Whilst glistening skyscrapers and countless cranes represent a ‘new’ Manchester, it only takes a walk around the Northern Quarter to see – and indeed feel – an unmistakably Mancunian sense of pride in its industrial past.

A popular hotspot for creatives, young professionals, and post-graduates to live and work, the Northern Quarter is no longer ‘up and coming’, it’s officially the here and now.

Self-named ‘NQ’, the district built its reputation on a love for independent businesses, incredible food, world-class nightlife, and one thing you can’t ignore – street art around every corner. Known as the ‘street-art capital’ of the city, the Northern Quarter is Manchester’s answer to Shoreditch, Brooklyn, or West Hollywood.

This blog will also cover the Northern Quarter’s closest (and coolest) neighbour, Ancoats. Once a gritty textile district, Ancoats is now a landmark destination, recently voted one of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world by Time Out Magazine.

Characterised by Edwardian mills and Victorian warehouses ideally placed to be converted into independent eateries, cafes and restaurants, it’s no surprise that Ancoats also just won ‘Foodie Neighbourhood of the Year 2022’.

Here are 11 unmissable places to give you a (mouthwatering) taste of Manchester’s most iconic area, the Northern Quarter and Ancoats.

1. Walk down Tib Street

For a real sense of the Northern Quarter’s ‘support local businesses’…