Art of the brick

Newly opened

DRINK: The Quick Brown Fox

A new addition to the Northern Quarter, The Quick Brown Fox is situated on Swan Street, and is the latest venture from the team behind Alphabet Brewing Company and PLY. Joining the likes of Sammy’s and Mackie Mayor in bridging the gap between the Northern Quarter and Ancoats, The Quick Brown Fox will offer a rotating selection of cocktails, natural wines and craft beers – most on tap to minimise waste.

- See also: Manchester tap rooms – Beatnikz; Cloudwater Unit 9; and Track

WATCH: Everyman Cinema

Opening just in time for Halloween with a programme of cult horror movies, Everyman St. John’s is located inside the ABC building on Quay Street, featuring three screens, a bar, and bar menu where you can enjoy drinks, hot food and snacks, as well as the option of waiter service from your cinema seat. The boutique cinema chain will show a selection of mainstream, independent and classic films, all to be enjoyed on the brand’s trademark comfy sofas.

- See also: film experiences – HOME; Stockport Plaza; Make a Scene; and The Village Screen

EAT: River Restaurant at the Lowry

As part of a wider hotel refurbishment, The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant returns with a new look and food and drink menu. The renovation sees the hotel’s bar and restaurant completely redesigned and a new menu from Head Chef Dave Ashton, whilst still serving the popular Sunday lunch menu and afternoon tea offering.

- See also: top hotel restaurants – The French (The Midland); Mamucium (Hotel Indigo); Bull and Bear (The Stock Exchange); and The Refuge (Principal)

EAT: GRUB

Manchester’s popular weekly street food fair has announced a move to The Red Bank Project, a new temporary arts space in the Green Quarter. GRUB’s new venue will host a rotating line-up of street food traders, feature two separate bar areas, a dedicated kids’ play room and flexible events space. GRUB will run at its new home on Fridays from 4pm to 10pm and on Saturdays from 12pm to 10pm, and will continue to host their popular Plant Powered Sundays from 12pm – 6pm.

- See also: street food-style hotspots – Stretford Food Hall; Hatch; and Mackie Mayor

Coming soon

EXHIBITION: The Art of the Brick

Globally renowned touring exhibition, The Art of the Brick – created with millions of LEGO building blocks – is coming to Manchester for winter 2019/20. Featuring more than 75 pieces of art, the exhibition will reside at the iconic Great Northern Warehouse from 22 November 2019 until April 2020. The exhibition will feature 3D sculptures and oversized portraits from Nathan Sawaya’s collection, including recreations of iconic art such as the Mona Lisa and will also include some never-before-seen pieces that will debut in Manchester. Heralded by CNN as a “must-see exhibition”, it has toured globally for more than 12 years and was last in the UK in 2014 at London’s Old Truman Brewery where it extended its four-month run to seven months, due to popular demand.

- See also: current exhibitions – The Sun at the Science and Industry Museum and Tapestries at The Whitworth Art Gallery

STAY: The Stock Exchange Hotel

Set within the former home of the Manchester Stock Exchange, every detail of the new Stock Exchange Hotel has been meticulously considered to create a five-star 40-room boutique hotel. Located on Norfolk Street, in the heart of central Manchester, the Edwardian Baroque building - with its original marble, brass and woodwork – has been carefully restored to breathe new life into one of the city’s most historically symbolic institutions. Opening 15 November 2019, the hotel includes an exciting new restaurant concept called The Bull & Bear, overseen by renowned British chef Tom Kerridge and located within the grand domed room which was previously the trading floor.

- See also: Manchester’s newest hotels – Native; Dakota; and Whitworth Locke

EVENT: Rochdale Pride

Rochdale in Rainbows presents Pride takes place between Saturday 16 and 30 November, with a number of events taking place across the borough over the fortnight, including performances, social events and the borough’s first LGBT+ conference for people working in health and social care. Touchstones Rochdale in Rochdale town centre is hosting events throughout Pride and is looking at how they can diversify their work. On Wednesday 20 November LGBT+ History: Past and Future will hear from speakers about how the borough’s LGBT+ history can be explored and documented, with people invited to share their own memories.

- See also: full line-up of events at Rochdale Pride

EVENT: Homobloc

Dubbed a "queer block party for all", Homobloc comes to Depot at Mayfield on 9 November, presented by Warehouse Project and Homoelectric - who have been throwing underground parties in Manchester for two decades. Headlined by US techno DJ and producer The Black Madonna, other artists gracing the stage include Roisin Murphy, Seth Troxler and Midland among many others in a what is set to be a seminal moment in the current resurgence of queer clubbing in Manchester.

- See also: this year’s full line-up of Warehouse Project events

EVENT: Manchester Christmas Markets

The countdown is on for the Manchester Christmas Markets, returning on 8 November, seven days a week until 21 December. The main hub will again be at Albert Square, and this year the markets will be joined by a range of Christmas attractions, including the return of the Ice Village, a new ice rink, new festive lights across the city and a brand-new giant Santa, taking over from Manchester’s much loved and iconic Zippy.

- See also: What's on this Christmas

EXHIBITION: Dippy the Dinosaur in Rochdale

The Natural History Museum’s superstar dinosaur, Dippy, is currently on a record-breaking UK tour and he lands in Rochdale in February 2020. Dippy’s star power has already drawn more than 1 million visitors to venues across the tour, and thousands more are expected to visit him in Number One Riverside, his only stop in the North West of England. Accompanying the dinosaur in Rochdale will be a major family-friendly exhibition at Touchstones Rochdale where children can explore all aspects of the natural world, from the dark swamplands of millions of years ago to our future planet and what it might look like. Dippy will be in Rochdale from 10 February to 28 June 2020.

- See also: Rochdale attractions - Pioneers Museum; Touchstones; and Rochdale Town Hall

In case you missed it

EAT: Mana

Opening in October last year, Mana joined an impressive roster of Ancoats restaurants - and this month was awarded Manchester’s first Michelin star in over 40 years. With former Noma chef Simon Martin at the helm, Mana brings a creative tasting menu to Manchester with a focus on the very best produce from the British Isles which mirrors the seasons.

- See also: tasting menus – Adam Reid at The French; Six By Nico; and Where the Light Gets In

AWARD: Manchester Food and Drink Festival Awards

Manchester Food and Drink Festival takes place each year in September, ending with an awards ceremony to recognise Manchester’s best talents throughout hospitality. Simon Martin’s Mana won chef of the year, newcomer of the year and the restaurant of the year categories, with 18 categories all together. Other winners included GRUB for foodie event or project of the year, Manchester Gin for artisan drinks producer of the year, Hawksmoor for front of house team of the year and The Jane Eyre for bar of the year.

- See also: full list of winners from this year’s ceremony

COOK: Food Sorcery

You may or may not have already heard about it, but this cookery school and foodie event space in Didsbury offers cookery classes, barista classes, private dining, corporate events and team building events and is becoming increasingly popular with visitors to manchester. Food Sorcery has classes spanning knife skills, fish preparation and pasta making, as well as classes on world cuisine including Thai, Vietnamese, Japanese and French.

- See also: food and drink experiences – Scranchester Tours; Spirit of Manchester Distillery; and Manchester Craft Beer Tour

STAY: The Edwardian Manchester

Formerly the Radisson Blu Edwardian, the rebranded Edwardian Manchester now joins The May Fair as Edwardian Hotels London’s second Radisson Collection property. The rebrand follows the 263-room hotel’s recent £12 million renovation of the iconic Grade II listed Free Trade Hall, covering the entire ground and lower-ground floors from the grand entrance lobby and concept bar and restaurants to the spa and fitness centre, as well as extending throughout the guest bedrooms and suites plus quality meeting spaces.

- See also: hotels – The Lowry; Dakota Hotel Manchester; and Hotel Gotham

READ: Greater Manchester Birding City Region Book

Greater Manchester Birding City Region is the new book from author and ecologist James Walsh, aka The Mancunian Birder. This book - which is a must for any twitcher - is the result of thirty years of research of the environment of Greater Manchester and is a personal introduction to birding in the city region.

- See also: Lost & Imagined Manchester and Manchester, the Complete Guide to the City (Jonathan Schofield)