The 165-cover restaurant is bringing Korean BBQ to Manchester on a large scale
The UK’s largest Korean BBQ restaurant will open at Piccadilly Plaza this Friday(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
It’s been more than two years since the former M&S Simply Food store beside Piccadilly Gardens closed its doors, but later this week it will reopen again under a totally new guise.
When the huge corner unit on the corner of Parker Street and Mosley Street officially opens its doors this Friday (October 10), it will be the UK’s ‘largest’ Korean BBQ restaurant.
The new dining spot is sister restaurant to Bullgogi Notting Hill, by restaurateur Jae Cho, founder of Maguro Group which is also behind viral Korean street food brand Bunsik, which opened in Piccadilly Gardens in 2023.
Expanding its presence in the city, the 165-cover restaurant joins similar Manchester concepts such as Azuma, Ban Di Bul, and Annyeong, but on a larger scale as guests cook premium meat, seafood and vegetables at their own tabletop grill.
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As well as a menu dedicated to BBQ, specialties and sides, the venue will also launch with a choice of authentic Korean dishes including Bibimbap, Korean pancakes and signature noodles, paired with Soju-based cocktails.
The restaurant takes over the unit formerly occupied by the M&S Simply Food store (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
While the restaurant is currently in its soft launch phase until Thursday (October 9), and offering 30% off its BBQ menu items until 31 October, it will open fully on Friday, and we took a look around the reimagined space.
The industrially designed restaurant space features a slick and paired back design with a number of booths, tables and chairs and feature bar.
Each table is fitted with its own tabletop grill and extraction fan for when customers start cooking. There’s also a digital interactive menu on a mounted tablet at each table for help customers peruse at the leisure through the menus and order without waiting.
Inside the The UK’s ‘largest’ Korean BBQ restaurant in Manchester (Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
The kitchen is being overseen by South Korean-born chef Hans Boo, who brings over a decade of culinary expertise and a passion for sharing authentic Korean flavours with his guests.
Their Manchester team will be overseen by General Manager Kadi Voolaine, who has been part of Bullgogi in London for over three years and now takes on the leadership of the new Northern site.
Bullgogi blends Bull, a symbol of strength and vitality, with Gogi, the Korean word for meat, which nods to the BBQ menu spanning meat such as ribeye, sirloin and LA Galbi (short rib), as well as sliced pork belly and Iberico collar and jowl.
The tables are fitted with grills for customers to cook their own cuts of meat(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
With the marinated options such as Bulgogi and the spicy pork and chicken, it’s advised to cook these second to the above meats and let rest on the side of the grill.
Non-meat options include king prawns and grilled vegetables, served alongside a variety of salad, kimchi, pickles and preserves to further elevate the BBQ dishes that customers can cook themselves.
Traditional Korean side dishes meanwhile include prawn, kimchi and cheese pancakes and beef tartare, as well as Korean fried chicken, and Gyeran-jjim – a steamed egg dish. There’s also dumplings, truffle chips and spicy squid to choose from.
Bullgogi blends Bull, a symbol of strength and vitality, with Gogi, the Korean word for meat, which nods to the BBQ menu spanning meat such as ribeye, sirloin and LA Galbi (short rib), as well as sliced pork belly and Iberico collar and jowl(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
As well as the popular bibimbap there’s also the chance to order cooked dishes to the table including Doenjjang-Jijgae, a style of soybean stew, kimchi fried rice, and Sundubu-jjigae – a soft tofu stew.
Diners can also try the Hansang Set Lunch Menu, inspired by sang (a traditional Korean low dining table), which presents a complete meal on a single tray with a main dish such as Bibimbap, Kimchi Jjigae or Spicy Pork, served alongside a selection of side dishes.
Signature noodles meanwhile include Gim Guksu, buckwheat noodles with seaweed and perilla oil, and Kal Bibim Myun, wide wheat noodles in a spicy sauce with tender squid and perilla seed powder.
Traditional Korean side dishes meanwhile include prawn, kimchi and cheese pancakes and beef tartare, as well as Korean fried chicken, and Gyeran-jjim – a steamed egg dish(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Alongside its signature Korean BBQ, refreshments are also well considered with a variety of Soju-based cocktails and Somaek, a popular beer cocktail made by mixing Soju and beer.
A combo deal pairs bottles of Soju and Korean beer, allowing guests to build their own perfect Somaek.
There’s also a range of soft drinks such as Sikhye, a traditional sweet Korean rice beverage, plus Korean pear juice, aloe juice, and Milkis – a South Korean milk-based beverage.
The UK’s largest Korean BBQ restaurant will open at Piccadilly Plaza on Friday (October 10)(Image: Jason Roberts /Manchester Evening News)
Diners can finish off their meal with honey ginger tea or plum tea, or ice cream in flavours including Mochi, Yakgwa and Vanilla, and Vanilla.
Bullgogi will open for a soft launch between 3-9 October, welcoming walk-ins only. They will also be celebrating the restaurant’s arrival in Manchester with 30% off the BBQ menu until October 31.
Bullgogi will open for reservations with a full menu and takeaway service from Friday 10 October. The restaurant will be open Monday to Thursday, 12pm until 10:30pm, Friday and Saturday, 12pm until 11pm, and Sunday, 12pm until 10pm.
Bullgogi, 6A Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4AH.