In Royal Exchange Arcade, Aston’s of Manchester is a tobacconist that recently branched out into whisky sales. In their shop you’ll find an interesting selection of bottles to buy, including some real rarities, and tasting events here are just getting going. You can also buy walking sticks, hip flasks and wet shaving gear. Just be careful: spend too much time in here and you might accidentally turn into your granddad.
Eat your way through the dairy based delights of Manchester, with the Manchester Cheese Crawl walking tour.
from £25
Director Sarah Frankcom returns to the Exchange with two short plays by Caryl Churchill, brought together in one evening of theatre.
from £10.00
You can get the behind the bar and mix with the best of them in a cocktail making masterclass from The Botanist on Deansgate.
from £39.95
Every Wednesday at Ape & Apple, Manchester’s official underground comedy club, Comedy Balloon’s friendly and warm comedy night takes place.
free entry
The Portico Library lines up an afternoon of live music and drawing, presented with the Manchester Chinese Centre.
from £3
Whether you’re a high-fashion fanatic or just couture curious, Unpicking Couture gets up close and personal with pivotal moments in fashion history.
free entry
Declared “Britain’s best songwriter” by The Guardian, folk experimenter Richard Dawson performs two special shows at The Stoller Hall.
from £22.50
The Stoller Hall celebrate The Phantom of the Opera’s 100th birthday with a live accompaniment by silent movie masters Frame Ensemble.
from £5.50
St Ann’s Square is a quiet little enclave of shops, with Barton’s Arcade set back from it on one side, and St Ann’s Church, which dates back to 1712 and…
High-quality food and wine in the in-house restaurant for the Royal Exchange Theatre on St Anne’s Square
Banyan Bar & Kitchen is a smart modern restaurant in Manchester’s Corn Exchange, serving up a wide range of dishes and drinks.
The Corn Exchange is a collection of modern restaurants in one Grade II-listed, 19th century building. A dining destination – Mughli, Banyan Bar & Kitchen and Tampopo stand out.
The Remedy Kitchen is a Manchester restaurant dedicated to healthy eating, with the goal to detox the body and mind.
Superb little hidden-away bar on Deansgate
Great-looking events space beneath the Grade II listed Barton Arcade
Bloom Cafe is a stunning cafe based on Deansgate in Manchester, serving up an array of hot and cold drinks, including a range of CBD options.
The Royal Exchange is one of the most celebrated theatres in the country, highly regarded for both new writing and its take on the classics.
Hotel Motel One Manchester-Royal Exchange is an affordable hotel in Manchester’s city centre, perfect for a business or family stay in the city.
Lunya is a Spanish and Catalan deli and restaurant in Manchester’s stunning Barton Arcade. The food is reliably fresh and the staff both charming and incredibly knowledgable.
Located in the midst of Deansgate, this community chapel regularly hosts cultural events, socials and activities. Check out their website for info and upcoming performances.
Documentary performance, groundbreaking dance, world premieres and fresh takes on classic works - check out our early theatre highlights for 2025.
Hollywood greats and early bird film fest tickets are on our horizon as we start the New Year.
Readings are springing up everywhere as the live literature and spoken word scene starts to defrost.
Masters of minimalism, leftfield electronica and cutting edge pop. We bring you the lot in our latest live music round up.
We might be past the holiday season, but Manchester and the North's arts and cultural calendar is still packed with brilliant events and activities for families
New year, new you. Let us tell you exactly what food and drink you should consume over the coming weeks.
Galleries are racing to announce new exhibitions so check out our top picks, from art films and nostalgic paintings to Hockney's collages.
We're enjoying an arty start to the new year in 2025 in Tours and Activities with plenty of arts based events, games and workshops.
