Launching in September in the Island Building, just off John Dalton Street and moments from King Street, The Counter is the latest opening from Open Restaurant Group, the hospitality collective led by restaurateurs Sam and Emma Morgan alongside Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan.
Set within one of Manchester city centre’s most iconic dining addresses, a site long associated with the city’s restaurant scene, The Counter promises to bring a new energy and creativity to Manchester dining. Bold, theatrical and unmistakably Mancunian, it is designed to become the place where the city’s worlds of music, fashion, sport, media and hospitality collide.
The Counter has been conceived as a high-energy all-day dining destination where guests can drop in for breakfast meetings, long lunches, late-night dinners and cocktails that turn into even later nights. There are no rules here, instead, The Counter is built around the idea of eating the way people actually want to eat, sharing dishes, ordering instinctively, staying longer than planned and returning regularly.
Occupying approximately 1,700 sqm, the 62-cover restaurant has been designed internally by the Open Restaurant Group team, with Amspec optimising the expansive space.
Counter’s interiors will blend understated luxury with urban warmth, polished concrete floors, olive and cream tones, aged brass detailing, leather and rich textured finishes sit alongside dramatic lighting and statement design pieces.
At the centre of the restaurant, guests will dine beneath towering four-metre elm trees, bringing the outdoors in. Curved booth seating, a dramatic brass wine display and an entirely open-plan layout are designed to create movement, energy and theatre throughout the space.
A chef’s counter seating six to eight guests directly at the pass will offer one of the city’s most sought-after reservations, placing diners at the heart of the action and creating direct interaction between chefs and guests – something Open Restaurant Group are renowned for. Outside, a 20-cover terrace will spill onto the pavement, adding another layer of atmosphere to one of Manchester city centre’s busiest social corners.
The restaurant will also feature dedicated meat and fish dry-ageing cabinets alongside a full-scale rotisserie, something rarely seen at this level in Manchester, which will become one of The Counter’s defining centrepieces. Far beyond traditional rotisserie chicken, large joints of meat, whole cuts, seasonal game, slow-roasted fish and changing produce-led specials cooked over fire will be served theatrically throughout the restaurant. Designed around abundance, sharing and spectacle, the rotisserie offering will evolve with the seasons and anchor The Counter’s Sunday lunch experience, bringing back a sense of occasion and indulgence.
Led by Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan, The Counter’s menus will centre around bold flavours, exceptional produce and dishes designed for sharing. There will be no traditional starters, mains and desserts. Instead, guests will build their own experience, ordering freely, and socially. Menus will evolve throughout the day, from breakfast flatbreads and relaxed daytime dishes through to rotisserie-led feasting, large sharing plates and nostalgic desserts like the knickerbocker glory with theatrical touches.
The drinks programme is being led by Jake Nutt, returning to Open Restaurant Group after roles at Ynyshir and Gwen. Cocktails will sit alongside premium spirits, local beers and a strong focus on English wines and regional producers, with Manchester-brewed beers, gins and locally sourced ingredients woven throughout the offering.
Music will play a central role in shaping the atmosphere, with carefully curated soundtracks, DJs and intimate live performances helping create the feeling of an always-on creative hub.
Manchester has long shaped global music, fashion and nightlife culture, yet the city has often lacked the kind of ambitious, design-led restaurant that genuinely feels built for its creative community. The restaurant which sees around 30 new jobs created, has been conceived as a meeting point for Manchester’s creative industries, somewhere for label meetings, post-show dinners, Sunday lunches, industry hangouts and spontaneous late-night tables.
Future plans also include chef residencies, collaborations and rooftop takeovers curated by Open Restaurant Group across weekends.
Sam Morgan said:
“Manchester is one of the greatest cities in the world for music, creativity and culture. We wanted to create a restaurant that genuinely reflects that energy. The Counter is about atmosphere as much as food. It’s glamorous but still grounded. High quality but relaxed. Somewhere people can come three times a week, whether that’s for breakfast, drinks, dinner or a long Sunday lunch. We want this to feel like a restaurant Manchester can really own.”
Executive Chef Andrew Sheridan added:
“The food at The Counter is all about cooking the things we genuinely love eating. There are no restrictions and no rules. We want guests to order naturally, share everything, stay longer and enjoy the experience. It’s ingredient-led, produce-led and chef-led, but most importantly it’s fun.”
The Counter Manchester will officially open in September 2026 and marks the first stage of a wider rollout for the concept across major UK cities.