A local guide to the best brunches in Manchester

What is it? A lively greasy spoon with comfort food, fry-ups, beer and cocktails.

Why we love it: This Northern Quarter institution may have moved around the corner from its original Stevenson Square address, but it remains the area’s destination of choice for hangover-banishing breakfasts. This is no ordinary greasy spoon – the interior features vibrant street art (credit is due to local artist Hammo) and spacious red booths, while the full English includes black pudding at no extra charge to those who dig it. Tea, filter coffee and hot Vimto are joined by beers and Bloody Marys behind the bar. Breakfast pint, anyone?

Address: 84-86 Oldham Street, M41LE, Manchester 

Opening hours: Open daily, from 9am-3pm

Expect to pay: £12.50-15 for mains, £3.50-7.50 for sides, and £2-29 for drinks

What is it? An American-style breakfast spot with multiple locations and eight different kinds of Benedicts. 

Why we love it: Just around the corner from the shops and crowds of Market Street, head down the side of Primark to find Moose. This fantastic place has been going strong for 20 years and is ideal if you want to get away from the city-centre bustle. The North American-inspired menu is extensive and may induce severe fomo in some. Rest assured, though, you could pick something with a blindfold on and rarely go wrong. The pancake stacks, quite rightly, have a dedicated fanbase, but don’t sleep on the house potato hash. There's also another branch right by the station.

Address: York House, 20 York Street, M23BB, Manchester 

Opening hours: Open daily, from 8am-4pm

Expect to pay: £11.50-18 for mains, £3-11.50 for light bites, £1-5 for sides, £3-5 for drinks 

What is it? One of Britain's most popular Indian chain restaurants that serves just as great a breakfast as it does dinner. 

Why we love it: Dishoom might have evolved into a UK mega chain, but its breakfast offering is still one of the best.Top picks from the menu are the legendary bacon and egg naan with chilli jam, the spiced parsi omelette, and the spicy keema with chicken liver, runny eggs and soft buns for dipping. There are plenty of vegan options too, including a full fry-up with tofu scramble. Served daily from 8 am (9am at weekends) until 11.45am, it’s worth a visit for the bottomless chai alone. 

Address: 32 Bridge Street, M33BT, Manchester 

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday, from 8am-11pm; Friday, from 8am-12am; Saturday, from 9am-12am; Sunday, from 9am-11pm. Brunch hours are from 8am-11.45am 

Expect to pay: £9.50-18 for mains, £4-5.50 for sides, and £4.40-15 for drinks

What is it? A pop-up turned brick-and-mortar that specialises in oversized sweet treats.

Why we love it: From the same team behind a mega-viral Tiramisu drawer, Gooey started life as a cookie pop-up during lockdown, delivering thicc red velvet, pistachio, and triple chocolate cookies, and overstuffed doughnuts to the masses. Now you can take your pick from Gooey cafes in the Northern Quarter or on Oxford Rd. The brunch dish most people are obsessed with is the Gooey French toast, which is about the size of a paperback of War & Peace and just as difficult to finish. This brioche breezeblock is stuffed with dulce de leche and creme pat, topped with a massive blob of melting butter and drizzled with maple syrup. If that’s too sugary for you, their savoury stuff is equally extra. I love their egg butty (trust me) and their Reuben, both served on house shokupan bread.

Address: 103 High Street,  M4 1HQ, Manchester

Opening hours: Open daily, from 9am-6pm (kitchen closes at 5pm)

Expect to pay: £8-14 for mains, £4 for sides, and £3-6 for drinks 

What is it? A glossy, modern space that's part barbershop and part bistro.

Why we love it: You need to head to the unsung town of Stalybridge in Tameside for this breakfast, but it is well worth the train ride. Gladstone Barber & Bistro is just a few minutes walk from the station. The food here is Palestinian meets modern British, so expect the usual poached eggs and avo punctuated with Palestinian pizazz; think pulled lamb shawarma with your brekkie hash, falafel on your veggie breakfast and sumac hollandaisse drizzled over your eggs benny. There’s also a baklava French toast with pistachio and rose water. Run, don’t walk.

Address: Unit 3, Pattern House, Castle St, SK15 1NX, Stalybridge 

Opening hours: Wednesday, from 8am-4pm; Thursday to Saturday, from 8am-11pm; Sunday, from 9am-6.30pm; closed Monday and Tuesday

Expect to pay: £9-17 for mains, £2.50-5 for sides, and £3-18 for drinks

What is it? A stylish Ancoats OG which has been keeping hip locals happy at lunch and dinner for almost a decade.

Why we love it: Elnecot was one of the first places in Manchester to do natural wine. Not everyone realises how outrageously good a weekend brunch here can be. We’re not talking any old eggs Benedict, Elnecot has a harissa lamb one, and their Florentine is made with kale. We’ve all had French toast, but at Elnecot it’s tandoori chicken French toast - I know! And everyone knows hash browns are the best bit of any breakfast, but here they are served with pork belly and kimchi. There are more standard avo on toast and full English options available, if you prefer. 

Address: Cutting Room Square, 41 Blossom Street, M4 6AJ, Manchester 

Opening hours: Sunday to Friday, from 12pm-11.30pm; Saturday, from 11am-11.30pm.

Brunch on Saturdays, from 11am-3pm.

Expect to pay: £8-16 for mains, £4 for sides, and £3-13 for drinks.

£26 for bottomless drinks for two hours, but you need to buy a brunch dish for the deal. 

What is it? A bustling food market that was originally named after Ivie Mackie, the mayor/alderman who opened the place as a meat market in 1856.

Why we love it: It’s all here at Mackie Mayor. The beautiful building lay derelict for years, even serving as a skatepark at one point, before being given a new lease of life. High-quality steak sandwiches from Tender Cow, ever-changing creative doughnuts from DGHNT and coffee from Eagle St, or why not do as they do in Mexico and have tacos for breakfast; the ones from Pico’s are fab. Bagsy a spot on one of the long communal tables and order from your favourite.

Address: Smithfield Market Hall, 1 Eagle Street, M4 5BU,  Manchester 

Opening hours: Tuesday to Thursday, from 9am-10pm; Friday to Saturday, from 9am-11pm; Sunday, frm 9am-6pm; closed Mondays

Expect to pay: Prices vary by vendor.

What is it? A local eatery known for coffee, pies and one of the best flat whites in the city

Why we love it: Affordable and friendly, it doesn’t get much better than Idle Hands. This damn fine coffee and pie spot has a fab breakfast selection with all the classics including plenty for veggies and vegans (including sweet pies!). The prerequisite sourdough comes from the brilliant Companio Bakery, and at weekends there are breakfast burritos. It’s also very laptop friendly which means you can graze as you work, if you feel like being a bit less idle.

Address: Dale House, 35 Dale Street, M1 2HF, Manchester 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 8.30am-3pm; and Saturday to Sunday, from 10am-3.30pm 

Expect to pay: £4-16 for light bites, £11.50-15 for mains, and £2-5 for sides

What is it? One of the only Latin-American breakfast joints in the area - and a good one, too. 

Why we love it: It’s well worth hopping on a train to Stockport first thing in the morning for breakfast at Cafe Sanjuan. This no-frills Colombian cafe serves some of the most thrilling food in Greater Manchester. On the breakfast menu, you’ll find tortillas topped with cheesy beans and a choice of Colombian sausage, Halloumi or plantain (or all three), homemade empanadas that are way better than a steak bake, or a Colombian-style fry up complete with ‘perico’ scrambled eggs, habanero sausages, guacamole, and plantain with arepas instead of toast. This family-run joint is presided over by Luis Sanjuan, the smiliest man in Stockport. It’s worth keeping an eye on their Instagram as they also do traditional Colombian weekend lunch specials and BYOB supper clubs, both of which you have to book in advance.

Address: 27 St Petersgate, Stockport,  SK1 1EB, Manchester

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 10am-4pm; Saturday, from 10am-5pm; closed Sunday

Expect to pay: £3-12.50 for bites and mains, and £2 for salsas

What is it? An all-day neighborhood café and brunch institution in the city. 

Why we love it: This Northern Quarter stalwart serves all manner of breakfast classics and a very welcome all-day brunch menu. From carefully poached eggs to beans and sausage (veggie if you prefer), full breakfasts and even lemon cheesecake French toast if you’re feeling fancy, Ezra & Gil offers a great range for those seeking something hearty after a bit too much party. Or even if you just want something delicious to get the day off to a great start. 

Address: 20 Hilton Street, M1 1FR, Manchester 

Opening hours: Open daily, from 7.30am-6pm

Expect to pay: £4-15 for mains, £3.50-8 for drinks, and £1-5 for sides

What is it? A Northern Quarter brunch spot that specialises in afternoon tea

Why we love it: Manchester’s Northern Quarter isn’t short on quirk – both in its venues and those who frequent them – and Sugar Junction’s attention to vintage detail has to be applauded. Afternoon tea is its forte, but the eggs benedict and florentine are great, too. Plus, there’s delightfully indulgent coffee and pistachio or caramel biscoff French toast. The coffee is excellent and breakfast is served until 5pm.

Address: 60 Tib Street, M4 1LG, Manchester 

Opening hours: Sunday to Friday, from 9am-6pm; and Saturday, from 9am-7pm

Expect to pay: £2.50-17 for brunch plates, and £2.60-8.50 for drinks

What is it? A West Didsbury cafe with hippie vibes and an excellent name. We approve.

Why we love it: Ingredients at Thyme Out are locally sourced and veggies will be in their element. The Veg Out breakfast is appropriately massive (chargrilled halloumi, homemade hash browns and all the trimmings). Other options include duck eggs benedict, an ace vegan fry-up and breakfast burritos.

Address: 147 Nell Lane, M20 2LG, Manchester 

Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 9am-3.30pm; and Saturday to Sunday, from 9am-4pm

Expect to pay: £7.50-19 for mains, and £2-7 for sides, 

What is it? Another Northern Quarter staple that was inspired by a 1950s New York City bar that was popular with newspaper journalists and ad men. 

Why we love it: For a proper blowout, the Northern Quarter’s Pen and Pencil offers a bottomless brunch that just keeps coming and coming. So do the drinks. Given that, it would be easy for a venue to skimp on the quality, but be assured that is not the case here. The high standard of the food is maintained throughout the endless dishes landing on your table.

Address: Fourways House, 57 Hilton Street, M1 2EJ, Manchester

Opening hours: Monday to Saturday, from 10am-9pm (brunch served from 10am-4pm, and 5pm on Saturdays); and Sunday, from 10am-5pm (brunch all day)

Expect to pay: £10 brunch deals or £50 per person for bottomless food and drinks.