Manchester AO Arena: best restaurants and bars to visit nearby before a gig including Hard Rock Cafe

Got a gig coming up at the AO Arena? Here are some great local restaurants and pubs to check out before or after the show.
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Manchester’s AO Arena is the place to go if you want to see world-class musicians, top comedians and spectacular events that range from the Harlem Globetrotters to Cirque du Soleil. As one of the biggest stages in the North West, it does not just welcome visitors from Manchester but all over the UK.

It is located in the city centre, on the outskirts of Cheetham Hill to the north and Salford to the west, which means it is surrounded by great restaurants and bars that are perfect for pre- and post-gig drink or snack.

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If you’ve got some tickets booked and are unfamiliar with the area, or just need some ideas on how to make a day of it, here are some places to check out – all around a 10-minute walk away from the arena.

Food and Drink near the AO Arena

The first spot you might want to check out, especially if you are on a budget, is the Printworks, located just a speedy three-minute walk away from the AO Arena. It has all the usual franchise restaurants, like Chiquitos, Frankie and Bennies, Wagamama, Hard Rock Cafe and Nandos, as well as Brazilian restaurant Floripa and the Aussie-themed Walkabout. If you’re after a cheap pint, there’s Wetherspoons, Yate’s, Bierkeller and O’Neil’s.

The Printworks complex in central Manchester. Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images The Printworks complex in central Manchester. Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images
The Printworks complex in central Manchester. Photo by Gary M. Prior/Getty Images

There is a similar set up across the road at the Corn Exchange, which also has several restaurants under one roof, with some seating also on Exchange Square for if it’s a nice day. It has five different Italian restaurants – Pizza Express, Vapiano, Riva Blue, Zizzi’s and Salvi’s – as well as cuisine from other corners of world, including Delhi House Cafe, Doner Haus, Mowgli, Pho, Tampopo, Banyan and the Real Greek, to name but a few. Even better, the Corn Exchange is just a two-minute walk away from the arena.

If independent food vendors in a food hall set up is more your thing, GRUB is another excellent option. It is located on the outskirts of the city centre, in the Red Bank area, about a 10-minute walk away from the arena. The street food venue has two floors of indoor seating, three bars and a beer garden and is open Wednesday-Sunday. The food vendors rotate weekly, so it’s worth checking out their website before you visit, but they normally have a variety of sweet and savoury offerings from all over the world. On Sundays, all the food vendors are vegan.

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Sticking with food halls, Mackie Mayor, which was recently named the best in the country, is a seven-minute walk away from the AO arena. It has nine kitchens, including Honest Crust pizzas, FIN fish bar, Baohouse, which serves Taiwanese bao buns, and Tender Cow, a steakhouse that specialises in the lesser-known cuts of meat. The food hall also has a craft ale bar and wine bar. Across the road from Mackie Mayor, there is also Ramona, a Detroit-style pizza joint that has a great campfire outdoor seating area. They have great cocktails and often have DJs (Mayor Andy Burnham even did set here once) and other entertainment if you’re looking to continue your night after the gig.

Mackie Mayor has been named the best hood hall in the UK. Credit: Mackie MayorMackie Mayor has been named the best hood hall in the UK. Credit: Mackie Mayor
Mackie Mayor has been named the best hood hall in the UK. Credit: Mackie Mayor

If you stick to the Thomas St, Edge St and High St parts of the Northern Quarter, you can still make it to the AO arena in about 10 minutes. Some of our favourite spots around there include Nell’s Pizza at Common, fried chicken at Yard and Coop and tacos at Love, Lust, Liquor and Burn. There are also some cool bars in that area, including Terrace, Cane and Grain and Trof.

Pubs near the AO Arena

If you want to keep it simple, there are also a few great pubs worth seeking out before or after the gig, starting with the Eagle Inn. Don’t be fooled by the pub’s Salford postcode, it is just across the river, a short, 10-minute walk away. It is a traditional pub that also has a gig venue and rehearsal space, so there are always musicians passing through.

Located in Salford, just a short walk away from Victoria station, is the Eagle Inn, a pub which is now surrounded by new developments and high-rises but dates back to the 19th century. The Eagle is a popular spot on the music and arts scene, with its 80-person capacity venue and a rehearsal room for local bands and musicians.  Credit: Google MapsLocated in Salford, just a short walk away from Victoria station, is the Eagle Inn, a pub which is now surrounded by new developments and high-rises but dates back to the 19th century. The Eagle is a popular spot on the music and arts scene, with its 80-person capacity venue and a rehearsal room for local bands and musicians.  Credit: Google Maps
Located in Salford, just a short walk away from Victoria station, is the Eagle Inn, a pub which is now surrounded by new developments and high-rises but dates back to the 19th century. The Eagle is a popular spot on the music and arts scene, with its 80-person capacity venue and a rehearsal room for local bands and musicians. Credit: Google Maps

There are also a couple of pubs to check out in the Green Quarter on Rochdale Road, starting with the Marble Arch Inn, the home of Marble Brewery. It has a great beer garden and also serves a menu of bistro-style pub grub and roast dinners on Sundays. The other pub is the Angel, which is a cosy, traditional pub.

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Closer to the arena, on Exchange Square, you will also find two of Manchester’s oldest pubs, Sinclair’s Oyster Bar and the Old Wellington. If it’s sunny, this is a great area to sit outdoors and people watch, but it’s definitely worth checking out the interiors of these old pubs as they really are an important part of Manchester’s history.