Last month was a biggie for new openings but there are some crackers to look forward to in August. Not just in the city centre, this month we have new spots in Gorton, Irlams o’ th’ Height and Fallowfield. There are new restaurants doing Mexican, pasta, and pancakes, as well as new shops, bars, and activity venues to entertain the kids and big kids alike.
Read on for our round up of new openings in Manchester this August.
AllPress
Opening 17 August
NOMA has taken a little while to establish itself as a city centre “neighbourhood to watch” but it’s certainly getting there. The revamped New Century is a stunning focal point for the area and Sadler’s Cat keeps it real and very Mancunian with the plan to keep expanding the food and drink offer. On that note, welcome the newest kid on the block, AllPress, a hip coffee brand whose beans you might recognising from a few existing coffee shops is bringing its own cafe to Manchester in its first venture up north. The NZ-born brand will move into a 2500 sq ft space which will also house a barista training school. Maybe that coffee tasting qualification you’ve dreamed earning of could become a reality here.
Redfern Building, Off Sadler’s Yard, 30 Hanover Street, Manchester. M4 4AH
Archie’s x Nerf Action Experience
Opening 4 August
It’s all happening at Trafford Palazzo, the divorced wing of the Trafford Centre that got to keep the toys. Joining King Pins (see below) this month is a new Nerf Action Experience, a “virtual battleground” where you get to (safely) enjoy running around like a maniac, blasting at your friends and family with nerf guns throughout different themed zones. It’s hungry work so the addition of an Archie’s concession is a great move. The Manchester brand will be bringing its burgers and (so hot right now) pink aesthetic to the party.
Unit C2, C6, Trafford Palazzo, TraffordCity, next to The Trafford Centre, Stretford, M17 8AS
The Fing Fing Cloud
TBA
This loaded Hong Kong style cloud waffle joint has been popping up with its very cute DIY-looking stall around the uni end of Manchester for a while. It’s now got a permanent spot on the cards in a former personal credit agency on Bloom Street in the village. It joins a number of other Hong Kong and Chinese food businesses in the area including Dr Miao (that does those alarmingly realistic dog-shaped cakes), BBQ spot Chuan and Home Chinese, an upmarket Chinese restaurant. The Fing Fing Cloud will do waffles for sure, but we reckon there might be other fun desserts in store in this striking blue and white cafe.
F.L.O.C
Open now
Gorton’s getting lucky this month with a stylish-looking new burger and desserts gaff. F.L.O.C specialises in juicy smashed burgers, chicken burgers, and spicy wings. The Classic Smash burger features double smashed patties served in a seeded brioche bun with melted cheese, lettuce, caramelised onions, tomatoes topped with sriracha mayo and burger sauce. There are also ostentatious desserts like waffles loaded with Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Bueno, crushed Oreos, milky bar and chocolate shavings, drizzled with chocolate and white chocolate sauces and topped with a squirt of whippy ice cream. You can buy in store or via Deliveroo, Just Eat and Uber Eats.
782 Hyde Road, Gorton, Manchester. M18 7JD
Gooey (Selfridges, Trafford Centre)
Open now
Having now had the seal of approval from both Jay Rayner AND Lizzo, Gooey has bagged itself a concession in one of the bougiest of all shops, Selfridges. You can now grab red velvet cookies, massive doughnuts stuffed with custard and raspberry jam and all kinds of regularly changing treats from Gooey’s bakery counter at Selfridges Trafford while you’re shopping for your Balenciussies. It’s about damn time.
60 The Trafford Centre, Trafford Park, Stretford, M17 8DA
House of Habesha at Hatch
Open now
House of Habesha is a name that will be familiar to you if you’ve been keeping an eye on pop-up food traders via our socials – their massive platters of Eritrean and Ethiopian soul food are pretty difficult to miss. We’ve followed owner Samson Yitbareck’s journey and growth as he’s moved between pop-up sites at General Stores in Sale, Blossom Street Social in Ancoats, Salford’s Eagle Inn pub and more recently Contact on Oxford Road. He’s now found a more permanent home at Hatch on Oxford Road, where he’ll be cooking up recipes inspired by his Godmother’s homemade food, including Shiro – a spiced chickpea stew, Kulwa Seida – a lamb stew with Habesha spices, and loads of veggie and vegan options, served with his Insta famous Injera – a traditional freshly made flat spongy sourdough rice bread.
House of Habesha, Hatch, 103 Oxford Road, Manchester. M1 7ED
Juicebox
Open now
Modern Thai BBQ and cocktail gaff Neon Tiger burned bright for a short while before fizzling out quietly earlier this year. But it’s ok because in its place is now going to be the city centre arm of Didsbury natty wine bar Juicebox. Juicebox comes from the same team behind Bunny Jacksons, Wolf At The Door et al so you can probably already picture its aesthetic and hipster vibes. Being a wine bar, though, things at Juicebox are a bit less chug chug chug and bit more swirl, sniff, glug. The bar will sell wine to take away alongside other grocery and deli items but you’ll be able to pull up a stool to drink your wine there as well.
62 Bridge Street, Manchester. M3 3BW
King Pins
Open now
King Pins is the newest bowling alley in town and also the most hi tech. We went to check it out at the launch and it kept our group of adults and kids entertained for hours. There’s a smart, modern bowling alley, a games room full of dance machines, shoot-em-ups, air hockey and arcade machines, and duckpin bowling and karaoke upstairs. There’s also pizza from Manchester favourites PLY and bar from Little Bao Boy, a Leeds street food brand that you might recognise from North Brew Co at Circle Square. If you need to take the edge off all that organised fun with the kids, they do a pretty sweet “Kingstar Martini” too.
Trafford Palazzo in TraffordCity, next to The Trafford Centre, Stretford, M17 8AS
Lucy & Yak
Open now
This one’s not edible but at least some of this clothing company’s prints feature things you can eat. Yes, doyenne of dungarees Lucy & Yak has opened its first Manchester store in the old Oklahoma spot. If you’re already a convert (like a few in our office), you’ll need no encouragement to go and give them all your money but if you’re all “Lucy & WHO?” then think Thunder Egg style colourful printed dungarees, dress, trousers and tees made in an as sustainable and ethical as possible way. Not for wallflowers, these bright garms will have people stopping you on the street with compliments (or putting on sunglasses as you strut past), trust us.
74-76 High Street, Northern Quarter, M4 1ES
The Mexican
Opening early August
This, you guessed it, Mexican-inspired casual dining spot is moving into the former (and much adored) Kosmos Greek restaurant in Fallowfield. The theme is clear, with spray painted sugar skulls and mariachis on walls and shutters, a giant sugar skull Frida Kahlo mural on one wall and the kitchen pass peeping out through the eye hole of yes, another sugar skull. There will be tacos, and burritos with home made tortillas, chicken wings, corn ribs and churros all at student-friendly prices. A varnished wooden bar will serve Corona on draft, spicy margs, frozen marks, and various flavours of Jarritos.
248 Wilmslow Road, Fallowfield, Manchester. M14 6LD
Micky’s
Open now
Not strictly a new opening, more a rebrand and a new semi-permanent location for the sandwich artist formerly known as Mira. Why the name change? Well, the butties have evolved a bit and are now on focaccia, moving away from the Cuzzetiello sandwiches they begun with, so the team says it felt like a fresh name was needed. You’ll still find Ndulius Ceasar among the seven on the menu with its flavour grenade of panko breaded chicken, ndjua, sun dried tomatoes and Caesar sauce. New menu additions include the Cauli Cartel and The Pendino. The Pendino is a deli-style cold cuts bonanza with a punchy fennel, chilli and apple salsa. The Cauli Cartel features roast cauliflower, pickled red onion, ajvar red pepper sauce and lime zest mayo – and it’s suitable (but not just) for vegans. There will also be fried potatoes with a choice of sauces and doughnuts for afters. Micky’s will be slinging sarnies out of PLY on Stevenson Square Tuesdays-Sundays 11.30am-4pm. There will still be pizzas on sale, so don’t worry if you prefer your sandwich open, shaped like a frisbee and topped with grilled cheese.
26 Lever Street, Northern Quarter, M1 1DW
NQ64
Opening 1 August
Retro arcade game and classic console venue NQ64 has moved next door into the venue that used to be Dive Bar. The massive new space has comfy booths and banquette seating and an indoor capacity of 350. The team has also made use of the outdoor terrace which now has two new arcade machines. There are loads more games indoors including ‘Pop-A-Shot’ (that basketball shooting game) and a ‘Wall Boy’ which magnifies a Game Boy onto a large screen so all your mates can watch you crash and burn at Super Mario. The bigger bar will serve game-themed cocktails like the Power Star Martini, the Dr Ro Bev Nik, a cherry Old Fashioned, and the Kong Island Iced Tea, inspired by Donkey Kong – we’re guessing it will include erm, bananas? All the usual beverages will be on offer as well as retro snacks like Space Raiders and Monster Munch. To celebrate the move, the first 50 customers through NQ64’s doors on opening day (1 August) will be treated to a gift bag full of goodies, including a very much in demand NQ64 t-shirt. The venue will be open seven days a week, 4pm – 2am weekdays and 12pm to 2am weekends. That’s a lot of Pac Man you could squeeze into your week.
12 Tib Street, Northern Quarter, M4 1SH
Onda at The New Cross
Open now
It’s not that long ago we were getting our spaghetti all in a twirl telling you about Onda Pasta Bar opening in Exhibition on Peter Street. Well they’ve now decided to turn their Onda vision to the trendy end of town with a new residency in Ancoats. After a few weeks popping up, Onda will be bringing their indecently good pasta to The New Cross permanently in August. In case you have been living Onda a rock and don’t know what all this hype is about, all Onda’s pasta is home made and menu items include black truffle fettuccine, beef shin campanelle with brown butter sauce and lobster alla vodka. Sam, the founder of Onda, has already made his name for Rise pizza, the one with the snowdrift of parmesan all over the crust, and he has awoken his sourdough starter again to serve these much photographed pizzas at New Cross too.
6 Cross Keys Street, Ancoats, M4 5ET
Suzume
Open now
From the team behind Manchester food gem The Sparrows comes sake bar called Suzume. The venue is due to open imminently at 20 Red Bank but in the meantime is popping up in the former Three Rivers gin school at number 21 next door. The Japanese sake bar and tasting space is a gold mine if you want to learn about the mysterious Japanese alcoholic drink. There are many different types to try from various prefectures and breweries, and if you don’t like sake, you’ll find cocktails and rice beers too. There is a warehouse sale every Friday 3-10pm, Saturday 12-10pm, and Sunday 12-8pm with selected bottles available for purchase at warehouse prices provided by the bar’s parent company Ukiyo Republic Ltd.
Arch 21, Red Bank, Manchester. M4 4HF
Sud
Opening 18 August
Ancoats pasta masters Sud of “eat your pasta with a spoon” fame have announced they will be opening a second city centre spot this August but that’s all they’re giving away for now. We know where it is, but we’ve been sworn to secrecy so watch this space for an announcement about it and put a note in your diary for now. Looks like there will be some new menu items at this one too.
That Burger Place
Opening 18 August
Cult patty master That Burger Place is opening a dine-in venue, finally. A stone’s throw away from where owner Ryan grew up in Irlams o’ th’ Height, the brick and mortar venue will build on the success of the brand’s popular dark kitchen delivery service. The team recently went on a research trip to West California and they have come back armed with loads of ideas for brand new menu items including burgers, fries, sides and milkshakes. There will also be a loyalty card scheme. In the run up to opening, That Burger Place is running a “test kitchen” scheme where customers can try new products they are refining and enjoy 35% off their order from Uber Eats.
We Can Be Gyros at YES
Open now
YES is not only a great music venue, bar and club but also a bit of an unsung hero on the cheap eats front. The very good pizza from Pepperoni Playboy is its mainstay but next door has played host to a series of long term pop-ups including Firebird Hope and Doner Summer. Now there’s a new kid in town in the shape of tenuously Bowie-themed Greek wrappers We Can Be Gyros. There’s a Lady Stardust kebab on the menu (it’s a vegan one) but the Bowie refs disappointingly stop there. What about Shawar-man? Hallo-umi Spaceboy? Ch ch ch ch chips? Tut! What’s not disappointing is the food, big pillowy wraps stuffed with fries and things like lamb kofta, halloumi and vegan shawarma, salad or pickles and drizzled with sauces. There are sharing platters too if you want to go large and share or indulge yourself.
38 Charles Street, Manchester. M1 7DB
