Foodies, get ready for a glut of new dining experiences. From Catalonian cuisine to shellfish specialists, there’s a range of new restaurants opening their doors over the coming months, so here’s just a few of them.
Burger & Lobster
Indecisive and hate being faced with a huge menu? Then Burger & Lobster could be for you. The London-based chain, unsurprisingly, serves either burgers or lobster for £20 (sorry vegetarians, this isn’t one for you) and will be opening their first northern site on King Street in August.
Yard and Coop
If you’re not into red meat or shellfish, how about a restaurant that specialises in chicken? In particular, buttermilk fried chicken. Pick your preference (thigh, breast or the halloumi ‘not chicken nuggets’), flavouring and sauce with some sides, and away you go. And if you fancy a post-pub bite, they’ll be staying open late so you can forgo the dodgy takeaway. Yard and Coop is now open on Edge Street.
Infamous Diner
US-inspired cuisine seems to have had a revival in recent years and over at Infamous Diner they're taking it back to the 1950s. Think red booths, a retro jukebox and fabulously attired waiting staff in vintage-inspired clothing, along with a menu focused on burgers and hot dogs. They opened their doors last month and gave away 300 free burgers from their site near Shudehill to announce their arrival.
The Pen and Pencil
Another new NQ venue is also taking cues from the US. The Pen and Pencil takes its inspiration from 1950s New York – think ‘Mad Men’ – and will be open from 10am til late serving up US-style brunch options and small plates with an international vibe in the evening, along with cocktails aplenty. The venue is from the creator of West Didsbury’s The Violet Hour and a former manager of the Northern Quarter’s Dry Bar, and is set to open on Hilton Street in August.
El Gato Negro
After ten years in Ripponden, the team behind the acclaimed tapas restaurant have decided to move down the M62 and set up on King Street. Renowned for their menu combining Spanish flavours and techniques with local influences, work is now underway on their Manchester site with completion expected in the autumn.
Lunya
If the arrival of one new Spanish restaurant isn’t enough for you, Liverpool lot Lunya are also bringing a taste of España to Manchester. Barton Arcade is the spot they’ve chosen for their second branch. Catalonian dishes are the speciality here and they’ll also be bringing a deli if you want something to take some home with you. They’re due to open in October.
Baratxuri
Heading out of the city centre to the lovely town of Ramsbottom, another place offering Spanish cuisine will be arriving shortly. Baraxtxuri will be launched in August by the team behind the ever-popular Levanter Fine Foods, and offer up pintxos – a variety of bite-sized tapas originating from the Basque region.
Solita
Franco Sotgiu is a busy man – not only is the third Solita set to open in Prestwich later this month, but plans are also underway for number four, which will feature wood-fired pizzas on the menu alongside their traditional burgers and grill items. They’ll be joining Lunya in Barton Arcade early next year.
Mary and Archie
Down in the ‘burbs, West Didsbury favourite Mary and Archie will be venturing over to Chorlton for their second spot. They’re taking up the former site of Crema opposite Unicorn and promise a full menu along with a super selection of craft beer.
The Corn Exchange
Originally, the first restaurants were meant to open their doors in June but it now looks like it'll be August/September until any launches. Confirmed operators include newbies to Manchester such as Mexican market food chain Wahaca, Italian-inspired German group Vapiano and Indian chat (small plates) provider Mowgli; along with new sites from the likes of Tampopo and Salvi’s. There's still a few spaces under offer, so expect more announcements shortly.
See the top ten dishes in Manchester from Time Out.