The team behind one of Manchester’s Michelin-recommended restaurants, Stow, has announced that Northern Quarter bar Trof is getting a new lease of life. Set to reopen on Friday 1st May at midday, Trof will be reborn as The Trof – a classic pub with carefully refurbished interiors and a new dining room menu.
The Trof has a long and storied history in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Dating back to the 1880s, the red-brick building was opened as a neighbourhood bar in the early 2000s by Adelaide Winter and Joel Wilkinson, who own Firehouse, Ramona, and Albert’s Schloss, before it was purchased from Mission Mars by Matt Nellany in 2022.
Having worked together for several years, Matt joined forces with Jamie Pickles at Trof in 2023 before launching Stow, the critically acclaimed open-fire restaurant on Manchester’s Bridge Street.
New food and drink at The Trof
The food at The Trof is set to be “a love letter to British pub classics and local produce”. To start, guests can enjoy hogget mince on dripping toast and dressed Devon crab salad, roast lamb and gentleman’s relish and English asparagus with a soft-boiled egg.
For mains, ox cheek pie with ratte potato mash and salmon with trout roe beurre blanc and mussels will be on the menu. There’ll be a classic beef burger served in a milk bun, and a hearty Pork collar with cabbage and bacon, before puddings of sticky toffee pudding and a pistachio and cherry Bakewell tart – a nod to co-owner Jamie’s Peak District upbringing.
This influence continues into the drinks menu, with cask ales from Bakewell brewery Thornbridge, and a carefully chosen wine list that is as diverse as it is drinkable. And like any good pub, Sundays will centre on a sensational roast; focused around a selection of quality joints from Littlewoods, kicking off with a rump of beef, porchetta, roast chicken and Knutsford roast lamb. Accompanied by the classics: roast potatoes, seasonal greens, and homemade gravy served on the table family-style.
“Ask anyone in Manchester, and they’ll have a Trof story”
Matt Nellany, co-owner and landlord of The Trof, said of the change: “It’s nerve-racking to make such a big change to a venue which is so significant to so many people! Ask anyone in Manchester, and they’ll have a Trof story – we seem to have hosted a LOT of first dates here over the years – but we felt that it was time for the next chapter in this beautiful building’s history.
“We love pubs, and we’ve always wanted to do that elegant, city centre pub which you see so much across London – being able to do that with fabulous northern produce, including cask ales from Thornbridge and meats from Marcus at Littlewoods right in the heart of the Northern Quarter is a privilege we will take very seriously!”
“This will be a pub truly for Manchester’s people”
Jamie Pickles, co-owner and heading up the food, said: “The Trof sits right in the heart of what was Manchester’s market district and hopefully the menu pays homage to that – fabulous veg, great quality meat, excellent bar snacks – all served with well cellared cask ale and a great wine list – this will be a pub truly for Manchester’s people and we can’t wait to get it open.”
The space at The Trof will encourage both drinkers and diners alike, as perfect for an after-work pint as it would be for a celebratory meal. The Trof will feature refurbished interiors that accentuate the building’s character and offer the cosiness of a local pub. Pine wood features and flooring will frame a centrepiece bar, and the focal point of a standing piano.
When does The Trof reopen and how to book
The Trof will reopen at 12pm on Friday 1st May 2026. The pub will be available for both drinkers and diners to walk in, whilst reservations can be made for tables in the dining room here.
The Trof opening hours
Pub & Bar Snacks:
Monday – 11:00 – 00:00 (kitchen closed, but bar snacks available)
Tuesday – Thursday – 11:00-00:00
Friday – Saturday 11:00-01:00
Sunday 11:00 – 00:00
Dining Room:
Tuesday-Saturday – 12:00-3/4:30-9:30
📍The Trof, 8 Thomas Street, Manchester, M4 1EU