New restaurants and bars opening in Manchester in April 2026

Spinningfields isn’t short on statement restaurants, so Sticks’n’Sushi feels like a refreshing curveball. The Copenhagen-born restaurant brings a calm design-led approach – warm wood, sculptural lighting and an expansive two-floor space with terrace, full of different-feeling spaces. With a dual Danish-Japanese heritage, the menu blends precise sushi with robata skewers. Expect sashimi and nigiri alongside miso cod, wagyu and teriyaki sweet potato, plus playful touches like truffle ponzu beef tataki and lollipop-style chicken wings. You’ll be seeing us there.

Coming to Castlefield, a new brunch spot with an ideal Canalside location. They’ll be serving brunch favourites alongside smoothies and matcha-based drinks (whispering of a blue variety, even). There’s a big focus on wellness and community events, as well as teaming up with Pollen for pastries and Allpress for coffee. With this, and The Wharf’s recent refurb, eyes are back on Castlefield as a food and drink destination. And did we mention that canalside seating?

Among the totems of the Manchester indie beer revolution, Pomona Island have proved their mettle at turning their hands to pub-running with the excellent North Westward Ho in the hinterland between Piccadilly Gardens and Deansgate. Now they’re reviving The Creameries in Chorlton, previously home to the likes of chef extraordinaire Mary-Ellen McTague and Blanchflower. Expect their range of esoterically-entitled beers once they soft-launch this essential new neighbourhood spot at the end of the month.

It’s all (well, not all) change at Altrincham Market, with a stack of new traders coming in to show off a whole new range of cuisines. The brilliant Hello Oriental will be bringing in a pared-down version of their uptown foodhalls, focusing on purely ‘Chinese and Vietnamese streetfood for the soul’. Omas Küche (‘grandma’s kitchen’), meanwhile, will be bringing Bavarian classic sandwiches and Bakehouse 32 (formerly of the Stretford parish) will be doing its Pott Street Bagels thing, so proper bagels with proper gear inside. Then finally Little Korean Kitchen will be presenting the ‘ultimate Korean fried chicken’. Oh go on then.

Denton has just got an independent food hall – two floors of it, in fact – on Jubilee Square. It takes its name and industrial design cues from the town’s hat making history, and within it there are four kitchens and a bar. The culinary line-up is promising, featuring Curio who serve burgers, steaks and all things grilled alongside Casa Dario‘s tapas and paella. Loaded waffles come from Waffle Kart and there’s a much-celebrated third location for Ornella’s Kitchen – a pizza-deli is the latest concept from Denton’s homegrown Italian food sensation.

Opening up on High Street in the middle of the NQ, this extremely smart-looking coffee spot will be boasting warm decor (all Moroccan tiles and earthy tones on the walls) and single origin Peruvian beans in your mug. It’ll be open into the evenings too, for the night owls.

One of the oldest pubs in the city, Joseph Holt’s The Ape & Apple is getting a new lease of life – thanks to Ryan McDermott and his wife Meg, who are also the husband and wife team behind the award-winning That Burger Place, which will be taking over the kitchen. Ryan grew up in pubs, with his parents landlords in Swinton, so this is a homecoming of sorts too. A lovely full circle moment.

Bridge Street champagne bar Portfolio opened its doors last year, giving the most eminent of sparkling wines a place to truly shine in Manchester. The second phase lands later this month, when co-founder Julian Pizer (of Another Hand fame) will be opening up the kitchen to accompany what’s in the cellar. The high concept will be based around ‘the best part of any tasting menu – the snacks’, with 9, 12 and 18 courses of perfect bites.

Pronounced ‘Midnight’, this new city centre bar boasts elegant cocktails, a DJ-led soundtrack and, of course, some complicated conditions to entry. You need to book in advance, and armed with a code, you must then track down a nondescript doorway on – we think – Bow Lane. It opens in the evening through to the small hours. One to add the element of mystery to your night.