Welcome to our new series of interviews, Manchester Taste Makers. If you’ve lived here more than two minutes, you’ll know that the city is packed with people doing amazing stuff particularly in the food and drink sector. So, this is your chance to find out what gets them excited when it comes to food, drink, culture and style with their recommendations for Manchester and beyond.

Dan Hope, co-founder of the city’s vibrant, 18-inch pizza restaurant, Proloco, is our first subject. Fizzing with energy and drive, he worked on a range of projects including Firebird Hope, YES, and Japanese-inspired Rainy Heart listening bar before launching Proloco with Honest Crust pizza founder, Richard Carver in Ancoats in the summer of 2026.

Proloco’s menu draws on the best ingredients from the region combined with a respect for authentic Italian traditions – and its packed with drinks and dishes you’ll want to eat right now. Think sparkling red Lambrusco, house-made gelato and sharing, seasonal pizzas such as a marjoram-packed tomato butter pie, anchovy with salsa rossa and special collabs such as a Keema edition created with NQ curry legends, Kabana.

To celebrate our chat with Dan, we’ve managed to secure a special offer for our readers. Enjoy a free Negroni per person when you spend £20 on food at Proloco. T& Cs apply. Book here to claim yours now.

My signature order is… A nihari from Kabana NQ. My friends could order it before I’ve even sat down.

The last thing I ate and loved was… A banh mi from the truck outside Viet Shack on Great Ancoats Street.

The next place on my list is… Dahlia. We’re neighbours, and I still haven’t made the time to go. I’ve heard great things about the chicken achiote and the outrageously good sound system. The people behind it are masters of the game and have done more than most to shape Manchester hospitality over the last 20 years.

A meal I’ll never forget was at… A little restaurant in rural Spain. We had young kids with us, everyone was hangry, there was no food in the house we’d rented, and everywhere seemed to be shut. Then we spotted an old boy laying tables in the distance. We couldn’t believe our luck. The food turned out to be ridiculously good and cheap. It was the greatest meal of my life.

My best recent find is… Bar Dos! Next door neighbours and just brilliant.

The best thing I’ve brought home from a trip is… A paleta, or shoulder, of jamón ibérico from Spain. It’s much cheaper than the leg and tastes just as good. Sensational.

The one thing always in my fridge or cupboard is… Aldi Comté. Also, thanks to my daughter, half a tin of sweetcorn.

The food book, cookbook or podcast I keep coming back to is… The Go To Food Podcast. I gave all my cookbooks away. These days, I’m more likely to take a photo of whatever ingredients I have and ask AI what I can make with them.

A treat I’d never give up is… Time with my fiancée, Alexandra.

My favourite spot for a drink in Manchester is… For cocktails, Bar Dos, Bar Shrimp or Henry C. For beers in town, Port Street Beer House. Closer to home, The Hillary Step. And, if I’m being completely honest, The Sedge Lynn ’Spoons.

If I weren’t doing what I do, I’d be… A bookkeeper, most definitely. Or, if I had more time, an accountant.

The one place I take everyone who visits Manchester is… Kabana NQ. Higher Ground if we’re going full restaurant, Flawd on a summer’s day, or Mackie Mayor if everyone wants something different.

Before Proloco, my career highlights include… Being part of YES when it opened. I had a chicken venture called Firebird Hope, and they asked me to bring it into their world. They trusted me to deliver, even though I was very much an amateur (still am, to be honest). It was exciting to be part of, and a very steep learning curve.

Proloco is… A restaurant built for sharing.

What I want people to feel when they arrive is… Safe, at ease and excited about what’s to come.

What I want people to feel when they leave is… That they’ve been cared for, and that care has gone into every part of their experience. Fay and the front of house team create moments of magic and silliness in the room. They see the thought that’s gone into Rich’s pizzas, Ruby’s plates, PHAUS’ design and Turn End’s speakers. Then there are the things guests might not see, like the relationships Rich has built with the suppliers and producers who make it all possible – these relationships underpin all we do at Proloco.

If Proloco could be anything in five years, it would be… A restaurant people want to come back to again and again, and a small but meaningful part of the fabric of Manchester. And, if we’re being really honest, still trading!

Why Ancoats? We looked at loads of potential sites, but fell in love with the big concrete wall in our unit at One Port Street. It has a mad little hole in it that serves no apparent purpose, and it got our imaginations going. The developer was supportive, and the chance to be in the same building as Bar Dos and Osma made it a no-brainer.

What’s next? We’ve only just opened, so we’re listening to what Proloco is telling us it wants to be, and to how the city is responding. There’s loads to do!

My favourite dish on the menu is… That’s a hard one. From the plates, it’s still Ruby’s panelle with crab. I can’t get enough of it. From the pizzas, it’s Rich’s Tomato Butter Pie.

My favourite drink on the menu is…A couple of shrub-based soft drinks, and the cucumber and mint is my go-to. Though I do love a Negroni and a Red Lambo…

Enjoy a negroni on us when you spend £20 at Proloco

We’re celebrating our chat with Dan with a very special offer. Enjoy a free classic negroni when you spend £20 on food in Proloco. Book through this link here to claim yours now. One drink per person and your table must be booked through this specific link before 30th Nov.

We loved talking to Dan and we hope you enjoy his selections. If you enjoyed this article, do let us know who you’d like us to interview next. Ideas welcome at editor@manchesterwire.co.uk or DM us here.

Proloco, 74 Great Ancoats Street, Manchester M4 5GU Book now