Manchester is one of the best places to eat in Britain, and its food scene is spread across neighbourhoods rather than packed into one street. In recent years, the city has become known for its food halls, independent restaurants and exciting new chefs. There is food from every corner of the world.
Here are ten places, most of them districts and food halls, to point you in the right direction. Restaurants come and go, so check what is open. For more about the city, see our Manchester guide.
1. Mackie Mayor, Northern Quarter
Mackie Mayor is a food hall in a restored Victorian market building on the edge of the Northern Quarter. The building was built in the 1850s as a meat market, and it had been empty for years before it was restored. Its grand hall, with a glass roof and iron columns, is beautiful.
Inside, independent kitchens serve food from around the world, from pizza and burgers to Asian dishes and fresh seafood. There are bars serving beer, wine and cocktails. Everyone sits together at long shared tables.
It is great for groups who cannot agree on where to eat, as everyone can choose something different. The atmosphere is lively and friendly. It is busy at weekends and in the evenings.
Mackie Mayor is a short walk from Victoria and Piccadilly stations. It is a great place for lunch or dinner. Check opening times, as they vary through the week.
2. Altrincham Market
Altrincham Market, in the town of Altrincham in the south of Greater Manchester, is the food hall that started the region’s market boom. The old market hall was revived in 2014 with independent food traders, and it transformed the fortunes of the town. It became a model for food halls across Britain.
Inside, independent kitchens and stalls serve food and drink, with shared tables where people eat together. There is a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. Outside, a traditional market sells produce, crafts and goods on several days of the week.
Altrincham itself has become one of the best places to eat in Greater Manchester, with independent restaurants, cafés and bars around the market. The town is lively in the evenings. Dunham Massey, a grand house and deer park, is nearby.
Altrincham is a short tram ride south of Manchester city centre, taking about half an hour. It makes a good evening out. A car booked for the journey home saves waiting for the last tram.
3. Ancoats
Ancoats, just north east of the Northern Quarter, was once the world’s first industrial suburb, packed with cotton mills. Today its great mills have been turned into flats and offices, and it has become one of the city’s most exciting places to eat. It has been named one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world.
The area is full of bakeries, wine bars, pizzerias and restaurants, many of them run by talented young chefs. Some have won national awards. Cutting Room Square is at the heart of the neighbourhood, with outdoor tables in summer.
Ancoats has a relaxed, village like feel, with red brick mills, new buildings and the Rochdale Canal. It is lovely to wander on a weekend morning, stopping for coffee and pastries. In the evenings, its restaurants and bars are busy.
Many of Ancoats’ restaurants are small and popular, so book ahead, especially at weekends. It is a short walk from Piccadilly station and the Northern Quarter.
4. The Northern Quarter
The Northern Quarter, just north of Piccadilly Gardens, is Manchester’s creative heart, and one of the best places in the city to eat and drink. Its streets of red brick warehouses are lined with independent cafés, bars, restaurants and shops. The murals on its walls make it colourful and lively.
The Northern Quarter is especially good for breakfast and brunch, with dozens of independent cafés serving everything from full English breakfasts to pancakes and avocado toast. Its coffee shops are among the best in the North. It is a great place to start the day.
In the evenings, the area comes alive with cocktail bars, craft beer pubs and restaurants serving food from around the world. Stevenson Square has outdoor seating in summer. There is live music in many bars.
The Northern Quarter is busy at weekends, and many places do not take bookings, so you may need to queue. It is a short walk from Piccadilly and Victoria stations.
5. Chinatown
Manchester’s Chinatown, in the city centre behind Manchester Art Gallery, is one of the largest in Europe. Its entrance is marked by a grand ornate arch. The area is packed with Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and other Asian restaurants, supermarkets and bakeries.
Chinatown is famous for its dim sum, served at lunchtime in many of its restaurants. There are also noodle bars, hot pot restaurants and Cantonese banquets. The supermarkets sell ingredients from across Asia.
Many of Chinatown’s restaurants stay open late, making them a favourite for late night meals after a night out. The area is at its liveliest during Chinese New Year, with parades and celebrations. The whole city comes out to celebrate.
Chinatown is a short walk from Piccadilly Gardens and St Peter’s Square. Nearby, Kampus, a new neighbourhood near Canal Street, has more independent food and drink.
6. The Curry Mile, Rusholme
The Curry Mile is the stretch of Wilmslow Road running through Rusholme, a couple of miles south of the city centre. It has been famous for its curry houses since the 1980s. It is one of the best known food streets in Britain.
Today the Curry Mile has a mix of South Asian curry houses, Middle Eastern grills, shisha lounges and dessert parlours. Its neon signs light up the street at night. Many places stay open late into the night.
The street is lively in the evenings and especially during festivals such as Eid, when it is packed with families celebrating. Many restaurants do not serve alcohol, and some allow you to bring your own. Portions are generous.
The Curry Mile is on the main bus route between the city centre and the university and Didsbury. A car booked ahead is the easiest way home after a late meal.
7. Spinningfields
Spinningfields, on the western side of the city centre near Deansgate, is Manchester’s business district, with sleek office buildings, law firms and banks. It is also home to some of the city’s smarter restaurants and bars. It is the place for a special occasion.
The area has restaurants serving steak, seafood and food from around the world, as well as rooftop terraces with views over the city. Some of the city’s most glamorous bars are here. It is popular with office workers after work.
Nearby, Deansgate has many more restaurants and bars, and the John Rylands Library and the People’s History Museum are close by. The riverside at Spinningfields has seating in summer. The atmosphere is polished.
Spinningfields is busy on Friday and Saturday nights. Book ahead for the most popular restaurants. It is a short walk from Deansgate station.
8. Stockport Market Hall and Produce Hall
Stockport, a town just south east of Manchester, has a beautiful Victorian glass market hall in its old town, built in the 1860s. It has been restored and is home to food traders, cafés and stalls. The Produce Hall, nearby, is a food hall with independent kitchens and a bar.
The market area is at its busiest and most atmospheric at weekends, with a buzzy atmosphere and live music. The old streets around it, including the steep Underbanks, have independent shops and bars. The area has been revived in recent years.
Stockport is also home to the Hat Works, a museum telling the story of the town’s hat making industry, which was once one of the largest in the world. The Stockport Viaduct, a huge brick railway viaduct built in the 1840s, is one of the largest brick structures in Europe. It is a striking sight.
Stockport is only about ten minutes from Manchester Piccadilly by train. It makes a lovely afternoon or evening out. A car makes it easy to combine with other places in the south of the city.
9. Chorlton
Chorlton, a suburb in the south of Manchester, is known for its independent, bohemian spirit. Its streets are lined with independent restaurants, delis, cafés, bars and pubs. It has a relaxed, village feel.
Beech Road, in the old heart of Chorlton, is the most charming street, with small restaurants, cafés and pubs around a green. The area is known for its vegetarian and vegan food, as well as food from around the world. Many of its pubs have beer gardens.
Chorlton Water Park and the Mersey meadows, nearby, are lovely for walks. The area has a lively arts scene and a strong local community. It is popular with young families and creative people.
Chorlton is on the tram line from the city centre, about fifteen minutes away. It makes a lovely evening out. A car booked ahead is the easiest way home.
10. Didsbury
Didsbury, a leafy suburb in the south of Manchester, has a village feel, with independent shops, restaurants, cafés and bars. It is one of the most attractive parts of the city. It is popular with families and professionals.
The restaurants and bars along Burton Road, in West Didsbury, are some of the best in the south of the city. Didsbury village, around the old centre, has more restaurants, pubs and cafés. There is food from around the world.
Fletcher Moss Gardens, in Didsbury, is a lovely botanical garden with rock gardens and a view over the River Mersey. The area has plenty of green space. It is lovely on a summer’s evening.
Didsbury is on the tram line from the city centre, about twenty minutes away. It is also convenient for Manchester Airport. A car booked ahead is the easiest way home after dinner.
Getting home
A good dinner deserves a glass of wine and nobody arguing over who drives. Book a car home ahead of time, or keep one by the hour for a night out across several places.
For more ideas, see our pick of the best British dishes and where to eat them and seven food markets worth a trip.
Ride with ZeroLanes. A car booked ahead, at a price fixed before you confirm, with the driver and the car on your journey page before pickup. Book a car by the hour.