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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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Best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool

A group of people swimming at The Farm Club, Pickmere.

The Hot 50: The most popular Manchester restaurants

Dry-aged Sladesdown duck with a Boltardy beetroot purée with fresh cherry at Skof in Manchester.

The Hot 20: The most popular Liverpool restaurants

Carpaccio of cured Peterhead monkfish at The Art School in Liverpool.

Days out for teenagers near Manchester and Liverpool

The red and black street art on the exterior of Red Brick Market in Liverpool.

The best restaurants in Liverpool for autumn-winter 2026

Cape-Malay Duck Breast with duck croquette, almond cream, roasted apricot, apricot and sambal gel and a curried burnt orange jus at Barnacle in Liverpool.

An insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Altrincham

6 Manchester music festivals that will make your summer

The best Ribble Valley restaurants

Roscoff Onion - a dish from Northcote, a Michelin star restaurant in the Ribble Valley, Lancashire.
The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Piccadilly Restaurant - Modern British
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
Poached egg and avocado on toast at On The Hush in Manchester.

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes
Beer garden at Rain Bar, Manchester

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars
Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

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

Loom & Ladle Bistro

Piccadilly Restaurant - British
Students in a lecture at UK Management College

UK Management College

Eccles Universities & Colleges

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

Congleton Events Venues

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

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

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals
Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian
Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian
Steamed scallops at Wing's, Manchester

Wing’s

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Chinese
The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

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

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American
A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel
A table full of different dishes at Baba Tikka

Baba Tikka

Bolton Restaurant - Indian subcontinent
Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

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

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Carpaccio of cured Peterhead monkfish at The Art School in Liverpool.

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European
One of the holes at Golf Fang Liverpool, a crazy golf bar in the city centre.

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services
The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Tuna loin, wakame salad and avocado at The Black Friar

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British
Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian
Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues
Specialising in southern US-style fried chicken, and drinks at Pattersons, Liverpool

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American
Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel
Tapas dishes at Evuna, a Spanish restaurant in Knutsford, Cheshire

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Malmaison Manchester Spa

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

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
Quest Apartments are a dog-friendly place to stay in Liverpool.

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

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

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Octopus at La Famiglia in Liverpool

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Bar Hütte Great Northern

Deansgate Bars

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Hakkapo is a Japanese restaurant in Manchester's First Street district.

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant
Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Artwork by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027

Albert Dock Art Galleries

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel
The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West
The Ropewalks Hotel is a dog-friendly hotel in Liverpool.

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel
One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026
Boilerhouse beer at Founder's Hall, Manchester

Founder’s Hall

Manchester City Centre Pubs
One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Charcuterie at Erst in Manchester: a traditional Lomo, Cacciatore with black pepper and caraway, and a pork cuttlefish ink salami with dried lime and tomato.

Erst

Ancoats Restaurant - British

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around
Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

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

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes
Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

Atlas Bar

Deansgate Bars
Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

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

AO Arena

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

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens
Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian
Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese
Vegan food at Brewdog Doghouse Hotel

BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas
Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai
A selection of dishes available at Piccolino Italian restaurant, Bramhall

Piccolino Bramhall

Bramhall Restaurant - Italian

Hotel Anfield

Anfield Hotel
A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American
Evuna

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish
Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities

Twenty Twenty Two

Northern Quarter Bars

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
Neon showtime sign at Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

Hope Mill Theatre

Ancoats Theatres
Christmas at Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool City Centre Bars

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
The front of Liverpool Cathedral, the biggest cathedral in the country.

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites
Trophies and famous football shirts on display at the Liverpool FC stadium tour.

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

Anfield Tours
Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites
Motel One St Peter's Square and the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst outside

Motel One St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
The strip loin sandwich at Frederiks in Liverpool.

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central

Ropewalks Hotel

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global
The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

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

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British
A cocktail at City Wine Bar in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
The whimsical Flamingo Room - one of the party suites at The Shankly Hotel in Liverpool

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
Halle St Peter's on Cutting Room Square - a rehearsal space and concert venue in Ancoats, Manchester

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues
The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes
Exterior at the Delta Hotel, Marriott in Liverpool

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

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

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

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

Aloft Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Hotel
Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global

Bury Market

Bury Markets

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian
Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan
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