Gino D’Acampo has announced he is to open a new restaurant and bar in the heart of Manchester, Gino D’Acampo, Manchester.
The new premium Italian restaurant and bar will open at the INNSiDE by Melia Manchester hotel in February, to follow an extensive £800k refurbishment of the First Street venue, which the acclaimed Italian chef’s experienced team currently operates under the First Street Bar & Kitchen brand.
The opening of Gino D’Acampo, Manchester follows the success of Gino’s restaurants in Newcastle and Liverpool, which feature amongst the cities’ most celebrated restaurants and bars and attract a stylish and discerning crowd. The Italian chef also owns and operates upmarket venues in London and Leeds, with three further UK sites planned for 2024.
Designed by acclaimed international restaurant designer Bernard Carroll, the look and feel of the new premium Italian restaurant and bar will be chic and contemporary, with Gino’s signature feature wallpaper, marble topped tables, brass finishes, and ambient lighting introduced throughout the 200-seated open-plan restaurant and bar lounge.
A new designated bar area at the rear of the restaurant, complete with a re-imagined island cocktail bar and its own dedicated entrance and reception area, will better connect the beautiful restaurant to the outdoors.
Here, ceiling-to-floor glass windows flood the space with natural light and will, upon completion, see the restaurant and bar effortlessly flow onto the restaurant’s elevated two-tier terrace and First Street square, home to independent cinema and cultural house HOME, Junkyard Golf, and more
Further investment in the generous 80-seated alfresco drinking and dining area, one of the city’s best kept secrets and a day-round sunspot come summer, will follow in phase two, transforming the area into an all-weather terrace.
Behind the scenes, modifications to the restaurant’s kitchen will enable Gino and his esteemed team of chefs to bring his full menu to INNSiDE Manchester, including the Italian chef’s coveted real Neapolitan pizzas, signature dishes, and new table theatre plates, which further enhance the guest experience.
Designed personally by Gino, the menu will be fitting for its location, encompassing classic Italian dishes prepared from scratch and with a focus on quality and ingredient provenance. The drinks menu, curated by Gino’s expert sommeliers, will feature an impressive list of expertly crafted cocktails, Italian and international wines, Prosecco, Franciacorta, spirits, and artisan beers.
Speaking on the announcement, Gino D’Acampo said: “I couldn’t be more pleased to announce plans for Gino D’Acampo at INNSiDE Manchester. I have a long relationship with the city having opened one of my first restaurants here almost ten years ago and I’m delighted to return to the heart of Manchester, as planned. It has always been our intention to open a Gino here, at the beautiful INNSiDE Manchester hotel, and I’m looking forward to launching this early next year.
“The First Street area combines all that I love about Manchester – ease of reach to cool music venues, art, and culture. As an Italian with a love for alfresco dining, I’m looking forward to enjoying a real Neapolitan pizza and negroni (or two) on the terrace this summer. I hope to see you there.”
The opening will be Gino’s third collaboration with INNSiDE by Meliá, part of Spain’s largest hotel group Meliá Hotels International, with the restaurant and bar harnessing the world-class operating standards for which both premium hospitality operators are recognised.
Garry Fortune, UK Director of Operations at Meliá Hotels International, added: “Gino and his team are a trusted and much respected partner with a proven track record for delivering on performance. We are thrilled to continue our work together with the opening of Gino D’Acampo Manchester, our third collaboration in the North.”
