Ramadan Mubarak! The Islamic month of fasting (sawm), prayer, reflection and community is almost here (February 28) and numerous places across Manchester are offering a wonderful dining experience for the family meal before the fast starts, Suhoor. Plus, many of these dining spots in Manchester will be providing a special (and tasty) service for the evening meal at sundown during Ramadan, Iftar.
Ensuring you eat well during Iftar and Suhoor is vitally important to a successful day’s fast, which runs from pre-dawn until sunset. Finding somewhere to eat during Ramadan can be tough, but here to offer some inspiration is our round-up of the best places to visit in Manchester during Ramadan.
1. Zouk Tea Bar & Grill
Every day throughout Ramadan, the Chester Street restaurant will be welcoming customers to come and break their fast with a fabulous spread of much-loved dishes. Zouk will also be taking care of customers by greeting them and taking them to their table complete with fruit chaat, dates, Watermelon Wonder mocktail (a hydrating drink made with milk, Rooh Afzar, Strawberries, rose water, vanilla, watermelon and pomegranate) and water await. Once seated, guests can go up to the buffet and enjoy the daily selection of food which will include salads, starters, curries, lamb raan and a selection of accompaniments. Zouk will host one sitting at Iftar every day but note the time of Iftar changes slightly as the month goes on.
📍Zouk, 5 The Quadrangle, Chester St, Manchester, M1 5QS.
🍽️ Book your table here.
2. Manchester Museum
In the spirit of the month of Ramadan, the month of hospitality and sharing, Manchester Museum is inviting people to come along to the venue on March 13. The museum will be hosting an Iftar, which is an evening of friendship and conversation across faiths and cultures. Learn about Ramadan and witness or participate in the Muslim call to prayer. Attendees will also be breaking the fast together with delicious food. The event is free to attend and takes place between the hours of 5.30pm and 8.30pm.
📍Manchester Museum, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PL.
🍽️ Reserve a spot here.
3. Safire Grill
Safire Grill’s Ramadan buffet is set to be making a return after massive demand and it’s a great way to open your Iftar with family and friends. The restaurant close to Manchester Royal Infirmary, between Chorlton-on-Medlock and Victoria Park, will be providing guests with a generous spread as they break the fast this Ramadan. The buffet will feature Safire’s best selection of starters, mains and desserts, think kebabs, tikka, braised lamb shank, curries, sponge puddings and gulab jamon. Prayer facilities are also available at this venue.
📍Safire Grill, 275a Upper Brook Street, M13 0HR.
🍽️ Book a table here.
4. MyLahore
Another Asian restaurant in Manchester which has you covered this Ramadan is MyLahore. Open from 6pm to 11pm for Iftar, the restaurant located on the Curry Mile will be serving a halal menu featuring literally everything you could be craving from across Europe and Asia. We’re talking samosa chaat, traditional curries, seafood platters and paninis, wraps and salads. MyLahore also has you covered should you want their food for Suhoor, or for an Iftar at home. Whilst they aren’t open into the early hours, they have an Iftar sharing box on sale which you can order online straight to your door, to be eaten on your own schedule.
📍MyLahore, 14 – 18 Wilmslow Road, M14 5TQ.
🍽️ Book a table here.
5. Chaiiwala
Several of Chaiiwala’s branches will be open into the early hours of the morning over Ramadan, for those who are looking for something substantial to eat for Suhoor, before the fast begins. The restaurant, which recently opened the UK’s first Indian drive-thru, offers a host of filling food and chai tea to keep you going. One of the best options is their all-day Desi Breakfast, which features an omelette, spicy beans or daal, roti and a karak chai, to keep you full and satisfied for the day ahead. If you’re visiting for Iftar, Chaiiwala also has a plenty of street food to choose from like masala chips, samosa burgers and pani puri.
📍Chaiiwala, Bury Old Road, M8 5BW | Stockport Road, M19 3BN | Ayres Road, M16 7GS | George Street, Oldham, OL1 1LS | Milkstone Road, Rochdale, OL11 1EB | Manchester Road, Bolton, BL3 2NZ | Deane Road, Bolton, BL3 5DL.
🍽️ Find your nearest restaurant here.
6. Istanbul
The popular Turkish restaurant in Prestwich, Istanbul, is getting fully involved in the Ramadan festivities with plenty on the grill to choose from. From chicken kofte to lamb shish, chicken wings to lamb chops, all marinated in delicious herbs and spices then grilled over charcoal to perfection, there are so many tasty options. Istanbul offers sharing platters served with salad and mix of rice and bulgar wheat, which are great to enjoy with family and friends for Iftar. The jumbo platter features a mezze of fasulye, saksuka, sarma, cacik and hummus, alongside lamb chops, lamb shish, chicken shish, lamb ribs, chicken wings, adana kofte, chicken kofte, plus lamb and chicken doner.
📍Istanbul, 2 Bury Old Road, M8 9JN.
🍽️ Book a table here.
7. Comptoir Libanais
Comptoir Libanais is launching a special Ramadan menu, a unique Iftar feast experience designed to bring friends, families, and communities together during this sacred month. Available from February 28, the menu is accessible for dine-in, click and collect, and delivery at all Comptoir Libanais UK restaurants, including Manchester. Priced at just £29.95 per person, the Iftar feast includes dates and your choice of homemade lemonade or orange blossom and honey milk; a mezze selection of lentil soup, cheese Samboussek, hummus and Fattoush salad; one large plate of either lamb kofta and butter bean tagine, marinated grilled chicken, feta and Lebanese salad, chicken shawarma rice bowl or aubergine tagine. Plus, finish with something sweet with their orange blossom Mouhalabia for dessert.
📍Comptoir Libanais, 18-19 The Avenue, Spinningfields, Manchester, M3 3HF.
🍽️ Book a table or order here.
8. Dishoom
You can gather over delicious and copious dishes this Ramadan with Dishoom’s Iftar Feasting Menu, which costs £35 per person. Start with the likes of Keema Pau, Okra Fries, Chicken Tikka, Tandoori Chaat and biryanis, followed by the Iftar special dish; Daal Gosht & Laccha Paratha. The Iftar feast is also available as a vegetarian menu with dishes like the Awadhi Jackfruit Biryani and Makhmali Paneer, as well as a vegan menu with Chole Puri and the Chilli Broccoli Salad. The feast is available from February 28 to March 31 for groups of four or more every day from when the sun sets, plus medjool dates are available for those breaking their fast in-café or waiting in the queue.
📍Dishoom, 32 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BT.
🍽️ Book a table here.