Top 7: Great things to do around Manchester’s Victoria Station

Just a short walk from Deansgate, Blackfriars, the Green Quarter and Northern Quarter, the area around Manchester’s Victoria station has much to offer for local and visitor alike. We’ve picked out seven great things to do, rain or shine.

1. Enjoy a great coffee at Heart and Graft (pictured)
Tucked away between Manchester and Salford is Heart and Graft, who are passionate about coffee.They pride themselves on sourcing the best beans in the world. Combine that with great prices and you’d be mad to pass them by.
70 Yorkshire Street, Salford M3 5EG @heartandgraft

2. Take a trip back in time at People’s History Museum
History with a dose of social activism? Yes, please! People’s History Museum teaches their visitors about the process of democracy in the UK, past, present and future. Their aim is to inspire people to find ideas worth fighting for, and they do it in such an engaging way that before you know it the day has passed and you’re fired up with enthusiasm for social change.
Left Bank, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3ER; Tel: 0161 838 9190, Mon-Sun 10am-5pm, www.phm.org.uk

3. Do yoga and eat well at Foodwell
Food Well is a new, LA-inspired restaurant and yoga rooms. It opened in February just across the Irwell from Spinningfields and offers much to make you feel good. The site includes a deli, restaurant and bar, wellness studio, and event space. Click here to read our review.
One New Bailey, Stanley Street, Salford M3 5JL. Tel: 0161 989 4040. www.thefoodwell.co.uk

4. Eat the best sushi in the region at Umezushi
Quite probably The best place to get sushi in Manchester, Umezushi is a tiny restaurant hidden away under the railway arches (as all of the best places seem to be). It’s popular so make sure you book a table and be prepared to enjoy incredible sushi and don’t forget to try one of their hand picked sakes to go with the meal.
Unit 4, Mirabel Street, Manchester, M3 1PJ; Tel: 0161 832 1852, Wed-Sun lunch & dinner, www.umezushi.co.uk

5. Tuck into spatzle, dumplings and gnocchi at The Sparrows
Located just opposite Umezushi, this new restaurant specialises in German Spätzle – handmade irregular shaped pasta – and other, European dumplings and dishes. There’s homemade gnocchi, Polish and Russian dumplings, lasagnas and combination platters taking in pickles, salads, focaccia, and dumplings. Sauces could include tomato or sage and parmesan and they do breakfast and brunch too. Expect simple comfort food, cooked to perfection – watch this space for a review.
Now open: Unit 3, Mirabel Street, Manchester, M3 1PJ. Tel: 07711 300116, www.facebook.com

6. Refill your washing up bottles at Simply Fresh Salford/STORE MCR
Linked with the wonderful Ancoats General Store, this unprepossessing unit opposite Salford Central Station is a treasure trove of old favourites and new soon-to-be-favourites. In a nod to the eco ethos of AGS, STORE MCR have refill stations for a few household cleaning products, and a great selection of plant based foods you can grab for your work lunch. Most exciting is their wall of beer. As with AGS these guys love their breweries and cater for all tastes (a friend was ecstatic to find their stocked her favourite beer from Granada). A bonus? If you’ve bought too much on ASOS and need to return it all, there’s a post office counter in there too.
18 New Bailey Street, Salford, M3 5FS; Tel: 0161 839 7741, Mon-Sat 7am-2am, Sun 8am-11pm, www.facebook.com

7. Mingle with an international crowd at The National Football Museum
Ok, so not a museum that’s to everyone’s tastes but I bet there’s something in the place to interest you. They aim to appeal to a wide audience with events including story time, dementia friendly sessions, and a lesson about animating history. We won’t tell anyone that you don’t know what the offside rule is if you don’t let on that we pick which team to support based on whether or not their colours match our outfit!
Urbis Building, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, M4 3BG. Tel: 0161 605 8200. Open Mon-Sun 10am-5pm, www.nationalfootballmuseum.com