As the centre of Manchester continues to expand, pockets that were once quiet and empty neighbourhoods are turning into gentrified hot spots. Locals say Prestwich is an area that has had that tag for years. It’s easy to get to on the tram (15 minutes) and has plenty of things to do. The Sunday Times love it, naming Prestwich consistently as one of the best places to live in the UK.
Mark E Smith who was the frontman of famous Manchester band The Fall, has a mural on the side of the Chips @ No.8 chippy as you enter the village, music videos and photo shoots for the band were made locally and he often still drinks in the local pubs. Guy Garvey from Elbow is also from the area as is folk singer Liam Frost.
There’s plenty of music and culture to get your teeth stuck into, Shangri La! Prestwich’s premier alternative cabaret show has been going since 2007 and runs quarterly. Open mics and jams run regularly at the Wine and Wallop and The Goods In, close to the tram stop often have DJs on playing anything from Soul to Chicago House music.
In terms of bars, you aren’t short of options. Walk up into the main village from the tram stop and see what takes your fancy. The Crooked Man often has interesting beers on tap as does All the Shapes.
Alongside having some great bars, Prestwich has also become a bit of a place for foodies recently as well. OSMA, a combination between Oslo and Manchester, serves open sandwiches at lunchtime on batard bread with toppings such as dill cured salmon with pickled golden beetroot. Evening plates change all the time but could include something like cured sea bream sashimi or tempura oyster mushrooms. Triple B moved to the area during Covid from the Northern Quarter and their New York inspired menu features hot beef pastrami and craft beer.
Prestwich’s food accolades don’t stop there. The Pearl started life as a sandwich pop-up and its popularity skyrocketed from there, which in turn led to a crowd funding to kick-start its first restaurant. Recently it has just been featured in the UK top 100 by the Good Food Guide. They cook up seasonal and responsibly sourced food in a quaint neighbourhood restaurant. Whilst Italian café, Lupo, has also been included in the top 100 list. A firm favourite of football stars including Jack Grealish, Lupo promises an authentic taste of Rome in Manchester. As well as speciality coffee it is serving up some of the best pizza and pasta dishes in the north.
You’ve also got Heaton Park close by if you fancied a stroll, in fact that’s a day out in itself being over 600 acres long. Famous for having concerts there, it is also used for smaller events in the Stables Cafe and the food and drink festival every August. The area is surrounded by woods with Kersal Moor and Wetlands at the bottom and Phillips and Drinkwater Parks also close by. The River Irwell loops around the left-hand side of the area and goes all the way up through Bury. There’s also well-maintained mountain bike trails that’s perfect for beginners with a blue rated route and more advanced riders with the red loop which is all well signposted.
Overall, Prestwich has plenty going for it if you fancy a day out somewhere new with plenty of places to eat some of the best food Manchester has to offer, Trams also run pretty late.
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