A new two-floor Latin American-inspired restaurant and bar is set to land in Manchester’s Northern Quarter this September, bringing open-fire cooking, tequila, mezcal and a serious sound system to the city centre.
Dahlia comes from WANT STUDIOS, the creative team behind Ramona and The Firehouse, and will bring together three distinct spaces under one roof.
At the heart of it is Barbacoa Cósmica, an open-fire kitchen drawing on cooking traditions from across Latin America and the southern states of America. Expect freshly made tortillas, charbreads and generous sharing plates, with the menu taking inspiration from San Diego and Jalisco through to Mexico City and Oaxaca.
There’ll be front-row seats at the kitchen counter, where chefs will cook over the flames and send dishes straight from the grill to the table.
Then there’s Bar Más Bonita, a central Liquorita specialising in tequila, mezcal, rum and Latin spirits, alongside Dahlia Stereo, an intimate, music-first space built around a bespoke sound system.
Executive Chef Will Taplin, the original chef behind Ramona and The Firehouse, says the food has been shaped by the team’s travels across Latin America.
"Barbacoa Cósmica is the result of everything we have experienced and loved during our travels across Latin America. It is generous, energetic and completely driven by flavour," he said.
"If something is on the menu, it is because we genuinely love it, and we hope Manchester will love it too."
After 9pm, things shift towards the music. Dahlia Stereo will welcome some of the city’s best selectors, with Gilles Peterson, Quantic, Gia Fu, DJ Die and Joey Thor already confirmed to play throughout September. The programme has been curated by two familiar names on Manchester’s music scene, Jonjo Williams of Maribou State and Rich Reason of Hit & Run. The centrepiece is a bespoke sound system handmade by Hatchett Sound, with the venue’s acoustics and system technically designed by Jonny ‘Oppo’ of Neuron Audio. The aim is to deliver crisp, room-filling sound across both floors without losing the intimacy of the space.
"We want to create the energy of an intimate club within a bar and restaurant," says Jonjo Williams. "We are deliberately keeping capacity below 250 so the experience always feels personal, immersive and connected. Dahlia has been designed by the best DJs for the best DJs, but ultimately it has been created for anyone who truly loves music."