Manchester’s Northern Quarter is full to the brim with must eat places and it can be tricky to decide where to eat in this foodie paradise. The restaurants in Northern Quarter span a wide range of cuisine; from your dirty burgers (can’t just call them burgers nowadays) to traditional British pies and Hawaiian street food. With so many incredible places to eat in Northern Quarter I can’t wait to share some of the food gems in this neighbourhood. I’m going to keep adding to this list, so make sure you check it out the next time you’re going for a meal in Northern Quarter. Anyway, down to the dirty burgers.
Last updated February 2020
Where To Eat in Northern Quarter, Manchester
Solita
Location: Turner Street, Manchester M4 1DW
If you’re after a dirty burger, then look no further. Solita has become a bit of an institution with their unique hamburgers and inka grill specialties. I like a more classic burger and my favourite is the indulgent Bacon Double Cheese, topped with bacon candy. I’m literally hooked on it and Solita has become one of my favourite burger restaurants (much prefer it to Almost Famous, which is another popular burger place). Also order one of their signature cocktails. I recommend the Dr Pepper cocktail, especially if you love Amaretto as much as I do.
Mackie Mayor
Location: Eagle Street, Manchester M4
One of the coolest places to eat in Northern Quarter is Mackie Mayor, a stunning Grade II listed building. This food market was opened mid-October 2017 by the team behind Altrincham Market. There are a number of food and drink options at Mackie Mayor, ranging from steak to cake to wine. The concept is simple; place your order at one of the outlets, give your name and seat at one of the massive communal tables and wait for someone to bring your food. I tried Honest Crust, a Neapolitan style pizza place, and Wolfhouse Coffee for dessert. My mushroom pizza was lush (although Ply is probably my favorite, see below). Based on the number of people munching on pizzas Honest Crust seemed like a popular choice. My cheesecake brownie from Wolfhouse Coffee was lovely and chocolatey, recommend.
Oké Poké
Location: 59 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PD
Oké Poké is one of my favourites amongst the places to eat in Northern Quarter. Specialising in Hawaiian street food, they have plenty of healthy ingredients. The menu is simple, with a choice between a Poké bowl or a Pokérito. I’ve only tried the bowl so far but it is soooo tasty. You basically select a base e.g. sushi rice and top it with meats and vegetables. They then finish it with your choice of sauce. A Pokérito is basically the same concept but all wrapped up into a burrito shape. A must try if you like sushi! You can choose to take away or sit down at one of the few tables inside.
Pieminister
Location: 53 Church Street, Manchester M4 1PD
A hop and a skip from Oké Poké you’ll find an assortment of traditional (and not so traditional) British pies. I’ve grown to love savoury pies since moving to the UK 6 years ago and this is the place to get them. Originally founded in Bristol, they now have a small outlet in Northern Quarter and you can find some great deals here. How about a pie, mash, gravy, peas, cheddar and crispy shallots (aka Mothership) for £9.00?! Perfect for budget travellers that also want a slice (lol) of British culture. You also can’t go wrong with a traditional Moo pie (steak and ale).
Tokyo Ramen
Location: 55 Church St, Manchester M4 1PD
There’s been a few ramen bar openings in Northern Quarter recently but so far Tokyo Ramen definitely wins on taste. Their menu is tiny (which is usually a good thing) and I went for a classic Shoyu Ramen with chicken broth and fabulous blow torched pork belly. The seasoned egg was spot on. Warning to vegetarians though, there’s only one veggie option; white broth with garlic oil that gets quite overpowering after a whole bowl. For a bit of fun, order the Japanese soda and then try to work out how to open it. I’ll leave you with that.
Crazy Pedro’s
Location: 1 Short Street, Manchester M4 1AA
You’re not very likely to simply stumble upon Crazy Pedro’s, as it’s hidden in a basement down an alley. Despite this, Crazy Pedro’s reputation draws a significant crowd and this place is constantly buzzing. They serve nachos, but you should go here for the pizzas. With quirky flavours galore, this is an experience you won’t forget. I went a bit boring with my Summer B choice (wild mushrooms, spinach, garlic ricotta, truffle oil) but you can get anything from blueberries (yes, blueberries) to waffles (WAFFLES!) as a topping.
A full pizza is £16 but they are massive (16 inches!), so you might want to consider the slices for £3 a piece (I did finish a whole pizza….just saying). If you visit 5 pm to 9pm Sunday to Friday, take advantage of the £10 pizza deal and 2-4-1 cocktails.
Northern Soul Grilled Cheese
Location: Unit 10, 11 Church St, Manchester M4 1PN
There are few things I love more than a grilled cheese sandwich and Northern Soul Grilled Cheese sure know how to make one. They started as a street food stall but now have a sit down restaurant in Northern Quarter. If cheese is life, then this is the place to go. I would strongly recommend the Mac Attack with bacon as extras. It’s essentially a sandwich with mac and cheese as filling. Hello you sexy thing.
This and That
Location: 3 Soap Street, Manchester M4 1EW
You would never just stumble upon this place. Down a back street that looks like it belongs to the unsavoury underworld of Manchester lies this hidden curry gem. This place has been going since 1984 and you are unlikely to get a better deal on excellent curry anywhere else in Manchester. The interior is no-frills, you are here for the food which is served cafeteria style and eaten at big communal tables. The menu changes daily but the idea is the same; you get a choice of rice and 3-5 curries for a price between £4.50 to £6.50 depending on type of curry. Yes, £4.50 for a full meal. If that doesn’t satisfy a budget traveller, I honestly don’t know what will.
Ply
Location: 26 Lever Street, Manchester M1 1DW
Do you sometimes wonder what would happen if a Scandinavian had a love affair with a Neapolitan pizza master (who doesn’t wonder that?)? The answer is Ply. With sleek Scandinavian interior, this place serves up amazing Neapolitan style pizzas. I also highly recommend this place for evening drinks; order some wine and chat away whilst you share pizza. My favourite is the Portobello pizza with truffle oil but you can’t really go wrong here. The tomato sauce is the star of the show, it’s so sweet, and I don’t even like tomatoes…
Evuna
Location: 79 Thomas Street, Manchester M4 1LQ
Evuna has a somewhat unassuming exterior but on the inside you are greeted by a laid back Spanish vibe. With a location in both NQ and Deansgate, Evuna is more grown up than many other places to eat in Northern Quarter. This means you get a more relaxed dining experience and the focus is on good Spanish tapas and wine. There is a great lunch special with 3 tapas for £11.99. Alternatively, you can order from the main menu, which I prefer. Evuna have so many great dishes that it’s difficult to know where to start. I personally would recommend the roasted aubergine with honey and pine nuts, the tortilla de patatas and the pork belly with carrot purée and caramelised orange, but you can’t really go wrong here.
Sugar Junction
Location: 60 Tib Street, Manchester M4 1LG
For a sweet afternoon treat, you need to try Sugar Junction’s afternoon tea. If you like floral wallpapers and all things vintage, you’ll love Sugar Junction. They have a really impressive cake counter and you get different options every day. The afternoon tea is glorious, the sandwiches are gorgeous and if you can’t decide what cake you want, you should try the cake platter. I tried this once and essentially got 3 slices of cake (they say they’re half slices, I call them full slices). For reference, yes, you can ask for a doggy bag.
Black Milk Cereal
Location: 88 Oldham Street, Manchester M4 1LF
Black Milk Cereal comes with some serious sugar overload. In the best way possible. This is the place to go for over the top desserts. I may have replaced my lunch with just one of their desserts more than once. Their freakshakes are, well, freaky and power to you if you can finish one. I really enjoyed their Ferrero Rocher and Strawberry ice cream sundae and have also tried one of the Easter specials; ice cream sundae in half a chocolate Easter egg.
Manchester Design & Craft Centre
Location: 17 Oak Street, Manchester M4 5JD
The café in Manchester Design & Craft Centre is a bit of a hidden gem. Whilst tiny, it serves some lovely options for a lighter lunch such as soup and sandwiches.The carrot and split pea soup is lovely and served with a chunk of very tasty bread. The café is situated in the middle of the centre so you can admire the architecture of the place whilst you enjoy your lunch. The building used to be an old fish market and now houses independent artists.
Ezra & Gil
Location: 20 Hilton Street, M1 1FR
Ezra & Gil is part communal space, part vegetable grocers and part hipster. You come here because you want great sandwiches and a buzzing environment to meet with friends or catch up on work. Ezra & Gil’s menu embraces the concept of all day brunch and I would recommend the Veggie E&G Breakfast. They focus a lot on coffee, which I don’t drink, but if you do, make sure you give that a go too. The only thing I’d give a miss are the smoothies as I find them a bit watery.
Bonus: Ziferblat
Location: 23 Edge Street, Manchester M4 1HW
Whilst technically not a restaurant I don’t know what other category this wonderful place would fall into. In Ziferblat you don’t pay for anything except the time spent there at 8p a minute, capped at 4 hours. The place is decorated like an eccentric living room and they offer snacks, cake, drinks and board games. The really chilled vibe is perfect if you want a break from shopping, do location independent work or just want to have a nice catch up with your mates.
There are so many great places to eat in Northern Quarter and there are constantly new places opening. Hopefully you feel inspired to visit the neighbourhood, but also keep in mind that Northern Quarter is only a small (albeit great) part of the Manchester food scene. To find out more about areas of Manchester check out my ultimate guide to Manchester!
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Marie-Carmen
October 14, 2017Curry, pizza, afternoon tea… They look so good! (and the price of that curry is really good! That’s impressive! I wish I knew about it before leaving the country!)
Now I’m going to have to go visit my in-laws just for a chance to get a taste of all that food! I love how the UK has got those gorgeous cake counters, it’s not something we do much where I’m from and it gives the shop such a lovely charm!
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017I know, right? The curry is so cheap it’s insane. I’m a big fan of the cake counters too, and they’re so popular here! Think I need to work on my developing cake addiction though lol.
Victoria Ward
October 14, 2017Whyyy would you do this to me. Lol My mouth is literally watering! All of this food looks so good. If I am ever in Manchester I will be sure to check some of these places out.
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017Haha, sorry! 😉 Definitely check them out, there are so many good places to eat in this city!
Helene
October 14, 2017I went to Manchester for the first time a few months ago and had the best high tea ever!! Now I need to go back!
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017Ohh, where did you have high tea? There are so many good places in Manchester, the perfect foodie destination!
Akvile Stan
October 14, 2017Sugar Junction looks very pretty & right up my street! This is on my list next time I am in Manchester.
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017Sugar Junction is really, really pretty. And have some lovely cakes 🙂
nina
October 14, 2017Oooo I just love British pies! And the afternoon tea looks just lovely! I haven’t been to Manchester yet but it sure looks yummy 😋
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017Same here! When I first moved here I’d pretty much never had a savoury pie and now I love them. Especially with lots of gravy 😛
Amy
October 15, 2017I love what a diverse range of restaurants you showcased! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve definitely found myself focusing on food more when I travel, so a guide like this is wanderlust-inspiring. Especially Sugar Junction — where I’m at, the cake scene is pretty dismal. Would love to have a quality afternoon tea!
Fountain of Travel
October 15, 2017It’s the same for me, I spend so much time getting inspired by food in new places and love food travel guides! Sugar Junction is lovely, definitely make it a pit stop if you’re ever in the vicinity 🙂