Lunch in Manchester is a joy with our guide to the best places to enjoy your afternoon feed. Whether it’s a light bite, a blow-out meal or a generous hunk of local, artisan sourdough bread you’re after (accompanied by a respectable flat white); like coffee shops, good lunch places are one thing Manchester is not short on. Leaving no excuse for any sneaky Subways (not that we’re judging).
A ‘Time Out Food Hall’ style venue packed with an impressive array of local artisan food and drink businesses, in a stunning Grade II listed market building in the Northern Quarter.
Manchester’s legendary street food festival GRUB has set up camp just behind Piccadilly Station, where independent businesses and grassroots traders are serving up an incredible array of freshly prepared food and drink every weekend. (The Plant Powered Sundays are not to be missed!)
A great independent café in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter. Perfect if you’re looking for high-quality homemade produce.
Big news for those who think lunch is the most important meal of the day. The Refuge has relaunched The People’s Lunch – hearty bowls of soul food for just £7.50. You can choose from meat, fish or vegan options, each week, available Monday to Friday from 12 til 3 pm. Expect dishes such a homemade parpadelle, grilled brassicas, torched mackerel and sweet potato curry. Every week features a ramen dish, from ultra-traditional pork tonkotsu to a vegan mushroom-based ‘shoyu’.
A New Zealand and Australian style café with incredible coffee, brunch, drinks and lunch options (plus: nice interior design).
A tiny Japanese restaurant on the edge of China Town in Manchester; Yuzu is simple, refined and exquisite.
Alfresco dining without stepping outside. Overlooking the park and with floor-to-ceiling windows, the Whitworth gallery’s ‘Café in the Trees’ serves up some spectacular views alongside its deliciously seasonal, locally sourced menu. Run by award winning chef Peter Booth.
Not only a beautiful lifestyle store, Fig and Sparrow in the Northern Quarter also boasts a coffee bar, complete with a tantalising selection of loose leaf teas, seasonal food and homemade cakes.
Head to Northern Quarter stalwart Common Bar for cocktails, BOGOF burgers, smashed avo and popcorn cockles.
Formed by a passionate group of local food and drink vigilantes who believe in making things from scratch and by hand, this small Levenshulme café places a big emphasis on organic ingredients and locally sourced produce. And you can taste it.
Bubbling vats of soup are the order of the day here, with flavours erring towards the unusual, alongside old favourites. Stop in and perch on one of the long wooden benches, or take-away.
Not only a great place to pick up your hemp milk and agave syrup, but also a deliciously hearty, fairly priced vegetarian/vegan lunch in the laid-back downstairs café.
A bar, kitchen and music venue from the people who brought you Trof.
Based in a converted Methodist church, Gaucho is one of the best-looking restaurants in Manchester. If you fancy pushing the boat out for lunch, get your teeth into this steak-heavy menu.
Enjoy a gourmet lunch for whatever price you feel and help fight food waste. Overseen by acclaimed chef Mary-Ellen McTague, the Real Junk Food Project Manchester has finally found a permanent home, ideally located along Oxford Road. And business is booming.
Already based in Paris, Mexico City, Sydney and Vienna, CUPRA’s international expansion is driven by culture as much as cars, and Manchester’s creative energy has clearly caught their attention.
Cafe, bar, gallery and venue in Withington
Viet Deli is a small venue, not the kind of place for a sit down meal. Serving only bánh mì, traditionally street food in Vietnam.
Kallos is a Greek restaurant and wine bar in Salford, serving up exquisite dishes throughout the day and evening.
Newly opened cakery in Stevensons Square, Northern Quarter Manchester. Get Baked brings all the Yorkshire charm and sweetness one of the city’s most popular squares.
Coffee, walls of sound and smart conversation at this pop-up cafe in the Northern Quarter.
Alcohol-free bar and cafe in the heart of Northern Quarter. Serving mocktails, 0% beer and all your alcohol free favourites.
Independent, family-owned coffee shop, bringing North American breakfast and brunch to Media City.
High-level Italian food in Salford Quays, with no less than seven different lasagnas to choose from.
Friendly Coffee Shop that also hosts events in Spinningfields.
Popular craft bakery, selling freshly baked goods on Manchester’s King Street.
Factory Square is a huge beer garden, on the banks of the River Irwell, with top-quality drinks and street food selections.
The best new bars in Manchester, plus some old favourites for good measure.
If you find yourself in the North West of England looking for a spa day, look no further, check out our guide featuring our favourite spots.
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Make the most of the sun in one of Manchester's many top-notch beer gardens.
Brewery tours across the North offer more than just a behind-the-scenes look at hops and fermenters. They’re a window into the region’s character.
Looking for somewhere to eat outside in Manchester in these hot summer months? Here's our guide to the restaurants in Manchester with the best areas for al fresco dining.
Fancy some Japanese food? We've uncovered the five best restaurants in Manchester.
Here are some of the best cafés and best coffee shops we’ve come across in Manchester – independents (almost) all.
Manchester is still a great place to watch new and innovative music – so here’s a guide to where to watch the best live music in the city.
It's hard to think of a more varied and reliably delicious food than Italian cuisine. Check out our expert guide to Manchester's very best Italian restaurants.
Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.
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