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The Hot 50: the most popular Manchester restaurants

By: Sarah Tierney

Updated: 1 September 2025

Want a snapshot of where’s ‘hot’ on the Manchester food and drink scene right now? The Confidential Guides Hot 50 is where to look.

It shows which of the 700+ Manchester restaurants and bars listed on Confidential Guides got the most clicks in the previous month (excluding clicks from our newsletters and promotions).

In other words, it’s the places that you, the people, are searching for and reading about; the places everyone’s talking about.

Don’t get The Hot 50 confused with our list, The best restaurants in Manchester for 2025, which gives our writers’ top-rated restaurants. Think of that as our favourite restaurants and the Hot 50 as our readers’ favourites. As you’d expect, a fair few places appear on both.

Here is the Confidential Guides Hot 50 – the most popular restaurants in Manchester for September 2025.

  • Yorkshire roast chicken at The Black Friar in Salford
    Book Now Manchester City Centre

    1. The Black Friar

    Pubs

    The Black Friar stood empty and unloved for almost 20 years before reopening in summer 2021 after a substantial renovation project. Now a modern British restaurant and a traditional pub, it has two distinct settings with menus to match.

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  • Book Now Northern Quarter

    2. Sicilian NQ

    Takeaways

    Located in the Northern Quarter, this friendly neighbourhood bistro and bar is the place to avanti if it’s a taste of traditional Sicily you fancy – from authentic street food snacks through to big plates of pasta to desserts and holiday memory gelato, eat in or take away.

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  • One of the sides at 10 Tib Lane, a well-regarded restaurant in Manchester city centre.
    Manchester City Centre

    3. 10 Tib Lane

    Bars

    10 Tib Lane was one of the brave new openings of summer 2021; a time when securing staff and supplies, never mind diners, was an ongoing challenge for everyone. If you can launch a new restaurant in that environment, you must be doing something very right – so it’s no surprise that years later, it’s still going strong.

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  • Book Now Manchester City Centre

    4. Exhibition

    Bars

    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.

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  • Book Now Spinningfields

    5. KAJI

    Bars

    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.

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  • Dessert at Another Hand, one of Manchester's best restaurants.
    Manchester City Centre

    6. Another Hand

    Restaurant - British

    There is quite some experience behind owners Julian Pizer and Max Yorke at Another Hand, including time spent at Cottonopolis, The Edinburgh Castle and Hispi. In this intimate restaurant on Deansgate Mews, they put it to excellent use on an ever-changing, seasonal menu that takes advantage of some of the best suppliers in the region.

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  • Discover the new food traders at Winter Island, Freight Island's festive makeover
    Manchester City Centre

    7. Freight Island

    Music Venues

    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. 

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  • Cured mackerel in horseradish emulsion, from the tasting menu at Skof, one of the best restaurants in Manchester.
    Book Now Manchester City Centre

    8. Skof

    Restaurant - Modern British

    Skof is the first restaurant from chef Tom Barnes who, as head chef at Simon Rogan’s L’Enclume, helped it win its third Michelin star. In February 2025, he secured a Michelin star for Skof, with the judges praising its ‘clearly thought-through’ dishes and ‘delicate seasoning’.

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  • Chinatown (Manchester)

    9. Higher Ground

    Restaurant - Modern British

    Higher Ground, the permanent restaurant from the team behind Flawd, opened its doors in February 2023. Taking up residence in Bruntwood’s Faulkner House on Faulkner Street, it offers a chilled bistro experience with a focus on championing the finest North West produce.

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  • The roasted meats at Happy Seasons - one of the 10 best restaurants in Chinatown, Manchester
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    10. Happy Seasons

    Restaurant - Chinese

    If you need a culinary lift to the spirits, the triple roasted meats at Happy Seasons in Chinatown will do the trick. This trio of char siu, crispy belly pork and roasted duck, served over egg fried rice, is one of the reasons you see queues out of the door at this Cantonese restaurant.

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  • Book Now Deansgate

    11. Atlas Bar

    Bars

    Atlas Bar is known as one of the originals of Manchester’s modern cafe-bar scene. And for its extensive collection of gins – over 570 varieties and counting.

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  • Dakota Grill Manchester Lamb Rump
    Northern Quarter

    12. Dakota Grill Manchester

    Bars

    Dakota Grill Manchester is the work of former Malmaison owner, Ken McCollough and it is as dark-hued and handsome as the successful boutique hotel chain. It’s an inviting place with flickering candlelight, very retro-sexy – sure to be the setting for many a first date.

    The focus at Dakota is on steaks which are very good – all grass-fed, 28 day-aged, hand-cut Aberdeenshire beef cooked over hot coals.

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  • Pasta at Bar Etna in Altrincham
    Altrincham

    13. Bar Etna

    Restaurant - Italian

    Bar Etna is regularly voted as the best place to eat in Altrincham. Locals love its authentic Sicilian dishes and friendly, welcoming atmosphere but with food this good, they can’t expect to keep it to themselves.

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  • Oysters from Climat, Manchester.
    Manchester City Centre

    14. Climat

    Restaurant - Modern British

    The first thing you notice when you step into fine-dining restaurant Climat is the view. Situated on the roof of Blackfriars House, you’re just above the city skyline, close enough to see the details of the architecture, but high enough to feel like you’re in the clouds.

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  • Lunch at 20 Stories, Manchester.
    Spinningfields

    15. 20 Stories

    Bars

    Manchester’s highest restaurant, bar and terrace 20 Stories was the opening of 2018 and still maintains its status as one of the city’s most popular place to eat, drink, be snapped and be seen.

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  • The exterior of the Little Yang Sing, an acclaimed restaurant in Manchester's Chinatown.
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    16. Little Yang Sing

    Restaurant - Chinese

    Cantonese and contemporary, Little Yang Sing has a relaxed feel in otherwise bustling Chinatown. It’s popular for its dim sum, and offers much for the plant-based palate along with a proper wine list. .

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  • Book Now Northern Quarter

    17. The Pen & Pencil

    Bars

    The Pen and Pencil is the Northern Quarter’s cool all-day hangout, modelled on the New York bar of the same name popular with the city’s journalists and ad men in the 1950s and 1960s. It has a reputation for great cocktails, quality food and an atmosphere that makes it stand out from nearby imitators.

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  • Deansgate

    18. Bruncho

    Cafes

    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.

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  • Pumpkin pie at Where The Light Gets In
    Stockport Town Centre

    19. Where the Light Gets In

    Restaurant - Modern British

    With no menu and esoteric wines, Where the Light Gets In doesn’t adhere to the typical fine-dining formula. But it’s been a success for Stockport, thanks to chef-patron Sam Buckley’s belief in doing things his own way.

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  • Crab, mussel and caviar fishcakes at TNQ.
    Northern Quarter

    20. TNQ

    Restaurant - Modern British

    This unassuming, independent restaurant overlooking the historic Smithfield Fish Market is a stalwart of the Northern Quarter’s dining scene. Co-owner and chef Anthony Fielden has been cooking up a storm at TNQ since 2004, winning various awards and accolades along the way. 

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  • Book Now Manchester City Centre

    21. Wing’s

    Restaurant - Chinese

    Lincoln Square’s traditional Cantonese restaurant Wing’s has been an institution in the city centre since 2004, when it first found fame through the patronage of Premier League footballers.

    It takes more than famous names to keep a restaurant thriving though – and it’s testament to the consistency and quality of the upmarket British-Cantonese food that Wing’s is still going strong 20 years later.

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  • Steak from Tender Cow at Mackie Mayor, a food hall in Manchester.
    Northern Quarter

    22. Mackie Mayor

    Cafes

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

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  • Inside Behind Closed Doors, a quirky bar in Manchester, the NQ.
    Northern Quarter

    23. Behind Closed Doors

    Bars

    Described as a ‘debauched cocktail bar’ in the heart of the Northern Quarter, Behind Closed Doors aims to bring ‘sex, rugs & funk ‘n’ soul’ to the people of Manchester.

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  • Black pudding with marinated peppers at Erst, one of the best restaurants in Manchester
    Ancoats

    24. Erst

    Restaurant - British

    “Yet more small plates in Ancoats?” we hear you cry. Well yes, but trust us, Erst is worth your attention. This is a place for serious foodies so don’t come looking for mac n cheese balls. Plenty of other places can satisfy that filthy craving for you.

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  • Manchester City Centre

    25. Haunt

    Bars

    When Peter Street lost its Caffe Nero it gained Haunt, an independent coffee shop and wine bar. Stepping inside, you feel like this corner spot in the beautiful St George’s House, with its views of the Midland Hotel and Central Library, has finally got the classy occupier it deserves.

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  • Book Now Levenshulme

    26. Cibus

    Bars

    Once a stall at Levy Market, then a pop-up pizzeria above Fred’s Ale House, Cibus took baby steps to get to where it is today; a fully-fledged and much-praised Italian restaurant and bar on Levenshulme high street, and the winner of The Good Food Guide’s award for Best Local Restaurant North West 2024.

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  • Dim sum at Only Yu in Chinatown Manchester
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    27. Only Yu

    Restaurant - Chinese

    This 2023 addition to George Street has already secured a place as one of the most popular restaurants in Chinatown. Spread across two floors, Only Yu is lively even at lunchtime, thanks to friendly service and well-executed Chinese food.

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  • exterior of on the hush manchester church street northern quarter
    Book Now Northern Quarter

    28. On the Hush

    Cafes

    On the Hush is a popular Northern Quarter cafe bar, winning awards for its bottomless brunch. Loyal customers and visitors to Manchester love its colourful style, imaginative cocktails and casual all-day food offering.

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  • Bangkok Diners Club
    Ancoats

    29. Edinburgh Castle and Bangkok Diners Club

    Pubs

    The food element of award-winning Ancoats pub The Edinburgh Castle has had several overhauls in recent years – but it’s retained its place in the Estrella Damm Top 50 Gastropubs throughout. 

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  • Mei Dim Chinese Restaurant China Town Manchester
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    30. Mei Dim

    Restaurant - Chinese

    Mei Dim by name, dim sum by nature. If it’s the Cantonese version of small plates you’re after, look no further than this basement Chinatown establishment, where bite-sized brunch or lunch dishes in the form of dumplings and buns are proclaimed the best in Manchester.

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  • yard and coop fried chicken and chips NQ
    Northern Quarter

    31. Yard & Coop Manchester

    Bars

    We’d rather see a restaurant that does one thing well than one that does a wide variety of dishes to the same average standard. Yard & Coop Manchester is firmly in the former category. It serves buttermilk fried chicken and that’s about it, unless you’re a veggie in which case you can have halloumi instead.

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  • Mattar Paneer, House Black Daal and Jackfruit Biryani at Dishoom
    Spinningfields

    32. Dishoom

    Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

    Dishoom is a legend in its own lunchtime and that’s exactly how it likes things. It’s not enough to serve up top-notch Indian dishes in grand surroundings; there’s a story behind the menu too. But when the food is this good it doesn’t need to hide behind tall tales.

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  • Roast squash with labneh and zhoug at Evelyn's in the NQ
    Northern Quarter

    33. Evelyn’s

    Restaurant - Global

    Evelyn’s is a very clever restaurant. It’s from the chaps behind Mughli so expect a quality operation although it is very different to the standout star of Curry Mile.

    It’s a light and leafy sort of place, both in the surroundings and on the plate. Evelyn’s offers a fresher, healthier take on dining out but it won’t leave you feeling like you’re at a well-being bootcamp.

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  • Book Now Northern Quarter

    34. BAB NQ

    Restaurant - Middle Eastern

    If you feel it’s time to spice up your life, look no further than this Northern Quarter indie, where the main offer is ‘kebabs worth sitting down for’. Yep, BAB by name, ‘babs by nature, but that’s not doing the menu full justice – there are also meze small plates to mix and match, skewers and shawarmas, and non-babs such as an epic surf & turf spread.

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  • Evuna
    Northern Quarter

    35. Evuna Manchester NQ

    Bars

    The second city centre Evuna, open since 2013, bagsies a corner spot in the Northern Quarter that provides the outward-facing window seats with a prime people-watching position. Wood panelling, Moorish tiles and rustic blackboards offer atmosphere, perfect for cosying up over those authentic small plates.

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  • Book Now Northern Quarter

    36. Twenty Twenty Two

    Activities

    Twenty Twenty Two is a Northern Quarter hangout with a difference. It has the metro tiles, basement decor and late night action typical of other bars in the area, but it also has table tennis and other games.

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

    37. Kambuja

    Restaurant - Cambodian

    Many of us are familiar with the vibrant cuisines of Vietnam and Thailand but Cambodian, or Khmer, food is still relatively unexplored territory in the UK. Kambuja in Marple is one of the country’s few dedicated Cambodian restaurants – and it’s a good one. It received rave reviews in the national press when it opened in 2017 under its former name of Angkor Soul.

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  • Manchester Chinese Restaurant
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    38. Manchester Chinese Restaurant

    Restaurant - Chinese

    Manchester Chinese Restaurant has a name that states the obvious but other than that, doesn’t give much away. Perhaps it’s keeping its thousand year old egg dish and the extra helpings of jellyfish a secret for fear of upsetting the punters.

    There’s no need. Manchester Chinese Restaurant has a menu to keep both the sensation-hunters and the play-it-safers perfectly happy. After all, China is a big country and the restaurant aims to reflect all of its culinary heritage.

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  • Hakkapo is a Japanese restaurant in Manchester's First Street district.
    Book Now Manchester City Centre

    39. Hakkapo

    Restaurant

    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.

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  • Manchester City Centre

    40. The Allotment Vegan Eatery

    Restaurant - Vegan

    The seeds of Matthew Nutter’s fine dining adventure were sown when he set out to “make veg taste better than steak”. And the menu at The Allotment Vegan Eatery exceeds this ambition.

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  • Modern British fine dining at Adam Reid at The French, the restaurant in the Midland Hotel, Manchester
    Manchester City Centre

    41. Adam Reid at The French

    Restaurant - Modern British

    Culinary rock and roll from Simon Rogan’s protege, Adam Reid, and head chef Blaise Murphy, formerly of Mana. Enjoy fine-dining in Grade II Listed Victorian surrounds – with a side order of Mancunian attitude.

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  • Black Spot Pizza Restaurant Stockport
    Book Now Stockport

    42. Black Spot Pizza

    Restaurant - Italian

    There is no shortage of floppy, fold-it-up Neapolitan pizza in Manchester these days. Like the bee symbol, it has descended over the city in a swarm: there’s probably a slice creeping up behind you right now. But it’s not a bad thing – particularly if it means you’ve got a place like Black Spot Pizza in your neighbourhood. 

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  • Manchester City Centre

    43. Tast

    Restaurant - Spanish

    Catalan restaurant Tast brings the fiercely independent spirit of north-eastern Spain to your table courtesy head chef Paco Pérez – holder of six Michelin stars – and his passionate team, who run eight acclaimed restaurants around the world.

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  • Book Now Manchester City Centre

    44. Rain Bar

    Bars

    Rain Bar is a pub from JW Lees in an old umbrella factory. It’s a beautiful building and looks even better now after its recent refurb. The jewel in the crown though, or the spoke in its brolly, is a large outdoor area to the rear overlooking the Bridgewater Canal.

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  • Bill's Spinningfields - a restaurant where kids eat free during school holidays.
    Spinningfields

    45. Bill’s Spinningfields

    Restaurant - European

    Bill’s has come a long way since it was a market café. The family business is now a sizeable chain but in Bill’s Manchester at least, you’ll still find a warm welcome, some pretty special specials and a crowd-pleasing selection of dishes that sometimes manage to deliver rather punchy flavours. You will be pleasantly surprised.

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  • Inside the bustling Market House Indoor Food Hall in Altrincham, Greater Manchester.
    Greater Manchester

    46. Altrincham Market House Indoor Food Hall

    Markets

    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.

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  • Fluffy Fluffy pancakes
    Manchester City Centre

    47. Fluffy Fluffy

    Cafes

    Fuwa Fuwa, is North America’s largest soufflé pancake and dessert café. It opened its doors in Manchester New Square in October 2022 and is known internationally for its jiggly and airy soufflé pancakes.

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  • An example of the dishes at Pho Cue restaurant in Manchester China Town
    Chinatown (Manchester)

    48. Pho Cue

    Restaurant - Vietnamese

    “The food speaks for itself,” says Cue Tran, owner of the Pho Cue Vietnamese kitchen, whose aim is to take the authentic street food dishes of his home country and give them a modern “Instagrammable” twist while retaining their flavour, freshness and family traditions.

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  • Spaghetti with asparagus sauce, crispy onions & stracchino cheese cream at The Pasta Factory
    Northern Quarter

    49. The Pasta Factory

    Restaurant - Italian

    Seasonal and made from scratch – there’s a homeliness to the food at The Pasta Factory that belies its industrial-sounding name.

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  • Front of the shop at Another Heart to Feed Northern Quarter Manchester
    Northern Quarter

    50. Another Heart To Feed NQ

    Cafes

    Another Heart To Feed in Manchester’s NQ is one of our top brunch spots. It’s a coffee shop inspired by coffee culture capital of the world, Melbourne. There’s a tempting array of breakfasty-stuff where many dishes have a Middle Eastern slant. You’ll find ingredients like dukkah, labneh, hummus and halloumi sprinkled across a menu that has more than its fair share of Ottolenghi-style magic.

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