Best Shopping Malls in Borough Arcade Area

"Taking inspiration from London’s Boxpark pop-up, Hatch is a series of colourful shipping-containers housing street food vendors, bars and independent shops. Located right in the middle of Manchester’s student-focused Oxford Road, you’ll often find undergrads enjoying one of Parmageddon’s locally famous chicken-parm sandwiches or devouring Herbivorous’ range of vegan burgers and loaded fries, dripping with barbecue jackfruit. Its ever-changing selection of traders, combined with a price point that’s around the tenner mark, makes this hugely popular hang-out the perfect place to grab a bite to eat without breaking the bank."

"This trendy foodie outlet sits under the flyover near Manchester Met and Manchester University. Strings of exposed light bulbs cast a hipster twinkle over the self-contained courtyard, and there’s a sun-soaked garden filled with long wooden tables where you can while away summer afternoons. Peruse the artisan beers on tap and by the bottle at Öl nanobrewery."

"Award-winning food, drink and retail destination, Hatch, may already be booked up, but has kept 50% of its tables back for walk-ins only from this week, so you can find menus, opening times and more information on the website here."

"Afflecks, 52 Church Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M4 1PW - Visit now. No trip to the Northern Quarter would be complete without a visit to Afflecks Palace, where you’ll find independent shops selling anything from vintage and contemporary fashion through to piercings, as well as superb sweet treats (at Ginger’s Comfort Emporium) and even the tiny Three Minute Theatre on the ground floor."

"A local institution, Affleck’s is a hub for Manchester’s alternative crowd, containing an impressive array of stalls selling everything from fetish gear to DIY jewellery. Pop inside to discover an eclectic array of clothing, jewellery, memorabilia and gifts before sneaking upstairs for a luxury ice cream at Ginger’s Comfort Emporium."

"Affleck’s is a perfect spot for a stylish and unusual photo. It’s also a place, where you can buy a lot of unusual things for a photoshoot or just for yourself. There are some amazing dresses, jewellery and other items that I have never seen anywhere else!"

"For a spot of retail therapy, visit Meadowhall Shopping Centre in the city. It is a large mall featuring all of the chain and designer stores your heart could desire. Meadowhall is Yorkshire’s largest shopping centre, with stores by Armani, House of Fraser and Apple, as well as a large food court to help you recuperate after a day of shopping."

"When it comes to Meadowhall, it covers 1.5 million square feet of floor space and inhabits 280 stores from top independent and international brands that attracts 25 million visitors per year."

"Barton Arcade is a Victorian shopping arcade that has shops and restaurants on the ground floor and offices and administrative spaces on all the other floors. The architecture style is really beautiful and the stairs between floors are stunning as well. Barton Arcade is especially beautiful when it’s empty in the morning hours (just after opening), so you can capture it without the crowds."

"Barton Arcade is a shopping mall in a beautiful Victorian building. There are shops and restaurants on the ground floor and offices on the upper floors. The ceiling is made from cast-iron and glass and gives you the feeling of a botanical garden."

"Situated in the new financial district of Manchester, a few minutes stroll away from Deansgate, Zizzi Italian restaurant in Spinningfields offers some of the finest al fresco dining in Manchester, with views overlooking the River Irwell."

"If you’re in the mood for some Indian vegan cuisine, either to eat in or take away, then look no further than the lovely folk over at Ajanta’s Vegetarian on Chesterfield Road. Their 100 per cent Vegan offering is freshly prepared each day to traditional Punjabi recipes handed down through the generations of Ajanta’s family. Grab one of their fantastic, speciality thali trays for a tenner."

"It’s easy to make vegan Indian food, but it’s difficult to make great vegan Indian food. That’s what separates Ajanta’s Vegetarian from other Indian restaurants in the area: delicious, homecooked, and authentic Punjabi cuisine that’s been passed down from generation to generation. And for the quality of the food on offer, Ajanta’s is unbelievable value."

"It’s 100% vegetarian and 100% traditional, with recipes handed down over generations. From daal, thali trays at just £5 and even curries including Quorn, this veggie spot should be next on your list."

"Zizzi Italian restaurant in Meadowhall shopping centre provides much needed rest and refreshment for the thousands of visitors who flock to the complex every year. Located in the aptly named Oasis dining court, Zizzi has been an instant hit since…"

"Nationwide Italian chain Zizzi is not exactly the last word in cutting-edge culinary cool, but it’s been quick off the mark to introduce some hot ..." Read our full review"

"Popular permanent attractions of The Victorian Gallery and Lark Hill Place (re-creation of a typical northern street during Victorian times), as well as an ever-changing exhibition programme. The Museum also provides activities for children during the…"

"Centre For Chinese Contemporary Art is a unique art gallery with a year-round programme of socially engaged exhibitions, events, and artist residencies. They have over 30 years experience of working with emerging and established artists to provide a space for conversation, debate, and cross-cultural exchange. They are the go-to place to discover new artists and explore relevant global issues from different international perspectives."

"CFCCA reopens with a duo of exhibitions investigating and unpicking themes of belonging, identity and citizenship in a globalised and hyper-connected society. Housed in CFCCA’s Northern Quarter galleries, the exhibitions are just a few minutes’ walk from the Arndale Shopping Centre. Multiplicities in Flux brings together works by contemporary artists Grace Lau and Eelyn Lee in a dialogue around identity and belonging."

"Manchester's Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art will reopen both of its galleries on Wednesday May 19. Exhibitions Multiplicities in Flux and Autopsy of a Home, which originally opened in October, will be back until June 13. Booking is advised at cfcca.org.uk but walk-ups are welcome."

"From personal survivor accounts to common conflict themes, the Imperial War Museums explores the human aspect of war and the effect it has on everyday life before, during and after. Featuring one-off exhibitions as well as a main showcase and connected to other similar museums around the UK, the IWM shines and light on the conflicts Britain and the Commonwealth have been involved in since World War I. Focusing on the many changes war has brought to the UK, from the role of women in society to technology and science advances."

"Over in Salford Quays by the creative hub of MediaCityUK is The Imperial War Museum North. It’s easily accessible from Manchester City Centre by the Metrolink tram service and houses collections that inspect the impact modern conflicts have had on society. Venture inside for a free visit and you’ll find over 2,000 objects, photographs and interactive displays in IWM North’s main exhibition space alone, each telling stories from the First World War onwards."

"The Hepworth Wakefield is also an amazing place to visit, with free entry, you can look at the works of many contemporary artists. The Hepworth Wakefield was built in honor of Barbara Hepworth (1903-1975), one of the few female artists to reach international fame in the early to mid 20th-century. By coming here you can view some of Hepworths rarely seen works."

"One of the most impressive exhibition spaces outside of London, The Hepworth’s architecture is just as spectacular as the collections housed inside. View rare pieces by famed local sculptor Barbara Hepworth, alongside a series of visiting exhibitions."