Broadening minds since 1781, ideas are the currency of Manchester Lit & Phil, whose creatively curated programme of talks and lectures will challenge your opinions and encourage you to see the world through a different lens.
From arts and culture, to politics and philosophy, to science and technology, you’ll hear about today’s most pressing issues and stimulating subject matter, explored by charismatic speakers.
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
Happening as part of MIF25, Liberation is a bold new play inspired by real events in Black British history, bringing politics, power, and personal struggles to life on stage.
from £20.00
On the eve of Elizabeth Gaskell’s birthday, join Jonathan Schofield Tours for a stroll around the sites (and sights) of Manchester’s literary past.
from £20.00
Explore Manchester’s creepiest corners this Halloween, when Jonathan Schofield Tours will reveal the city’s ghosts with the most.
from £25.00
Eat your way through the dairy based delights of Manchester, with the Manchester Cheese Crawl walking tour.
from £25
After 27 years, the groundbreaking nightlife documentary Hang The DJ takes us back to the nineties dance scene.
from £25.00
Every Wednesday at Ape & Apple, Manchester’s official underground comedy club, Comedy Balloon’s friendly and warm comedy night takes place.
free entry
Explore the ways in which Manchester helped shape and reinforce the ideas of the fathers of communism, Friedrich Engels and Karl Marx.
from £20.00
The ‘biggest bookshop in the North’ right here in Manchester.
High-grade Argentinian steak in this wonderful looking restaurant, with some pocket-friendly deals.
Healthy Indian street food from this bright, socially-conscious dining space on Deansgate.
Elegantly laid out with simple wooden tables and Burgundy-coloured banquettes, Côte in Manchester does brasserie food, and does it well.
Kai is a Turkish restaurant on Deansgate, set up by the brains behind the well-regarded Zouk restaurant. Expect excellent mezze plates and an open grill that releases wonderful aromas throughout the venue.
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.
Great-looking events space beneath the Grade II listed Barton Arcade
San Carlo Cicchetti in Manchester does Italian small plates with aplomb.
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.
Historic Grade I listed church on St Ann’s Square, Manchester.
Bite-size basement dive alternating techno-house and indie nights, this stalwart of the Manchester music scene can be found just off Deansgate, next door to St Ann’s Square.
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.
Electronic music features heavily in our latest round-up of gig highlights across Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.
Willow weaving, textile collages, digital arts and ecology - all this and more in our exhibition top picks this month
Spring is here and the North is buzzing with must-visit new restaurants and bars.
Vintage Alfred Hitchcock and a family friendly film festival are amongst our highlights this May.
We've got many a good time in store this month as we round up the best walking tours, cultural classes and makers markets in the land.
Dynamic dance, party-performance, high-energy stand-up and a site-specific show set in a pub. All this and more in our newest theatre guide.
Crocodile-themed Easter egg hunts, sense-sational museum trips and more this Easter!
If it's inspiring, inclusive events and avant-garde, experimental afternoons you're after, look no further than live literature this spring – we've got you covered.
