Karen’s Diner, a restaurant concept where people pay good money for deliberately rude service, has suddenly closed the doors to its Manchester location.
The interactive diner opened in Prestwich in 2022, staffed by waiters who would make jokes at customers’ expense.
A night at Karen’s Diner could include ketchup squirted directly onto a table, insults written onto paper hats and jammed on your head, or being made to parade around the restaurant being taunted.
Sounds… lovely, right?
The Karen’s Diner concept first launched in Australia and had been going down a storm in Manchester, where the space was kitted out like a retro American diner.
But it appears it has closed down with immediate effect while the group concentrates on pop-up experiences instead of permanent restaurants.
The news comes a few months after the Karen’s Diner site on Bury New Road appeared on Rightmove, but at that time, the restaurant said it had no intention of closing.
In a statement, a spokesperson thanked all the customers who have visited the restaurant and assured those with bookings that they will be contacted shortly.
It also hosted an event with Katie Hopkins, which is a step too far to the controversial if you ask me.
A spokesperson for Karen’s Diner said: “As it stands the initial licence agreement has come to an end and our head office wants the UK operation to concentrate on ‘pop up’ events rather than restaurants. In the current climate reluctantly we can understand their decision.
“When the business opened in Prestwich critics said that is was “far too far out the way” and we want to thank the 100,000 + customers that have proved them wrong.
“The group is undergoing a reconstruction which will see the brand appearing in its pop up form all over Britain.
“Our admin team will ensure that customers with bookings will be informed of next steps.”
Lively Irish pub Nancy Spains set to open in Manchester for the first time
Daisy Jackson
An Irish bar famed for its live music is heading up to Manchester for the first time, and is promising £2.50 pints to lure us in.
Nancy Spains will be venturing out of London for the first time promising to bring the ‘ultimate traditional Irish pub experience’ to the Northern Quarter.
If you were to ask what the hottest trend in hospitality is right now the answer would, apparently, be Guinness. We’re drowning in the stuff.
This latest opening is more about Murphy’s, another Irish stout, than Guinness (they actually won’t serve Guinness at all) but the craic will be much the same.
Nancy Spains is actually set to open almost directly opposite the aforementioned Salmon of Knowledge, taking over the former Corner Boy unit on Stevenson Square in the heart of Manchester.
To celebrate its opening, the pub will be serving its first 5000 pints of Murphy’s for just £2.50, so that it can show off the atmosphere that’s established it as ‘one of London’s favourite pubs’.
They’re promising an array of Irish whiskeys behind the bar, live music performances, and a lively late-night setting.
Nancy Spains was set up by three brothers who travelled all over their home county of rural Kerry researching Irish pubs, before launching two venues down in London.
They want it to balance a traditional pub with the vibrancy of the city.
Peter O’Halloran, co-founder of Nancy Spains commented, “We’re so excited to be launching in Manchester, bringing Nancy Spains to the heart of the Northern Quarter.
“After the success of our two venues in London, it was only right to bring Nancy Spains’ infectious spirit and Irish pride to Manchester. Slainte!”
Nancy Spains will open its first Manchester pub on Saturday 15 March at 21 Hilton Street.
Lucky Mama’s – The Italian restaurant serving pasta in a dough bowl and ‘pregnant’ pizzas
Daisy Jackson
Lucky Mama’s is a local sensation, thanks to its slightly whacky but delicious Italian creations like pasta served in a bowl made of pizza dough and its latest offering, a ‘pregnant’ pizza.
What on Earth is a pregnant pizza, you ask? Firstly we should stress this is a nickname we’ve bestowed upon the dish, rather than Lucky Mama’s chosen branding.
But essentially it’s a helping of fresh pasta that’s folded into the bubble crust of the pizza, like a half-calzone.
Lucky Mama’s started life when founders Mamadou Dhiam and Gaby Santos set up a trailer in their backyard in Eccles in the depths of lockdown.
But thanks to a formidably loyal following that’s spread the word of Lucky Mama’s far and wide, it now has two pretty pink restaurants in Greater Manchester.
Back in 2022, they threw open the doors to their Chorlton restaurant, before returning back to home turf for spot number two in Monton in 2024.
The recipes are fresh and pretty authentically Italian up until the last step, when they throw a curveball by loading their pasta into unconventional vessels.
‘Pregnant’ pizzas at Lucky Mama’sTraditional Roman pizzasLucky Mama’s pink restaurant in Chorlton
Their pasta pizza bowls are what they’re best known for and they fly out of the kitchen – this is where pizza dough is placed around a metal bowl before being baked in an oven.
Then it’s piled high with freshly made pasta, with popular flavours like cacio e pepe, mushroom alfredo, and rasta pasta.
Pasta is available in a regular ceramic bowl too.
You’ll find Lucky Mama’s at 565 Barlow Moor Road in Chorlton; and 217 Monton Road in Eccles.
Daisy Jackson -
12th June 2024 
