From the return of an old favourite to a cafe-sauna hybrid, here are some of the best new food and drink openings coming to Manchester this September.

The Copper Bar @ Band on the Wall

Manchester’s famous Band on the Wall is set to open a brand-new New York jazz-inspired space, The Copper Bar.

Launching on Fri 20 Sep in collaboration with Brooklyn Brewery, the area is described as a ‘welcoming, inclusive and intimate setting featuring new lighting, art installations, future thinking programming and free live gigs every Friday and Saturday.’

The new space has been designed with a nod to NYC jazz venue Zinc Bar — previously the legendary Cinderella Club, where Thelonius Monk was the house pianist and Billie Holiday sang her earliest shows.

25 Swan St, Manchester M4 5JZ
Bada Bing

Manchester’s cult sandwich heroes are set to make their triumphant return this month, as Bada Bing takes over their first permanent spot on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter.

Originally launched in lockdown, the team’s giant, Sopranos-themed Italian subs instantly became the stuff of legend, leaving the masses gutted when they announced they’d be winding things down. Thankfully though, the wait to get our hands back on them is almost over — opening Thu 19 Sep.

125 Oldham Street, M4 1LN
Super Awesome Deluxe

Few names hold as much weight in the Manchester burger world as Almost Famous does. So, the OG team launching a new concept, Super Awesome Deluxe, is very exciting.

Located at the former Lono Cove bar site on Thomas Street, Super Awesom eDeluxe will serve indulgent smash burgers in a fast-order takeaway style, with limited daily numbers in order to preserve quality.

12 Thomas St, Manchester M4 1DH
Blacklock

Blacklock is set to arrive in Manchester this month, taking over a Grade II listed building on Manchester’s Peter Street. This marks the team’s sixth restaurant and first outside of the capital.

Known for delivering a modern take on the Great British chophouse, guests can expect a range of chops and steaks cooked over charcoal, all washed down with cocktails that follow a pip-to-peel philosophy and wines on tap.

37 Peter St, Manchester M2 5GB
Kontrast

Tucked away behind Angel Meadow Park, Kontrast becomes what is almost certainly Manchester’s first ‘sauna and ice bath cafe.’

Featuring three high-tech saunas, including an infrared option, and three ice baths, each with varying temperatures to cater to different preferences, Kontrast has been inspired by the success of similar concepts in Finland, Denmark, Taiwan and Japan.

Beyond the wellness facilities, Kontrast offers a curated menu of healthy snacks, juices, teas, and speciality coffee from Blossom Coffee.

Dantzic St, Manchester M4 4JW
Louis

The latest swanky concept from the group behind Tattu and Fenix, Louis is described as a ‘love letter to the Italian-American restaurants of New York’.

Promising to ‘transport guests to a golden age’, the restaurant will pair dinner service with a programme of live music and employ a strict no-photo policy.

3 Hardman Square M3 3EB
El Kabron

Manchester tapas stalwarts La Bandera are preparing to take over the former Bowlers Cafe site just off Albert Square. Posters have appeared on the now-vacant space, teasing the new concept which will be ‘inspired by the northern Spanish taverns.’

While not too much is given away as of yet, guests can expect an array of Basque snacks like pintxos, bocadillos and tapas dishes alongside sangria, cocktails and Spanish beers.

2 Mount St, Manchester M2 5WQ
Indian Affair

Already established as a firm favourite in Chorlton, Indian Affair heads into the city for its second venue, opening in the former Ancoats Rigatonis site.

Owned by husband and wife, Harshit and Natasha Chopra, the new restaurant which focuses on Indian small plates and thalis, is the first of its kind in Cutting Room Square.

46 Blossom Street, Ancoats, Manchester M4 6BF
Wood Fire Smoke

Popular Neapolitan pizza slingers Wood Fire Smoke are the latest name to join the ever-growing list of impressive food and drink operators in Sale’s Stanley Square. The independent brand already has restaurants in Wilmslow, Congleton and Macclesfield, with Sale opening its doors on Fri 20 Sep. It’s BYOB, too, which is always a bonus.

Stanley Square, Sale
Miller & Carter (reopening)

Ten years since its arrival in Manchester, Miller & Carter is still going strong, and still boasting an enviable reputation for excellence in steak cooking. The King Street Steakhouse recently underwent a big transformation — the new-look space now seats 161 people in a mix of bar and restaurant covers, over two floors with an additional private dining area on the top floor.

53 King St, Manchester M2 4LQ
Words:
Bradley Lengden
Published on:
Thu 19 Sep 2024