I had the incredible opportunity to attend the return of the celebrated Varna International Ballet and Orchestra during their UK tour in 2025. After their breathtaking debut in 2023, I was excited to see them perform as they brought beloved classics like Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, and Romeo and Juliet to life. The company, founded in 1947, is renowned for its award-winning soloists and magnificent corps de ballet. Their reputation for delivering performances of the highest quality has captivated audiences in Bulgaria and abroad for decades, and I could feel the artistry and passion that has ma ..read more

Located in the Sport City area, just outside of the City Centre, you will find Vermilion. The space occupies multiple floors taking in an opulent restaurant space, a separate bar and ample space for large celebrations such as weddings. It is a few years since my last visit and I knew the menu had taken on a different angle, so I popped by to give it a go! Considering the sheer size of the restaurant, the space is divided cleverly to feel a lot more intimate and there is something to see in various areas. One of my favourites is the glass fronted wine room near the toilets, with its vast store ..read more

‘All you can eat’ is a particular favourite of mine. Be it a brunch, or an all inclusive, I just feel less like I am missing out, as I can try a bit of everything if I want to including things I would never normally order. The latest luxe venue to hit Spinningfields is Sakku Samba; a Japanese Brazilian immersive dining experience. Sakku Samba occupies the old Artisan site, so once greeted you go up the stairs where you are checked in like visiting a hotel and then taken to your table. The space doesn’t look dramatically different to me, but then it is a while since Artisan left us so I may be ..read more

Following a lovely bottomless brunch at Cocoa Cabana Ancoats a few months ago, Charlie and I headed back when we spotted that they had revamped their brunch menu. A lovely brunch and cocktail space, Cocoa Cabana in Ancoats has delicious cake displays you will have come to expect from Cocoa Cabana but also a great selection of small plates to enjoy with friends over a few drinks. There are some new additions to the cocktail menu and we enjoyed the Cherry French Darling and a Watermelon Spritz. I am not a fan of watermelon but anything watermelon flavoured, I am there! It is light and refreshing ..read more

Ever since Rudy’s burst onto the scene in Manchester, it’s been an instant hit with many declaring it the best pizza place in the City Centre. With a plethora of options, it is high praise indeed and they’ve now expanded outside of the centre and into nearby Chorlton.   I have to confess that this was my first visit to Rudy’s, so I can’t compare it to any of their other sites, but the space is light and airy with a generous outside seating area to the side of the restaurant. Luckily for us on the day of our visit, the sun was rarely shining so we sat outside, reading through the menu over ..read more

If I am early to meet friends in Manchester, which is regularly, you can always find me in a wine bar. I have a few favourites, that I’ll definitely share with you soon, but I can guarantee I’ll be propping up the bar with a glass of wine and a cheese board if I’m feeling peckish. I love the laidback style of a wine bar and I feel perfectly comfortable sitting on my own with my book, watching the world go by. Masterchef winner Simon Wood opened his restaurant in the City in 2o17, and has now converted the space on the mezzanine level, honouring cheese and wine with Homage at Wood. Is this a ne ..read more

Christmas on Phat Cupcake continues today, this time I took a trip out into the suburbs and over to The Hive in Stretford. You may have remembered that I have visited before and last year they weren’t able to spread the festive joy from their restaurant, so they delivered it directly to your door! This year, they have thrown the doors open and they are ready to welcome you for a festive feast! The Hive has had a bit of a face lift and the bar/restaurant areas have now been separated, which I think is a really nice touch. The Christmas decorations are up, and everything feels so warm and C ..read more

I know it is a bit early, but this year has been a bit of a stinker and if Christmas (yes, I went there) brings you joy then so be it. I am one of those people who puts up their decorations in November, but I always get away with it because I spend a lot of December in Tenerife with my parents. That said, I love Christmas and was thrilled to experience Christmas early with Hatch! The beauty of the Oxford Road site is that the majority of it is outdoors, meaning if you’re nervous about crowds and Covid, you’ll have spaced out tables and will have the fresh air too. I’d recommend kicking off you ..read more

When considering where to pop for somewhere to eat in Manchester, the Arndale Centre is not somewhere that springs to mind. I love the food hall, but it doesn’t tend to be open that late. The rest of the dining options tend to be more chain led and certainly have their place in the market, but when you want something a little different you can now head to the new Hallé Place. One of the new openings in Hallé Place is PizzaLuxe. Let me show you around. PizzaLuxe has space both within a bar area and in the main area of the Arndale itself. Either space is light and airy with an industrial feel, t ..read more

Supporting local has always been something I love to do and when Stockport Gin first hit the shelves, I searched for a taster. During lockdown, I took part in a few of their virtual cocktail tastings with my friends and now you can actually tour their new distillery! Paul and Cheryl started Stockport Gin from the garage of their home back in 2019. Using botanicals foraged from their local park, Etherow, they created a bottle of gin that not only has Stockport on the label (including in the logo with the viaduct) but Stockport in the actual product. Fast forward 2 years, they have outgrown thei ..read more