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9 Manchester Restaurants Great For Pre-Theatre Dinner
Imagine you’re seated in a theatre, about to watch a play you’ve been wanting to see. The lights all around are darkened, the spotlight’s on the stage, the curtains slowly part, the actors are decked out in costumes and ready to perform their hearts out…
And your tummy growls just as the first line is spoken!
Theatre goers and play lovers, don’t let this happen to you! Going to see a show or performance on an empty stomach can only ruin the experience for you. Which is why you should get some pre-theatre dinner before your favourite play or performance starts.
And luckily, you’ll find a lot of places in Manchester great for getting just that! We’ve tried them out, listed them down, and now we’re giving them to you! Did that get your attention? Good! Read on to find out what they are!
20 Stories
Media from: @20storiesmcr
Address: 1 Hardman St, No. 1 Spinningfields
Pricing: £££
Contact: 0161 204 3333 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Sunday-Wednesday — 12 PM-11 PM
- Thursday — 12 PM-12 AM
- Friday-Saturday — 12 PM-1 AM
If you’re planning on seeing a show in the Opera House Manchester, then it wouldn’t hurt to get dinner in this rooftop restaurant with a gorgeous view! Its high-style and glamorous interiors make it a great setting when you’re out with a date you want to impress.
The set-price menus here are worth checking out, filled with food from modern European cuisine. Choose between a £29 two-course meal or a £34 three-course meal; either way, you’ll be satisfied and ready for your Opera House visit!
If dining à la carte, go for the Mushroom & Wild Garlic Velouté as a starter, followed by the Chicken Schnitzel as a main.
If you’ve got room for dessert, we’d suggest the Raspberry & Chocolate Cake! You’ll love the creaminess of our choice of starter, the crunchiness of the main, and the sweetness of the dessert.
| Pro tip: Worried about being late to a show after dinner here? Then it’s best to get here via public transport or to get here before 6 PM. The car parking area can get pretty full pretty quickly around 6:30 PM! |
Hawksmoor
Media from: @hawksmoorrestaurants
Address: 184-186 Deansgate
Pricing: £££
Contact: 0161 836 6980 (cel.)
Operating hours:
- Monday-Thursday — 4:30 PM-9 PM
- Friday-Saturday — 12 PM-11:30 PM
- Sunday — 11:30 AM-10:30 PM
Fancy a slice of steak with a helping of some seafood dishes before watching a performance or show in the Opera House? Hawksmoor can serve you a nice two or three-course meal with those dishes!
The menus here include a set perfect for pre-theatre meals! For these meals, you’ll be choosing which dishes from the menu you want to have for each of your courses. So it’s up to you on what you’ll have as your starter, main, and dessert!
For us, a three-course meal with a Hawksmoor Caesar starter, Rump Steak & Chips main, and Strawberry & Black Sesame Pavlova dessert would be the choice. But if you’re really hurrying, skip the dessert and just go for the two-course set instead.
| Pro-tip Want to up your pre-theatre dining experience? Then pair up your choice of dinner courses with some wine! On Mondays, you can BYOB for the low corkage fee of £5! It’ll be a great way to make your luxurious pre-theatre dinner even better. |
Platzki
Media from: @platzkifood
Address: 229 Deansgate
Pricing: ££
Contact: 0771 973 1662 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Wednesday-Friday — 3 PM-10 PM
- Saturday — 12 PM-10 PM
- Sunday — 12 PM-8 PM
With Platzki, you’ll polish off your plate in no time with their great menu options! This restaurant is a walk away from the Opera House, and it’s a good casual “pit stop” before going to see a show there.
As you’ve probably guessed from our little spiel, this homey and easygoing restaurant serves Polish cuisine, and they’re all homemade!
Our favourite dish from here was the £21.95 Duck Dumplings, which are Polish-style dumplings filled with tender duck confit. You’ll have the taste lingering on your tongue even after you’ve finished your meal and have sat down in the Opera House.
Plus, with their reliably speedy service, your dish will be ready and on your table in no time!
| Pro-tip Including this restaurant in your plans for a summer night out? Then you’ll love dining in the patio area, with how beautiful and airy it is! Plus, it’s a good idea to get some “calm” time before going to watch an energetic performance. |
Peter Street Kitchen
Media from: @peterstreetkitchen
Address: The Edwardian Manchester, Free Trade Hall, Peter St
Pricing: £££
Contact: 0161 835 8941 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Dinner operating hours:
- Tuesday-Thursday — 5 PM-10 PM
- Friday-Saturday — 4 PM-10:45 PM
Set menu operating hours: Wednesday-Thursday — 5 PM-10 PM
This fantastic Japan-Latin fusion restaurant is a walk away from Bridgewater Hall, and it’s a great place where you can start your night out! Plus, the interior design of the restaurant means you can get some good pictures while you’re there.
They have a set menu here with set prices, multiple courses, and enough servings for groups of up to eight people. For this menu, you can choose between a course with either two or three dishes.
We recommend the savoury combo, Paprika-dusted Calamari and Baby Chicken, if you want a starter and main with flavours that pop out. And if you’ve got enough time for dessert, order the Kurīmu, which is a passion fruit creme brûlée with enough sweetness to balance out the savouriness.
| Pro-tip Do you love whisky, particularly Japanese whisky? Then get some from the Rikyū Bar area, where they serve some great Suntory whisky! Who knows, it might be what you need to cap off your pre-theatre dinner. |
Asha’s
Media from: @ashasmanchesteruk
Address: 47 Peter St
Pricing: ££
Contact: 0161 832 5309 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Wednesday-Thursday — 5 PM-9:30 PM
- Friday-Saturday — 1 PM-10 PM
- Sunday — 1 PM-9 PM
Asha’s is great for those who want some Indian food for their pre-theatre dinner! Plus, it’s within walking distance of both the Opera House and Palace Theatre!
The menu here is a real spice-filled treat for your taste buds! Every dish here is made with a mix of traditional Indian cooking techniques and contemporary ones.
Another bonus in Asha’s favour is the set menus. Our favourite set would have to be the Saffron Set.
For a balanced degustatory experience, order the Chilli Garlic Prawn as a starter, then the Guntur Chicken Curry as your main course, and finish it off with some New York Cheesecake for dessert!
| Pro-tip On a vegetarian or vegan diet? Request for the menus of their veg set and vegan set. |
Pier Eight
Media from: @the_lowry
Address: Inside the Lowry, Pier, 8 The Quays
Pricing: £££
Contact: 0161 876 2121 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Tuesday-Friday — 11 AM-5 PM
- Weekends — 10 AM-5 PM
Pier Eight is an upscale restaurant just a walk away from the Quays Theatre and the Lowry.
You’ll get to enjoy some of the freshest pre-theatre food here, since the menu is seasonal, changing four times a year. Plus, they have fantastic set menu options here from which you can choose between a two-course meal or a three-course meal.
When we tried out the menu here, we ordered the Smoked Mackerel Pâté as a starter, the Lamb Shoulder as the main, and the Chocolate Torte for dessert.
We can confirm that that is one of the best combinations you could get here! The smoky taste of the pâté pairs well with the juicy lamb meat, and the chocolate torte has a rich sweetness that’ll bring a smile to your face.
| Pro-tip Want a 10% off discount? You can become a Lowry Theatre member to get 10% off at every dinner bill, plus you even get priority booking for their theatre shows! |
Zouk
Media from: @zoukteabar
Address: 5, Floor G, The Quadrangle, Chester St
Pricing: £££
Contact: 0161 233 1090 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours: Everyday — 8 AM-12 AM
Are you planning on going to one of the Oxford Road theatres? Then you’d better stock up on some food from Zouk!
This stylish Indian restaurant has some of the most flavourful and beautifully presented Indian food you’ll find in Manchester. It’s a great way to start a night out, especially since they have lots of set menus for you to choose from!
You can choose from multiple set menus, all of which have servings that are meant to be shared in a group. So it’s a great choice if you’re out with family or friends!
Our personal favourite from here would have to be the Poppadoms & Pickles appetiser, Samosa Chaat starter, and Lamb Laziz main combo. The Poppadoms & Pickles have a satisfying crunch that works well with the chewiness of the Samosa Chaat and the tenderness of the Lamb Laziz.
| Pro-tip Consider booking a table in advance via their website, maybe two or three days before your pre-theatre dinner. With how Zouk can attract large group gatherings, tables can be filled up quickly even on one of their slower days! |
Gaucho
Media from: @gauchogroup
Address: Floor G, Church House, 2A St Mary’s St
Pricing: ££
Contact: 0161 833 4333 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Sunday-Friday — 12 PM-11 PM
- Saturday — 12 PM-11:30 PM
Want some steak before watching a show in the Opera House? Gaucho’s menus can give you just that and plenty more!
This chic restaurant is great for those who want a dinner date, followed by enjoying a show in the Opera House! The interior is dimly lit, giving a romantic and intimate atmosphere as you enjoy some of the juiciest steaks in Manchester.
But if you want something aside from steak, then take a gander at their theatre set menu! Choosing from this menu, you can either help yourself to a meal with two courses, or three if you’re feeling particularly famished.
We went for a three course meal and ordered their crispy Prawn Chicharrón as a starter, Pan-fried Sea Bream as a main, and the Dulce De Leche Pancake for dessert.
Having tasted their cooking, we must say that it’s a gift from the pan! You’ll enjoy the crunchiness of the Chicharrón, the richness of the Sea Bream, and the fluffiness of the Pancake.
| Pro-tip Bringing your kids along? Gaucho’s also has a menu perfect for them! It even has pages that they can colour in to pass the time, so they won’t get too antsy while waiting for the food. |
La Bandera
Media from: @labanderauk
Address: 2 Ridgefield
Pricing: ££
Contact: 0161 833 9019 (cel.), [email protected] (email)
Operating hours:
- Monday-Thursday — 12 PM-10 PM
- Friday — 12 PM-11 PM
- Saturday — 11 AM-11 PM
- Sunday — 11 AM-10 PM
If you’ve got quite some time for dinner before a show in the Opera House, might we point you to La Bandera? You’ll find great Spanish cuisine in this airy contemporary restaurant, making it a good spot for a casual dinner before the show!
Their seasonal menu is one of the biggest draws, with so many fresh options to choose from! Plus, sharing platters are available, so you can have a bit of everything when dining with a group.
For a light dinner before the show, take your pick from either the Quesos board or the Ibericos. You’ll get a taste of some great cheeses and meats, which makes for a salty kick before watching a show!
Or if you’re in the mood for something a little more filling, you can choose the Paella & Wine meal from their pre-theatre set. With this option, the paella dish for this meal is up to your choice, and for the accompanying wine, you can choose a house wine or lager. You’ll feel filled up with the paella and comfortably warmed up with the wine!
| Pro-tip You might want to book a reservation here, but only if you’re really sure that you’ll be there in time! La Bandera can only hold your table for 15 minutes, and they’re strict on customers’ allotted time for reservations. |
