Manchester

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Eating and drinking in Manchester Piccadilly Gardens‘ restaurants and bars

Positively revamped, Piccadilly Gardens has transformed form a Manchester eyesore to a welcome nest of new bars, restaurants and cafes

It wasn’t long ago that mention of Piccadilly Gardens would guarantee a roll of the eyes from most Mancunians. Despite a much-needed facelift in 2002 – which gave the Gardens its fountain, new seating and concrete wall – the area was useful only as a cut-through for commuters or as a hang-out for dubious types in hoodies. The retail units of the reviled Number One Piccadilly (the red brick building at one end of the Gardens) stood empty, with only the occasional crisp packet whirling in the wind for company.

 

Fast forward to 2007 and things are much improved. The replanted grass, maturing trees, back-in-working-order fountain and this summer’s new paving have made Piccadilly Gardens look positively verdant. But the main change is that the empty shop-fronts have at last been filled – and with a mix of decent quality bars, cafes and eateries that are pulling in the punters and giving the Gardens a new lease of life. Kro Piccadilly is now firmly established, applying its tried and tested Danish-food-and-decent-beers formula to its fifth outlet with great success. Pret a Manger – everyone’s favourite sandwich chain - is the newest addition to the Piccadilly stable, while Pizza Express and Barburrito offer top-quality after-work eats.

 

Rice, meanwhile, is the only non-chain establishment on the Gardens. Taking a healthy approach to fast food, its speedily-served curries and hot meals (which come in handy New York-style noodle cartons) use only fresh ingredients and are cooked in its vast open kitchen in a matter of minutes. Dishes are drawn from around the world – our favourite is the Indonesian Nasi Goreng – and cost around £6. Open day and night, Rice has become a reliable refuelling stop for breakfast, lunch or tea.

 

Piccadilly Gardens M1 1RG. Metrolink Piccadilly Gardens/City centre buses/Piccadilly rail. Kro Piccadilly (244 5765/www.kro.co.uk). Sun-Thur 8am-11pm, Fri & Sat 8am-2am. Pret a Manger (020 7932 5223/www.pret.com). Mon-Fri 7.30am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm. Pizza Express (237 1811/www.pizzaexpress.com). Mon-Fri 11.30am-11.30pm, Sat 11.30am-midnight, Sun 11.30am-10.30pm. Barburrito (228 6479/www.barburrito.co.uk). Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun noon-6pm. Rice (244 5540/www.ricemanchester.com). Mon-Wed 10.30am - 9.30pm, Thur-Sat 10.30am - 10.00pm, Sun 11.00am-7.00pm.

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