Everything, everywhere: A guide to food halls in Manchester

Exhibition is one of Manchester’s cluster of exciting multi-kitchen concepts (read: food halls) that just seem to be multiplying. In the former home of the Natural History Museum, the location makes it perfect for visitors to Manchester Central, the Radisson Blu and the Midland Hotel.

Food hall meets music festival is how we’d describe Freight Island to anyone confused about what they’ll find at this regenerated rail depot beyond Piccadilly Station. 

Setting a precedent for the likes of Mackie Mayor and Stockport Produce Hall, many have hailed the revamping of the Market House Indoor Food Hall as the touch paper that lit Altrincham’s whole foodie scene ablaze.

The Arndale Market transformed itself into a food hall long before the trend took off. It’s been there for yonks as a produce market of course – and you’ll still find well-regarded butchers, greengrocers and fishmongers there. But you’ll also find fragrant and varied dishes from around the world, either to eat on-the-hoof or in its seating area.

Diecast is a party venue and ‘creative neighbourhood’ five-minutes’ walk from Manchester Piccadilly station.

There’s three floors of street food fun at Hello Oriental. A Chinese bakery and cafe is joined by Vietnamese restaurant Rice Paper Pho, an Asian-inspired Downtown Oriental food hall, and a supermarket stocking everything from frozen dim sum to sake.

Mackie Mayor is a cosmopolitan food hall located in an 1858 Grade II listed market building on the edge of Manchester’s Northern Quarter.

Opened in the summer of 2022 after a hefty refurb which transformed the tired-looking New Century Hall of the mid-twentieth century into a newfangled music and dining destination in Manchester’s trendy NOMA district.

This 19th-century market building became a buzzy food hall and bar in 2019 as part of Stockport’s transformation from ‘crap town’ to ‘decent place to live and hangout’.

Every town would benefit from its own version of Radcliffe Market. Owned and managed by the local community, it’s a not-for-profit venue that exists to bring fresh, local food and products to the people of Radcliffe with a focus on ethical, sustainable, and healthy options.

Located in between St Peter’s Square and The Bridgewater Hall, Society brings new life to the quiet yet elegant stretch of city between Oxford Street and First Street. The outside area is a sunspot bordered by a fountain and a garden, making it feel more like Madrid than Manchester (weather permitting of course).