Ducie Street Warehouse With a restaurant, bar, terrace, lounge, cinema, function rooms, meeting areas and event spaces, this is a venue to suit all dayparts and most occasions. From creative workshops to DJ nights there is something for everyone under one roof, and it was a great introduction to Manchester’s vibrant social life. The group enjoyed Gooey doughnuts and heard the history of the building and how the DSW brand is being developed.
Dakota A few hundred yards away on Ducie Street, this is one of Manchester’s most popular boutique hotels. As well as luxurious rooms, it raises the bar for hotel food and drink, and the tour party got a look at its new restaurant and summer area. 
Bundobust Tucked away in amongst the bustle of Piccadilly Gardens Bundubust opens from early ’til late serving street food classics alongside craft beers from Bundobust Brewery and friends. This stop on the tour served up some of its popular food-and-drink pairings, including small plates of samosa chaat and fried okra with beers specially brewed to accompany them.
7Sins The halfway point of the safari, this venue on Lever Street in the Northern Quarter is a great example of the competitive socialising venues that have proved so popular in Manchester in recent years. It combines a cocktail and craft beer bar with pool and shuffleboard tables, and is a vibrant playground for those on an adventurous night out.
Foundry Project Like several stops on the tour, this venue flexes its space to suit guests from brunch to late nights. The group saw the results of a recent £500,000 transformation that zones its layout, and enjoyed small plates from hashbrowns to bang bang cauliflower.
Crazy Pedro’s Lively pizza brand Crazy Pedro’s now has three sites—two in Manchester and one in Liverpool—and served up its combination of daily-made dough with creative toppings. From ‘Pedro’s World Famous Hot Dog Pizza’ with hot dog franks, crispy onion, mustard and ketchup, to ‘Fried Chicken + Waffle’ featuring its namesake plus bacon and maple syrup, Crazy Pedros is one of several pizza joints in Manchester keeping more established groups on their toes.
NQ64 The CGA x Omne Safari wrapped up with some retro arcade gaming and themed cocktails at the NQ64 bar. Since launching in Manchester in 2019 it now has 12 sites with more in the pipeline—a growth story that demonstrates how brands that find their feet in the city can go on to have success right across the UK.
James Ashurst, client director at CGA by NIQ, said: “It was great to get up close to Manchester’s vibrant hospitality scene on our Safari with Omne. These seven venues showcased the full creativity and diversity of this dynamic city, and it’s no surprise that they are all flourishing and that many of them have ambitious plans to scale up. Manchester often sets the trends for other cities and operators to follow, and safaris like this are a great way to get the ideas and inspiration that are needed to help all businesses succeed. It was a pleasure to spend some time with the team at Omne and their wider client base – we’re looking forward to the next one!”
CGA’s Safaris and dinner events bring together hospitality leaders for exclusive tours, drinks and discussions. They provide unique opportunities to network with On Premise experts and learn about emerging trends in food, drink and entertainment, supported by the latest CGA data and insights. To learn more about CGA tours and get your opportunity to join the next one, click here.
