Quirky Restaurants in Manchester

The coolest kid on the dining block, Cane and Grain stands in food favour with everyone in the city. One of the most unique restaurants in Manchester, hunker down in a stripped back dive bar for burgers and ribs before trying their tiki bar and speakeasy on other floors.

Spread across three floors, this is a part-bar, part-restaurant, and part-immersive theatre nightlife experience. When you're not being dazzled by performers or drinking molecular cocktails from their laboratory, you can feast on delicious grill food in their restaurant before unearthing Impossible's hidden gin palace.

While we know that many would suggest you don't play with your food, this place does. One of the most fun places to eat in Manchester, Dog Bowl not only comes at you with burgers and American inspired bites aplenty, but you can also close dinner with a go on their bowling lanes.

One of the wildest restaurants in Manchester, Albert's Schloss doesn't slow down for anyone or anything. Not only can you hunker down for big meat and even bigger Bavarian beer, but also table dancing, entertainment, in-house bands and jaw-dropping antics almost every night.

Grand Pacific is a quirky restaurant in Manchester purely for the sheer opulence of it all. Taking inspiration from the age of exploration, you'll discover a bold menu of global treats, accompanied by an interior posh enough to hold a duke.

Date night with a twist? Food and fun with the crew? Boasting pizzas by the paddle, alcoholic slushies and one of the best darts experiences in the country, this tech-savvy gaming bar is one of Manchester's quirkiest restaurants.

A restaurant, bar and gin distillery all in one? Three Little Words is the Manchester spot that you need on your radar. Founded by the team behind Manchester Gin, this sleek hideaway is hidden under the arches, with gin cocktails, delicious food and the chance to distil your very own bottle of gin.

Littered with golden interiors, not only is Cottonopolis one of the coolest places to eat in the city, it's one of the most unique. From their wacky selection of cocktails down to their artistic sushi plates and copper flecks, this former warehouse has had a real glow-up.

They've got a motorbike over the entrance covered in fairy lights; their food is all extraordinarily comforting; the bar serves up bourbon and whiskey - Bunny Jackson's has it all. When you're not munching through a whopping American menu, check out the live bands.

Bringing a slice of sunny LA to Manchester, FoodWell is a concept restaurant based in Salford. The large warehouse space isn't just about food - though with all-day menus and an ethos on healthy eating, it's a large part. Don't miss reggae yoga supper clubs and sensory high teas.

Starting life as a street food stall, Platzki is a slick Polish restaurant that has gone from strength to strength. Expect queues at this Spinningfields spot, which serves up a menu that changes weekly, with goodies including the likes of dumplings, slow-braised ribs and beetroot gnocchi.

One of Manchester's most ambitious projects is also one of its coolest restaurants. Menagerie is an office block turned beautiful space with flower walls, suspended art and neon signs, making brunch a seriously Instagrammable affair.

Colourful, bright and bringing you the best that the Middle East has to offer, Comptoir Libanais shines in the casual dining department. Head on down for luscious Lebanese dining with a twist as you can also purchase plenty of dining and commercial products from within the restaurant itself.

The first English opening from Scottish chef Nico Simeone, Six by Nico is his unusual concept restaurant. From American diner through to eating by the seaside, the space's theme changes every six weeks, meaning that multiple visits are a must.

Located on the corner of Cutting Room Square Elnecot is serving up some seriously special plates. From a Manchester egg to a spiced cabbage that might just change your life, the food should be enough to get you down, but while you're there we'd recommend you get a look at the lavs.

With stained glass windows and bright yellow booths, Dishoom Manchester is a snazzy spot that combines the city's history with the culture of Bombay's Irani cafes. Set in a Grade-II listed hall, the restaurant has got a loyal following thanks to twists on Indian food.

With a name like 'crazy' in the title, Crazy Pedro's Pizza Parlour is doing it utmost to keep things cool and quirky. The Deansgate joint makes wacky pizzas, has incredible slushy cocktails and is always up for a late one.

When was the last time you went to a garden-themed restaurant in Manchester? We're thinking likely never. Join Allotment for just that as you enjoy botanical-inspired cocktails and rustic British plates in among foliage, wooden plots and plenty of gardening tools. 

From the upside-down canoe suspended from the ceiling through to the abundance of small plates, Wolf at the Door might be a new addition to the city's dining scene, but its delicious small plates are already making a splash. Tucked away in the Northern Quarter, this is one for the foodies, with the likes of IPA onions and pickled green strawberries gracing the menu.

When it comes to The Deaf Institute, we all know it's the live entertainment that keeps us coming back for more. But what about their dining space? With a largely vegan menu, the kitchen churns out healthy comfort food at affordable prices; think loaded nachos and heaped hot dogs.