Categories > Guides and Tips
10 Restaurants Near Co-op Live for Pre- and Post-theatre Eats
Ready to see your favourite performers in a show? We know you are, but we hope you aren’t forgetting something else (other than the usual coat, keys, and wallet, of course)—fuelling your body with food for the busy night!
With tickets at hand, it’s normal to worry about your outfit or how to get to the concert hall. But planning where to eat before or after the fact is an important part that most people (including us) overlook, and unfortunately, doing so can lead to disaster.
So, to help you escape the doom of accidentally starving yourself on a supposed lovely evening, we’ve rounded up the best restaurants you can drop by near Co-op Live. Read on!
Ciaooo Pizzeria – Swan St
Media from @ciaooopizzamcr
Address: 62–64 Swan St
Contact details: 0161 832 8219
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Thursday – 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Sunday – 1:00 PM to 9:00 PM
- Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: £
The no-frills Ciaooo Pizzeria at the Northern Quarter serves authentic Neapolitan pizzas. Since it’s open most evenings, Ciaooo is a brilliant choice for a quick bite before catching a Co-op Live show.
A typical meal here would feature one of its classic pizzas—have the week’s special or try the MCR, a pie with traditional Italian ingredients, made unique by the added courgette and nduja sausage. Enjoy all by yourself or share with the table!
Pair your slice with the banging deep-fried raviolis. For a healthy kick of flavour, the house dips and chilli flakes are available upon request.
| Pro tip: Inform the staff of any food allergies or diet restrictions—Ciaooo’s very much willing to meet your extra needs, at least halfway. |
The Counter House (Ancoats)
Media from The Counter House
Address: Ice Plant Apartments, 35 Blossom Street
Contact details: 0161 414 0065, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday –11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: ££
Eating out before heading to any event is a must—you don’t want your energy to fizzle out before the show even ends, do you? So, when in Ancoats, visit the Counter House, a beloved restaurant in the community.
This casual dining spot’s menu is thankfully short and sweet. It mixes classic comfort food with professional kitchen skills, making each plate a tasty combination of hearty and refined.
We highly recommend the Cajun fish tacos and the pan-fried wild coley. Yes, they’re both fish—while this spot is famous for its Sunday roasts, having meals this light is something we can always get behind.
| Pro tip: If you’re not dining with a group, try sitting at the counter. Maybe you’ll get the pun, maybe not—but you’ll finally have an inkling as to why the Counter House is named as such. |
Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana – Ancoats
Media from Rudy’s Pizza Napoletana
Address: 9 Cotton St, Ancoats
Contact details: 0161 820 8292, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 12:00 PM to 10:00 PM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: £
Napoli-style (Neapolitan) pizza never fails to impress, even the pickiest of eaters. Which is why we deem Rudy’s Ancoats branch a top spot to frequent for fans of these soft, airy slices.
Unsurprisingly, simple is better here.
Standout dishes are the traditional Margherita pizza and the caprese piccola salad. Funny if you think about it, both feature basic ingredients—tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and olive oil—just prepared differently.
As for drinks, you can’t go wrong with the spritz (it’s a version of Italian cocktails) or a fine glass of wine.
| Pro tip: Rudy’s love to jazz things up with its monthly pizza specials. Get to try new flavours inspired by anything—from pop culture to the chefs’ personal culinary heroes and heritage. |
mana
Media from mana
Address: 42 Blossom St, Ancoats
Contact details: [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Wednesday – 6:30 PM to 12:00 AM
- Thursday to Saturday – 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday to Tuesday – CLOSED
Pricing: £££
Mana (stylised “mana”), Manchester’s first ever Michelin-starred restaurant, continues to hold its prestigious one star with creative and delicious dishes. Chef Simon Martin carefully created and curated these into a lovely tasting menu.
What makes the dining experience lovelier is mana’s commitment to using only locally sourced ingredients, ensuring freshness and highlighting the best of what our city has to offer.
For those attending events, we suggest having the “Extracts” menu. With fewer courses than the standard offering, its 1.5-hour run time is just apt to squeeze in a busy evening.
| Pro tip: Mana’s menu is seafood-heavy. Its kitchen can accommodate major food allergies given at least three days’ notice—but if yours involves dairy, then it’s best to skip this one. |
The Edinburgh Castle Pub – Ancoats
Media from @ec_ancoats
Address: 17 Blossom St, Ancoats
Contact details: 0161 414 0004, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Wednesday – 5:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Thursday – 12:00 PM to 11:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 12:00 PM to 12:00 AM
- Sunday – 12:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Pricing: ££
What’s a fun night out without a trip to the pub, right? So, cap off your evening with a satisfying meal, a good pint, or both at the Edinburgh Castle Pub.
It’s been a mainstay in Ancoats since the early 1800s, but ultimately closed down—we’re thankful it got revived a few years back to the historic marvel that it is. This gem’s even in Spanish brewer Estrella Damm’s list of the UK’s top gastropubs.
Nowadays, its setup features the buzzing pub downstairs and a new Thai-American fusion restaurant (called Bangkok Diners Club) upstairs. Get the grilled chicken thigh skewers at the restaurant because they just pair so well with alcohol.
| Pro tip: Reserve a table instead of pushing your luck by walking in. The Edinburgh Castle Pub and the Bangkok Diners Club seats fill up so fast, thanks to the rave online reviews! |
Bundobust Brewery
Media from Bundobust
Address: St James Building, 61–69 Oxford Street
Contact details: 0161 511 8601, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday 12:00 PM – 9:30 PM
- Friday & Saturday: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM
- Sunday: 12:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Pricing:
Skip Piccadilly and head to Bundobust Brewery on Oxford Street instead for the pre-event nosh.
It isn’t the typical drink-and-dine joint, though, because you’ll get a chance to munch on the banging “bundo” bowls (a.k.a. the famous Indian-fusion tapas), right beside a neat line of nine beer tanks! Now, isn’t that interesting, at the very least?
The food is just as tasty as its Piccadilly sibling’s (we’ll NEVER tire of the okra fries), but the real stars here are the beers. Lately, we’ve been partial to the Ekla Nectaron IPA, but surely a lot of the other fine ales on tap will suit your taste.
| Pro tip: We hope it isn’t a mither for you to share a table with total strangers, since the seating at Bundobust Brewery is akin to a food hall. Long rows of huge tables—almost interconnected, even—run across the premises. |
Nando’s Manchester – Piccadilly
Media from Nando’s UK & Ireland
Address: Planetree House, 27 Piccadilly
Contact details: 0161 237 1192
Operating hours:
- Monday to Friday – 11:30 AM to 10:00 PM
- Saturday and Sunday – 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Pricing: £
Nando’s nails the “chicken with sides” game, at least in our books. For a straightforward meal to keep you up and running through the rest of the evening, head to its Piccadilly shop.
Have a quarter or half serving of chicken (breast or leg) cooked peri-peri style and pair it with peas, mash, or chips.
Just a heads-up to those who love all things spicy—this Nando’s leans towards moderate, so cadge the till if you want yours dead hot.
Last one before we forget: grab one of those bottomless soft swirl tubs. They’re a cracking deal for sweet vanilla ice cream—a genius way to soothe a spiced-out tongue!
| Pro tip: We think it’s a bit of a hit or miss in general for Nando’s—the Piccadilly branch menu, contrary to what others say, isn’t halal (here are some which actually are). |
Five Guys Manchester Piccadilly Gardens
Media from @fiveguysuk
Address: 17 Piccadilly
Contact details: 0161 529 1181
Operating hours:
- Sunday to Thursday – 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 11:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Pricing: £
For a quick bite of burgers, hot dogs, or toasties, Five Guys is a top pick. Its Piccadilly Gardens store can sort your peckishness out until midnight.
The real draw of Five Guys isn’t the buns themselves, but the whopping number of toppings you can put on your order without spending another quid.
Either go simple with a beef hot dog with ketchup, onions, and pickles like us normies do—or go wild and mix all 15 available toppings, no judgment!
Then, even if you’re already stuffed with the sandwiches, don’t forget to get the Cajun-seasoned fries and a milkshake.
| Pro tip: Five Guys cooks its fries (chips) in peanut oil. Steer away if you’re deathly allergic. |
Trof
Media from TROF NQ
Address: 8 Thomas St, Northern Quarter
Contact details: 0161 833 3197, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Sunday and Tuesday – 10:00 AM to 11:00 PM
- Wednesday and Thursday – 10:00 AM to 12:00 AM
- Friday and Saturday – 10:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Monday – CLOSED
Pricing: ££
Another wonderful pub to stop by close to events is Trof at the Northern Quarter (it’s open from the morning, but going in at night is much more fun).
We’ll be honest—this place’s a bit posh, so the price of food and drink are up that ginnel, too—ready your wallets. Nonetheless, the food is just great.
The dishes Trof offers change per season, but are consistently delectable (we’ll miss the Korean fried chicken from the old Sunday menu, though). If you fancy a drink, the cocktails here are a pleasure.
We hope the French margarita makes an official comeback, but the berry fizz is a decent concoction as well.
| Pro tip: Trof’s happy hour happens Monday to Friday, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM. Time your visit perfectly and snag drinks for lower prices! |
Evelyn’s
Media from EVELYN’S
Address: 44 Tib St, Northern Quarter
Contact details: 0161 834 3303, [email protected]
Operating hours:
- Monday to Thursday – 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM
- Friday and Saturday – 09:00 AM to 1:00 AM
- Sunday – 09:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Pricing: £
Evelyn’s over at the Northern Quarter is a popular brunch spot. It also operates until late evening, so patrons who want to pop in for a quick meal before watching a show (at Co-op Live, maybe?) can sample its Middle Eastern and Asian dishes.
Start your dinner with some pita bread dipped in creamy hummus. Follow it with a plate of Evelyn’s famous sumac chicken, served on a bed of onions and cabbage.
End your meal with the sweet cardamom panna cotta, and we’re sure your hunger’s properly sorted.
| Pro tip: If you missed Evelyn’s 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM happy hour, don’t worry! The Daisy cocktail bar downstairs can help you get a real buzz with its sublime cocktails. |
