The restaurant group behind some of Europe’s most Instagram-worthy dining spots is opening in Manchester next week
The restaurant group behind some of Europe’s most Instagram-worthy dining spots is opening in Manchester this June (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Gary Neville’s huge St Michael’s development has been dubbed a ‘defining regeneration project’ for the city centre.
Mr Neville’s company Relentless Developments, alongside high-rise specialist Salboy, is developing the £400m St Michael’s scheme just off Deansgate.
When complete, it will encompass hundreds of new homes, a five-star hotel, a public square, offices and a plethora of food and drink venues, including a rooftop restaurant.
Just a stone’s throw from the Town Hall and Central Library, next to the former Bootle Street police station, it is still very much a construction site, but signs that it is inching closing to opening come in the form of one rather extravagant addition.
View from above of Gary Neville’s proposed St Michael’s development on Jackson’s Row(Image: Manchester Evening News)
Only a few months ago, it was confirmed that the France-based Italian restaurant group Big Mamma would be taking up a unit at the high-end development.
The group, which has almost 30 sites to its name across the UK and the continent, but its new restaurant marks its first in the North of England.
It is also the first time the group has replicated one of its brands in the UK, as it introduces the hugely successful Circolo Popolare concept to Manchester.
French entrepreneurs Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux founded the Big Mamma brand back in 2013, opening East Mamma in Paris in 2015.
Big Mamma now spans 29 unique restaurants in Europe, including Pink Mamma and the huge food market La Felicità in Paris, Giacomo on Larvotto beach in Monaco, and the latest exciting venture in Italy, Gloria in Milan.
Only a few months ago, it was confirmed that the France-based Italian restaurant group Big Mamma would be taking up a unit at the high-end development(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
The brand works directly with 170 producers, constantly exploring new areas of Italian cuisine with each opening, from pizzas to excellent meats from across the boot. Each trattoria has its own ambiance and everything is homemade from the fresh pasta to the delicious gelato.
Billed as a ‘sunny Sicilian trattoria’, the 280-cover restaurant Manchester shares some similarities with the London original, including a mesmerising wall of liqueur bottles, twinkling festoon lighting and menu crossover, but stepping inside you will see that it also boasts its own unique personality – a key pillar for all of Big Mamma’s restaurants.
“Manchester has been a place we have always dreamed of opening in, we’d been admiring this city with its crazy restaurant (and music!) scene for a while now and had been looking out for the perfect location for over three years,” explains Tigrane Seydoux, co-founder of Big Mamma Group.
“We love the energy here. It’s young, fun and vibrant. Manchester has so much going on, not just in terms of the restaurant scene but fashion, sports, plus new emerging brands.
Billed as a ‘sunny Sicilian trattoria’, the 280-cover restaurant Manchester shares some similarities with the London original(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“It’s not just me who has fallen in love with it, but the whole team; you might catch Head Chef Alfonso at Just Between Friends having coffee in the Northern Quarter or Davide our Restaurant Director playing padel.”
“This opportunity within St Michael’s felt too good to miss, the chance to completely craft our own space, but also the challenge of remoulding a very modern building into a restaurant that feels like it’s been there for years, with overgrown jasmine and eucalyptus plus all the Italian antiques, it makes the experience of stepping through the doors completely transportative.”
Tigrane says that Circolo Popolare is all about creating a “lively convivial atmosphere”, and a “trattoria spirit”, which is clearly apparent as you’re ushered into the vast restaurant space.
All of Big Mamma’s restaurants are built around a key moment or experience of Italy. For it’s Manchester branch it’s all about whisking diners off to the island of Sicily and channelling the energy of an Italian party.
All of Big Mamma’s restaurants are built around a key moment or experience of Italy(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“Our in-house interior design team Studio Kiki have sourced numerous trinkets from flea markets across Italy to fill the vast space, as well as silk pendant lights, over 5,000 vintage bottles, and a canopy of eucalyptus trees,” adds Tigrane.
In Manchester, diners will also get to perch at their long marble bar top, or dine in its exclusive private dining room tucked away at the back of the venue, which seats up to 24.
“Upstairs things get more intimate, with a room inspired by a traditional coastal villa, it’s a cosy space filled with terracotta arches and artisan-crafted sun wall lights.”
It is upstairs too where guests can catch a glimpse of Head Chef, Campanian-born Alfonso turning fresh British seafood on the grill, or crafting crispy-soft Neapolitan pizzas.
The brand works directly with 170 producers, constantly exploring new areas of Italian cuisine(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Big Mamma Group opened its first restaurant, East Mamma in Paris a decade ago. Since then, the brand has grown exponentially to encompass a whole host of restaurants such as Gloria Trattoria, Ave Mario, Jacuzzi, and Carlotta – each one more Instagrammable than the last.
They don’t do anything by halves either, every last inch of the restaurant is covered in trinkets, antiques and kitsch souvenirs to make diners feel as if they are sipping a spritz on a sandy Sardinian alcove.
Equally, elements of the space feel reminiscent of a exclusive Italian villa with ceramics, an Italian wishing well and artisan furnishings, all adding to the ambience and eclectic feel of the cavernous venue.
It is upstairs too where guests can catch a glimpse of Head Chef, Campanian-born Alfonso turning fresh British seafood on the grill, or crafting crispy-soft Neapolitan pizzas.(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
The restaurant, which will open for a soft launch next week before a full scale unveiling on June 6, will boast Big Mamma’s largest-ever selection of produce, carefully selected from their 170 family-run Italian artisans.
From the comfort of their seats, diners will be transported to Puglia to taste Salvatore Montrone’s burrata or test their prosciutto knowledge from Parma to San Daniele.
Sharing plates will be washed back with extra large cocktails or shots from the three litre amaro bottle circulating the room. Desserts, or Dolci as it’s known in Italy will include classics such as pistachio tiramisu scooped tableside and a truly astonishing lemon meringue pie slice.
“I also love the huge secondi section, with the freshly grilled Cornish seafood and steaks as well as my personal favourite the Orecchie di Elefante, a Milanese speciality of breaded high welfare rose veal escalope,” reflects Tigrane when asked to decide on his favourite dishes.”
Dolci as it’s known in Italy will include classics such as pistachio tiramisu scooped tableside and a truly astonishing lemon meringue pie slice(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
A restaurant of this scale and ambition certainly reflects that of the development it finds itself within, but there’s no denying that hospitality is in a tough spot with the cost of living crisis, National Insurance contributions and business rate relief support all to consider.
“With the current situation, retaining is the most important way to avoid recruitment, and for Big Mamma, the people, our squadra, are what makes us,” says Tigrane.
“No team, no restaurants. We follow retention and recruit goals every month, with 75% of restaurant management positions coming from internal promotion.
“We have team members who are a living example of this, for example Enrico, our MD, who has been with Big Mamma for 10 years, after starting as a runner at our pop-up in the South of France.
The restaurant features silk pendant lights, over 5,000 vintage bottles, and a canopy of eucalyptus trees(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
“Growing, training and passion are the best way to keep your staff. Whilst making your staff happy is also the best way to recruit, because our staff is the first recruiter: they bring family and friends because they love their career here and the possibilities that Big Mamma provides.”
Circolo Popolare will open on Friday June 6 and, before then, there will be a couple of tables available where those with the fastest fingers can snag 50% off their bill.
Sign up using the link here. Bookings are now live with tables available from next week for the soft launch.