Where to eat out during the October Half Term in Manchester

Created by famous head chef Simon Shaw, this Michelin star restaurant is beautifully crafted. Since 2016, Manchester’s city centre has been home to this wonderful restaurant. El Gato Negro’s friendly atmosphere and tapas menu is perfect for family sharing. The team recommends having five or six dishes for two people. There are five main tapas sections, the para picar (nibbles), fish, meat, charcuterie and vegetables. From the nibbles we like the bocadillo and bikini sandwiches the most. The first has ham, Manchego and truffle butter, whilst the other contains chorizo, goats’ cheese and avocado. From tiger prawns and wonderfully chargrilled lamb skewers, to deep-fried goats’ cheese with honey, there is so much to choose from. Charcuterie, cheese and meat boards are very much worth having a try too. This is an amazing restaurant, which takes care in its food and caters to the customer, making it a perfect place for all the family, from grandparents to children!

This is a multi award-winning pub located in the beautiful Woodhouse, making it a great place to eat and drink after visiting the Great Nook country park with the family. It is in between Manchester and Oldham and is a part of Greater Manchester. It produces fresh and wonderful dishes, from the amazing garden buckets served with coleslaw, fries and salad, such as the scampi with tartare sauce. There’s also scrumptiously grilled food, like sirloin steak. Furthermore, it has home comforts which are fantastic cosy pub dishes, like the beef lasagne with garlic bread and cottage pie. Burgers, sandwiches and seafood can all be found too on this vast and high quality menu. There is also carefully selected children’s menu with dishes like cheeseburgers with fries, pizzas and hot dogs, and you can make it a course for only £8 by selecting one of the desserts. Why not sit in Steve and Cate’s (owners) glorious beer garden eating award-winning food made by Mark Summers (chef) on a family walking trip? We think it’s a wonderful idea.

Cibo is an Italian restaurant that specialises in pizza, sharing plates and grilled food. Recently, it’s opened a new restaurant in the Great Northern, a massive complex with an Odeon cinema, Lane7 bowling and Little Norther’s, a free family play space for children. This makes Cibo a great place to eat at after doing some family activities. The main menu consists of antipasti and insalata dishes, such as amazing focaccia and bruschetta, meat dishes, pizza and pasta and risotto plates. The menu is vast and varied, making it easy for those who are on a tight budget to spend less and those to buy more expensive dishes, such as the fillet steak. It is possible to share dishes as a family or get a main course. Whatever you decide, you will not be disappointed!

Rudy’s is a family-friendly pizzeria in the city centre, just around the corner from the central library and Albert Square. These guys are specialists in Neapolitan cooking, using fior di latte, Napoli salami and other Neapolitan ingredients. It’s growing in popularity each month. This independent chain has most recently opened a restaurant in Sheffield, which has garnered huge popularity in the city across the Peaks. The service is brilliant; the staff truly prioritise the customers. The dough is made fresh on-site, too. From white pizzas, such as the porchetta (sage roasted potatoes, mozzarella, caramelised onions and roast porchetta) to classic tomato based pizzas, like the meaty carni, there are lots of great options for the whole family.

This is a fantastic café, ran by owners who think of the community in all their actions to do with running the restaurant. They have donated 5,000 plus meals to those who need it most! Located in Ancoats, these guys serve amazing British seafood. From the special fish and chips ‘the feasty boys’, to the battered halloumi and chips and the amazing sauces like the sriracha and the minty mushy, the food will get you talking about this place to all friends and family. It also serves pies and a special dish called Bklyn Masala Fish, which is definitely worth a try. This warm and cosy café is family-friendly and welcomes kids with a large menu offering simpler and smaller dishes. In addition, there are also events, such as open mic nights which are worth experiencing. The Hip Hop Fish Shop delivers fun for all the family.