Welcome to Confidential Guides. Here you’ll find the best food, drink and things to do in the North.
Your best shot: 34 independent Manchester coffee shops
Kids eat free: 10 Manchester restaurants parents will like too
The best beer gardens, terraces and rooftop bars in Liverpool
40+ things to do with kids in Manchester for summer 2026
Beside the seaside: the best beaches in the North West
12 cool city centre hotels to book for Pride weekend
The Hot 50: The most popular Manchester restaurants
The Hot 20: The most popular Liverpool restaurants
Swanley Meadows
Congleton
The Alan Hotel
Manchester City Centre
San Carlo Liverpool
Cavern Quarter
Wing’s
Manchester City Centre
TexStyle
Manchester City Centre
Bottega
Manchester City Centre
Wagamama St Peter’s Square
Manchester City Centre
The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Manchester City Centre
Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
The Reach at Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Sicilian NQ
Northern Quarter
On the Hush
Northern Quarter
Rain Bar
Manchester City Centre
Lock 84
Piccadilly
Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
Fumo
Oxford Road
San Carlo Manchester
Deansgate
UK Management College
Eccles
Loom & Ladle Bistro
Piccadilly
AO Arena
Manchester City Centre
Bar Hütte Great Northern
Deansgate
La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant
Cavern Quarter
Evuna Knutsford
Knutsford
5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
King Street Townhouse
Manchester City Centre
Founder’s Hall
Manchester City Centre
The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Golf Fang Liverpool
Baltic Triangle
Leven Hotel Manchester
Gay Village
11 Central
Salford Quays
Motel One Royal Exchange
Manchester City Centre
Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Ropewalks Hotel
Ropewalks
Baba Tikka
Bolton
Namaste Nepal
West Didsbury
Hakkapo
Manchester City Centre
Horse & Jockey
Chorlton
Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels
Northern Quarter
Suki Suki Street Food & Bar
Deansgate
Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
Manchester City Centre
Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island
Piccadilly
New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
Sefton Park
Sefton Park
Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront
Albert Dock
Leo and Roobs
Blackfriars
Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central
Manchester City Centre
4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Cibus
Levenshulme
Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027
Albert Dock
Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill
Princes Dock
Pattersons
Ropewalks
Atlas Bar
Deansgate
Erst
Ancoats
Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Roomzzz Manchester City
Chinatown (Manchester)
Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West
Northern Flower
Northern Quarter
Boutique 56
Liverpool City Centre
Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026
The Black Friar
Manchester City Centre
Le Viet Social
Baltic Triangle
Premier Suites Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
Roomzzz Manchester Victoria
Manchester City Centre
5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around
The Beatles Story
Albert Dock
Seven Bro7hers Ancoats
Ancoats
Haunt
Manchester City Centre
Infinity Apartments
Liverpool City Centre
Yotel Manchester Deansgate
Manchester City Centre
The Cavern Club
Cavern Quarter
Brysk
Deansgate
Manchester Central
Manchester City Centre
Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Clayton Hotel Manchester
Manchester City Centre
Vesuvio
Worsley
Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Malmaison Manchester Spa
Piccadilly
The Art School
Georgian Quarter
The Art School Cellars
Georgian Quarter
Evuna Manchester NQ
Northern Quarter
Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
Red Dog Saloon
Ropewalks
The Shankly Hotel
Liverpool City Centre
Twenty Twenty Two
Northern Quarter
Motel One Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Liverpool Cathedral
Georgian Quarter
Frederiks
Georgian Quarter
BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel
Manchester City Centre
Bury Market
Bury
5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
Junction
Manchester City Centre
Hope Mill Theatre
Ancoats
The 10 best restaurants in Salford
The Jacksonheim Boutique
Ancoats
Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre
Liverpool City Centre
Pong & Puck | Great Northern
Manchester City Centre
King Street Tavern
Manchester City Centre
Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central
Ropewalks
Liverpool Gin Distillery
Liverpool City Centre
Motel One St Peter’s Square
Manchester City Centre
Bruncho
Deansgate
ibis Budget Manchester Airport
Manchester
Speke Hall
Speke
King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa
Manchester City Centre
Manchester River Cruises
Salford Quays
Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
City Wine Bar & Kitchen
Business District (Liverpool)
Happy Days Apartments
Liverpool City Centre
New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
The Walker Art Gallery
Liverpool City Centre
Evuna Manchester Deansgate
Manchester City Centre
Piccolino Grande Wilmslow
Wilmslow
Piccolino Bramhall
Bramhall
4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour
Anfield
Hallé St Peter’s
Ancoats
Aloft Liverpool
Cavern Quarter
The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
Down The Hatch
Ropewalks