By Angela Green: Gino D’Acampo announces his new Manchester restaurant opening 2024.

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.”

INNSiDE Manchester is located in one of the city’s most vibrant neighbourhoods as part of the First Street development and is ideally situated for both business and leisure guests looking for a city centre destination.

INNSiDE Manchester offers a fresh approach to hospitality, catering for both business and leisure travellers with an eclectic home-from-home feel for guests to explore Manchester’s city centre. The 208-room hotel neighbours the iconic Manchester Central and is located just minutes on foot from all that Manchester has to offer from bustling Deansgate to the creative Northern Quarter.

Each stay is enriched with music, art and wellness curated by the hotel’s local experts and in-keeping with INNSiDE by Melia’s philosophy ‘Stay Curious’, which promises to accommodate guests’ every need with considered comforts and inspiring experiences.

INNSiDE by Meliá has hotels in 37 locations, spread across 16 countries with 7 additional properties in the pipeline.

The Gino D’Acampo restaurants brand is proud to be a part of Upmarket Leisure.  Established in 2021, the premium hospitality group invests in upmarket restaurants and bars in the UK and internationally, together with providing exceptional experiential food and beverage solutions to global hotel partners.

Upmarket Leisure’s growing collection of restaurants and bars includes Luciano by Gino D’Acampo, Gino D’Acampo, 360 Sky Bar, Bar & Kitchen, and London’s iconic Radio Rooftop and Marconi Bar, within five-star luxury lifestyle hotel ME London.  A further three UK destinations are planned for 2024.