Big Mamma to open first Manchester restaurant in Gary Neville's development

Big Mamma is finally heading to Manchester to open its first restaurant in the north of England in June.

The fast-growing group, known for its viral Italian dishes and gaudy restaurant interiors, has taken a site in Gary Neville’s £400m No 1 St Michael’s development in the city centre.

Its 280-seat Circolo Popolare restaurant will be designed to evoke a huge alfresco restaurant on the island of Sardinia. The walls will be covered in glass bottles and jasmine, the ceiling will be decorated with eucalyptus and the room will be filled with antique trinkets and an Italian wishing well.

An upstairs “terracotta den” will allow guests to see into the kitchen, where chefs will prepare a sharing menu to include British seafood, Neapolitan pizza and a whole tray of tiramisu served tableside.

It will be the first north of England restaurant for Big Mamma, which was founded in Paris by Victor Lugger and Tigrane Seydoux in 2013 and now employs 2,200 people across 27 restaurants in Europe.

It has opened five London restaurants since 2019, with interiors including framed Speedos, two-way toilet mirrors and statues of the Virgin Mary. Its first Birmingham site launched late last year.

Seydoux told The Caterer he was eyeing sites in Manchester in 2023. He said the UK had become the group’s de facto headquarters and saw potential for further sites in London and across the country.

Big Mamma was valued at £233m in 2023 when private equity firm McWin took a majority stake in the business.

The group’s success saw Lugger and Seydoux win the Restaurateur of the Year Catey in 2023.

The St Michael’s scheme will also be home to Manchester’s first luxury W Hotel, which is due to open in 2027.