Whether it’s a skin-of-teeth pass or a sparkling double-first, graduates from across the region are invited to celebrate the culmination of their university careers with a range of astonishingly affordable set menus and customary free drinks.
Here are some of the best graduation set menus around the city, in honour of Manchester’s newly minted alumni.
Served until Thu 31 Jul, Grecian fine-dining sensation Fenix’s Feast of the Wise menu transports guests on an ancient, Aristotelian culinary odyssey in celebration of scholarly success and the opening of a thrilling new chapter in life.
Comprising a series of immaculate small plates showcasing the best of Aegean island cuisine, the dinner menu (5pm onwards) begins with fresh pita bread with creamy houmous and guacamole, before moving onto fried halloumi cheese tempura with yuzu, hollandaise espuma and shiso vinaigrette, seabass carpaccio, and chicken souvlaki. Robata chicken breast, smoked Iberico ribs and rib-eye steak all feature in the next chapter, before the memorable meal finishes with a Macaron Forest or Banoffee ‘new style’.
Alternatively, you can enjoy Fenix’s Graduation lunch menu, at £32.50 for two courses, from 11am – 4.45pm.
This year, every graduate dining from Fenix’s special menus will receive a golden ticket envelope with the chance to win one of their signature prizes, including a complimentary lunch or dinner, a round of cocktails, a bottle of prosecco or 20% off your next visit.
In honour of the class of 2025, The Ivy Asia invites graduates into its famously plush chambers to dine on a special menu featuring a glass of The Ivy Cuvée, seared beef tatake, black cod miso, five spiced confit duck leg and more, before concluding with the limited-edition Graduation Sphere, a white chocolate dome filled with chocolate popping candy and yuzu caramel.
As longstanding masters of affordable celebratory dining, Browns runs a characteristically generous yet upmarket graduation offer with a complimentary glass of champagne for the academic high-achievers. Simply book a table for at least four people and dine from the A La Carte or Graduation menus.
For just £42.95, graduates dining at the grand Gusto Italian can enjoy three courses of light yet sumptuous classic cuisine with a complimentary glass of fizz. Choose from Crispy Lemon and Pepper Calamari, Chicken Liver Pate, Bruschetta and more for starters, with an irresistible range of mains including Crab Fettucini, Pan-Fried Seabass and an 230g Ribeye Steak, with Bombolini, Biscoff Cheesecake, Warm Chocolate Brownie and a selection of Italian Gelato flavours for dessert.
Running until Fri 25 Jul, Manchester’s first and favourite sky bar Cloud 23 offers a complimentary ‘Gin-ovation Celebration’ cocktail with any bookings for drinks or afternoon tea. The exclusive tipple features a refreshing blend of strawberry, lychee and gin to toast a summer of relaxation and a bright, boundless future in style.
Served in the aptly named Graduate Bar and Laureate Restaurant, the Hyatt’s offer for Manchester’s academic luminaries includes a complimentary bespoke cocktail – a vibrant fusion of tequila, coconut rum, Monin Orgeat, lime juice and prosecco – and a special graduate plate when you book a family meal, which features an opulent selection of delicately crafted dishes to sample amidst the bright, luxurious surroundings of the Hyatt’s Atrium.
Highlights include golden, battered flaky haddock served with thick-cut chips, accompanied by a side of classic tartare sauce, as well as a rich slow-seared rump of lamb, cooked to perfection and served with a fresh spring green fricassée.
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Set amongst their inimitably gorgeous decor of low light and cherry blossoms, Tattu welcomes graduates with a complimentary glass of prosecco or Elixir of Life cocktail, before serving their Power of Wisdom menu across lunch and dinner.
Starters include pan-seared pork dumplings, royal koi fish gau and wild mushroom and black truffle spring rolls, while mains range from white miso salmon and wok-fried ‘angry bird’ to kung po tofu and caramel soy aged steak. For dessert, guests can indulge in a tangy yuzu lemon drop or an Asian pear sticky toffee pudding.
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Developed by the team behind Fenix and Tattu, the city’s hottest recent opening transports diners to the grandiose golden era of classic New York-Italian restaurants, where live jazz provides an immersive backdrop to an unforgettable celebration of successful study and ‘this thing of ours’.
Gather your family, friends and caporegime and enjoy a glass of champagne on the house, then settle in for an authentic set menu featuring Irebico meatballs, calamari fritti, rigatoni alla vodka, chicken parmigiano, New York strips and more.
As with Fenix, every graduate dining from Louis’ special menus will receive a golden ticket envelope with the chance to win one of their signature prizes, including a complimentary lunch or dinner, a round of cocktails, a bottle of prosecco or 20% off your next visit.
Brimming with delicate splendour and sophisticated energy, Manchester’s ambient cocktail capitol invites graduates to toast their next chapter against a breathtaking panoramic view of the city this July.
Alongside a customary glass of bubbles, the 2025 graduation menu features chicken & ham hock terrine, pan-fried seabass, chicken escalope and grilled pork neck, with sticky toffee pudding, apricot & peach cheesecake and a Shropshire Blue cheeseboard for dessert.
Available every Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm and Monday-Thursday 5:30pm-6:30pm throughout July.
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Wed 16 Jul 2025
Widely regarded as the best steakhouse in Manchester, if not the entire North West, multiple-award-winning restaurant Hawksmoor serves an exquisite graduate set menu throughout the month. Simply choose your cut of meat – or opt for monkfish or Winslade Wellington – and enjoy it as part of a three-course spread featuring fillet carpaccio, smoked salmon or ash-baked beetroot salad; beef-dripping chips, creamed spinach or macaroni cheese on the side, and sticky toffee pudding or seasonal pavlova for afters.