at some of our old favourites. This month, we have everything from sharp cocktail bars in Liverpool to Manchester’s best small plates restaurant, plus a Desi banquet in South Manchester and a huge new social hub in Stockport, with everything in between.

Grab a table outside in the sun and tap open that calendar app. It’s time for this month’s food and drink guide to Manchester and the North.

 

Our top picks

Erst

Erst, 9 Murray St, Manchester, M4 5BN - Visit now

These guys are operating on a different level. There’s Erst, then there’s everywhere else.

Australasia

Australasia, The Avenue, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3AP - Visit now

It’s an all-new Australasia for Manchester, thanks to a recent fit-out that transforms this subterranean venue into something brighter, breezier and more suited to the Pacific Rim theme.

Roots Restaurant & Bar

Roots Restaurant & Bar, 518 Hyde Rd, Gorton, Manchester, M18 7AA - Visit now

The true-to-the-source West African recipes at Roots mean bold flavours and dishes that expand your tastebuds in all the best ways.

Tartuffe at Side Street Kitchen

Tartuffe at Side Street Kitchen, 21-23 Quay Street , Manchester , M3 4AE - Visit now

Sunday lunch at Tartuffe is special. It combines the comfort and heft of your childhood roast dinners with the skill and swagger of a pre-Knorr Marco Pierre White.

MIF25: Festival Square

Festival Square at Aviva Studios, Manchester, 3–20 July 2025, Free entry - Find Out More

MIF25: Festival Square is back for Manchester International Festival 2025, taking over the outside space at Aviva Studios. As you’ve come to expect from the peerless MIF crew, it’s all about live music, culture and the time-honoured urge to party.

Underbank

Underbank, 27 Great Underbank, Stockport, SK1 1LN - Visit now

Underbank has DJs, disco balls, photobooths and plenty of space to dance. It’s nailed the right kind of energy and has plenty more to promise once that rooftop opens.

The interior of Underbank beer hall in Stockport.
Daisy Miles.

My Nawaab

My Nawaab, 1008 Stockport Rd, Levenshulme, Manchester, M19 3WN - Visit now

My Nawaab has been a part of Levenshulme lore for many, many years. The name might have changed a few times, but the spirit remains the same: a wildly successful South Asian banquet hall.

Sister Ray

Sister Ray, Unit 2, Block D, Wolstenholme Square, Liverpool, L1 4JJ - Visit now

Sister Ray is exactly what an independent bar should be. Unorthodox and original, without feeling the need to shout about it. All very commendable, all very Liverpool.

The exterior of Sister Ray restaurant.
Daisy Miles.

The Municipal Hotel MGallery

The Municipal Hotel MGallery, Municipal Building, Dale St , Liverpool , L2 2DH - Visit now

In celebration of World Cocktail Month, MGallery Hotel Collection is partnering with French lifestyle brand, Maison Sarah Lavoine to launch a limited-edition collection of stunning cocktail glassware, featuring three unique designs that combine bold colours with elegant patterns, combining the art of character, curiosity and creativity.

The three cocktails will be served in the glassware in The Municipal Hotel & Spa in Liverpool, the only MGallery hotel in the UK, from 13 May until 31 August.

Festa Italiana at Cathedral Gardens

Festa Italiana at Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, 22–24 August 2025, Free entry - Find Out More

Manchester’s most joyous summer celebration is back. From Friday 22 to Sunday 24 August 2025, Festa Italiana returns to Cathedral Gardens for its eighth edition.

Freight Island

Freight Island, Mayfield Depot, 11 Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PY - Visit now

Kantina Thursday is a new weekly supper club at Freight Island, launching on June 5, 2025, that spotlights bold UK culinary talents through rotating chef residencies. Each Thursday, a £25 prix fixe menu is served communally on The Platform, with a new collaboration announced monthly.

The debut residency runs for four weeks and pairs cult newcomers MOREJOY with Japanese-inspired HAKKAPO, offering a bold family-style menu of dishes like Dandan butter bread, BBQ Napa cabbage, sesame buckwheat mazemen, Laziji fried chicken, duck fat jasmine rice, and Hong Kong-style French toast. Wine pairings are available via Manchester Wine Festival.

Society Manchester

Society Manchester, 100 Barbirolli Square, Manchester, M2 3BD - Visit now

Society welcomes El Piloto, a family-run Mexican street food concept, as its newest independent trader starting 2 June 2025. Founded by Lukas Tilzey in 2022, El Piloto has grown from a part-time project in Congleton into a thriving business known for vibrant, homemade Mexican dishes. That means hand-pressed tacos, quesadillas, corn ribs, dirty fries, and new creations like loaded churros. El Piloto joins a solid lineup of global street food vendors including Slap and Pickle, Yoki Social, Noi Quattro, and Manzoku.

Society Manchester

More food and drink events

Walking Tour Stock imagery
Until
ActivityCity Centre
The Manchester Music Walkabout

Manchester’s famous musical legacy comes to life in this walking tour around the city, which will take you from the 1960s to the present day.

From £25.00
Africana and Caribbean Food Fest
FestivalsLeeds
African & Caribbean Food Fest 2025

Calling people of Leeds and beyond! The city’s favourite African and Caribbean Food Fest is back, and this year it’s turning up the heat with Harmony of Colours, a celebration…

Free entry
Craft Beer Tour Around Manchester
Until
ActivityManchester
Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse

From £45
Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Food and Drink in the North

HOME Manchester
Manchester
Theatre
HOME Manchester

Offering a packed schedule of events and things to do, HOME Manchester is one of the city’s leading hubs for arts and culture.

A table with a view of Liverpool at the fine dining restaurant Panoramic 34
Liverpool
Restaurant
Panoramic 34

Panoramic 34 boasts ceiling to floor windows with a breathtaking 360 degree aspect, but there’s plenty more to get giddy about than just the views.

Manchester
Bar or Pub
The Briton’s Protection

Standing on the corner of a junction opposite The Bridgewater Hall, The Briton’s Protection is Manchester’s oldest pub. It has occupied the same spot since 1795, going under the equally

Yard Bar at District
Baltic Triangle
Event venue
District Liverpool

District Liverpool is a multi-purpose venue in the Baltic Quarter, hosting gigs, club nights, films, cabaret, festivals and much more.

Hobo Kiosk Liverpool
Baltic Triangle
Bar or Pub
Hobo Kiosk

‘Good Beer and Fine Company’ is the motto at Hobo Kiosk and that’s exactly what you’ll get.

Culture Guides

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

Cloudwater Production One
Tours and Activities in the North

Go forth with wild abandon to dance the pavements, dabble with the paint and down the pints in this month's tours and activities guide.

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Harry Baker
Literature Events in the North

From environmental to experimental, our poetry and prose picks from around the North are focused on the unusual and the fun.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Helena Hauff
Music in the North

Shape-shifting bands, scorched-earth techno, and off-grid festivals. Our latest music picks catch the live scene at its most urgent, inventive and alive.