Welcome to Confidential Guides. Here you’ll find the best food, drink and things to do in the North.
The best restaurants in Liverpool for autumn-winter 2026
Scare attractions: Halloween things to do near Manchester and Liverpool
Time at the bar: Old pubs in Liverpool
Days out for teenagers near Manchester and Liverpool
Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester
Manchester’s oldest restaurants
The best cocktail bars in Manchester
Best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool
Bottega
Manchester City Centre
The Reach at Piccadilly
Northern Quarter
Loom & Ladle Bistro
Piccadilly
Wagamama St Peter’s Square
Manchester City Centre
UK Management College
Eccles
Lock 84
Northern Quarter
Wing’s
Manchester City Centre
San Carlo Liverpool
Cavern Quarter
Manchester’s oldest restaurants
Fumo
Oxford Road
TexStyle
Manchester City Centre
Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester
The Alan Hotel
Manchester City Centre
Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Rain Bar
Manchester City Centre
Sicilian NQ
Northern Quarter
Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly
Manchester City Centre
Swanley Meadows
Congleton
On the Hush
Northern Quarter
Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly
Piccadilly
The Black Friar
Manchester City Centre
Manchester Central
Manchester City Centre
Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central
Manchester City Centre
Seven Bro7hers Ancoats
Ancoats
Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
11 Central
Salford Quays
Leven Hotel Manchester
Gay Village
Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
Namaste Nepal
West DidsburyMaldron Hotel Manchester City Centre
Manchester City Centre
Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront
Albert Dock
Evuna Knutsford
Knutsford
5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
AO Arena
Manchester City Centre
Founder’s Hall
Manchester City Centre
Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
Erst
Ancoats
Haunt
Manchester City Centre
Leo and Roobs
Blackfriars
Hakkapo
Manchester City Centre
Suki Suki Street Food & Bar
Deansgate
The 10 best restaurants in Salford
The Cavern Club
Cavern Quarter
Pattersons
Ropewalks
Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Infinity Apartments
Liverpool City Centre
Horse & Jockey
Chorlton
Arcadian Didsbury
Didsbury
The Beatles Story
Albert Dock
Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels
Northern Quarter
Ropewalks Hotel
Ropewalks
Vesuvio
Worsley
The Art School Cellars
Georgian Quarter
Motel One Royal Exchange
Manchester City Centre
Premier Suites Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
Boutique 56
Liverpool City Centre
Le Viet Social
Baltic Triangle
New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer
Baba Tikka
Bolton
Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill
Princes Dock
4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant
Cavern Quarter
Atlas Bar
Deansgate
Malmaison Manchester Spa
Piccadilly
Cibus
Levenshulme
Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West
Clayton Hotel Manchester
Manchester City Centre
Sefton Park
Sefton Park
Roomzzz Manchester City
Chinatown (Manchester)
Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027
Albert Dock
Roomzzz Manchester Victoria
Manchester City Centre
Northern Flower
Northern Quarter
The Art School
Georgian Quarter
Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island
Piccadilly
Manchester’s oldest restaurants
Bar Hütte Great Northern
Deansgate
Yotel Manchester Deansgate
Manchester City Centre
Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester
Brysk
Deansgate
Golf Fang Liverpool
Baltic Triangle
Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant
Manchester City Centre
Barnacle
Georgian Quarter
Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Bury Market
Bury
Liverpool Cathedral
Georgian Quarter
Junction
Manchester City Centre
City Wine Bar & Kitchen
Business District (Liverpool)
Hotel Anfield
Anfield
Pong & Puck | Great Northern
Manchester City Centre
Motel One Piccadilly
Piccadilly
Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central
Ropewalks
Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Evuna Manchester Deansgate
Manchester City Centre
Hallé St Peter’s
Ancoats
Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
Aloft Liverpool
Cavern Quarter
The Jacksonheim Boutique
Northern Quarter
Down The Hatch
Ropewalks
The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool
Liverpool City Centre
5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel
Manchester City Centre
Manchester River Cruises
Salford Quays
The Shankly Hotel
Liverpool City Centre
Holiday Inn Manchester Airport
Manchester
Piccolino Grande Wilmslow
Wilmslow
Evuna Manchester NQ
Northern Quarter
Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour
Anfield
Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre
Liverpool City Centre
The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Hope Mill Theatre
Ancoats
Frederiks
Georgian Quarter
Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Wrights Fish & Chip Shop
Greater Manchester
Liverpool Gin Distillery
Liverpool City Centre
Speke Hall
Speke
Piccolino Bramhall
Bramhall
Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa
Manchester City Centre
Motel One St Peter’s Square
Manchester City Centre
John Rylands Research Institute and Library
Spinningfields
Happy Days Apartments
Liverpool City Centre
Piccolino Didsbury
Didsbury