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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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The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

Queens Arms, Eccles

The best Christmas parties in Liverpool

Huge Christmas trees at Boxpark Liverpool

The Hot 50: The most popular Manchester restaurants

Chicken kebab at Arcadian

The Hot 20: The most popular Liverpool restaurants

pork belly skewer with wild garlic and caper pistou at Nord

An insider’s guide to Stretford

Stretford Metrolink tram stop

The best Sunday roasts in Liverpool

A chef holding a tray of Yorkshire puddings at Frederiks in Liverpool.

An insider’s guide to Stockport

The best cocktail bars in Manchester

A cocktail at Fitzgeralds, a bar in Manchester's Northern Quarter

Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Piccadilly Restaurant - Modern British

The iconic location of Seel & Slater at the junction of Seel St and Slater St in Liverpool

Seel & Slater

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

Congleton Events Venues

Students in a lecture at UK Management College

UK Management College

Eccles Universities & Colleges

Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

Chicken kebab at Arcadian

Arcadian Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Global

Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

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

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals

The best Sunday roasts in Liverpool

Steamed scallops at Wing's, Manchester

Wing’s

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Chinese

Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester City Centre Spas

The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian

An insider’s guide to Stretford

Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian

Lobster served at San Carlo Liverpool.

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian

Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

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

Loom & Ladle Bistro

Piccadilly Restaurant - British

Boilerhouse beer at Founder's Hall, Manchester

Founder’s Hall

Manchester City Centre Pubs

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues

Manchester’s oldest restaurants

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

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester

The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

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

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

A trio of desserts at The Art School

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer

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

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

Bar Hütte Great Northern

Outdoor drinking at Rain Bar

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars

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

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

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

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel

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

Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

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

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Atlas Bar

A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel

Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services

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

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

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

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

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European

The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Fish and chips and a pint at The Black Friar

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

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

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese

The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Dark chocolate tart with berries and double Jersey ice cream

Barnacle

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

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

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues

The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

Gnocchi funghi at La Famiglia

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

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

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

The best Sunday roasts in Liverpool

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

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American

Artwork by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027

Albert Dock Art Galleries

Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan

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

Aloft Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Hotel

An insider’s guide to Stretford

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

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues

A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Happy Days Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

Bury Market

Zen Sushiya

Withington Restaurant - Japanese

The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas

The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

Manchester’s oldest restaurants

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

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global

Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester

Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global

The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

Fish and Chips at Wright's

Wrights Fish & Chip Shop

Greater Manchester Restaurant - British

Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer

Vegan food at Brewdog Doghouse Hotel

BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

Sunset over Salford from a Manchester River Cruises tour

Manchester River Cruises

Salford Quays Activities

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

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

Hotel Anfield

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

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

A selection of dishes available at Piccolino Italian restaurant, Bramhall

Piccolino Bramhall

Bramhall Restaurant - Italian

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

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

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

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

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

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

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai

Neon showtime sign at Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

Hope Mill Theatre

Ancoats Theatres

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

Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes

Exterior at the Delta Hotel, Marriott in Liverpool

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Evuna Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Spanish

Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities