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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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Your best shot: 34 independent Manchester coffee shops

Two takeaway cups of iced Vietnamese coffee on a tray at Vibean in Manchester.

Kids eat free: 10 Manchester restaurants parents will like too

Cheese on toast from the kids menu at The Horse & Jockey.

The best beer gardens, terraces and rooftop bars in Liverpool

The rooftop bar at Blackstock Market in Liverpool.

40+ things to do with kids in Manchester for summer 2026

Girl looking at flowers

Beside the seaside: the best beaches in the North West

A sandy cove with rocks at Newborough Beach in Anglesey, looking across the sea at the mountains of Snowdonia.

12 cool city centre hotels to book for Pride weekend

The Bank Manager's Suite at The Rex Hotel.

Summer holiday days out in and around Liverpool

The Aqua Park at Manley Mere

Graduation-worthy restaurants in Manchester

Two cocktails on a table at 20 Stories in Manchester.
Beer garden at Rain Bar, Manchester

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars
Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian
Students in a lecture at UK Management College

UK Management College

Eccles Universities & Colleges
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 Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Piccadilly Restaurant - Modern British
Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Easter Lamb Rump with pea & mint cream at San Carlo.

San Carlo Manchester

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian

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
Lobster served at San Carlo Liverpool.

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian
Poached egg and avocado on toast at On The Hush in Manchester.

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes
Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester City Centre Spas

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian
Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

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

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals
Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian
One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel
Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Quest Apartments are a dog-friendly place to stay in Liverpool.

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent
Hakkapo is a Japanese restaurant in Manchester's First Street district.

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Pork collar, agrodolce peppers, PX and fig leaf oil at Erst in Manchester.

Erst

Ancoats Restaurant - British
Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

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

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American
Boilerhouse beer at Founder's Hall, Manchester

Founder’s Hall

Manchester City Centre Pubs

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese
One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

Cibus

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

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes
Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars
The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

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

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
Premier Suites in Liverpool is dog-friendly for those staying for 29 nights or more.

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Octopus at La Famiglia in Liverpool

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

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

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel
A chef preparing a dish at The Art School in Liverpool.

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British
Tapas dishes at Evuna, a Spanish restaurant in Knutsford, Cheshire

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant
Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American
Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel
Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues
Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel
A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026
The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites
A table full of different dishes at Baba Tikka

Baba Tikka

Bolton 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

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around
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

Deansgate Bars

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel
Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian
Concert night at the Manchester Arena, or AO Arena as it is currently known.

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American
Two pints of craft beer at Seven Bro7hers Manchester, also known as the Ancoats Beerhouse.

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

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

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Atlas Bar

Deansgate Bars
The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Roast dinner and a pint at 11 Central in Mediacity Manchester.

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars
Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens
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

Happy Days Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

Zen Sushiya

Withington Restaurant - Japanese
A pumpkin patch at Speke Hall, a National Trust property near Liverpool.

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global

Evuna Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Spanish
Neon showtime sign at Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

Hope Mill Theatre

Ancoats Theatres
The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel
The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
The whimsical Flamingo Room - one of the party suites at The Shankly Hotel in Liverpool

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
A cocktail at City Wine Bar in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Trophies and famous football shirts on display at the Liverpool FC stadium tour.

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

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

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites
One of the dishes served at Kambuja in Marple - one of the few Cambodian restaurants in the North.

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

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

Twenty Twenty Two

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

Motel One St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Christmas at Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool City Centre Bars
Sunset over Salford from a Manchester River Cruises tour

Manchester River Cruises

Salford Quays Activities
Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global
Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites
One of the rooms at Aloft Liverpool, a hotel in Liverpool city centre.

Aloft Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Hotel

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

Ancoats Hotel
Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan

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

Bury Market

Bury Markets
Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai
Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities
A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Vegan food at Brewdog Doghouse Hotel

BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

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

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues

Hotel Anfield

Anfield Hotel

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian
The strip loin sandwich at Frederiks in Liverpool.

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American
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