Manchester's hottest food neighbourhood - from Michelin stars to legendary pizzerias and Little Hanoi
Updated weekly
Ancoats was the world's first industrial suburb, its vast cotton mills driving Manchester's rise as 'Cottonopolis' in the 19th century. By the 1980s, the mills had fallen silent and the area became a byword for urban decay. But the grand Victorian buildings remained, waiting for reinvention.
The transformation began in the 2010s when developers and independent businesses spotted the potential in these cavernous spaces. The arrival of Rudy's Pizza in 2015 signalled a new era, followed by a wave of acclaimed restaurants, bars, and bakeries that made Ancoats the UK's most talked-about food destination.
Today, Ancoats seamlessly blends the old and new. Michelin-starred Mana operates from a converted mill, Pollen Bakery overlooks the restored canals, and Little Hanoi brings authentic Vietnamese culture to Oldham Road. The neighbourhood's industrial heritage provides the backdrop for some of the UK's most exciting dining.
Ancoats' transformation has been dramatic and divisive. Property prices have soared as luxury apartments fill former mills, pricing out long-term residents. Yet the community that made Ancoats special - the Vietnamese businesses on Oldham Road, the independent retailers, the working-class pubs - still persists alongside the newcomers. The best venues here acknowledge this tension and contribute to rather than extract from the neighbourhood.
Friedrich Engels wrote about Ancoats' grinding poverty in his 1845 work 'The Condition of the Working Class in England.' The area's mills produced the cotton that clothed the world. Today, Mana attracts food-world luminaries, while the neighbourhood's creative renaissance draws architects, designers, and media professionals to its converted warehouse apartments. Manchester United and City players are regularly spotted at the area's restaurants.
"We had a wonderful night and would definitely recommend Mana." — Kate H.
“Manchester's only Michelin star. A 12-course journey through smoke, heat and ice.”
— DOW Editors
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Week of 22 February 2026
This Week
Greetings, food fanatics, and welcome back to the Ancoats Hot List on donde-onde-where.com! It's your pal, the Chartmeister, here to guide you through the definitive countdown of Manchester's finest feasting establishments.
And at the summit, holding firm at the top for a staggering EIGHTH consecutive week, it's the culinary colossus that is Bruco! That's right, this incredible restaurant continues to captivate taste buds and dominate the dining scene.
Elsewhere in the chart, it's a week of steadfast stalwarts, with The Marble Arch Inn, Muay Thai Tapas and Can Petit holding their spots in the top 4. Maricarmen and Wow Banh Mi are also holding firm, proving their consistent deliciousness.
Will Bruco's reign ever end? Can anyone dethrone the champion? Tune in next week to find out, right here on the Ancoats Hot List!
Rankings updated weekly based on composite scoring methodology · Only positive movements shown — every venue here is winning
Ancoats is Manchester's most exciting food neighbourhood, home to the city's only Michelin-starred restaurant (Mana), the legendary Rudy's Pizza, and 'Little Hanoi' - a stretch of Oldham Road with excellent Vietnamese restaurants. The area is also known for artisan bakeries like Pollen, craft beer at Seven Bro7hers, and cocktail bars like The Jane Eyre.
Yes, Mana in Ancoats is Manchester's only Michelin-starred restaurant. Opened by Simon Martin in 2019, it earned its star within a year. The restaurant serves a 12+ course tasting menu with Japanese and Southeast Asian influences.
No, Rudy's operates a no-booking policy at all locations including Ancoats. You'll need to queue, especially at peak times, but the wait is part of the experience. The queue moves quickly and you can grab a drink at the bar while waiting.
Little Hanoi is the nickname for the stretch of Oldham Road in Ancoats with multiple Vietnamese restaurants and shops. Highlights include Pho No.1 for the best pho in town, Ca Phe Viet for coffee and banh mi, and Hong Thai for Thai-Hong Kong fusion.
Pollen Bakery is the standout brunch destination with exceptional pastries and coffee by the marina. Elnecot offers excellent cooked brunches with a British focus, while The Edinburgh Castle does a legendary weekend brunch in historic surroundings.
Yes, Ancoats is one of Manchester's safest and most gentrified neighbourhoods. The area around Cutting Room Square and Blossom Street is well-lit and busy with restaurant and bar-goers throughout the evening. It's a 5-minute walk from both Piccadilly and Victoria stations.
Still have questions? The best answers come from locals at the venue.
Our Ancoats guide combines editorial research from Manchester's Finest, DesignMyNight, Creative Tourist, and TimeOut Manchester with aggregated review data from Google, TripAdvisor, and OpenTable. We prioritise venues with consistent quality, local reputation, and authentic character. Rankings consider food/drink quality, atmosphere, value, and cultural significance.