Manchester

[Poblano]

Heading to Manchester for a few days at the end of March. Staying in the city centre, not far from Victoria Station. No children, just adults. Travelling by train, so everything needs to be accessible by public transport.

On my list so far:
People's History Museum
Manchester Art Gallery
Royal Exchange Theatre (have booked tickets to see a play).

Looking for recommendations for things to do and places to eat. Independent restaurant /deli /coffee shop recommendations especially welcome!

You are really close to lots of restaurants,shops and coffee shops.
The northern quarter is a 5 minute walk from there

The Free Walking Tours of Manchester are interesting, especially if you get decent weather. They last a couple of hours and you give a tip at the end. I went on one a few years ago and really enjoyed it.

We were in Manchester last week and before going to the Exchange we went to a tapas restaurant called La Bandera a few minutes walk from the theatre. They did a great pre theatre deal of 6 tapas and a bottle of wine for £40 and the food was really nice.

I spent a fair bit of time at the HOME cinema and arts complex as I've been to Manchester quite a lot over the last few years and visited the galleries and museums many times. HOME has great cinema screenings in the afternoons with lots of non-mainstream listings as well as some more popular ones. It also has a decent cafe and a restaurant.

I found the Science and Industry museum a little boring as not much was explained, but it is free. The Rylands library is beautiful.

We ate here a few years ago and it was very nice. They do a well priced set lunch!

63degrees.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/63-Degrees_Set-Lunch-Menu-1-AW23.pdf

I love that People's History museum is top of your list! It's my favourite and often overlooked.

John Rylands library is worth a look around.

Food - I would spend a bit of time in the northern quarter and Ancoats. Lots of nice places. Highly recommend Canto for Portuguese tapas. Edinburgh Castle nice nearby pub.

Afflecks Palace in NQ still with a look around for vintage/alternative clothing etc. it's a Manchester legend.

Loads of lovely independent cafes and restaurants in those areas.

Are you coming for any other reason? If not, then a ‘few days’ may well be too long!
Out of Manchester via the Tram - Trafford Centre for mini golf and snowboarding
Canal Street / Chinatown
Islington Locks
Refuge for cocktails
Old Trafford stadium tour

A good list so far OP!

My favourite restaurant in Manchester is El Gato Negro, upmarket tapas.

If you like afternoon tea, can highly recommend the Richmond Tea rooms.

Have a drink in 20 Stories - great view over the city. I like watching the city turn from day to night from there. I've eaten there a couple of times but find it expensive for not particularly brilliant food. The Ivy next door is better value for money in my opinion.

Visit the Northern Quarter for food and quirky/vintage shops. Definitely worth a look in Afflecks Palace.
John Rylands library is lovely. There's china town and canal Street too worth a walk round. If you end up near Deansgate there's some decent live music pubs.

Oh Annie's is good for afternoon tea too!

Get on a tram and pop out to Salford Quays for The Lowry (theatre and art gallery) and Imperial War Museum North.

Small gems:

• Greater Manchester Police History Museum (in the Northern Quarter; Tues only unless it's school holidays)
• Ordsall Hall (tram en route to Salford Quays)
• Salford Museum and Art Gallery (bus from city centre)

We did the canal boat ride from Salford into Manchester from groupon which was lovely.

Are you coming for any other reason? If not, then a ‘few days’ may well be too long!

We're there for 3 days. It's a meet up with old university friends, we try to do it somewhere that is accessible from the many directions that we now live in.

Thank you for all the suggestions, I'm looking them all up. I've not been to Manchester for around 25 years, so a lot will have changed!

DD has been promising to take us to Albert Schloss for years, but we have never made it, it is always full with a queue.