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Welcome to Confidential Guides. Here you’ll find the best food, drink and things to do in the North.

Luxury hotel deals Local restaurant deals

Where to go paddleboarding in Manchester, Liverpool and the North West

An insider’s guide to eating and drinking in Chorlton

Rays for days: the best beer gardens and roof terraces in Manchester

Terrace with cocktails at Fumo

6 Manchester music festivals that will make your summer

Touch grass: The best parks in Manchester for picnics and sunbathing

Liverpool’s best music festivals for summer 2026

Thirst things first: the 12 best Liverpool bars

A cocktail at 81 Ltd - one of Liverpool's best bars.

Where to go bowling in Manchester

King Pins Manchester Arndale is one of our top five bowling alleys in Manchester city centre. See who else is on the list.

Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian

Easter Lamb Rump with pea & mint cream at San Carlo.

San Carlo Manchester

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian

Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian

Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

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

Loom & Ladle Bistro

Piccadilly Restaurant - British

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

San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian

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

The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

Lobster served at San Carlo Liverpool.

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

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

Exterior at On The Hush, Manchester, Church Street Northern Quarter

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes

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

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals

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

The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Northern Quarter Hotel

Beer garden at Rain Bar, Manchester

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars

Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

A dessert served at Riva restaurant and bar in Hale, Greater Manchester

Riva

Hale Restaurant - Modern British

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

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American

Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues

A chef preparing a dish at The Art School in Liverpool.

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants

Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian

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

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

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

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American

Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

Steak tartare served at Erst in Manchester.

Erst

Ancoats Restaurant - British

Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel

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

Salt aged beef tartare, smoked eel, soy mayo, pickle shimeji mushrooms, mini croutons covered with a dashi veil at Vetch in Liverpool.

Vetch

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Global

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

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

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities

The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services

One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

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

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

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

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026

Atlas Bar

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around

Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars

The Boddies Toastie - corned beef, cheese and onion and pickle on rarebit served at The Black Friar in Salford

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

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

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Roast stuffed aubergine served at La Famiglia in Liverpool.

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

12 vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants in Manchester city centre

Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

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

The Hot 20: the most popular Liverpool restaurants

Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian

Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Bar Hütte Great Northern

The Hot 50: the most popular Manchester restaurants

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

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes

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

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant

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

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel

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

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel

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

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Pho served at Le Viet Social in Liverpool.

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese

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

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

The 10 best restaurants in Salford

The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European

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

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

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

Happy Days Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

Macaroni cheese and roast dinner served at Frederiks in Liverpool.

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American

Fish and Chips at Wright's

Wrights Fish & Chip Shop

Greater Manchester Restaurant - British

A selection of dishes available at Piccolino Italian restaurant, Bramhall

Piccolino Bramhall

Bramhall Restaurant - Italian

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

The Townhaus serviced apartment from Jackson Boutique in Manchester

The Jacksonheim Boutique

Northern Quarter Hotel

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

Exterior at the Delta Hotel, Marriott in Liverpool

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries

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

Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites

The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas

A cocktail at City Wine Bar in Liverpool

City Wine Bar & Kitchen

Business District (Liverpool) Restaurant

Evuna

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish

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

Twenty Twenty Two

Northern Quarter Bars

Zen Sushiya

Withington Restaurant - Japanese

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

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

Eggs with cod roe at Belzan in Liverpool.

Belzan

Mossley Hill Restaurant - European

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026

Hotel Anfield

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

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

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around

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

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American

Neon showtime sign at Hope Mill Theatre in Ancoats, Manchester

Hope Mill Theatre

Ancoats Theatres

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

Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai