If ditching cooking for a meal out tends to fill you with guilt, then this is the list for you. With these special restaurant offers in Manchester, you could be chowing down on half-price dishes, set menus under £20 and 2 for 1 vegan plates, all at some of the city's greatest eateries.
Whether you're in the mood for budget-friendly pizzas in cool surrounds, hearty British plates or juicy burgers galore, there's all sorts to get stuck into on this list.
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Bab NQ has one of the best weekday restaurant deals in Manchester city centre. They're relaxed, bare-brick adorned hangout is dishing out Middle Eastern grub for folk on a budget, including an epic list of loaded kebabs.
From Monday to Saturday, you can nab £10 lunches between 12 and 3pm. This includes a bab or a burger with the purchase of any drink, with options like tofu shawarma kebabs and spiced lamb burgers.
As one of the only places to find 50% off food in Manchester, it's always worth paying a visit to Pen & Pencil. This Northern Quarter gem dishes out half-price grub on Mondays for advance bookings. Pick between dirty yet delicious plates like three-bean chillis, Philly cheesesteaks and buttermilk chicken burgers. Why not wash these treats down with a cocktail too? The cherry and pear flavoured Call Me Bubbles gets our vote.
A Johnny Cash-themed bar in the Northern Quarter, Mean Eyed Cat Manchester promises delicious rum cocktails, a lively atmosphere and a secret tiki hideaway inspired by 1950s Polynesia. That's not all though, as there are some cracking deals on the cards too.
Every single day, they're offering a free pizza with every drink you purchase, available until 9pm. Pair this with two for £15 cocktails until 11pm, or six shots for only £15. They also give you the chance to roll the dice for a freebie - a six can get you a round of drinks or a brunch totally for free.
Situated in the Kampus neighbourhood, with other venues in Altrincham, Chorlton or the Northern Quarter, Nell's is a cool cocktail bar and restaurant that features laid-back interiors and a great atmosphere. You'll find regular DJ sets and other events, as well as a cracking menu of New York-inspired pizzas.
From 12 to 4pm on weekdays, their lunch deal promises an entire 14-inch pizza from just £7.77, with toppings like pepperoni and jalapenos or burrata on the menu. Plus, they serve £6 margaritas all day on Saturdays.
Street food-style chaats, mouthwatering curries, out-of-this-world potato burgers - Bundobust has got the lot. This January, it's bringing you even more.
Book into its restaurants on Oxford Street or Piccadilly any weekday from 12-4pm and you can bag any two of its most-loved dishes and a pint for just £12.50. Take your pick from the likes of okra fries, tarka dhal, bundo chaat and massala dosa.
The Anthologist promises not one, but two brilliantly bargain offers. Settle into its plush seating, soft lighting and relaxed atmos Monday to Friday between 4:30pm and 6:30pm to tuck into two small plates and a side for just £21.95 per person.
In the mood for beef and bubbles? Book a table between 1 and 8.30pm, or 7pm on Sundays, to bag a 6oz steak, half a lobster, chips or greens, plus a glass of prosecco, pint of Asahi or homemade lemonade for a simply scandalous £24.95.
2 or 3 Course Festive Set Menu - From £39 and 2 other offers
Set in the iconic Free Trade Hall, the award-winning Peter Street Kitchen serves perfectly presented Japanese plates matched with only the most elegant of French-Mediterranean dishes.
Their pre-theatre menu runs from 5 to 10pm between Tuesday and Friday, and from 5 to 6pm on Saturdays. It includes two or three dishes, for either £23 or £28, from smoked paprika ribs to chargrilled cabbage steak.
Manchester has a brilliant spread of current offers across cuisines and budgets. Nell's serves a full 14-inch pizza from just £7.77 between 12–4pm on weekdays, while Bab NQ dishes out Middle Eastern loaded kebabs with weekday deals for groups of up to six. The Blues Kitchen runs 50% off its full food menu on selected days, covering everything from burgers to steaks. For a more upscale deal, The Anthologist offers two small plates and a side for £21.95 per person, Monday to Friday between 4:30pm and 6:30pm. Check the full, regularly updated list above for the latest offers.
Yes — weekdays are actually the best time to find deals in Manchester. Nell's weekday lunch deal runs 12–4pm, Mean Eyed Cat offers a free pizza with every drink purchased until 9pm daily, and Bab NQ's offer is available Monday to Friday. The Anthologist's small plates deal also runs Monday to Friday afternoons. Many venues reserve their biggest discounts for quieter midweek slots, so it's worth planning ahead.
Weekend deals do exist, though they're less common than weekday offers. Nell's lunch deal promises an entire 14-inch pizza from just £7.77 on weekdays, and they serve £6 margaritas all day on Saturdays. Mean Eyed Cat's free pizza with every drink runs every day of the week until 9pm. It's always worth checking individual venues directly, as weekend offers tend to be shorter-term promotions.
