Nell's Kampus

When we look at Kampus there’s still a temptation to tell people how we remember when ‘all this were fields’. Well, we remember when all this was the Aytoun Street campus of Manchester Metropolitan University. What a difference a decade or so makes, with this pint-sized neighbourhood completely reimagined into a place for living, dining and drinking, rather than studying and bunking off. 

In terms of Central Manchester communities, this is one of the best-realised, immediately part of the fabric of the city, feeding off footfall from Piccadilly and Mayfield to the Gay Village. One of the earliest signs of success was Nell’s — up there with the best-loved Mancunian pizza empires. Our city’s hunger for melted cheese and hand-rolled dough seems to know no bounds, and the region is so well regarded for its contributions to Italian-American staples that many of the original independents have blossomed into local and national chains. Nell’s Kampus branch comes in the form of a spacious, minimalist bar and eatery sporting trademark oranges and yellows set against light wood, subtle neon and bare bulb light fittings.

There’s also ample outdoor seating overlooking the Rochdale Canal, which divides Kampus from Canal Street, Manchester’s epicentre of LGBTQIA+ culture. Nell’s approach to ‘za’  is very much influenced by New York City pies. And that goes for size, too. So their standard is 14”, while the real experience is a gargantuan 22”. By the slice is also available. 

Iconic options include the Do You ‘Roni Honey, where ‘properoni’ and pepperoni meet ‘ndjua and chilli honey. Original Sausage Material goes heavy on pork and spice, while veggie and vegan diners get menus entirely to themselves. Throw in an extensive range of homemade bar snacks to match excellent cocktails (including alcohol-free options) and pints poured at the bar (plus DJs on the weekends) and it’s not hard to see why Mancs love Nell’s.