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

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Stars in their eyes: where to watch the sunset this solstice weekend

Your next night-out destination is a pub in a science park in Hulme

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester

A crowd watching an England football match on a big screen at AO Arena.

Best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool

Hathersage Swimming Pool is one of Confidential Guides' best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup in Manchester

Looking down on the busy bar area of Brotherhood in Manchester

15 places for a nature break near Manchester

Meadow with trees in Hayfield.

The Northern Quarter's dreamiest vintage shop

An insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Chorlton

Poached egg and avocado on toast at On The Hush in Manchester.

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes

Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian

Beer garden at Rain Bar, Manchester

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars

The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

Easter Lamb Rump with pea & mint cream at San Carlo.

San Carlo Manchester

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian

Hand embroidered landscape by Louise Goult - one of the workshop tutors at TexStyle Manchester.

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

Potato Hash and egg at the Loom & Ladle Bistro, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Loom & Ladle Bistro

Piccadilly Restaurant - British

Steamed scallops at Wing's, Manchester

Wing’s

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Chinese

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Piccadilly Restaurant - Modern British

Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester City Centre Spas

Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

Congleton Events Venues

Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester

Lobster served at San Carlo Liverpool.

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian

Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Mother's Day bouquet from Northern Flower - a florist in the Northern Quarter, Manchester.

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Bar Hütte Great Northern

The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

Specialising in southern US-style fried chicken, and drinks at Pattersons, Liverpool

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day

Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel

A chef preparing a dish at The Art School in Liverpool.

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Concert night at the Manchester Arena, or AO Arena as it is currently known.

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

Boilerhouse beer at Founder's Hall, Manchester

Founder’s Hall

Manchester City Centre Pubs

The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

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

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese

Two pints of craft beer at Seven Bro7hers Manchester, also known as the Ancoats Beerhouse.

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American

Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

Artwork by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027

Albert Dock Art Galleries

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)

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

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

Quest Apartments are a dog-friendly place to stay in Liverpool.

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

The Ropewalks Hotel is a dog-friendly hotel in Liverpool.

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

Hakkapo is a Japanese restaurant in Manchester's First Street district.

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

Boudin Blanc, peas and three cornered leek at Erst in Manchester.

Erst

Ancoats Restaurant - British

Boddingtons and Orange Polenta Cake with homemade rosemary syrup and vanilla crème fraiche at The Black Friar in Salford.

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel

One of the brunch dishes at Leo and Roobs - a neighbourhood cafe in Salford.

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026

Premier Suites in Liverpool is dog-friendly for those staying for 29 nights or more.

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around

The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services

Wild boar pate at La Famiglia in Liverpool.

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

12 vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants in Manchester city centre

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European

Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars

Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues

A dessert served at Riva restaurant and bar in Hale, Greater Manchester

Riva

Hale Restaurant - Modern British

Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Atlas Bar

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

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

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

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

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian

Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester

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

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

The front of Liverpool Cathedral, the biggest cathedral in the country.

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan

A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Evuna Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Spanish

Hotel Anfield

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

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

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian

A cocktail at City Wine Bar in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day

Eggs with cod roe at Belzan in Liverpool.

Belzan

Mossley Hill Restaurant - European

Neon showtime sign at Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

Hope Mill Theatre

Ancoats Theatres

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

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues

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

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites

Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities

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

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Zen Sushiya

Withington Restaurant - Japanese

The whimsical Flamingo Room - one of the party suites at The Shankly Hotel in Liverpool

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer

Sunset over Salford from a Manchester River Cruises tour

Manchester River Cruises

Salford Quays Activities

The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global

Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global

Twenty Twenty Two

Northern Quarter Bars

Fish and Chips at Wright's

Wrights Fish & Chip Shop

Greater Manchester Restaurant - British

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

Evuna

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish

One of the rooms at Aloft Liverpool, a hotel in Liverpool city centre.

Aloft Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Hotel

Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai

Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central

Ropewalks Hotel

Bury Market