Day-by-day eating plans for Manchester. weekend classics, family routes, vegan plans, on-a-budget editions.

Day-by-day plans

Manchester weekend: Ancoats and Northern Quarter classics ★ 4.7

First-time visitor, two days2 days

A weekend through Manchester's dining heartlands: Ancoats for Mana and the Bib Gourmand crawl, Northern Quarter for brunch counters and craft beer, finish with Curry Mile lamb chops.

  1. Day 1: Saturday: Ancoats brunch, Bib Gourmand lunch, Michelin dinner

    Morning
    Pollen Bakery at Cotton Field Wharf, 09:00. Sourdough sausage bun and a flat white on the marina terrace.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Erst on Murray Street, 13:00. Bib Gourmand seasonal small plates with two glasses from the natural-wine list.
    Evening
    Dinner at Mana, 19:30. Simon Martin's tasting menu, the city's first star since 2019.

  2. Day 2: Sunday: Northern Quarter coffee, Mackie Mayor lunch, Curry Mile night

    Morning
    Ezra & Gil on Hilton Street, 09:30. The Ezra benedict and a cortado, the queue moves fast.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Mackie Mayor, 13:00. Honest Crust margherita pizza and a Reserve Wines glass; communal tables.
    Evening
    Dinner at Mughli on Wilmslow Road, 20:00. Charcoal lamb chops by the platter, tandoori paneer, kulfi to finish.

Manchester: Curry Mile and modern British ★ 4.6

Repeat visitor, three days3 days

Three days through the cuisines that define Manchester now: the Curry Mile's Pakistani institutions, the new modern British stars in Ancoats and NOMA, finish at the Sparrows for Tyrolean dumplings.

  1. Day 1: Thursday: Curry Mile crawl and Pakistani classics

    Morning
    Foundation Coffee House on Lever Street, 09:30. Origin beans and avocado on sourdough; review the day's plan.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Lily's Vegetarian Indian, Ashton-under-Lyne, 13:30. Gujarati thali, the family's daily-changing pure-veg menu.
    Evening
    Dinner at Mughli on the Curry Mile, 20:00. Charcoal lamb chops, tandoori platters; finish at Sanam for kulfi.

  2. Day 2: Friday: Ancoats Bib Gourmand and natural wine

    Morning
    Trove Ancoats on Murray Street, 09:30. Sourdough toast with mushrooms; cinnamon bun to take away with you.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Higher Ground, 13:00. Bib Gourmand sharing menu, Cinderwood farm produce, hand-rolled pasta.
    Evening
    Dinner at Erst, 19:30. Bib Gourmand natural-wine room next to Mana; small plates and twenty natural reds.

  3. Day 3: Saturday: NOMA star and Green Quarter dumplings

    Morning
    Ezra & Gil Peter Street, 10:00. Avocado on sourdough; the Spinningfields office crowd is gentler at the weekend.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Skof on Federation Street, 13:00. Tom Barnes's Michelin-starred Cumbrian-influenced tasting menu.
    Evening
    Dinner at The Sparrows on Red Bank, 19:30. Bib Gourmand pierogi, spaetzle, Eastern European wines by the glass.

Manchester on a budget: three days under £30 per meal ★ 4.5

Budget traveller, three days3 days

Three Manchester days where every meal is under thirty pounds: This and That for curry, Mackie Mayor for street food, the Curry Mile for late nights. Eat well without breaking the bank.

  1. Day 1: Day one: Northern Quarter cheap eats

    Morning
    Idle Hands on Dale Street, 09:00. Flat white and a mushroom-and-stilton pie, under eight pounds.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at This and That on Soap Street, 13:00. Rice and three curry, under ten pounds. The Manchester budget institution.
    Evening
    Dinner at Bundobust on Piccadilly, 19:00. Vada pav, okra fries, a pint of Bundobust beer; under twenty.

  2. Day 2: Day two: Mackie Mayor street food

    Morning
    Pollen Bakery, 09:30. Cinnamon morning bun and an espresso, under seven pounds total at the counter.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Mackie Mayor, 13:00. Pico's tacos and an Atkinsons filter; communal tables, under fifteen pounds.
    Evening
    Dinner at Hatch on Oxford Road, 19:00. Hanoi 75 banh mi and MorMor falafel, vegan beers; under twelve pounds.

  3. Day 3: Day three: Curry Mile crawl

    Morning
    Trove Levenshulme, 10:00. Sourdough toastie with cheddar; tram in from Piccadilly is two pounds return.
    Afternoon
    Lunch at Lily's Vegetarian Indian, 13:30. Gujarati thali, vegetarian, family-run since 1972, under fifteen.
    Evening
    Dinner at Lal Qila on the Curry Mile, 20:00. A Red Fort classic curry cooked to order, naan and rice; the late kitchen runs past midnight on weekends.
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