As with last year, it's been a horribly tough time for restaurants in 2021.
Cautious diners and cancelled parties meant that many in the hospitality business lost out on crucial takings in the usually hectic Christmas period.
So with many Manchester faves offering stunning deals in the month ahead - some as much as 50% off food - let's flood our great city's restaurants all through January.
READ MORE: "Death by a thousand cuts" hospitality fears for 2022
Here's a selection of some of the best offers and deals across the city this month.
Gaucho Manchester
The respected grill house is offering a sturdy 30% off its A La Carte menu from Monday to Wednesday through January.
So maybe now's the time to splash out on a chateaubriand the size of a bin lid, or a slightly more refined fillet.
Just quote 'January Bounce Back' on booking.
Nell's Pizza
The pizza success story of 2021, Nell's is offering a blazing 50% off ALL food with a booking.
As savings go, that's a substantial amount of 'dough'... (sorry).
The offer applies at all sites, so that's Common in the Northern Quarter, The Beagle in Chorlton and the new bar at Kampus. Just book through the Nell's website at nellspizza.co.uk/bookings
The Lead Station
Chorlton's eminent bistro is also offering an impressive 50% off for early birds, all through January.
That's Monday to Friday, from 4.30pm to 7pm, via the Lead Station website.
Almost Famous
Sometimes only a burger topped with an actual steak will do (or a heap of french fries laden with 'bacon rain', for that matter).
So that Almost Famous's spots in the Northern Quarter and the Great Northern Warehouse will be offering 50% off all burgers in January, all day Sunday to Friday (ending at 5pm on Fridays), is not to be sniffed at.
Blues Kitchen
Already a Manchester nightlife staple in barely six months of opening, The Blues Kitchen's take on BBQ classics might jettison any attempt at January abstention following Christmas excess.
Nonetheless, a hugely generous 50% off food from Sunday to Thursday, from 4pm onwards, is well worth taking advantage of, notably the buffalo wings and the brisket dip sandwich.
If you're heading there for lunch, they'll be doing a main course and a drink for £10 too.
Embankment Kitchen
The Embankment Kitchen, nestled in the CitySuites aparthotel, will be enticing January diners in with a respectable 30% off your food and drinks bill.
The offers extends to Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, as well as all day on Sunday.
Ducie Street Warehouse
Echoing its hulking exterior, the Ducie Street Warehouse has an equally robust menu courtesy of chef Andrew Green, from an 800g tomahawk sharing steak, to its '24 hour fries' (that's 24 hours from the farm to the plate).
It's offering 50% off all food in January, from Monday to Thursday, with a new vegan menu also launching on January 3.
Bab
The ever-popular upscale kebab joint off Stevenson Square is also joining the 50% off club, with half price 'babs from January 10, Monday to Wednesday (booking is also recommended).
So that's the solid lamb adana, the flat iron with the blue cheese and truffle and the lamb chop kebabs, plus the non-bab offerings, like the chickpea shawarma.
Cibo
Another 50% off comes from Italian spot Cibo.
The offer applies for the A La Carte menu (with some exceptions), runs from Sunday to Thursday through January, and is applied for online bookings only, so check their website for details.
A new branch opens on Great Northern on January 13 too, and will be offering the same discount.
Smithfield Social
Thomas Street's super-smart Smithfield Social will be halving your food bill from 4pm, Monday to Friday through January.
So that's 50% off its small plates like Brixham crab and corn cakes, all the way up to its sturdy Northern Quarter Pounder. Tables are limited to six people, and booking is recommended.
Alvarium and Black Leaf
Both Alvarium and its vegan kitchen beneath, Black Leaf, headed up by chef Grace Stubbs, will be offering 50% off through the whole of January.
But not to be outdone by others offering similar deals, it's also extending it into the first two weeks of February too.
Most impressive.
Elnecot
The Ancoats staple is offering 30% off your entire bill - so that's drinks and food - for the whole of January, though it's excluding its much-feted Sunday roast.
However, pleasingly, it does not exclude its weekend brunch, which comes with the option of bottomless drinks.
The Jane Eyre
Another Ancoats fave, cocktail spot The Jane Eyre will be offering 25% off your total bill this January, so that's food and drink.
Its small plates are a wonder too - from the crispy beef cheek to oozing buratta, with heritage tomatoes and aged balsamic.
The offer runs from Monday to Thursday for the month.
Cottonopolis
NQ standard Cottonopolis is introducing its 'Taste of Cotton' set menu for January.
For £25, you'll get a huge seven courses of its 'house favourites', including sushi, bao buns, robata grilled meats, snacks and desserts, with a drink on arrival thrown in too.
It runs all day from Monday to Thursday, and from 4pm on Sundays.
Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn
From Sunday through to Friday throughout January (all day, up to 5pm on Fridays), burrito joint Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn will be knocking 50% of all of its burritos.
So that's everything from the chicken, beef, chorizo and bacon-loaded Famous AF, for the severely meat dependent, to the Vegarna for the plant lovers.
Manahatta
The Deansgate bar and restaurant is taking 50% off its food for the whole of January, running from Sunday to Friday.
It'll also be launching a new £6 lunch menu - featuring burgers and a breakfast hash - from January too, along with a new bottomless brunch offering.
NAM
Where fans of high end audio and Vietnamese food intersect, Ancoats bar NAM has a few offers going on through January.
It's doing two courses and a cocktail for £25, two for one baos on Bao Bun Mondays, and also Pho Thursdays (a bowl of pho and a Tiger beer for £10). Happy hour also runs Monday to Friday, 4 til 7pm, so that's two cocktails for £12, a bottle of Tiger for £2.50 for a pint of NAM pilsner for £3.
The Brasserie at Harvey Nichols
While you're browsing the January sales, there's another sale going on in the Harvey Nick's brasserie.
From Monday to Thursday, 10am to 5pm, there's 30% off food until January 31st.
Canto
Blossom Street's laid back Mediterranean tapas spot Canto will be offering up three plates for £15 - anything from its braised ox cheek to the moreish salt cod fritters.
That's all day, from Sunday to Thursday all through January.
Banyan Bar & Kitchen
Both branches of the Banyan Bar & Kitchen - in Spinningfields and the Corn Exchange - will be offering a hefty 50% off your food bill in January.
The discount will run from Sunday through to Friday.
Boujee Restaurant and Bar
Kicking off on January 2 through to the end of the month, Bridge Street's upscale bar and restaurant Boujee will be knocking 50% off its food menu.
That includes parties of up to six people, but excludes its sushi platter and the chateaubriand.
