Top 15: New restaurant and bar openings in Manchester in 2018 (1-5)

We’ve picked out our favourite bars, restaurants, cafes and street food vendors that opened in 2018. The round up includes classic Italian restaurants (Tre Ciccio), pumped up fish and chips (Ancoats Hip Hop Chip Shop), really fancy fine dining (Restaurant Mana) and flashy new arrivals (20 Stories, The Ivy). Tweet us @mcrwire about any we’ve missed and we’ll add them in.

Yes – Manchester’s best new bar, club and casual diner
Our favourite new bar, live venue, club space and rooftop terrace is also home to the best fried chicken in town (Firebird Hope – read our review). The four-storey complex opened just as the students returned to university in September and has served up the best club nights, gigs and negroni on draught ever since.
38 Charles Street, Manchester. M1 7BD. 0161 273 2725, www.yes-manchester.com

Oystercatcher Chorlton – great fish and good value wine
Manchester has been crying out for a great seafood restaurant and Oystercatcher, which took over the former Gray’s Larder space on Manchester Road, ticks all the boxes. The concept is simple; fresh seafood, cooked on the grill, served with fresh romesco sauce (or another delicious, homemade condiment), reasonably priced, well chosen wines and a neighbourhood vibe. Read our review.
The Oystercatcher, 123 Manchester Road, Chorlton, M21 9PG. Tel: 0161 286 1961. www.theoystercatcher.org

The Ivy – flashy, fancy fun (pictured)
Sure, it’s big and flashy, but the flamboyant décor and massive front of house team make The Ivy the biggest news in town – and one of the biggest new openings in the UK. There are several floors to choose from; the roof terrace and brasserie, both serve grilled meats, fish and salads, or go for the Japanese-inspired Ivy Asia restaurant and bar on the second floor. Various other bars and private dining rooms make the Ivy a good bet for special occasions and business meetings. Read our review.
The Ivy Spinningfields, The Pavilion, Byrom Street, Spinningfields, Manchester M3 3HG. Tel: 0161 503 3222, www.theivymanchester.com

20 Stories – steak and cocktails with an amazing view
The D&D restaurant group’s first Manchester venue, 20 Stories, opened in February 2018, serving flashy, grill-led cooking (by Aiden Byrne, who has since left to reopen Manchester House as Restaurant Manchester – click here for more). It’s not cheap and attracts a flashy clientele but incredible views come as standard at Manchester’s highest restaurant. Read our review.
20 Stories, 19th Floor, No. 1 Spinningfields 1 Hardman Square, Manchester M3 3EB. Tel 0161 204 3333 www.20stories.co.uk

Dishoom – cool curry in a cool venue
London’s feted curry chain, Dishoom, opened with a bang in Manchester’s former Masonic Lodge on Bridge Street in December 2018. Expect extraordinary service and a spacious, vintage-inspired fit out. The real draw, however, is the food. From bacon naans for breakfast to puri platters and the house special Nalli Nihari Biryani (slow-cooked lamb nihari, layered with rice biryani style and baked into a pie with chicken-liver infused gravy on the side), it’s one of those rare places that works as well for special occasions as it does for family gatherings.
Dishoom Manchester, 32 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BT. Tel: 0161 537 3737, www.dishoom.com

Click here to read entries 6-10, and here for number 11-15.

For more food and drink openings in Manchester click here.