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Welcome to Confidential Guides. Here you’ll find the best food, drink and things to do in the North.

manchester's hot 50 restaurants 6 cool aparthotels in Liverpool The best gyms in Manchester for 2024 The best restaurants in Cheshire

The best dining deals in Liverpool: April 2024

Lunyalita, a recommended Spanish restaurant in Liverpool

The vinyl countdown: Greater Manchester's best record shops

Piccadilly Records, one of Confidential Guides' best record shops and somewhere you must visit on Record Store Day

An insider's guide to eating and drinking in Didsbury

Have you tried the places in our insider's guide to eating and drinking in Didsbury? This is Cocoa Cabana.

Liverpool Restaurant Week arrives at end of April

Manchester restaurant and bar deals: April 2024

Cheese toastie at Blinker Bar, a recommended bar in Manchester.

Headline act: Manchester’s best festivals

We Invented the Weekend - one of Greater Manchester's best festivals.

Roll with it: the best places for breakfast in Manchester

The Alan Breakfast

The Hot 50: the top Manchester restaurants for last month

Sundays with Sides at Ducie Street Warehouse

An Insider’s Guide to Eating and Drinking in Chorlton

Dish at The Jane Eyre Chorlton

The Hot 20: the top Liverpool restaurants for last month

Duck at Gusto Liverpool, one of the Hot 20 Restaurants

Marry me: 38 wedding venues in Manchester

Salford Lads Club, a recommended wedding venue in Manchester.

Best in show: 18 dog-friendly hotels in Manchester

Leven is one of the best dog-friendly hotels in Manchester.

Manchester Central is a Confidential Guides recommended Christmas party venue.

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Historic Buildings & Sites

One of the dishes served at Oxa, a modern British restaurant on the Wirral, Merseyside.

OXA

Oxton Restaurant - Modern British

Cocktail served at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Manchester

Hyatt Regency Hotel Manchester

Oxford Road Hotel

A negroni and passion star martini at Cicchetti

Cicchetti

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian

Steak at Pendergast's Steakhouse in Warrington.

Pendergast’s Steakhouse

Warrington Restaurant - British

Lamb Laziz at Zouk, Manchester

Zouk

Oxford Road Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Federation Gym

Northern Quarter Gyms

Wrights Fish & Chip Shop

Greater Manchester Restaurant - British

One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Freedom of expression: gorgeous places for journalling in Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

One of the holes at Golf Fang Liverpool, a crazy golf bar in the city centre.

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Man demonstrating a lunge on a reformer pilates machine at Runway Pilates Manchester

Runway Pilates Manchester

Northern Quarter Gyms

Top 40 tasting menus: the finest of fine dining in the North West

Rogan & Co.

Cumbria Restaurant - Modern British

The infinity pool at King Street Townhouse - one of the coolest hotels near Manchester Arena

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

Puri grazing platter at Indian Tiffin Room Liverpool

Indian Tiffin Room Liverpool

Ropewalks Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Tapas dishes at Evuna, a Spanish restaurant in Knutsford, Cheshire

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

The vinyl countdown: Greater Manchester’s best record shops

Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

Twin bedroom at Premier Suites Liverpool with city views

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Rigatoni’s Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - Italian

View from Quest Apartment Hotels Liverpool

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

The Bridge, a hotel and restaurant in Prestbury, Cheshire

The Bridge

Prestbury Hotel

One of the dishes served at MUSU in Manchester

MUSU

Spinningfields Restaurant - Japanese

An insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Didsbury

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Roast dinner and a pint at 11 Central in Mediacity Manchester.

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

Almost Famous Brunch

Almost Famous Liverpool

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Riva Blu Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Freight Island in spring / summer

Freight Island

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global

Manchester Piccadilly Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Opera Grill

Chester Restaurant - Global

Headline act: Manchester’s best festivals

Malmaison Deansgate Bar & Grill

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

Best in show: 18 dog-friendly hotels in Manchester

Grilled prawns with chilli, lime & coconut sauce at The Burbs restaurant in Heaton Moor

The ‘Burbs

Heaton Moor Restaurant

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish

Malmaison Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The Bells of Peover, a country pub in Cheshire, just south of Knutsford

The Bells of Peover

Knutsford Restaurant

The hills are calling: 12 things to do in the Lake District

Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The Vicarage, a hotel and restaurant in Cheshire

The Vicarage

Holmes Chapel Hotel

Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel

Exterior of the restaurant Alfredo's Social with its famous clock

Alfredo’s Social

Stockport Town Centre Restaurant

A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

A bedroom at Dakota Manchester, a hotel in the Northern Quarter, Manchester.

Dakota Manchester

Piccadilly Hotel

Artwork by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool

Albert Dock Art Galleries

Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

Malmaison Manchester Piccadilly Bar & Grill

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Things to do with kids in Manchester this Easter

The Pen & Pencil

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Global

Atlas Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars

BAB NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Middle Eastern

The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

10 best spots for brunch in Cheshire

Malmaison Liverpool

Princes Dock Hotel

One of the spacious bedrooms at Ropewalks Hotel in Liverpool city centre.

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

Breakfast in bed at Hope Street Hotel - one of the most romantic hotels in Liverpool

Hope Street Hotel

Georgian Quarter Hotel

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

One of the dishes served at Kambuja in Marple - one of the few Cambodian restaurants in the North.

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian

Steak at San Carlo - one of the Hot 50 Restaurants in Manchester for March.

San Carlo Manchester

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian

Evuna Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Spanish

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel

The best Indian restaurants in the North West

Beef tataki at Sora Manchester, a rooftop bar and restaurant in Malmaison Deansgate

Sora Manchester

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

Manchester River Cruises Pirates and Mermaids - a recommended half-term day out in Manchester.

Manchester River Cruises

Spinningfields Activities

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

A burger at Almost Famous Withington

Almost Famous Withington

Withington Restaurant

The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

Outside Holmes Mill in Clitheroe

Holmes Mill

Lancashire Hotel

5 Liverpool Irish bars for celebrating St Patrick’s Day

The Halyard at Ropewalks, a hotel in Liverpool

The Halyard

Ropewalks Hotel

Bedroom at Manchester Hall with roll-top bath - a romantic Manchester hotel for Valentine's day.

Manchester Hall

Deansgate Hotel

Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan

Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Christmas and New Year's Eve at Piccolino

Piccolino Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

The Fountain House

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

Motel One St Peter's Square and the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst outside

Motel One St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Hotel

6 cool aparthotels in Liverpool

Inside Notjust barbers in the Northern Quarter, Manchester, one of Manchester's best barbers

Notjust

Ancoats Barbers

Scottish Steakhouse at Manchester Piccadilly Hotel

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Freedom of expression: gorgeous places for journalling in Manchester

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai

A pumpkin patch at Speke Hall, a National Trust property near Liverpool.

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

Cocktails at Frederiks in Liverpool

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American

The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas

Top 40 tasting menus: the finest of fine dining in the North West

Christmas at City Wine Bar & Kitchen in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

Awesome HQ Chicken Halloumi Burger Almost Famous Manchester Northern Quarter

Almost Famous NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - American

Low Slow and Dough

Oxton Restaurant - American

Christmas at Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool City Centre Bars

Trophies and famous football shirts on display at the Liverpool FC stadium tour.

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

Oysters from Climat, Manchester.

Climat

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

San Carlo Fiorentina, Charcuterie Platter

San Carlo Fiorentina

Hale Barns Restaurant - Italian

The kids menu at The Black Friar - a family-friendly restaurant in Manchester.

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

Grand Pacific - one of the most romantic restaurants in Manchester for Valentine's Day.

Grand Pacific

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

The vinyl countdown: Greater Manchester’s best record shops

L’Enclume

Cumbria Restaurant - Modern British

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

A gelato croissant at Sicilian NQ - a recommended place for ice cream in Manchester

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

An insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Didsbury

A tableful of dishes at Belzan in Liverpool

Belzan

Mossley Hill Restaurant - European

Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central

Ropewalks Hotel

Cocktails served in King Street Tavern, the restaurant and bar at King Street Townhouse hotel

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Riva Blu Manchester | Corn Exchange

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian

Halle St Peter's on Cutting Room Square - a rehearsal space and concert venue in Ancoats, Manchester

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues

Riva Blu Leeds

Leeds Restaurant - Italian