Because you’re worth it: Manchester’s most indulgent nights out

It might be the sensible option to save the pennies and opt for nights binge-watching Netflix wearing your favourite sweatpants.

But if you do get the urge to treat yourself, there’s no shortage of places in Manchester to go all out and part(y) with your pay packet.

From world-class tasting menus and champagne bars to the ultimate pamper package and opulent club nights, here’s just a few of the city’s most decadent experiences to indulge in.

Mana

A year ago, Mana began taking bookings ahead of its opening in October 2018 – which goes some way to show the hype this restaurant garnered. It hasn’t failed to deliver. People continue to reserve months in advance to sample the experimental menus created by owner and head chef Simon Martin, previously of the Michelin-starred Noma in Copenhagen. Open between Wednesday and Saturday, this is billed as an informal experience, although the price tag suggests it’s anything but. The full tasting menu is £105, and it’s another £75 for the wine pairing. The five-star reviews it receives suggest it’s worth every penny.

42 Blossom Street, M4 6BF

Rosso

If you’ve ever seen the Christmas trees unveiled at Rosso you’ll know that this restaurant, co-owned by former footballer Rio Ferdinand, isn’t known for its understated approach. That said, it did undergo a sleek white refurb two years ago. Since opening in 2009, it’s become a firm favourite with the local glitterati, with many of Manchester’s famous faces being papped exiting at the top of King Street. Although specialising in Italian food, the bar is the place to be seen. Here you can order Dom Perignon by the glass, priced £35, the first place in Manchester to do so.

43 Spring Gardens, M2 2BG

Whiskey Down

The brand new late-night cabaret venue Whiskey Down is billed as a self-titled ‘super-luxe playground’ for grown-ups and there was no expense spared for the launch last month when burlesque superstar Dita Von Teese was whisked in for a special performance. The venue’s been shrouded in secrecy, no doubt to enhance the anticipation for its revellers, but it’s said to take inspiration from hedonistic hotspots such as London’s The Box and Paris’ Moulin Rouge. Expect lots of dark wood, leather booths and chandeliers while titillating performers take to the stage. And if you’re in need of something strong, there’s an extensive whiskey list to work through. Entrance costs £20 on Friday and Saturday night. You’ll need to email separately for booths.

22 Lloyd Street, M2 5WA

The Ivy

When celebrities are in town, they often make a beeline for The Ivy Spinningfields, which has hosted not one but two of the city’s most memorable opening parties. From the lavish décor across its themed floors to the immaculately dressed bartenders, every detail has been beautifully thought through, which makes for a sumptuous and sensory experience. If you’re all about spoiling yourself, you might want to choose the ribeye steak (£31.95) from the Ivy Brasserie menu or maybe the Oscietra caviar (£85) in the Ivy Asia and Bar with its unique semi-precious stone floor. Whatever you choose, you can wash it down with a glass of Laurent-Perrier champagne (£16.50). There’s also a rooftop terrace, along with private dining options worthy of any A-lister avoiding prying eyes.

Byrom Street, M3 3HG

63 Degrees

There’s so much happening in the Northern Quarter these days, between the building work, closures, re-openings and new launches, that it’s easy to miss the solid gems that remain steadfast amid the chaos. One of these is the gorgeous 63 Degrees, a restaurant run by the Moreau family that provides an elegant slice of Paris without the cost of a city break. Choose from whole lobster (£44), Dover sole and beef fillet, as well as chef’s burgers (all £26). Succulence is the order of the day given the ‘long and slow’ cooking approach the restaurant favours, which explains the name as well. A little tip for you: head there on a Tuesday evening and you can sample a five-course tasting menu for just £28.

104 High Street, M4 1HQ

The Lowry Hotel Spa

If a big night out’s beckoning but you’re feeling far from your best self, book yourself in for The Night Out Prep at The Lowry Hotel Spa, a two-and-a-half hour package priced from £155, which includes a 60 minute bespoke facial, back, neck and shoulder massage, exfoliation and file and polish on hands and feet. If that’s not indulgent enough, try the Lowry Signature Package which includes four hours’ worth of pampering (hot stone, aromatherapy or deep tissue massage, Signature Facial and Fire and Ice Manicure and Pedicure) followed by champagne and afternoon tea in The River Bar and Restaurant. Just tell yourself you can’t put a price on feeling this pampered.

50 Dearmans Pl, M3 5LH

The French at The Midland Hotel

Foodies have been flocking to sample Adam Reid’s cuisine ever since he moved to The Midland Hotel, first as head chef and now chef patron. Local lad Adam’s renowned for giving dishes a ‘north west accent’, which he showcased to effect as one of the competing chefs on the BBC’s Great British Menu. He won the main course round with the chicken-based ‘Comfort food sounds good’ and you can sample that very dish as part of the Great British Menu 2019, priced £85 (matching wines £60). Or try the Signature tasting menu, which is £90 for six courses (matching wines £75). There’s also the option to include the Golden Empire for £20, another winning concoction from his previous appearance on GBM.

Peter Street, M60 2DS

Dakota Hotel

Word is the new boutique Dakota Hotel has become the go-to place for celebrities to rest their weary heads when they’re in town – and why not when they can book into the city’s largest penthouse suite, the Grand Deluxe Suite, for the princely sum of approximately £4,000 a night. If that’s a little out of your price range, some of the hotel’s luxurious amenities might prove more accessible, such as the Grill, where you can share a 500g Chateaubriand for £70, the discreet Champagne Room, and the Cigar Garden (above), a terrace reserved for those wishing to puff on a selection of Cuban smokes, priced from £25.

29 Ducie Street, M1 2JL

Menagerie

If your night out requires a few Insta-worthy props then head this way to Menagerie, which is technically Salford but is in fact just a short walk from Spinningfields. Food and cocktails are served from noon and you can choose to sit on one the long booths or take a perch in the gilded cage. Things really take off on Friday and Saturday nights when an array of performers, including aerial acrobats, singers, contortionists and dancers, take to the stage that runs through the centre of the restaurant, before the whole place morphs into a club-like experience. There are events running all year, including a number of special parties planned this month to mark Menagerie’s third birthday.

One New Bailey, M3 5JL