An Insider’s City Guide to Manchester’s Northern Quarter

It’s no secret that I’m a proud Mancunian. Every day I feel truly lucky to call Manchester my home, just as so many others do, whether they’re born and bred Mancs like me or have found their way here and we’ve adopted them as our own. 

One thing I want to get better at doing on my blog is sharing my hidden gems in the city and so today I’m going to be sharing some of my favourite places in Manchester’s trendy Northern Quarter. As Mancunian Tony Walsh says in his ‘This Is The Place’ about Manchester – ‘this is the place in the north-west of England; it’s ace, it’s the best’ – and I think the Northern Quarter is one of the best areas of the city.  

Shopping in the Northern Quarter

If you’re looking for a quirky gift or something special – this is where you’ll find it. The Northern Quarter is jam packed full of sweet little independent shops and sprawling vintage stores.  

From the famous Affleck’s Palace, a multi-story building filled with quirky market stalls and alternative styles (that my grandad used to shop in when he was young no less), to Blue Rinse, a vintage clothing store that stocks all the ripped jeans and pilot jackets you’d ever wish for, there’s something for everyone.  

One of my fashion favourites is Pop Boutique, which combines it’s own label vintage clothes and accessories with a hidden café downstairs, perfect for grabbing a smoothie or a coffee if you feel like you’re going to shop ’til you drop.

For presents and home wear, try Oklahoma Gift Shop. You’ll get lost in this treasure trove of 60s inspired barware, unique wall prints and funny trinket style gifts. 

Food and Restaurants in the Northern Quarter

Thanks to our mixed heritage and widespread cultural scene, Manchester has a world famous food portfolio and the Northern Quarter is no exception. Whether you fancy Mexican street food at El Capo, bursting burgers at Almost Famous or an avocado brunch at Evelyn’s, there’s a huge mix of world foods and new takes on old classics in the Northern Quarter. 

If I were to break it down by meal, I’d recommend the vegetarian breakfast at Odd Bar. For lunch, go for a Sunny San Diego burrito at Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn, then finish it off with a communal style dinner at Cottonopolis. 

Aside from the plethora of independent eateries, a new food hall has just opened in the Northern Quarter. Mackie Mayor is a beautifully restored Grade II listed building by the same creators of the locally famous Altrincham Market. From pizza to sushi, it serves a range of tasty morsels from different kitchens, all around a stunning communal canteen.  

Other places I love for food: Trof, Common, Pie and Ale. 

Drinks and Nightlife in the Northern Quarter

The Northern Quarter is my favourite place for drinks in Manchester. There are so many bars to choose from that it makes the perfect location for a bar crawl – I go out in the NQ most weekends and I still don’t think I’ve had a drink in every bar yet!  

As a pug momma, I like to take Sonny to the dog friendly Kosmonaut and Whisky jar on Tarriff Street; it’s also really close to Manchester Picadilly so ideal if you need to stumble to the station for the last train home. For date nights, I love Twenty Twenty Two, which is a bar come ping pong emporium. One of my more recent discoveries for a night out is Hold Fast, an underground bar with an almost secret cinema screen that loves to show Nicholas Cage films. Yep, that me for the tip off later. 

The dress code is pretty casual, so if like me you want to just wear ‘jeans and a nice top’, it’s the place to go for a night out. That being said, it gets pretty packed on a Friday and Saturday night so for me, Thursday nights out in the Northern Quarter are the best. 

Other places I love for drinks: Bluu, Cane and Grain, Terrace. 

Culture and Exploring in the Northern Quarter

One of the things I love most about the Northern Quarter is just wondering the streets. Look up, and round. Around every corner there’s street art, carefully considered graffiti and statements to be made; especially those about how much fellow Mancunians love Manchester just as much as I do. Gaze up and you’ll take in the historic architecture, industrial buildings and warehouses that tell the story of our city. It’s a photographer’s dream.