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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 best Christmas parties in Liverpool

Huge Christmas trees at Boxpark Liverpool

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.

The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

Queens Arms, Eccles

The ultimate guide to Manchester Christmas Markets

This year's mugs at Manchester's Christmas Markets

A student's guide to Manchester

The Warehouse Project - one of the best places to spend New Year's Eve in Manchester.

The best of the Peak District

Mam Tor in the Peak District - one of our recommended things to do in the Peak District.

Manchester’s oldest restaurants

The iconic Art Deco entrance to The French at The Midland Hotel

Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

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

Students in a lecture at UK Management College

UK Management College

Eccles Universities & Colleges

Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Lamb with ajo blanco at Noted

Noted

Chester Restaurant - Modern British

Chicken kebab at Arcadian

Arcadian Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Global

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

Seel & Slater

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian

The best Sunday roasts in Liverpool

Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian

Steamed scallops at Wing's, Manchester

Wing’s

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Chinese

San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian

Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

An insider’s guide to Stretford

Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester City Centre Spas

The cosy interior of Counter

Counter

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

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

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals

Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

Congleton Events Venues

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European

Manchester’s oldest restaurants

The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester

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

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

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

Dark chocolate tart with berries and double Jersey ice cream

Barnacle

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

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

Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese

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

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

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

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

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

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

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

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

Atlas Bar

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

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Gnocchi funghi at La Famiglia

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel

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

Outdoor drinking at Rain Bar

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars

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

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues

Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian

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

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes

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

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

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

Fish and chips and a pint at The Black Friar

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

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

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American

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

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

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

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes

Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Bar Hütte Great Northern

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

The North West winners in Britain’s Best Pubs 2026

Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The best Sunday roasts in Liverpool

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

A trio of desserts at The Art School

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services

Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars

An insider’s guide to Stretford

Hotel Anfield

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes

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

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

Vegan food at Brewdog Doghouse Hotel

BrewDog Doghouse Manchester Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Twenty Twenty Two

Northern Quarter Bars

Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global

Evuna Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Spanish

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

Manchester’s oldest restaurants

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

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

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Family frights: Halloween fun and pumpkin picking near Manchester

Happy Days Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Evuna

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish

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

Motel One St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian

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

Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central

Ropewalks Hotel

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

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

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

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

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

Exterior at the Delta Hotel, Marriott in Liverpool

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester

Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai

The strip loin sandwich at Frederiks in Liverpool.

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

A selection of dishes available at Piccolino Italian restaurant, Bramhall

Piccolino Bramhall

Bramhall Restaurant - Italian

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

Liverpool Football Club Stadium Tour

The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

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

Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

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

Aloft Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Hotel

A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Bury Market

A cocktail at City Wine Bar in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities