Pho, the popular Vietnamese street food restaurant, has completed on its contract at Corn Exchange this week, as did Byron – the famous ‘proper’ hamburger restaurant.
As Corn Exchange gears up to become the North West dining destination, Pho has already started fitting out and Byron is due to start later this month.
Manchester – one of the UK’s hottest dining places
Pho has confirmed to open its first site in Manchester and its second in the North, alongside Leeds. The restaurant, which specialises in the national dish of Vietnam (pho), will open late this summer and will seat more than 200 diners across three floors. Along with their signature dish, Pho in Manchester will also feature authentic Vietnamese street foods like spring and summer rolls, spicy salads, fragrant curries, and wok-fried noodles for eat-in and Pho To Go, as well as beers, coffees, fresh juices and cocktails.
Its 4,500 sq feet unit will take design inspiration from the rough and ready street food stalls in Vietnam to create an authentic yet contemporary, comfortable dining space.
Stephen Wall, founder/owner of Pho, said: “Manchester is now one of the hottest places in the UK in terms of dining out, and we’re really excited to be opening in Corn Exchange – an iconic building that’s been begging for redevelopment for years. It promises to be a fantastic eating and drinking destination and we’re hopeful that Pho will fit right in.”
Temple to food in Manchester
Well-known within the Manchester restaurant scene with restaurants in Piccadilly Gardens and Deansgate, Byron serve hamburgers the way they should be: Scottish beef, ground fresh, cooked medium and served in a soft, squishy bun. The Byron restaurant at Corn Exchange will also offer craft beer on tap.
Every Byron’s design is unique, with the Corn Exchange restaurant inspired by the architectural grandeur of Grand Central station.
“We’re really looking forward to opening in the magnificent Corn Exchange. It’s an iconic site, and will be a temple to food in Manchester, so it’s exciting to be part of the building’s future,” says Byron’s founder, Tom Byng.
High interest in the Exhange
Following the plans from the Aviva Investors Property Trust, owners of Corn Exchange Manchester and developers Queensberry Real Estate to revitalise the building and transform it into one of the UK’s best dining facilities, interest has been high with all but one of the units being confirmed.
In addition to this, two of London’s most popular restaurant brands – Mexican street food eatery, Wahaca, and casual Italian restaurant, Vapiano, – have confirmed plans to open their first sites outside the capital.
These exciting signings will also be joined by quirky and unique firsts for Manchester – casual dining and drinking lounge, The Cosy Club; Brasilian Barbecue Restaurant, Cabana; and Banyan Bar and Kitchen.
To further strengthen the dining offering, the lineup will include a newly re-imagined Salvi’s as well as a new concept (yet to be announced) from Individual Restaurant Company. All will combine to turn the historic building in Manchester city centre into a must-visit destination for food lovers.
The building is set to be completed with the first restaurants opening in July 2015.