Food and Drink in Manchester and the North

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Last Updated 31 May 2022

It’s finally June and that means summer and that means we’re looking for light fresh food, not too heavy but packed with inspired ideas. And that’s what we’ve been picking out this month. Sit back, make notes, enjoy.

This month we have some superb options for you, including Lebanese food at Jandol in one of Manchester’s most intriguing satellite towns, Levenshulme, and an exceptional meal at Peru Perdu, a restaurant which is finally taking its well-deserved place as one of Manchester’s premier restaurants.

But there’s plenty more to choose from, including a whole lot of brand new openings, such as Canvas at Circle Square on Oxford Road, The Butcher in the Arndale’s new destination space, and a special collaboration between Maray and Bundobust that should hopefully lead to more exciting food-based mash-ups.

As ever, eat, drink and be very happy to be out enjoying some of the best food and drink in the whole of the UK.

Here are our picks

1. Peru Perdu

Peru Perdu

Peru Perdu, The Cotton Factory, 74 Princess St, Manchester, M1 6JD, Manchester, M1 6JD - Visit now

Peru Perdu is fast becoming one of Manchester’s standout destination venues. Since opening in late 2019, the team behind it has turned it into one of Manchester’s genuinely great restaurants.

Read more
2. Jandol Lebanese Restaurant

Ian Jones

Jandol Lebanese Restaurant, 861 Stockport Rd , Levenshulme, M19 3PW - Visit now

Jandol is a perfect example of the kind of neighbourhood restaurant that Levenshulme locals can feel proud of. The owners are a delight, the food is hearty, wholesome and pleasingly affordable and the whole experience is a joy from start to gut-busting finish. What’s not to love?

Read more
3. Nam Manchester

Nam

Nam Manchester, Unit 2, 33 Blossom St, Ancoats, Manchester, M4 6AJ - Visit now

NAM is widely known for being one of the jewels in the Ancoats crown, serving up some of the best Vietnamese food in Manchester from its great-looking space on Cutting Room Square. And just in time for summer, the NAM team has launched a new menu, full of great-looking dishes with a dash of inspiration.

Read more
4. The Smithfield Social

Anne-Marie Pattenden

The Smithfield Social, 53-55 Thomas St, Manchester , M4 1NA - Visit now

The Smithfield Social sits right in the heart of the Northern Quarter, not far from the site of the historic Smithfield Market. It replaced Teacup last year when it was taken over by none other than Liam Fray from The Courteeners.

Read more
5. Ducie Street Warehouse

Ducie Street Warehouse

Ducie Street Warehouse, Ground Floor, Warehouse, Ducie St,, Manchester, M1 2TP - Visit now

Manchester’s most stylish warehouse conversion, Ducie Street Warehouse, has just launched its new social dining menu to add to its already impressive list of reasons to visit, including but not limited to top-tier DJs, a great little cinema room, contemporary decor and even a gym.

Read more
6. Hatch

Bruntwood

Hatch, Oxford Road, Manchester, M1 7ED - Visit now

Hatch has steadily grown its collection of colourful containers since it first opened on Oxford Road back in 2017. We take a look at its newest traders, beginning upstairs in the brand new Beavertown bar.

Read more
7. The Butcher

The Butcher

The Butcher, Urban Playground, Manchester Arndale, Manchester, M4 3AD - Visit now

With sites in Amsterdam, Berlin and Ibiza, The Butcher serves up “the best bloody burgers” made from the highest quality Aberdeen Angus beef, fresh vegetables, and their signature Butcher sauce, all wrapped up in a homemade bun.

Read more
8. Bundobust Oxford Road

Bundobust

Bundobust Oxford Road, 61-95 Oxford Street, Manchester, M1 6EJ - Visit now

Bundobust is bringing Maray’s signature Middle Eastern-Indian flavour to the specials menu with a series of collab dishes.

Read more
9. Canvas Manchester

Canvas Manchester

Canvas Manchester, Circle Square, Oxford Rd, Manchester , M1 7FS - Visit now

Canvas Manchester is a new entertainment and wellness venue opening at Circle Square on Oxford Road. Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this exciting new space.

Read more

Activity Until 31 August 2022, from £40

Northern Quarter Taster Walk with Manchester Food Walks

We are lucky to be spoilt for choice when it comes to fresh, delicious and independent food choices in the centre of Manchester. Nowhere is this presence felt more than in the Northern Quarter. Join John Ryan on this taster walk as you eat your way through the back streets learning about the local history and culture as you go.

Activity Until 31 July 2022, from £95.00

Gin School with Manchester Gin

Learn about the different styles of gin and distil your very own bottle with Gin School at the Spirit of Manchester Distillery.

Activity Until 24 September 2022, from £12.00

Nomadic Beers: Brewery Tour

Join gaffa Katie for a tasty venture into Nomadic Beers vegan brewery where you’ll learn about the brewing process as well as sampling the final products.

Activity Until 6 September 2022, FREE

Simple Nutritional Cooking Sessions

Learn a series of healthy, cheap and heart warming dishes in this new series of cooking sessions based in Wakefield.

Activity Until 17 September 2022, from £40.00

Leeds Craft Cider Tour

Sample the best artisanal ciders, (and an intriguing Perry) Leeds has to offer in this new Craft Cider Tour.

Food and Drink 22–23 July 2022, from £49

Manchester Craft Beer Festival

Manchester Craft Beer Festival returns this July in Depot Mayfield, featuring world-class breweries, big-name DJ acts and a great line-up of restaurants.

Activity 10–11 September 2022, FREE

We Invented The Weekend

Expect everything from community feasts, vintage markets, water sports, live music and performance, right across MediaCity and Salford Quays this September. A new free festival for everyone.

Festivals 16–27 September 2022,

Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2022

.The much-loved Manchester Food and Drink Festival is back for 2022 with a host of exciting events this autumn.

Culture Guides

Cinema

Explore Hollywood history, queer rarities and squirm-inducing horror across the big screens of Manchester and the North this month.

Exhibitions

Let’s make the most of early summer, with this month’s selection of brand new art exhibitions from across the North!

Families

Festivals, shows, museums, and much, much more – there’s plenty of summer fun to be had for families in Manchester and the North, whatever the weather. Here are our top picks.

Literature

There’s plenty of sunshine-drenched reading to immerse yourself in from established names and emerging talent, poets and prose writers alike, both in real life as well as online.

Music

From rising stars playing basement sets to open air shows by your favourite bands’ favourite bands, there are some gems in this month’s music picks.

Theatre

Eclectic theatre festivals, silly slapstick and dreamy outdoor shows, there’s lots of brilliant performances happening inside and outside over the summer.

Classical Music in Manchester and the North

We preview the standout classical music events and venues in Manchester and the north.

Tours and Activities

Discover a new hobby, experience the most deliciously diverse area of Manchester’s city centre and explore the city’s infamous music scene in this month’s Tours and Activities guide.