Manchester's best weekly restaurant deals

From half-price burgers and bottomless brunch to three courses of fine food for under £20, eating out in Manchester doesn't have to drain the funds if you think savvy.

Mondays

PLY – 50% off pizzas

PLY treats its members to half price pizzas every Monday, meaning it'll only cost you around a fiver to start the week right with a Margherita, Portobello or Sausage and Broccoli Bianca – all fired up in PLY's signature disco ball pizza oven imported from Italy. Sign up for membership here, and you'll also be able to enjoy other deals including a pizza and a pint for £12 on Tuesdays or a pizza and a Bloody Mary for £12 on Sundays.

Trof – 2-4-1 mains

At Trof, Mondays are all about 'Mates Rates', their weekly 2-4-1 deal on all mains including a Croque Monsieur, Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich, Asian Spiced Pork Bun, Steak Frites and the Spiced Lamb Khoubz Bread – the latter piled high with pulled spiced lamb, zucchini, feta, pickled cucumber, pomegranate, salsa verde, mint and chilli. No need to book; simply order two mains and get the cheapest free.

Pen and Pencil – 50% off

Manchester's Mad Men-inspired bar Pen and Pencil offers half price food all day on a Monday, with brunch dishes including Steak and Eggs, American Pancakes and Eggs Benedict alongside large plates like the Reuben Sandwich, American Rarebit and Sliders. Simply book via email (info@thepenandpencilnq.co.uk) to redeem the offer.

Blackdog Ballroom – 50% off

Enjoy 50% off your food bill at Black Dog (both Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street venues), where it's all about simple, uncomplicated bar food like burgers, pizzas, hot dogs, nachos and chicken wings.

Artisan – 40% off

Mugshot Mondays at Artisan may mostly revolve around the vintage photoboth, free to use all night long with the best photo reel posted on social media winning a bottle of champers, but it's also the day for 40% off your food bill.

1847 – 50% off

In honour of Meat Free Mondays – Macca's weekly bid to get the world to cut down on its meat intake – vegetarian restaurant 1847 offers diners 50% off the a la carte menu every Monday. Choose from starters including Sage and Lentil Croquettes, mains like Roasted Cauliflower, Pearl Barley and Miso Risotto, plus desserts like Chocolate and Ale cake or Macerated Cherries. Book online quoting 'MeatFreeMonday' in the booking comments.

Tuesdays

[Common, photo: Seb Matthes / MANOX]

El Capo – Taco Tuesdays

£1 tacos hombre! That's right, every Tuesday at Tariff Street's Latin American joint El Capo serves up £1 tacos (including the daily specials) from 4pm, with nothing but the limits of your appetite to stop you. 

Common – BOGOF burgers

Northern Quarter bar Common offers its members 2-4-1 burgers every Tuesday, including old favourites like the Common Cheeseburger or Maple Bagon Burger, as well as new classics like the Korean Fried Chicken Burger, where fried chicken is piled up with kimchi and gochujang in a brioche bun. You can also add fries for £1 or sweet potato fries for £2. Sign up for membership here.

The Beagle – BOGOF burgers

Like their inner-city sibling, Common's suburban-dwelling sister The Beagle also serves up 2-4-1 burgers each Tuesday; along with Common staples like the Cheeseburger and Maple Bacon, here you can also chow down on the Mex Burger (with nacho strips, cheese, jalapenos, hot sauce, tomato, lettuce, pico, guac and slaw) and the Lawndale (grilled halloumi, aubergine, peppers and ranch sauce). Get yourself a member's card here.

Blackdog Ballroom – 2-4-1 pizzas

Along with 50% off on Mondays, both the Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street Black Dog venues also offer 2-4-1 pizzas on Tuesdays; simply order two pizzas and get the cheapest free. Simples.

Wednesdays

[El Capo]

El Capo – Wing it Wednesdays

And on Wednesdays, El Capo switches focus to chicken wings – coming in at 50p a wing, with sauces ranging from mild to hot including sticky BBQ and mango and lime. Every Wednesday from 4pm, kids. 

The Beagle – Beer and Chicken

No frills needed with the naming of The Beagle's Wednesday deal, offering 20% off fried chicken (including everything from the chicken burger and fried chicken sections) and 10% off beer. Can't say fairer than that, eh? Again, it's a members-only offer, so sign up here.

Thursdays

Odd – 50% off

Everything on the main menu at Odd is half price all day every Thursday, whether it's a burger, sarnie or a portion of fish and chips. Offer excludes small plates and sides; click here to see what's on the menu.

Lunch and early evening

[TNQ]

TNQ

TNQ (The Northern Quarter Restaurant) may get overshadowed by the dirty bugers and pizzas of its nearby neighbours, but dining here can be a seriously pleasant experience - especially if you go for their express menu, served Monday-Saturday, 12-6.30pm, where you'll get either two courses for £14.95 or three for £18.95. Particularly good if you fancy something a bit more special on a Saturday, when most other places have long packed up the deals. 

Mr Cooper's House and Garden

Dining at The Midland hotel doesn't usually come cheap, with two restaurants under its roof: The French, the historic 4 AA Rosette restaurant by chef Adam Reid, and Mr Cooper's House and Garden, its less expensive (but still semi-lavish) counterpart. At the latter, however, the pre-theatre menu (available between 5pm and 6.30pm) lets you choose two courses for £20 or three for £24, leaving you with more cash to spend at the bar afterwards.

Hispi

The seemingly unstoppable Gary Usher (of Sticky Walnut and Burnt Truffle) has now opened up shop in Didsbury, once again serving up the elegant and hearty fare that's made him perhaps the leading man of the North's bistro scene. At Hispi, mains can cost up to £23.50 (with starters ranging between £5 and £11), but you can also get a taste of the good stuff with their early evening set menu, served Monday to Thursday, 6-7pm, when £18 gets you three courses and a glass of wine. Whatever you go for, just know that you'll regret it if you don't go for their signature sticky featherblade beef... 

The Rose Garden

Sticking with Didsbury, Burton Road restaurant The Rose Garden also lets you dine out on the cheap...er. Available Monday to Thursday, 12-9pm, and Friday to Saturday, 12-7pm, their set menu offers two courses for £15 or three courses for £18.

Gray's Larder

Enjoy three courses with a glass of red or white wine for £18 at Gray's Larder in Chorlton, where Early Bird menu starters include Cheshire ham Scotch egg with Gray's brown sauce or spiced parsnip soup with Cheddar cheese scone, while mains include braised ox cheek (swoooon!) with horeseradish and potato risotto and kale or, for vegans, thyme polenta cake with portobello mushroom, confit tomatoes, shallots and onion puree. There are also classic puds like flourless chocolate cake with ale ice cream – and less traditional alternatives like coconut rice pudding with cinnamon beignets and rum caramel. Available Wednesday-Friday, 5-6.30pm.

Bottomless brunch

[Pen and Pencil]

Pen and Pencil

At weekends it's become all about the so-called bottomless brunch, a chance for you to lap up the weekend with a spot of unlimited daytime boozing. At Pen and Pencil they go one step further, serving up bottomless Prosecco, Bloody Marys, Mimosas, lager and more PLUS bottomless brunch dishes including Steak and Eggs, Eggs Royale, American Pancakes and more. It'll cost you £40, and the only stipulation is that you have to order one dish at a time. Every last Saturday of the month, 10am-1pm

Gorilla

At Gorilla the concept gets given a disco twist, with their Disco Brunch churning out bottomless Prosecco and Sunday brunch specials, soundtracked by DJs all day from 10am. Every Sunday, 9am-late 

Gaucho

Gaucho's Electro Brunch is a little more expensive, coming in at £45 – but this does include steak, along with other dishes such as Bell Pepper and Oregano Frittata, Fried Provoleta, Choripan Sandwich and Blueberry Pancakes, plus drinks including wine, Aperol Spritz and Bloody Marys or fresh juices. Every Saturday, 11am-3pm

Rosylee

Bottomless brunch at Stevenson Square's Rosylee doesn't force you to overindulge – on the food anyway: choose a dish from the brunch menu including a Full English or Eggs Benedict, while also enjoying unlimited drinks for an extra £12.50 (or £15 for Prosecco). Tables must be booked in advance via the website or on 0161 228 6629. Every Saturday and Sunday, 10am-2pm

Black Dog Ballroom 

For £25 at both Black Dog Ballrooms (Northern Quarter and New Wakefield Street), you'll get any dish from the brunch menu and bottomless selected drinks – French Toast Flip with free-flowing Mimosas, anyone? Every Saturday and Sunday, 12pm-4pm

All Star Lanes

And if you're more into craft beer than classic brunch cocktails, at All Star Lanes you can tack on an extra £19 to your food order for unlimited beers. You can also go for Prosecco or Mimosas, too. Every Saturday and Sunday, 12-4pm (table available for a two-hour session)

Industry discounts

[Hawksmoor]

Working hard in the hospitality business? You deserve the discount more than any of us. Luckily, Manchester is a place that acknowledges the efforts of its worker bees.

Hawksmoor

One of the best discounts to those in the know, cherished steak joint Hawksmoor offers 50% off food on Sunday evenings for those using their CODE App. Every Sunday evening

Albert's Schloss

Also on Sundays, Bavarian beerhouse Albert's Schloss offers 50% off to anyone working in the industry. Also obtained through CODE App, the offer is applicable to everything except Champagne and Kabinett wines. Every Sunday, 7pm-2am

Think we've missed any of your favourites? Email jess@theskinny.co.uk and we'll see to that.