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Welcome to Confidential Guides. Here you’ll find the best food, drink and things to do in the North.

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The Northern Quarter's dreamiest vintage shop

The front window of Marbu vintage shop in the Northern Quarter.

Your next night-out destination is a pub in a science park in Hulme

The steps and front door of The Abbey pub in Hulme.

Where to book next for an ultra stylish Sunday lunch

The grand dining room at Tender in Manchester.

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer

A child standing on a rock in a river.

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester

A crowd watching an England football match on a big screen at AO Arena.

Best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool

Hathersage Swimming Pool is one of Confidential Guides' best places for outdoor swimming near Manchester or Liverpool

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup in Manchester

Looking down on the busy bar area of Brotherhood in Manchester

7 Manchester coworking spaces that will re-energise your workday

Two people using the co-working space at The Alan in Manchester.
The restaurant at The Reach at Piccadilly.

Lock 84

Piccadilly Restaurant - Modern British
The exterior of The Reach at Piccadilly

The Reach at Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Curved Modernist exterior of Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Treatment room at the Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly Spa

The Spa at Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Manchester City Centre Spas
Poached egg and avocado on toast at On The Hush in Manchester.

On the Hush

Northern Quarter Cafes
Communal eating, various dishes and drinks at Wagamama, Manchester

Wagamama St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Pan Asian
Steamed scallops at Wing's, Manchester

Wing’s

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Chinese
Potato Hash and egg at the Loom & Ladle Bistro, Manchester Marriott Hotel Piccadilly

Loom & Ladle Bistro

Piccadilly Restaurant - British

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Cocktails served at San Carlo Fumo in Manchester city centre

Fumo

Oxford Road Restaurant - Italian
Maritozzo at Sicilian NQ

Sicilian NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
Exterior of The Alan, Manchester

The Alan Hotel

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Hand embroidered landscape by Louise Goult - one of the workshop tutors at TexStyle Manchester.

TexStyle

Manchester City Centre Festivals
Beer garden at Rain Bar, Manchester

Rain Bar

Manchester City Centre Bars
Lobster served at San Carlo Liverpool.

San Carlo Liverpool

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
San Carlo Bottega in Selfridges, Manchester

Bottega

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Italian
Open air tipi weddings at Swanley Meadows

Swanley Meadows

Congleton Events Venues
Easter Lamb Rump with pea & mint cream at San Carlo.

San Carlo Manchester

Deansgate Restaurant - Italian
Concert night at the Manchester Arena, or AO Arena as it is currently known.

AO Arena

Manchester City Centre Music Venues
Banh mi sandwich at Le Viet Social

Le Viet Social

Baltic Triangle Restaurant - Vietnamese
Quest Apartments are a dog-friendly place to stay in Liverpool.

Quest Apartment Hotel Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
One of the brunch dishes at Leo and Roobs - a neighbourhood cafe in Salford.

Leo and Roobs

Blackfriars Cafes

Cibus

Levenshulme Restaurant - Italian

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
Hakkapo is a Japanese restaurant in Manchester's First Street district.

Hakkapo

Manchester City Centre Restaurant

Motel One Royal Exchange

Manchester City Centre Hotel

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
Wild boar pate at La Famiglia in Liverpool.

La Famiglia Bar & Restaurant

Cavern Quarter Restaurant - Italian
The Ropewalks Hotel is a dog-friendly hotel in Liverpool.

Ropewalks Hotel

Ropewalks Hotel
The rooms at The Maldron Hotel, Manchester City Centre

Maldron Hotel Manchester City Centre

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Church Street by Supercity Aparthotels

Northern Quarter Hotel

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
The lounge area at Brysk.

Brysk

Deansgate Therapeutic Services
A dessert served at Riva restaurant and bar in Hale, Greater Manchester

Riva

Hale Restaurant - Modern British
Inside The Palm House at Sefton Park in Liverpool

Sefton Park

Sefton Park Parks & Gardens

Malmaison Liverpool Bar & Grill

Princes Dock Restaurant - American
Christmas parties at Manchester Central

Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Events Venues
Mother's Day bouquet from Northern Flower - a florist in the Northern Quarter, Manchester.

Northern Flower

Northern Quarter Florists

Atlas Bar

Deansgate Bars
A bedroom at Yotel Manchester Deansgate.

Yotel Manchester Deansgate

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
One of the rooms at Leven Hotel in Manchester city centre

Leven Hotel Manchester

Gay Village Hotel
A chef preparing a dish at The Art School in Liverpool.

The Art School

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - Modern British

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer

Haunt

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - European
Mixed grill fish at Vesuvio in Worsley.

Vesuvio

Worsley Restaurant - Italian
Roast dinner and a pint at 11 Central in Mediacity Manchester.

11 Central

Salford Quays Bars
Infinity Apartments in Liverpool are great for large groups

Infinity Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Specialising in southern US-style fried chicken, and drinks at Pattersons, Liverpool

Pattersons

Ropewalks Restaurant - American
The famous arches and stage of the Cavern Club in Liverpool

The Cavern Club

Cavern Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites
Roomzzz Manchester Victoria Sovereign Suite Spiral Staircase

Roomzzz Manchester Victoria

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Ramen at Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Suki Suki Street Food & Bar

Deansgate Restaurant - Pan Asian
Artwork by British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor at Tate Liverpool

Tate Liverpool – temporarily closed for refurbishment until Spring 2027

Albert Dock Art Galleries
Afternoon tea at The Art School Cellars, Liverpool

The Art School Cellars

Georgian Quarter Bars
One of the holes at Golf Fang Liverpool, a crazy golf bar in the city centre.

Golf Fang Liverpool

Baltic Triangle Activities
Momos from Namaste Nepal in West Didsbury

Namaste Nepal

West Didsbury Restaurant - Indian subcontinent

Bib Gourmand restaurants in Manchester and the North West

Staycity Aparthotel Waterfront

Albert Dock Hotel
Ground floor lounge and bar area at Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Leonardo Hotel Manchester Central

Manchester City Centre Hotel

Almost all the winners of the Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards 2026
Boddingtons and Orange Polenta Cake with homemade rosemary syrup and vanilla crème fraiche at The Black Friar in Salford.

The Black Friar

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Modern British

Bar Hütte Great Northern

Deansgate Bars
Boudin Blanc, peas and three cornered leek at Erst in Manchester.

Erst

Ancoats Restaurant - British
Boilerhouse beer at Founder's Hall, Manchester

Founder’s Hall

Manchester City Centre Pubs

5 January dining deals in Manchester worth making plans around
Downstairs lobby at Clayton Hotel Manchester

Clayton Hotel Manchester

Manchester City Centre Hotel
One of the suites at Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Residence Inn by Marriott Manchester Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel
Premier Suites in Liverpool is dog-friendly for those staying for 29 nights or more.

Premier Suites Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Tapas dishes at Evuna, a Spanish restaurant in Knutsford, Cheshire

Evuna Knutsford

Knutsford Restaurant
The infinity pool at King Street Townhouse - one of the coolest hotels near Manchester Arena

King Street Townhouse

Manchester City Centre Hotel
Loft apartment at Roomzzz Manchester City

Roomzzz Manchester City

Chinatown (Manchester) Hotel
Lobster ravioli at the Horse & Jockey, Chorlton.

Horse & Jockey

Chorlton Pubs

Malmaison Manchester Spa

Piccadilly Spas

Shorts on, shoes off: 7 places to go for a paddle this summer
Fried chicken burger at Patterson, Freight Island Manchester

Pattersons at Escape to Freight Island

Piccadilly Restaurant - American

Boutique 56

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Pubs and bars showing the World Cup 2026 in Manchester
The exterior of The Beatles Story museum in Liverpool

The Beatles Story

Albert Dock Museums
Two pints of craft beer at Seven Bro7hers Manchester, also known as the Ancoats Beerhouse.

Seven Bro7hers Ancoats

Ancoats Restaurant - American

The Restaurant Bar & Grill Liverpool

Liverpool City Centre Restaurant - Global

Holiday Inn Express Liverpool Central

Ropewalks Hotel

Where to watch the World Cup in Manchester: the fanzones
The front of Liverpool Cathedral, the biggest cathedral in the country.

Liverpool Cathedral

Georgian Quarter Historic Buildings & Sites

Piccolino Grande Wilmslow

Wilmslow Restaurant - Italian

ibis Budget Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel
The sauna at King Street Townhouse Gym and Spa

King Street Townhouse Gym & Spa

Manchester City Centre Spas
One of the dishes served at Kambuja in Marple - one of the few Cambodian restaurants in the North.

Kambuja

Marple Restaurant - Cambodian
A burger at Red Dog Saloon in Liverpool.

Red Dog Saloon

Ropewalks Restaurant - American
Fish and Chips at Wright's

Wrights Fish & Chip Shop

Greater Manchester Restaurant - British
Christmas at Down the Hatch in Liverpool

Down The Hatch

Ropewalks Restaurant - Vegan

5 low-pressure places to shop for secondhand furniture in Manchester
Sunset over Salford from a Manchester River Cruises tour

Manchester River Cruises

Salford Quays Activities
Christmas at Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool Gin Distillery

Liverpool City Centre Bars

The 10 best restaurants in Salford
A pumpkin patch at Speke Hall, a National Trust property near Liverpool.

Speke Hall

Speke Historic Buildings & Sites

Zen Sushiya

Withington Restaurant - Japanese
The whimsical Flamingo Room - one of the party suites at The Shankly Hotel in Liverpool

The Shankly Hotel

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Piccolino Didsbury

Didsbury Restaurant - Italian

Liverpool’s top 20 places to celebrate Father’s Day
Cocktails served in King Street Tavern, the restaurant and bar at King Street Townhouse hotel

King Street Tavern

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - British
The strip loin sandwich at Frederiks in Liverpool.

Frederiks

Georgian Quarter Restaurant - American
Beer pong at Pong & Puck Great Northern, Manchester

Pong & Puck | Great Northern

Manchester City Centre Activities

Happy Days Apartments

Liverpool City Centre Hotel

Runyon’s Bar & Restaurant

Manchester City Centre Restaurant
Study alcove in John Rylands Library in Manchester city centre

John Rylands Research Institute and Library

Spinningfields Historic Buildings & Sites

Holiday Inn Manchester Airport

Manchester Hotel

Bruncho

Deansgate Cafes

Celebrate your graduation at one of these Liverpool restaurants
Room at Motel One

Motel One Piccadilly

Piccadilly Hotel

Twenty Twenty Two

Northern Quarter Bars

New on Confidential Guides: 12 places to check out this summer

Hotel Anfield

Anfield Hotel
Eggs with cod roe at Belzan in Liverpool.

Belzan

Mossley Hill Restaurant - European
Halle St Peter's on Cutting Room Square - a rehearsal space and concert venue in Ancoats, Manchester

Hallé St Peter’s

Ancoats Music Venues
A selection of dishes available at Piccolino Italian restaurant, Bramhall

Piccolino Bramhall

Bramhall Restaurant - Italian

4 walks with snowdrops in Manchester (and where to go for cake afterwards)
Thai street food dish at Spice Thai, Liverpool

Spice Thai

Ropewalks Restaurant - Thai
Motel One St Peter's Square and the statue of Emmeline Pankhurst outside

Motel One St Peter’s Square

Manchester City Centre Hotel
The exterior of the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool

The Walker Art Gallery

Liverpool City Centre Art Galleries
Booth seating at Junction, Manchester

Junction

Manchester City Centre Restaurant - Global
Exterior at the Delta Hotel, Marriott in Liverpool

Delta Hotel by Marriott Liverpool City Centre

Liverpool City Centre Hotel
Evuna

Evuna Manchester NQ

Northern Quarter Restaurant - Spanish
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