40 cool new restaurants, bars, hotels and days out on Confidential Guides

Bar Hütte Great Northern brings cosy comfort to winter nights out in Manchester. Escape the weather with seasonal hot cocktails, fresh pizza and snuggly seating in toasty karaoke huts. It’s open for Alpine après-ski-style fun from 12 November until 30 December – make the most of it while you can.

Bruncho is a relaxed brunch spot on Deansgate focusing on Turkish specialities. The food is healthy and satisfying with a feeling of sunshine thanks to the Mediterranean diet. Of course, if various healthy iterations of poached eggs just don’t do it for you, then stamp on your fitbit and order pistachio baklava French toast instead.

Hakkapo is Manchester’s Izakaya – that is, a Japanese bar where people go to eat, drink and just generally hang out after a long day at work.

Junction is the new all-day destination at Manchester Central. It’s ideal for conference delegates but it’s also open to the general public and thank goodness. This bar, restaurant and social workspace does everything from coffee to cocktails with consummate flair.

The MUSU Collection is a group of innovative modern dining experiences, all under one roof. With three AA rosettes, this is the cutting edge of Manchester’s restaurant scene.

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar is a Pan-Asian street food bar located on Deansgate under the arches of the Great Northern Warehouse.

Zen Sushiya is a delightful Japanese restaurant specialising in sushi. It’s a charming place, with helpful staff dressed in traditional kimonos and the sushi is exquisite.

Adam & Eve is Liverpool’s only Turkish Bath. It’s not as fancy as a high-end spa but it’s great value and a very relaxing, feel-good experience if you’re looking for bliss on a budget.

Albert’s Schloss Liverpool is a Bavarian bar that mixes tongue-in-cheek fun with a dedication to high quality food and drink. It’s a cool take on Munich beer hall vibes and the Schloss menu staples even get food critics excited with Jay Rayner a fan of the crispy roasted pork knuckle, or Schweinshaxe.

Archie’s Atomic is a neon pink roller rink from the local burger and shake supremos. With a giant glitterball and a colour scheme that would make even Barbie wince, it is very on-brand. The American diner goes disco.

Self-taught chef Renuka Morris opened Indian restaurant A se Anar after working as a teacher in higher education for 23 years.

Handsome subterranean restaurant Blacklock Manchester is the first northern opening from this London-based restaurant group. 

Caravan Manchester is a 2024 opening from a small London chain started by three New Zealanders who settled in the UK a decade ago. They began as a coffee roastery, before expanding into restaurants, and chose Manchester’s new St John’s district for their first venue outside London.

The classic vista of the grand 17th century house overlooking the River Derwent is the most famous image of Chatsworth, but this Peak District visitor attraction offers much more than a stately home tour. Its parkland, gardens, farm, adventure playground, shops, restaurants and places to stay bring more than 600,000 visitors a year to this beautiful corner of Derbyshire.

Companio is a small artisan bakery in Ancoats selling a range of sourdough breads, pastries, Viennoiserie and savouries. The almond croissants are an absolute dream and the baguettes are some of the best you’ll find.

Cork & Canvas is a sip and paint events company which puts on sessions at venues in and around Manchester including Freight Island, New Century Hall and The Old Bank in Ramsbottom.

Creatures Comedy Club is an independent venue in the Northern Quarter with acts on stage seven nights a week. It’s a good place to catch local talent as well as bigger names trying out new material.

One of the newest additions to Liverpool’s vinyl scene is neighbourhood record store Dead Air Records on Suffolk Street. It’s a little bit off the main drag but is well worth seeking out for its affordable secondhand vinyl and friendly vibe.

Dino Falls Adventure Golf is the only landmark kids care about in Manchester. You can’t miss the volcano and huge dinosaurs as you drive past on the M60.

Fell Bistro is the gastronomic endeavour of not one, but two MasterChef: The Professionals finalists. It stands to reason that the food should be very, very good. Foraging is a big part of the menu but it’s a pared down offering focusing on quality rather than fancy-pants cheffy twiddles. Serving the sort of food you really want to eat, Fell Bistro is big on flavour. Could this be the ultimate neighbourhood restaurant?

This is the first Manchester opening from the Flat Iron chain whose mission is to bring accessible steak to everyone, without compromising on flavour or ethics.

Think of Gilpin Hotel & Lake House as a country house break with excellent spa facilities set in the stunning scenery of the Lake District. It’s a bit like a fine-dining, grown-ups’ version of Center Parcs with very swish lodges and hot tubs dotted around a picture perfect estate.

Hello Oriental Trafford Centre is an exciting new opening for anyone looking to escape the corporate blandness of the retail behemoth. The popular restaurant already has a successful Pan-Asian food hall just off Oxford Road and its second site is a blessing for anyone who loves authentic Eastern cooking served with wit and style.

Hinterland is a Northern Quarter speakeasy with a difference – the cocktails, wine and beer are all alcohol-free. This sober bar is located in the basement of the Buddhist Centre and offers an alternative night out for the growing numbers of people who prefer to socialise without alcoholic lubrication.

Hong Thai’s small army of fans were at a loss in November 2023 when a fire meant their favourite Arndale Food Market lunch spot had to permanently closed. But come summer 2024, they were smiling once more. Hong Thai was back in business – this time in its own standalone restaurant on Oldham Road.

HOP Vietnamese Trafford Centre is part of a small chain of quick, cheap South East Asian restaurants where fast food meets flavour. Unlike your typical McMeal, HOP Vietnamese feels wholesome and nourishing. The packaging may be take away rather than fine china, but what it lacks in presentation, the food makes up for in taste.

Hotel Football is about as near to Old Trafford as you can get without camping on the penalty spot. Located directly opposite Manchester United’s ground, the hotel is as on-brand as you’d expect. After all, it’s the work of Gary Neville and some of his Class of 92 counterparts.

Named after the owner’s kids, Leo and Rubes is a neighbourhood cafe from the folks behind The Black Friar. It’s all about fresh, healthy, and comforting food, whipped up from scratch by head chef Morgan Lane (formerly with Pot Kettle Black).

Namaste Nepal on West Didsbury’s Burton Road is a relaxed Nepalese spot that is the definition of a much-loved neighbourhood restaurant.

Nightcap is a Northern Quarter speakeasy bar. That’s code for it’s underground and it’s quite dark. It sits in the subterranean space under Another Heart To Feed and is from the same team but it’s the very opposite of brunch with a definite nocturnal atmosphere, helped by moody red lighting.

Situated in rolling countryside just south of the Scottish border near Carlisle, Netherby Hall is a luxury weekend break destination for those who want to self-cater in style.

Onda, or Onda Pasta Bar, to give it its full name, is a new Italian restaurant at Circle Square. It isn’t new exactly – with pop-ups at Exhibition amongst other places, Onda has already made a name for itself. With stints in impressive kitchens like Chez Bruce and Claridges, Chef Sam Astley Dean isn’t exactly a street food trader made good, either.

The Pearl in Prestwich styles itself as a ‘British dining room’, but there’s plenty of French influence here too.

The Red Lion’s location in Whitworth, Rochdale is semi rather than fully rural but in terms of character and style, you can’t get much more ‘country pub’ than this. It’s got the cobblestone square outside, the roaring fire inside, the sleepy dogs by the bar, the sturdy British cooking. It has the history too, dating from the 17th century.

Scoop! serves the best ice cream in Ancoats and then some. There’s a good selection of gelato with plenty of vegan options too but the most fun part is going crazy with the toppings and sauces which are included in the price.

This elegant, paired-back cocktail bar opened in the corner space of Mackie Mayor in November 2023, and fast became a favourite with people who appreciate the art of a well-mixed drink.

Tender is an elegant restaurant in Manchester’s Stock Exchange Hotel. The food lives up to the grandeur. Headed by Chef Niall Keating, it wouldn’t be a surprise if his cooking here earned him some more of those Michelin stars. He’s on his way to becoming a culinary constellation.

With its sweeping panoramas of seasonal golds, reds and browns, Tandle Hill Country Park is one of the best places to catch autumn colour in Greater Manchester.

Head to Walton Hall & Gardens for landscaped grounds, woodland walks, a grand house, and a whole host of fun things to do. The manicured lawns and historical features make it a popular choice for weddings, whilst the alpacas and mini golf make it a good bet for days out with the kids.

Water Lily is not the sort of place you could stumble across by chance. It sits above a parade of takeaways on Chorlton’s Wilbraham Road. From the street, you can’t tell if it’s packed to the rafters or dead as a doornail which puts off passing trade. Fortunately, Water Lily doesn’t rely on walk-ins. Those in the know book ahead for vibrant and colourful Hong Kong cooking.