New in Food: Grafene, The Alchemist & more

The North's food and drink scene is getting it all this month, from the opening of fancy modern British restaurant Grafene and Liverpool's first branch of molecular cocktail bar The Alchemist, to Simon Rimmer's new gaff and the re-jigged Kirkgate Market.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of new restaurant and bar openings in Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, our monthly round-ups of the best new openings every month should help you choose somewhere new to try – from wood-fired pizza places to kid-friendly cafes. Opening a new food and drink venue in Manchester, Liverpool or Leeds? Let us know – send the details to jess@theskinny.co.uk. 

New restaurants and cafes in Manchester

Grafene

Without doubt the most anticipated addition to Manchester’s bountiful crop of new restaurants, Grafene has announced that it’ll be opening this July after a £1m facelift of the former Brasserie Blanc King Street site. We've heard a million times how King Street's rejuvenation is firmly in swing, and despite the very recent demise of fellow fine diner Quill, there's hope that Grafene – from the same people as Peak District hotel Losehill House – can take the lead. Expect contemporary British flavours via an a la carte menu, a seven-course tasting menu and small plates. Opens July, King Street, Manchester.

[Sugar Junction]

Sugar Junction

Northern Quarter tea and cake hotspot Sugar Junction has branched out southwards to provide the good folk of Altrincham with their twee afternoon tea and cocktail fix; a concept that's bound together by classic-but-not-overdoing-it vintage decor. Judging by the crowds often snaking their way out of Sugar Junction's Tib Street branch, this new one should prove a hit. Open now, Stamford New Road, Altrincham. 

Our Kid

Here’s a contentious one, as Chorlton goes full-whack Chorlton with a new cafe inspired by Berlin’s Kindercafes, child-friendly cafes that embrace the frequent meltdowns and yoghurt-smearing terror of the small and mighty. At first this sounds like a yummy mummy mecca for a post-baby yoga latte, but by simply serving up coffee and cake alongside independent kids’ clothing, Our Kid's setup is not as ridiculous as it sounds – it's just a place where parents can spend an hour or two without the perennial fear of pissing people off as their mini-me throws a tantrum. Fair play, we say. Opens late June, Oswald Road, Chorlton. 

New bars in Manchester

Science and Industry

Cane and Grain’s first floor bar (formerly known merely as that) has had the rebranding treatment to give it the identity it deserves. Science and Industry pays homage to Manchester’s past while also shining a light on its innovative molecular maestro Massimo Zitti, who’s been busy knocking up a clever new drinks menu from his laboratory. This is already one of The Skinny’s favourite bars in Manchester; no doubt the great can only get better. Open now, Thomas Street, Manchester.

The Coal Yard

Doffing a soot-dusted cap to the North’s mining past, Lammars and Lola’s owner Anthony Pearson is transforming the latter into a new colliery-themed bar, The Coal Yard, running the motif through its décor and cocktail menu. Why? Well, other than family ties with the coal trade, there’s probably no denying that Lola’s could do with a new lease of life, whatever guise that comes under... Open now, Tariff Street, Manchester.

Cork and Bull

There's been a lot of exciting stuff going on over at Old Granada Studios, what with the recent relaunch of its long-forgotten, semi-secret recording studio. And now it's getting its very own pop-up bar, the darts-themed Cork and Bull from Bitter Twisted, where you and friends can conjure up a healthy competitive spirit with a game of darts – or other pub favourites like table tennis, pool and sporting events on the big screen – before making use of a personal 'push for service' button for cold beers, cocktails and finger food. Old Granada Studios, Quay Street, Manchester.

New restaurants and cafes in Liverpool

[Breakfast at The Viking]

The Viking

Clearly not content with TV presenting alongside the irksome, habitual arm-folder Tim Lovejoy on Sunday mornings, Simon Rimmer is dipping his toes back into the restaurant game with his second gastropub, The Viking in West Kirby. Going for a distinctly cosy vibe, the pub’s interior is dripping with Scandi touches (the folksy, quaint kind; not the Ikea kind) befitting of the Wirral’s Norse roots, and on the menu you’ll find the usual suspects of burgers, pizzas, Sunday roasts and brunch dishes. Opens late June, Black Horse Hill, West Kirby.

Santa Maluco

From the team behind Salt Dog Slims, Santa Chupitos, El Bandito, 81 Ltd and Slim's Pork Chop Express soon comes Santa Maluco, a rodizio (Brazilian all-you-can-eat style) pizzeria set to serve up slices of Southern Italian, thin-crust, wood-fired pizza joy. There's no set date for a launch just yet, but by the looks of things it's on the cusp of opening. Opens TBC, Castle Street, Liverpool. 

New bars in Liverpool

The Alchemist

The Alchemist adds to its ever-expanding empire this July as it opens a new joint on Brunswick Street, joining existing sites in Manchester, Leeds, London and Alderley Edge (there's another in the pipeline for Salford Quays’ MediaCityUK, too). Expect all the molecular cocktail wizardry that the brand has become famous for, accompanied by a box-ticker menu of everything from burgers and sandwiches to Katsu curry and fajitas, plus ‘Tapatisers’ including Padrón peppers, nachos, edamame beans and Thai fish cakes. Opens July,

Brunswick Street, Liverpool. 

Be At One

Cocktail bar Be At One brings its tried and tested formula to Liverpool, opening its 31st site nationwide on the city's busy Seel Street this summer. Hurtling an extensive menu of more than 160 cocktails our way, the bar will also benefit from an outdoor redbrick courtyard for those balmy summer evenings that we surely deserve more of... please... Opens 15 July, Seel Street, Liverpool. 

Baccarat

Hands up for wanky exclusivity! Uber VIP champagne bar Baccarat is now open in its own room at Kingdom, promising “Liverpool’s most superior table service” and “divine luxury”. Men can’t wear trainers or T-shirts and the laydeez must wear heels. Barf. We’ll stop there, or we’ll probably end up making some kind of crude jibe about people compensating for something by way of a £60 minimum bar spend… Open now, Harrington Street, Liverpool.

New restaurants and cafes in Leeds

[MOD Pizza. Photo: Lady Ducayne]

MOD Pizza

The UK is currently going batshit crazy for pizza, whether it’s the authentic Italian sourdough type or its greasy New York equivalent. In steps MOD (which stands for Made on Demand while also functioning as a nod to 1960s Mod culture), a pizza joint that first opened its doors in Seattle back in 2008. Its first UK outlet is now open in Leeds, ahead of a second in Brighton, where you can customise pizzas to your liking or pimp the classics at fixed rates regardless of how many toppings you're pigging into. Open now, Cardigan Fields, Leeds.

Kirkgate Market

Following a lengthy renovation announced a couple of years back, Kirkgate Market has unveiled the first stages of its new look. Along with a new sprinkler system and drainage channels (ooh, get you!), the greengrocers, butchers and fishmongers have all been brought together in a designated fresh produce area, and, most excitingly, there’s also a new street food and events area with scran from Manjit’s Kitchen, Jenny’s Jerk Chicken, The Yorkshire Pudding Wrap Company, Banh & Me and Zm Zm Bakery, seating for 100 and, get this, the holy grail that is WiFi. Kirkgate Market 2.0 is go. Open now, George Street, Leeds.  

In need of a new favourite spot? Read the results of our 2016 Food & Drink Survey

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