Struggling to plan a fun-filled weekend in Manchester? Come rain or shine (in this city’s case mainly rain), we’ve got you covered when it comes to what’s on this weekend in Manchester. From cocktails, to brunches, markets to gigs, there’s something for everyone, including some for the kids, on our list of things to do in Manchester this weekend.
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Where to eat and drink this weekend
From bottomless brunches to dining at the best restaurants in Manchester, here are the food and drink-focused events you should check out in Manchester this weekend.
1. Nibble your way around the city with the Manchester Cheese Crawl
If you camembert the thought of not doing anything this weekend then this is one of the tastiest things to do in Manchester to get involved in. Manchester Cheese Crawl gives cheese lovers the opportunity to discover some of the delicious dairy delights that can be found around the city. This two-hour walking tour will take you around Manchester’s cheesiest spots: meeting cheese mongers, tucking into cheese and crackers (and just maybe a bit of vino) and, of course, being treated to a fantastic selection of cheese-based puns.
2. Fill your boots with this unlimited Sunday roast at Manchester’s first city centre carvery
Giving our Toby a run for his money, food, drink and entertainment hub Freight Island is bringing back ‘Seconds’ – a carvery where guests can tuck into the ultimate Sunday roast with unlimited access to all the trimmings. That’s right, you can go back for seconds and fill your boots. This September, guests can order with the chef directly as they carve the mighty mains as well as be free to help themselves with an unlimited access of all the trimmings.
3. Celebrate your October birthday with a free Omakase tasting menu at Sexy Fish
Always up for sharing the fun, Sexy Fish wants to celebrate your birthday with you too. Any guest who dines in October who has their birthday within one month of the booking date will receive a complimentary Omakase Tasting menu – when dining with a group of 5 or more. The omakase menu – meaning chef’s choice – features the best of Sexy Fish’s Japanese-inspired dishes like Tuna Tataki, Glazed Pork Belly Skewers and Spicy Yellowtail Maki. Guests can choose to celebrate with friends over the Hiro Omakase menu (£48 per person) or the Sekushi Omakase menu (£86 per person), with wine pairings to accompany.
4. Indulge in Six by Nico’s first ever Sunday roast
Six by Nico, the dining experience known for its six-week tasting menu, has announced its first ever Sunday Roast menu featuring twists on roast beef, cauli cheese and Eton mess. Originally planned for one day only, due to popular demand, the limited-edition menu will be available at both Six by Nico Manchester restaurants (Deansgate and Spring Gardens) on three consecutive Sundays dates – September 29, October 6 and October 13.
Guests can experience all the familiar flavours of a Sunday Roast, combined with alternative ingredients and cooking techniques to create a line-up of dishes which takes the conventional roast to a new level. The Sunday Roast menu consists of five courses, starting at just £35 per person with a (sixth) Yorkshire Pudding supplement course available for an additional £7.
5. Enjoy bottomless curry for National Curry Week at Zouk
We’re all familiar with the classic weekend pastime of bottomless brunch, but now the popular Indian halal restaurant Zouk in Manchester is offering bottomless curry. During National Curry Week, Zouk will be serving up an absolute feast for the eyes and senses, making this autumn a whole lot more bearable and enough to entice us out of hibernation. Available from Monday 7th October to Friday 11th October, from 12pm to midnight, guests at Zouk Tea Bar & Grill will be able to tuck into as much curry as they can eat (with four curries to choose from each day including vegan, vegetarian, lamb or chicken) alongside bottomless samosas, naan breads and rice. And all of this can be enjoyed for just £25 per person!
Bars, pubs and nightlife to check out this weekend
Whether you’re looking to let loose at a day party or dance all night, here are the best drinking and party spots to try this weekend.
6. Embark on a guided wine tour around the city
Manchester Wine Tours offer visitors a guided tour around the city centre, where they’ll visit some of the best places to drink and buy wine in Manchester along the way. You will be guided in small groups on a leisurely three-hour jaunt where they’ll be able to sample a few glasses en route, as well top notch nibbles. This is a great opportunity to try something new, learn the characteristics of different varieties and even discover a new favourite.
7. Get cosy with the return of The Oast House’s famous winter tipi
Popping up in Spinningfields every single year without fail, the tipi at The Oast House has become an institution in itself… An annual highlight, one might say. The tipi at The Oast House will boast three tents joined together with a huge open hub, allowing guests to see into the main bar and soak up the party atmosphere. The Oast House’s snug retreat will also feature firepits and live music alongside winter cocktails, hot chocolate, mulled wine and tempting street food, just in time for the chilly weather.
8. Sing your heart out at a silent disco
Who wouldn’t want to start the weekend with a silent disco? Join the Silent Adventures Team for a musical journey through Manchester’s streets with funky moves and pop star voices on display. Experience a flash mob, silent disco and rhythmic riot through town with hi-tech headsets filling your body with beats. Get ready to dance and sing on this walking tour! Plus, if you’re concerned about being embarrassed you needn’t worry as you’ll be part of fab group people all after a great time.
9. Listen to free music at the new Copper Bar at Band on the Wall
The historic Manchester live music venue Band on the Wall is opening brand-new NY jazz bar-inspired, The Copper Bar; featuring free live gigs every Friday and Saturday night. The live music venue has partnered with Brooklyn Brewery to create The Copper Bar, with a nod to NYC’s jazz venue Zinc Bar (previously the legendary Cinderella Club, where Thelonius Monk was the house pianist and Billie Holiday sang her earliest shows), with its beautiful hand-crafted copper bar, and inspired by the brass instruments running through the jazz, reggae, soul and funk genres.
The bar will feature a bespoke hand-painted mural, and collages curated by the musician-led venue team from the venue’s archive content, along with other striking pieces of memorabilia. The Copper Bar’s free live weekend gigs will launch on September 20, and will continue every Friday and Saturday night; on Fridays you can check out ‘La Fiesta’ billing some of the city’s best afrobeat, latin and reggae artists, while Saturdays will be filled with upbeat jazz, soul and funk at ‘Funk Street’.
Top cultural attractions to visit this weekend
From art exhibitions, pop-up installations, film screenings, shows, gigs and concerts, here are some of the best things to do in Manchester this weekend for a good dose of culture.
10. Prepare to be petrified at a brand new immersive Halloween horror show at Diecast
This Halloween, a brand-new immersive scare experience is launching in Manchester’s city centre, five minutes’ walk from Piccadilly Station – Time To Die, at Diecast. From the teams behind Diecast and the award-winning Newsham Scream Park in Liverpool, and curated by the infamous masters of horror, Area 51, Time To Die is taking horror to a whole new level. Time To Die will feature live entertainment at Diecast each night, food court and licensed bars, plus tarot readings, mystics, a fortune teller and more.
11. See the city from a different perspective on a river cruise tour
Set sail from Salford Quays for an epic 60-minute journey down Manchester’s iconic Ship Canal and River Irwell on a specially-designed Dutch sightseeing boat, starting from the heart of Manchester. Witness the industrial heartland and historic monuments, including Stephenson’s railway bridge. You can also marvel at Manchester United’s stadium of Old Trafford and Imperial War Museum North from the water.
12. Get ready to tee off at Manchester’s first Adventure Golf Masters
Manchester is full of places for a good old game of crazy golf, and now things are getting serious, with the advent of the Manchester Adventure Golf Masters. Dino Falls Adventure Golf, located at Trafford Golf Centre, has announced the inaugural Manchester Adventure Golf Masters this weekend. The event marks the first-ever World Minigolf Federation (WMF) competition to be held at Manchester’s largest outdoor adventure golf venue and will serve as a qualifying round for the 2024/25 WMF World Adventure Golf Tour, featuring a competition including both experienced minigolf players and rookies.
The hottest new openings in Manchester
Manchester is constantly full of newness, whether it be the latest bar and restaurant openings to brand new shops and pop-ups for you to browse, so we’ve rounded up what’s new to check out.
13. Visit the UK’s first mind-bending Museum of Illusions
The highly-anticipated Museum of Illusions is set to open onMarket Street and promises a captivating experience for visitors of all ages, immersing them in a world of optical illusions and interactive exhibits. The 10,700 sq ft space, which is open from September 27, is expected to be filled with “fascinating holograms, mind-bending illusion rooms, and astonishing exhibits intended to trick the mind and puzzle perceptions”. In addition to the museum’s signature, most popular and photo-worthy exhibits, such as the Walk-in Kaleidoscope, Vortex Tunnel, and Infinity Room, visitors will be treated to custom-made installations that celebrate Manchester’s unique culture and heritage.
14. Tuck into moreish, plant-based comfort food as Wholesome Junkies returns
Known for their indulgent vegan comfort food, Wholesome Junkies quickly became a staple of Manchester’s food scene, celebrated for their mouthwatering cauliflower wings, loaded fries, and innovative plant-based burgers. Despite regularly being packed with customers, earlier this year, Wholesome Junkies faced the heartbreaking decision to close their restaurant. However, they’re making a comeback with a new residency at alcohol-free bar Hinterland, bringing their signature menu back to the Northern Quarter alongside some new creative dishes.
15. Dine inside the beautifully-restored Rochdale Town Hall
The much-anticipated Martlet Kitchen restaurant inside Rochdale Town Hall is now open, whether you’re after a laid-back brunch or an elegant evening of fine dining. Guests can enjoy traditional northern dishes like Jackson’s Rag Pudding, Bacon Chop with Bury Black Pudding and Denshaw Egg as well as classic brunches including steak and eggs and Eggs Benedict. The evening menu includes dishes such as Mackerel & Whitby Crab with pickled cucumber, Granny Smith apple, sorrel, and sourdough croutons, North Sea Halibut with Masala-spiced pumpkin, saag aloo, tandoori onions, and purple sprouting broccoli and the ‘RTH’ Fillet Rossini.
16. Get a taste of Detroit with the arrival of pizza joint Detroit Slims
Opening its first venue in Circle Square on Oxford Road from October 12, Detroit Slims is a new quick-service pizza restaurant is set to bring a fresh and hot twist by introducing “a game changing approach to Detroit-style pizza”, with 10″ long rectangle shaped pizza. Each Slims pizza will be individually sized and baked fresh to order, featuring toppings such as the Cheese Burger Slim, BBQ Meat Feast and the Shroom Slim – with the standout signature The Pepperoni Crown. Each flavour combo will sit on top of Detroit Slims’ light and fluffy textured base, made from special 48-hour, slow-fermented focaccia dough.
17. Gorge on delicious smash burgers from the team behind Almost Famous
If you’re after a new lunch time spot or post-party scran then Super Awesome Deluxe has got you. Developed by Manchester’s OG burger team, Almost Famous, the new super fresh concept will be slinging out mind-blowing smashed burgers this October. Offering a simple but damn right delicious menu consisting of three burgers, hand-cut fries and homemade sauces, if it’s anything like Almost Famous’ burgers, us Mancs are in for a treat. Plus, the new Northern Quarter spot will be playing 80s tunes by day and drum and bass music by night to accompany those moreish smashed burgers.
18. Check out Space NK‘s new store inside the Trafford Centre
Space NK is set to open a new store in Greater Manchester this weekend. The beauty retailer which stocks over 130 brands such as Drunk Elephant, Nars, Charlotte Tilbury and Diptyque is opening a new Space NK store inside the Trafford Centre. Opening on September 21 and spanning 2,400 square ft of trading space, will feature 18 make-up gondolas, more than 300 shelves of the most in demand brands and dedicated areas for customers to try products at their leisure. Plus, the first customers to visit can get their hands on exclusive Space NK goody bags.
19. Enjoy some relaxation at the UK’s largest sauna
A brand new concept to the UK, FIX MCR has been working closely with local therapists, psychologists, and wellbeing specialists to curate their range of guided sessions through the hot and the cold. This intimate, indulgent space is the ultimate city escape. Boasting the UK’s largest sauna, two large socially designed ice baths and luxurious community spaces, the studio is the first of its kind in the city centre.
Secret Manchester Picks
The Secret Manchester team’s top picks for more fun things you can do in Manchester this weekend.
20. Take an autumn wander around RHS Garden Bridgewater
Opening just a few years ago in Worsley, the RHS Garden Bridgewater gates lead to a beautiful, nature wonderland – and it’s the perfect place to catch a literal breath of fresh air. Featuring multiple areas throughout to explore, including the ‘crown jewel’ of the site – the 11-acre Weston Walled Garden – visitors won’t be at a loss for beautiful sights, with tons of greenery, blooms, a peaceful lake and a number of lovely little ponds to potter around, as well as seasonal flowers and plants that transform throughout the year. Escape the city and witness nature doing its thing at this scenic garden.
21. Enjoy bottomless pizza and drinks alongside the best tunes from the 2000’s
Manchester based hangout, Brickhouse Social has announced the return of its 00’s themed brunch that will run every Saturday in October and November. Brickhouse Social invites music lovers to enjoy 90 minutes of bottomless pizza slices, fizz, bottled beers and select cocktails on their secret rooftop terrace with resident DJ playing all the best tunes from the 2000’s ranging from Britney Spears through to Beyonce. There are two sittings available on Saturdays: 1pm – 3pm and 3:30pm – 5:30pm, so go on, let your hair down and reminisce!
For more brilliant weekend ideas, check out these terrific things to do this October.