A Guide To Manchester, From Places To Stay, To Where To Eat And Drink
If you are on the hunt for a weekend city break that is only a train ride away, Manchester is brimming with delicious foodie spots, atmospheric cocktail bars and a whole host of hidden gems. We have compiled our definitive guide to the city to help you plan your next trip:
Where to stay
King Street Hotel
Nestled in the heart of the city, King Street Townhouse is an intimate, boutique hotel that prides itself on its five-star service, eclectic interiors, and luxurious facilities. With a smaller forty-room capacity, the hotel has a certain home-away-from-home quality, as it invites its guests to indulge in a bespoke and memorable stay. During your stay, you can also unwind in its renowned spa, complete with a Himalayan salt cave and rooftop infinity pool, which boasts impressive views of Manchester’s skyline.
To commemorate its ten-year anniversary, King Street Townhouse will also be receiving an upgrade for 2026. The hotel’s interior is being refurbished, in a bid to honour the building’s Italian Renaissance architecture while maintaining its exclusive, quiet luxury feel.
Where: 10 Booth St, Manchester M2 4AW
Website: www.Kingstreethotel.com
Stock Exchange Hotel
While King Street Hotel is renowned for its cosy and more intimate vibe, the Stock Exchange Hotel is brimming with grandeur. Housed in Manchester’s former stock exchange, a Grade II listed Edwardian Baroque building, guests can expect an opulent and luxurious stay. The building’s rich history is celebrated through the hotel’s interiors. Notably, what was once the stock trading floor is now home to Tender, a refined restaurant that lies beneath a grand domed ceiling. Once more, the brasserie-style restaurant is fronted by Michelin-starred chef Niall Keating.
A visit to The Vault Bar, Sterling, is also a must during your stay. The dark and atmospheric speakeasy is located below ground in the building’s original bank vault. Ran by the award-winning Schofield brothers, the bar is widely renowned and one of Manchester’s best drinking spots.
Where: 4 Norfolk St, Manchester M2 1DW
Website: www.stockexchangehotel.com
The Treehouse
The newly opened Treehouse Hotel invites its guests to treat to be playful, whimsical and open to discovery. It describes itself as a hotel that leans into modern magic and childhood wonder, while grounding itself in sustainability. It is designed to feel like a high-end, urban treehouse, with an emphasis on wooden features and bright and colourful interiors.
At the core of the brand is sustainability. This is echoed through its zero-plastic minibars and the restaurant serving up locally sourced “farm-to-table” food. The hotel also leans into play through its concierge team, who are ready to inform guests on the best spots in Manchester and hidden gems. After a long day of exploring the city, the hotel encourages you to unwind on the 14th floor, which offers panoramic views of the city.
Where: Blackfriars St, Manchester M3 2EQ
Website: www.treehousehotels.com
Kimpton Clock Tower
This five-star landmark hotel blends Victorian industrial heritage with the same boutique spirit as King Street Townhouse. It is housed in a stunning red brick building, cementing it as one of the most iconic features of Manchester’s skyline. However, despite its grand and imposing Victorian facade, the interior is welcoming and playful, complete with luxurious velvet furnishings.
The hotel also leans into Manchester’s music scene with each room decked out with a vinyl record player and an eclectic collection of records produced by the city’s greats. Famed by its impressive 217-foot clock tower, a stay at this hotel is guaranteed to make your trip even more unique and memorable.
Where: Kimpton Clocktower Hotel, Oxford St, Manchester M60 7HA
Website: www.kimptonclocktower.com
Where to eat
Winsome
Situated on Princess Street, Winsome opened in early 2025 and has quickly become the talk of the town. The restaurant describes itself as “thoughtful British cooking,” with a nose-to-tail focus to its menu. Think refined versions of English classics, from sharing pies to house-cured cold cuts.
The restaurant’s focus on sustainability and nose-to-tail eating has seen the likes of confit mussels and trotter on toast being among its signature dishes. Its eclectic array of dishes, coupled with an open-kitchen and welcoming atmosphere, makes Winsome the perfect fancy evening spot to add to your itinerary.
Winsome is serving up Northern hospitality and thoughtful British cooking.
WHere: 74 Princess St, Manchester M1 6JD
WEbsite: www.winsome.com
Skof
Skof is a Michelin-starred, fine-dining restaurant in Manchester’s NOMA district. Opened in 2024, the restaurant marks the first solo venture for chef Tom Barnes and has quickly reached cult status. Skof offers a lunch menu, as well as two tasting menus. Among its most popular dishes is the glazed langoustine and Barney’s tiramisu.
Housed in the historic Hanover Building, Skof’s interiors boast trendy exposed brick walls and minimalist furnishings. Unlike traditional Michelin-starred restaurants, Skof challenged the status quo, offering a more relaxed dining experience. Barnes specifically wanted to remove the seriousness of tasting menus and instead opted against a dress code. This is coupled with a lively soundtrack to promote a more laid-back and chilled atmosphere.
Where: 3 Federation St, Manchester M4 4BF
Website: www.Skof.com
Higher Ground
Higher Ground began as a pop-up site in Manchester city centre, as part of a shared venture between three friends, Joseph, Daniel and Richard. After quickly gaining popularity, the trio were able to open a permanent restaurant in 2023. Today, they serve up an array of seasonal dishes, with the menus changing daily based on what produce they have received from local farmers. Both the à la carte and seasonal menus are available at lunchtime and dinner. Among its most popular dishes are the pea fritters and coal-roasted vegetables, grown in their own farm in Cheshire.
If you are looking for a last-minute spot, this may be the one for you, as each night they also hold back a number of tables for walk-ins.
where: Faulkner House, New York St, Manchester M1 4DY
WEbsite: www.higherground.com
Erst
Erst is a natural wine bar and small plates restaurant located in the Ancoats area. Founded by the team behind the famed Trove Bakery, the bar focuses on simplicity, high-quality ingredients, and open-fire cooking.
The menu is comprised of a selection of Mediterranean-influenced small plates, from beef fat flatbread to lamb belly skewers. With regards to the wine offerings, they specialise in low-intervention, organic, and biodynamic wines from small producers.
Tables book up fast, so if you are hoping to dine here, make sure to make your reservation a few weeks in advance.
A natural wine bar serving up Mediterranean small plates.
Where: 9 Murray St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6HS
Website: www.erst.com
Where to drink
The Jane Eyre
The Jane Eyre is a neighbourhood bar situated in the heart of Ancoats. Following its recent refurb, it now offers an intimate, low-lit atmosphere, perfect for an evening drink. It also has a range of weekly themed nights to get involved in. Partake in quiz night on the first Tuesday of every month, or opt for a £10 Bloody Mary available every Sunday.
Where: 14 Hood St, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6WX
Website: www.thejaneeyre.com
Flawd Wine
Flawd Wine is another gem located in Ancoats. Run by the same team behind Higher Ground, it’s a natural wine bar, bottle shop and small plates restaurant. The wine list is displayed on shelves and in fridges with two prices: one to “take out” (bottle shop prices) and one to “drink in.” With Scandi-inspired interiors and large windows overlooking the water, this walk-in venue is a great one to add to your Manchester itinerary.
Where: 9 Keepers Quay, Manchester M4 6GL
WEbsite: www.flawdwine.com
Stray
Stray is a sleek and minimalist bar nestled in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. After recently being named one of the Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the UK for 2025/2026, Stray has only continued to grow in popularity.
The cocktail menu is split between “Signatures” and “Refined Classics.” Among its most popular items on the menu is the Tomato Vine Margarita, which has been affectionately dubbed its hero drink.
Where: Eagle St, Manchester M4 5BU
Website: www.stray.com
This walk-in only spot is great for an afternoon tipple or late night margarita.
Nomad Coffee
A newer addition to Manchester’s Northern Quarter, Nomad Coffee is serving up speciality coffee, as well as Matcha and Chai drinks. Its focaccia sandwiches are also all the rage, with “butty straight from Italy” being a local favourite.
Whether you are looking to eat in or grab a coffee to go, Nomad is a great spot in Manchester’s bustling Northern Quarter.
Where: 24 Lever St, Manchester M1 1DW
Website: www.nomadcoffee.com
What to do
Visit Manchester Art Gallery
This free-to-enter museum is home to over 46,000 objects, blending grand 19th-century architecture with sleek modern extensions. It is located in the heart of the city, making it a great pitstop to add to your itinerary.
In addition to showcasing works from The Pre-Raphaelites, the museum also displays art by L.S. Lowry and his teacher Adolphe Valette, whose work famously captured the industrial atmosphere of early 20th-century Manchester.
Where: Mosley St, Manchester M2 3JL
Website: www.manchesterartgallery.com
Explore Manchester’s famous music scene
Manchester is home to some of the world’s greatest talents, from Oasis to The Smiths and Joy Division. The city’s musical legacy is celebrated through immersive walking tours and an impressive live music calendar, so trying to catch a gig is always a good idea.
Manchester is also famed for some iconic record stores. Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter is the epicentre of Manchester’s vinyl culture and you can easily tick off all three in one afternoon. The three to add to your list are Piccadilly Records, Vinyl Exchange and Eastern Bloc.
Go for a stroll around The Northern Quarter
Known for its vibrant atmosphere and independent shops and cafés, The Northern Quarter is home to multiple spots on this list. Grab a coffee from Nomad and spend an afternoon getting lost in Manchester’s creative hub.
Make sure to keep an eye out for the murals and street art that line the red-brick buildings.
Postcode district: M1, M4
Instagram: nqmanchester
