There’s something pretty special about late-night dining. Stumbling across a restaurant still open into the early hours of the morning, impulsively ducking in and being rewarded with one of those meals so good you’re harping on about it to your mates for weeks.
Luckily, Manchester boasts a handful of restaurants and bars where you can pull up a chair post-midnight and find yourself tucking into unforgettable dishes while the rest of the city gets their heads down.
Legends of the late-night food game, the lovely folk at Crazy Pedros will gladly keep you fuelled up on their weird and wonderful pizza slices to a somewhat obscene 4am.
The curry mile is a haven of incredible food, and Al Madina is very much one of the originals. A no-nonsense cafe setting, guests can tuck into authentic Pakistani and Middle Eastern plates until 1am.
Mughli just sneaks in based on our after-midnight rule for this list, keeping its doors open until 12.30am on Fridays and Saturdays. That, and the fact that they are Manchester’s unequivocal kings of the tandoori grill. Mughli’s lamb chops hold a deserved spot in my top 5 Manchester dishes of all-time, and I think about them at least three times a day.
MyLahore have been around for a whole two decades now, which on its own is a pretty good indication the team know what they’re doing. The restaurant offers a unique merging of cultures, blending traditional, vibrant Indian flavours, with the heartiness of the founders’ Yorkshire roots. Open until 1am on Fridays and Saturdays, diners can work their way through an eclectic menu that ranges from sumptuous samosas and pakoras to flame-grilled burgers.
Currently operating out of the kitchen at the ever-popular YES, Pepperoni Playboy will sling you slices until 2am on weekends, which is a very welcome accompaniment to the venue’s famous on-tap Negronis.
Leeds hit Rola Wala has opened its first Manchester location on Deansgate. The team’s signature is the build-your-own naan rolls, which offer guests the chance to combine a selection of authentic Indian fillings. For every naan sold, Rola Wala also provides a meal to a child living in poverty. At weekends, Rola Wala will stay open until 3am, making it the perfect post-night-out stop-off.
- Words:
- Bradley Lengden
- Published on:
- Tue 30 Jan 2024
Set along the main neon-clad street running through China Town, Aplus specialise in authentic Sichuan and Cantonese cuisine, roast meats and dim sum. I actually had what could very probably be the best ribs of my life in here at about 1am on a Thursday morning, so it’ll forever have my heart. Open until 3am every day, the place is buzzing long after the pubs have closed up.