The best places to eat and drink during Easter in Manchester

Sunday is certainly not a day of rest for the team at TNQ, a trendy dining spot in the heart of the Northern Quarter. The modern restaurant offers a homely roast dinner, where meat options include a leg of heather fed lamb – perfect for a traditional Easter lunch. If you needed any more convincing, these roasts were named runner-up for the ‘Best Sunday Lunch’ in the prestigious Observer Food Monthly Awards for two years in a row! Using the finest seasonal produce, esteemed chef Anthony Fielden and co are also cooking up their Spring menu, which can be enjoyed on the TNQ terrace if the Easter weekend blesses us with a slice of Manchester sun. Facing the iconic Smithfield Fish Market, the stylish restaurant serves a variety of seasonal cocktails to accompany the dishes.

HOME is located near the Oxford Road Train Station and Deansgate tram stop. It’s in a perfect location in terms of travel from other areas in Greater Manchester. HOME has a wonderful bar and restaurant. It has fun for families and friends because not only can you grab some food, but you can go and watch a play or a film! Pizzas, Buddha bowls, burgers, nibbles and meaty main dishes, HOME has a wide range of scrumptious menu choices that will get you ready for the next few hours ahead, whether that is a film, play or a night out.

Located in Woodhouses Village, this beautiful pub is the perfect destination for those who love a walk and a pint in a beer garden. Situated very near to the Daisy Nook Country Park, Woodhouse Gardens is a fantastic place to have a drink and some food after a day out walking with family and friends. Kids can run about in the Daisy Nook Country Park before getting to Woodhouse Gardens. But even if they have still lots of energy, the garden is large enough for kids to mess about in as well! Serving traditional home cooked dishes with locally sourced produce, this pub serves delicious food whilst supporting local businesses. From grilled sirloin steak to fish and chips and home comforts such as steak, ale and mushroom pie with mash, mushy peas, red cabbage and gravy, and the beef lasagne served with dressed salad and garlic bread, the food here is truly lovely. Woodhouse Gardens is perfect for a drink and a meal after an Easter weekend walk.

This sports bar in the Northern Quarter is perfect for a day out with friends. Calcio! has retro games consoles, reruns of classic games and, of course, a lot of live sport! It’s the perfect place to relive your childhood. So if you are a group of friends looking for a place to chill out and you’re fans of sports and video games, well – this might just be the place! As well as the classic matches, live sports and DJ nights, there are mouthwatering burgers, hotdogs and sides to chose from. This wonderful sports and games bar is one of the newest editions to the Northern Quarter’s excellent establishments.

Dating back to the Georgian era, The Bay Horse Tavern is a cosy pub, serving proper Northern grub and an impressive selection of both cask and keg beer from local breweries. It’s a contemporary take on your charming old-school boozer and come Sunday, it puts on an epic spread with local rotisserie meats, including sirloin of beef from Deep Clough Farm, and all the trimmings. If you want to celebrate the Easter weekend with a more traditional roast dinner, and the warm and welcoming feel of your favourite local, the Bay Horse Tavern should be at the top of your list.

From hot cross buns to scones, Easter is a time for tasty treats. Set in an opulent Grade II listed building, The Tea Room at The Midland is the only spot in Manchester dedicated to the quintessential British tradition of afternoon tea. Working closely with local suppliers, the set menu includes a selection of sandwiches, freshly baked scones and homemade cakes – the more chocolatey the better for the Easter weekend. Treat yourself by upgrading to the ‘royal’ menu and dine like a queen with a glass of champagne.

Where better to spend a weekend of Easter indulgence than the home of hangover-busting roasts? Trendy Northern Quarter haunt, Trof is adored amongst locals for its easy-going atmosphere, budget-friendly happy hour and boozy DJ sets. Always one to get involved with the festivities of Easter weekend, previous years have seen Trof launch its own special cocktail, The Lychee Blossom, and host Easter egg hunts around the streets of Manchester. The Sunday roast is the stuff of legends, with giant Yorkshire puddings and crispy roast potatoes – you could even pop in on Easter Monday for the ultimate leftover sandwich!

From the brilliant minds behind Black Dog Ballroom, Dog Bowl is a New-York inspired diner featuring several 10-pin bowling lanes and the laid-back atmosphere you need during the holidays. The kids can bowl for 50% off, even during the school holiday! Once everyone has bowled up an appetite, there’s a menu packed with all the fried chicken favourites, including sandwiches, burgers and poutine. Popular arcade bar NQ64 also has a residency inside, with a selection of retro games and consoles for the whole family to enjoy.

Officially ranked as the fifth best pizzeria in Europe, Rudy’s are the undisputed kings of Neapolitan pizza. From humble beginnings in Ancoats – the city’s own ‘Little Italy’ – it now boasts multiple venues across the country, making it one of Manchester’s biggest hospitality success stories. Sticking closely to the traditions of Naples, the pizzas themselves are made with fresh dough, top-quality ingredients, and a blast in the wood fire oven. You’re invited to use your hands to tear and fold the soft dough, making it the perfect place for kids to get stuck in. Rudy’s doesn’t have a specific children’s menu, but you can’t go wrong with good pizza – especially at budget-friendly prices.

Set in an elegant glass building looking out over the surrounding park, The Whitworth Cafe serves food and drinks to visitors of The Whitworth Art Gallery, specialising in homemade soups with fresh bread from Trove bakery. The floor-to-ceiling windows create a light and airy space to enjoy a sunny afternoon, alongside fantastic views of the Art Garden. The Gallery itself offers various free activities for children of all ages, including sensory sessions for babies, outdoor art workshops and dance classes. You could enjoy a coffee or a light lunch while the kids are distracted and enjoy some time to yourself in the tranquil setting.