Lina Stores Brings 80 Years Of Italian Tradition To Manchester
After eight decades of delighting Londoners, iconic Italian brand Lina Stores has finally ventured north to Manchester.
The brand’s first regional opening has landed on Quay Street, directly opposite the Manchester Opera House in the beautifully refurbished Quoin building. Lina Stores is known for its outstanding delicatessen and restaurants that operate independently, but Lina’s in Manchester is their first venue to house a restaurant, delicatessen and bar all under one roof.
A story that started in Soho
The Lina Stores story actually goes back to Piedmont, the region in north-west Italy where Lina Parisio was born. After both parents passed away, Lina and her siblings moved to London in the 1920s. She soon met her lifelong partner Emilio.
The pair’s passion for authentic Italian food and warm hospitality laid the foundations for their first delicatessen, which they opened in Soho in 1944.
Trading continuously for over 80 years, the brand has built a loyal following across eight London sites and even expanded internationally to Japan. Now Manchester gets to experience that same authentic Italian warmth and quality.
Lina’s ambitious Manchester project
The Manchester venue is Lina Stores' most ambitious project yet. With the all-day restaurant, bar and delicatessen store, it combines successful models in one.
The restaurant centres around fresh, handmade pasta alongside antipasti, sharing secondi dishes and indulgent dolci. An open-theatre kitchen allows guests to watch the chefs at work, adding a little theatre to the dining experience.
The dining area is finished in a mint green and white colour palette to complement Lina’s stand-out branding. There’s also plenty of dark timber and plush booth seating to create an atmosphere perfect for morning coffee through to evening dining.
Lina Stores’ delicatessen offering continues the brand's heritage, with homemade panini, fresh salads, great coffee and tempting desserts.
Hidden at the back is the bar area. With a separate entrance, Bar Lina takes guests to 1960s and 70s Italy with its design of rich red tones, velvet banquettes and mirrored walls. The bar serves classic cocktails alongside modern twists and a fantastic selection of Italian wines – as you’d expect!
Creating the perfect Italian experience
Bringing Lina Stores' vision and full commercial fit out to life from an empty building shell required comprehensive coordination across all building services, including complete HVAC, electrical and plumbing installations alongside bespoke joinery, fixed seating and all wall and floor finishes throughout the venue.
The 150-cover fit out is located in the heart of Manchester city centre, in between Spinningfields and Castlefield. It’s the perfect position to service everyone from business guests grabbing lunch to couples, groups and theatre-goers enjoying pre-show drinks.
The completed Lina Stores is a real bonus for Manchester. Being the chosen city outside of London speaks volumes to Manchester’s growing food reputation.
The project adds to our growing portfolio of hospitality projects, including the upcoming Clays venue in Soho, Flat Iron restaurants in Manchester and London Victoria, plus Mowgli in Newcastle.
