The table by the window at the 20 Stories in the Spinningfields, the 19th floor, the view of the Manchester skyline (the Beetham Tower, the Town Hall, the Pennines on the clear day), the £12 for the cocktail (the “Cloud 23”, the champagne, the rhubarb, the best-value sky-high cocktail in the Manchester), and the sunset that makes the whole city the pink, is the essential Manchester date. The Manchester is the best date city in the North of the England: the music, the food, the independence, the Northern Quarter, and the sense that the Manchester has the energy that is the romantic despite the rain. Here are the best date ideas.

Best Dates in Manchester

• The evening dates, the dinner and the music: The rooftop drinks: The 20 Stories (the Spinningfields, the 19th floor, the view, the best date drink in the Manchester. The essential: the 6pm arrival for the sunset, the £12 for the cocktail, and the no reservation for the bar, the walk-in is the fine). The alternative: the King Street Townhouse rooftop (the smaller, the intimate, the Spinningfields, and the best-kept-secret rooftop in the Manchester). The essential Manchester dinner: The Erst (the Ancoats, the natural wine, the small plates, the £50 for the 2, and the best date restaurant in the Manchester. The essential: the flatbread, the “nduja, the honey, the best single dish in the Manchester), the Hawksmoor (the Deansgate, the steak, the £60 for the 2, and the best “special occasion” date in the Manchester), the Bundobust (the Piccadilly, the Gujarati street food, the craft beer, the £25 for the 2, and the best-value date in the Manchester. The essential: the Vada Pav and the Okra Fries), the Mackie Mayor (the Swan Street, the 1858 market hall, the food hall, the £20 for the 2, the choice, and the best casual date in the Manchester). The music: the Band on the Wall (the Swan Street, the 1862, the most historic music venue in the Manchester, the jazz, the world music, and the best date night in the Northern Quarter. ~£15 for the ticket), the Matt and Phred’s (the Tib Street, the jazz club, the live, the £5–10 for the entry, the £8 for the pizza, and the best cheap date in the Manchester. The essential: the Monday, the free entry, and the best free date in the Manchester). More UK →
• The day dates, the culture and the walk: The Northern Quarter crawl: the walk through the Northern Quarter (the Afflecks Palace, the 4 floors of the independent, the vintage, the alternative, and the best browsing in the Manchester, the free), the vinyl at the Piccadilly Records (the Oldham Street, the best record shop in the Manchester, and the £20 for the album that becomes the “our song”), the coffee at the Takk (the Tariff Street, the Icelandic, the £3, and the best coffee in the Northern Quarter), the street art (the Stevenson Square, the changing murals, and the best Instagram date in the Manchester), the lunch at the This & That (the Soap Street, the “rice and three”, the £7 for the curry, the rice, the 3 sides, the most Manchester lunch, and the best-value date lunch in the city). The culture date: the Whitworth Gallery (the Whitworth Park, the art, the park, the café, the £10 for the lunch, and the best gallery date in the Manchester. The free), the John Rylands Library (the Deansgate, the 1890, the neo-Gothic, the Reading Room, the most beautiful room in the Manchester, and the essential date photograph. The free), the Castlefield Viaduct (the new sky-park, the 2022, the National Trust, the “garden in the sky”, and the most unusual date walk in the Manchester. The free, and the essential booking: the weekend slots the book out the 2 weeks ahead)