Following on from Louisiana fried chicken brand Popeyes opening up in the Manchester area in the past two years, the Dave’s Hot Chicken coop is expanding – and Manchester is its next location. The cult L.A. born brand, which has received investment backing from the likes of rapper Drake, is set to open a new spot on August 8 at Printworks Manchester, residing alongside a cinema, clubs and restaurants.
The space with 139 covers will take its cue from Manchester’s iconic warehouse rave scene with an industrial design – think towering ceilings, exposed steelwork, and laser lights. Dave’s Hot Chicken hopes to create “a full-on sensory trip”, where music, light and fried chicken will come together to create a high-voltage experience. Giving a nod to the brand’s L.A. roots, the space will be brought to life with bold, custom graffiti inspired by legendary L.A.-based street artists Splatterhaus and Dehmq – whose work has become a signature across all Dave’s Hot Chicken locations.
The Manchester site’s menu will be the same as Dave’s Hot Chicken’s flagship site on London’s Shaftesbury Avenue and newly-opened site in Birmingham, including Dave’s signature Sliders and Tenders, which can be doused in Dave’s sauce. Diners can tuck into Dave’s signature Nashville-style hot chicken – served in seven spice levels from “No Spice” to “Reaper” – as well as irresistible sides like cheese fries, pickles, kale slaw and mac ‘n’ cheese.
When it comes to drinks, Dave’s Hot Chicken also serves up top-loaded milkshakes with toppings such as M&Ms, Oreos and Cinnamon Crunch and Slushers in flavours like Berry Blast, Blue Raspberry, Tropical Cooler and Strawberry Drift.
Jim Attwood, Managing Director of Dave’s Hot Chicken UK, said: “Printworks Manchester is the ideal setting for our next UK site – right at the heart of one of the country’s most exciting cities. The new restaurant pays homage to Manchester’s legendary warehouse rave scene, with an industrial-inspired design and bold, high-energy atmosphere to match our signature flavours. We can’t wait to bring something fresh to this iconic venue and its vibrant mix of entertainment, food and culture”.
The brand was founded in 2017 by three childhood friends, Chef Dave Kopushyan, Arman Oganesyan and Tommy Rubenyan, scraped together $900 to launch Dave’s Hot Chicken in a parking lot, with portable fryers and folding tables in tow. Dave’s Hot Chicken quickly took off, opening an East Hollywood restaurant shortly after, with support from Tommy’s brother, Gary. In 2019, the team struck a deal with Wetzel’s Pretzels co-founder and former CEO, Bill Phelps, to begin franchising the Dave’s Hot Chicken concept, with Billboard’s Artist of the Decade, Drake, investing in the brand too.
Dave’s Hot Chicken opens at Printworks Manchester, 27 Withy Grove, Manchester, M4 2BS on August 8.
