Does anyone know Deansgate area of Manchester?

[pickledsausage]

I have a few hours to kill with young children in Deansgate this afternoon - can anyone suggest some playgrounds/casual places to eat etc please? Loved the look of Mackie Mayer but might be a bit far when we’re already doing a lot of travelling today.

TIA!

The science museum is in Deansgatw and it's fab, loads of interactive things to do!

Lots of chain restaurants around too, haven't been for 2 years so can't remember the good independents sorry!

The science museum is the top end of
Deansgate (near the Hilton) but is great. Castlefield is a few mins walk from there and has green space. No playground but you could sit and play and run around easily. Canal boats to watch too.

By the football museum is a bit of green space too. Not sure about the football museum itsself and whether it is for kids tho

Yes to science museum and football museum, they are at opposite ends of deansgate but very walkable. If you only have a couple of hours to kill I would just head for the science museum. Free to enter and plenty to keep you occupied. The pay exhibits are usually good but there's plenty to do without them.

If you have massive football fans the football museum is great but the science museum is much more of an all rounder.

How old are your kids? You can always pop on the tram at Deansgate and get off at shude hill about 10 min journey and you'll be in the northern quarter near Mackie Mayor and loads of little independent shops, trams are really regular. If you walk past the Hilton there is Almost Famous which does amazing burgers, really greasy but really good. Like other PP's said you are right near the science and industry museum and spinningifleds which has loads of places to eat. There's also John Rylands Library and the People's History Museum in spinningfields too but science and industry has a kids section at the top. Last time I went though was looking a bit run down.

For eating I'd head to spinning fields. It's mostly chain places but there are some good independents too if that's your thing. Places we've taken young kids include:

The Alchemist
Artisan (good pizza)
Carluccios
Honest burgers

There's also Nando's, Wagamama's etc. Loads to choose from in quite a small area

Most of the green space outsider the football museum is closed off for the International Festival I'd stay at the far end of Deansgate and go to MOSI. If the kids need to run around there is some green space and the Roman fort just over the road from MOSI. There really aren't any playgrounds in the city centre unfortunately. Foodwise I'd second the suggestion of Spinningfields

Science museum
Food at The Ox (nice pub food) or Dimitri's (Greek food)
Followed by runabout on castlefield.

There is also a free bus that scoots around the city centre if you don't fancy paying for the tram.

Manchester is sadly lacking in green open space.

Awesome, thank you all for the suggestions!

There's a fab tapas restaurant on deansgate called evuna... Do a great lunchtime deal x 3 tapas and a glass of wine for about £12...

St Anns square good for a safe run round for kids, usually nice vibe loads of buskers and music. Also interesting is st Anns church and the homeless Jesus sculpture on the bench outside it...

Some great suggestions above, especially MOSI.

St Anne's Square is a busy pedestrianised area, and currently has lots of outdoor seating for the eateries there, it's certainly not a run around space!

There has been a children's "beach" created at the Great Northern which would be good if they are little ones. There are also places to eat there as well as a cinema if the weather changes (it's looking a bit grey at the mo...)

Oh yes the 'beach'! I haven't seen it this year but in the past I have and was a nice space for kids

Definitely not a run around space in St Anne's Sq.