This city centre Italian is the perfect place to celebrate the festive season

Manchester is a wonderful place for all things Christmas and New Year. 

When it comes to shopping, the city is bursting with top-brand megastores, independent boutiques and, of course, the fabulous Christmas markets. 

Not forgetting the dozens of theatres, art galleries, and cultural venues for you and your partner or family to explore on a special day out.

And of course, you’ll need feeding. There’s no better place to get a meal out when shopping, or indeed organising a full Christmas or New Year’s Eve dining event, than Cibo.

You’ll find Cibo right in the centre of town on Liverpool Road, near Castlefield, just a few minutes walk from many tram, train, and bus stations. 

A city institution, Cibo has a reputation throughout Manchester as the place to go for hearty Italian food with an authentic feel and pocket-friendly prices.  

Festa Menu

The Festa menu is for any time up to the two big festive events. 

For just £34.99, you get a three-course meal including a starter, main, and dessert. 

Among the countless options, you’ll find starters such as polpette: mouthwatering beef meatballs in a delicately spicy tomato sauce. 

Mains include the standout salmone adriatico, a dish of freshly grilled salmon served with seasonal vegetables in a moreish cream and chive sauce. 

As for dessert, what could be better than gelato, real Italian ice cream?  

Christmas Day Menu

The special Christmas Day menu has been carefully designed around a traditional Italian Christmas meal, which, unsurprisingly, is a huge occasion in this family-oriented nation! 

Friendly and passionate at the best of times, the restaurant staff are the perfect hosts for a truly festive atmosphere. 

Even better, adults eat for just £59 and kids for £29, making this one of the best value Christmas day meals anywhere in the city.

Then all you need to do is choose which dishes to have for each course. 

You might start with tortino al granchio – Cornish fishcakes baked to crispy perfection – then follow this with filetto al ferri, 200gm of pure Aberdeen Angus steak. 

If it’s the traditional turkey you’re looking for, try the tachino alla casalinga, turkey breast with chipolata sausages, stuffing, and all the trimmings. 

For dessert, indulge in profiteroles, those delicious parcels of choux pastry filled with Chantilly cream, covered in a dark chocolate sauce.

NYE Menu

The Cibo New Year’s Eve menu guarantees an elegant dinner for a mere £50. 

This is the perfect New Year feast, whether you’re looking for a family get together or as the starting point of a celebratory night on the town. 

Starters include the wonderful cozze piccanti – fresh Scottish mussels in tomato sauce. 

For the mains, the decadent choice would be the Ipoglosso sfumato al prosecco, which is a high-grade halibut fillet pan-fried with asparagus and prosecco. 

Nothing says party more than prosecco, and it’s just as delightful as a cooking ingredient as it is sipped from a glass. 

On that note, you should check out Cibo’s extensive wine menu, featuring genuine Italian wines at amazing prices. 

Nothing beats an Italian dessert, and Cibo pull out all the stops with their souffle al choccolato, a fluffy, baked souffle encased in rich chocolate. 

But don’t miss out on the tiramisu – Cibo is also one of the few places in Manchester where you can get the real deal, with biscuit soaked in authentic Italian coffee liqueur.   

No matter what kind of dining event you’re planning over the festive period, Cibo has you covered every step of the way. 

Whether you’re looking for a post-shopping bite to eat, a quiet family-led Christmas dinner or the first step on your 2022 celebrations, the Italian food experts at Cibo will make it a meal to remember…