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Manchester’s Best 10 Places to Eat Solo in Bliss
I have a confession—as much as I love having lunch with the rest of the Master Manchester editorial team, I actually prefer spending Thursdays on my own. Maybe it’s because I was born on that day, or the weather just seems perfect then.
Given that preference, another Thursday came again, and I was on leave from work. Opening a sarnie from the supermarket to eat just felt so sad, so I pottered around town and found it—a restaurant with good food and a perfect nook for one.
Manchester is surprisingly full of wonders, including the best places to eat solo. We always love to share our finds with you, so read on!
Cafe Marhaba
Media from Cafe Marhaba
Address: 36 Back Piccadilly
Contact details: 0161 228 7377
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 11:00 AM to 7:30 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Some say you’ve never truly been in the Northern Quarter without ever trying out the curries at Cafe Marhaba. This Pakistani almost-hole-in-the-wall has been serving banging curry rice meals since 1992—simple and traditional all the way.
There’s always a long list of curries available at the counter, but the most popular one is the lamb Roghan Josh. It’s best eaten with naan, but if you want a heavier meal, get the 3-curry deal over a bed of rice!
Now, eating here alone is easy since it only has five two-seater tables. Just time your visit nicely to snag a seat, but we think that’s just an effortless task.
| Pro tip: Don’t be intimidated by Cafe Marhaba’s neighbourhood. Yes, it’s a literal ginnel, but give ‘er head a wobble—it’ll be worth it! |
Foundation Coffee House – Portland St
Media from Foundation Coffee House
Address: 11 Portland Street
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Pricing: £
As far as coffee shops go, Foundation Coffee is as typical as can be. However, what makes this caffeine spot great for people riding it out solo is its counters—great for solitarily contemplating life and its mysteries or tapping away on your laptop.
This goes the same for almost all of its branches, but we particularly love Portland Street for its chill vibe and friendly staff.
As for the grub, Foundation’s all-day brunch is quite the bestseller. A serving of the classic English breakfast with a latte or an Americano is a great pick-me–up for chilly mornings.
| Pro tip: Manage your expectations when in the Portland Foundation Coffee branch, for it isn’t really great for those in a rush. We highly suggest dropping by here only if you have plenty of time to spare or are having a slow day. |
Kong’s NQ
Media from Kong’s NQ
Address: 101–103 Oldham Street
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday – 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
Kong’s NQ is perhaps one of the few good foodie things that came about in the middle of the pandemic. Thank goodness it stayed long after!
Why so? Because of its unique and tasty take on American favourites.
The quintessential dinner here consists of a serving of Kong’s Signature Chicken Sandwich—a butty filled with an enormous slab of boneless chicken thigh, veggies, and the house special sauce. It’s truly filling with the mountain of thinly cut fries on the side.
If you’re planning to eat alone, don’t fret. There’s counter seating, so you’ll get to avoid getting a large table all to yourself.
| Pro tip: For a Mexican twist on a normal Tuesday, grab the taco specials. The fried chicken tacos seem to be the usual choice, but try the KBBQ pork ones, too, for the triple-threat fusion twist! |
19 Cafe Bar
Media from 19 All day cafe
Address: 19 Lever Street
Contact details: 07380 196010, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday, Sunday – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Saturday – 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
Pricing: £
Based on its address, it isn’t rocket science figuring out how 19 Cafe Bar got its name. We’re chuffed that this simplicity (that just works) translates to the food and overall dining experience as well.
Go here for the strong coffee, but stay for the delicious breakfast meals. We particularly love the American breakfast plate, but for a surprise, try getting the Irish breakfast—it’s more varied than English, thanks to the additional white pudding and potatoes.
That said, 19 Cafe Bar gets really packed on the weekends, so better drop by on the weekdays instead, especially if you’re going solo.
| Pro tip: Aside from brekky and coffee, 19 Cafe Bar also does stunning mocktails. Of course, it also serves cocktails, beer, and cider, but it just goes to show that even non-alcoholic drinks are great here. |
Erst
Media from Erst
Address: 9 Murray St, Ancoats
Contact details: 0161 547 3683
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday – 1:00 PM to 10:30 PM
- Sunday and Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £££
Eating out by yourself could be a daunting change of pace for some, but doing so doesn’t mean that you’ll need to make do with cheap options. Sometimes, it’s actually the best time to splurge!
Therefore, a trip to Erst, a classy restaurant in Ancoats, can come in handy. It doesn’t have a Michelin star (yet), but the food is stunning and delicious.
Erst’s menu changes with the seasons, so we can’t really pick a favourite dish off the bat. However, we’re pretty sure that you’ll still end up satisfied after your course—even if the servings here are small, the quality is just that sublime.
| Pro tip: On second thought, there’s actually a standout dish at Erst. Be sure to ask about the beetroot, ajo blanco (a white, cold soup), and green chilli dish that’s been the talk of this restaurant’s patrons for years. |
Ca Phe Viet
Media from Ca Phe Viet
Address: 80-86 Oldham Road, Ancoats
Contact details: 0161 228 2387
Operating hours:
- Monday and Tuesday, Thursday to Sunday – 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Wednesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
You don’t need to be with a group just to visit Ca Phe Viet. This neighbourhood gem is a great place to sample authentic Vietnamese food, like pho and the quintessential Viet butty, banh mi.
Aside from the food, we appreciate the proper simplicity of the Ca Phe Viet premises. It adds this layer of peace that is a godsend for diners.
This humble café is also an Asian grocery, so you can hit two birds with one stone, erm, trip out of the house. We recently had cravings for its Classic pork banh mi and ended up with a handful of pantry goodies in our bags upon leaving!
| Pro tip: Go to Ca Phe Viet on weekday afternoons. Fewer people to bother with, same great food. |
Black Milk Cafe
Media from @blackmilkcereal
Address: 88 Oldham Street
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Friday – 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Saturday – 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: £
Dessert lovers have one more reason to rejoice when in Manchester, thanks to the Black Milk Dessert Cafe!
This is a sweet spot (pun intended) where diners can sample the Black Milk company’s tasty spreads and granola products. All are brilliantly presented in their best versions: on lovely pancake stacks and in baked goods like cookies and speciality breads.
As a bonus to the tasty menu, the dessert café itself is neat and welcoming—a place quite splendid for spending Saturday afternoons alone with a book in one hand and a cup of tea on the other.
| Pro tip: Shopping for Black Milk products to take home is completely optional, but highly encouraged. They’re just that good! |
Another Heart to Feed
Media from Another Heart To Feed
Address: 10 Hilton Street
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday and Tuesday – 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
- Wednesday to Sunday – 9:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Pricing: £
Another Heart to Feed is a chic Northern Quarter café that’s reminiscent of coffee shops in Melbourne, Australia. We deem it a classy, no-frills breakfast and coffee nook—one brilliant choice for those who want a pretty standard café experience.
Its menu is smaller than expected, but there are still standout dishes. For one, there’s the Turkish egg—perfectly poached and served with dill labneh sauce and slices of sourdough, which is a refreshing choice for brunch you rarely find elsewhere.
Another scran that will get you proper sorted is the ‘Everything’ smoked salmon: a cheeky and unexpected play on the usual bagel toppings—without the bagel!
| Pro tip: Last call for brunch meals at Another Heart to Feed is at 4:00 PM daily, so make sure you get your fill before that hour. |
The Koffee Pot
Media from The Koffee Pot
Address: 84–86 Oldham Street
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours: Daily – 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Pricing: £
Our list of solo dining spots won’t be complete without featuring the Mancunian institution for curing hangovers, The Koffee Pot. We’re everyday grateful that it’s still standing—almost 50 years is a record hard to beat!
The Koffee Pot’s full English breakfast is always a top banana, but for more adventurous brunches, we suggest trying out a plate of Eggs in Purgatory: fiery hot with nduja-infused tomato sauce, but still tasty enough to remind us it’s like shakshouka!
It doesn’t really matter if you’re alone or in a group—the restaurant staff will keep you sorted until you’re well enough again to handle the rest of the day!
| Pro tip: Drop by the same place in the evenings from Monday to Saturday, and see The Koffee Pot transform into the banging taco place, Birriria Brothers! |
Moose Coffee – Media City, Manchester
Media from Moose Coffee
Address: Lightbox, Blue Road, Salford
Contact details: 0161 713 3755
Operating hours: Daily – 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Pricing: £
If you loved our list of American-style diners in Manchester, then you should give Moose Coffee a try for its distinct North American breakfasts and coffee. Head on specifically to its Media City branch, since it’s brand spanking new!
This café has a clean and streamlined vibe overall, with tables that could seat four people max. But if you’re eating solo, we think you’ll still have a good time here, nonetheless.
For the food, the New York Moose Eggs Benedict is a must-try for the unique addition of jamón (ham) Serrano—not as prestigious as jamón Iberico, but still tasty for its saltiness that complements the eggs and hollandaise well.
| Pro tip: In case you decide to order something with bread, like French toast or pancakes, don’t hesitate to ask for extra maple syrup. It’s free! |
