Manchester has a vibrant market scene that encompasses indoor and outdoor locations, traditional and alternative styles, and daily and weekly openings. This proud northern city is famed for its friendly, charismatic inhabitants, so you can expect a warm welcome from local stallholders.
Whether you’re in search of vintage attire, handicrafts, sumptuous saris, secondhand bargains, or meat and cheese fresh from the farm, this roundup of the best markets in Manchester has you covered.
Levenshulme Market
What makes Levenshulme Market unique is that it is a community-run social enterprise and was founded to empower local producers and boost and support the Levenshulme economy. You’ll find more than 40 stalls selling a mixture of produce; food features prominently. The Friday night events feature artisanal beer stalls and live entertainment.
Launched as a monthly market in 2013, Levy (as it is affectionately known) has gone from strength to strength and now takes place weekly on Saturdays between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. (March through December). There’s also a popular night market on the third Friday of the month and a spinoff food market at the University of Manchester — check online for dates and times.
Levy is located between Levenshulme train station and Stockport Road in the south of the city; the fast train from Manchester Piccadilly will get you there in about six minutes.
Afflecks Palace
Afflecks (or Afflecks Palace) occupies a historic redbrick building in Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter. This buzzing indoor market is spread over several floors and hosts independent boutiques and stalls with an edgy, alternative vibe.
The shopping options range from retro posters, vinyl and punk fashion to vintage jewelry and street-art supplies. At Afflecks you can also get a tattoo or a body piercing, settle down for a hypnotherapy session, or even have your beard waxed and trimmed — if you have one, that is.
Altrincham Market & Market House
Easily accessible from Manchester city center via public transportation, the award-winning Altrincham Market (or “Alty” for short) showcases regional makers’ and producers’ talents. You’ll find handicrafts, food and drink, cosmetics, clothes, original artwork and more. Set in and around Market House on Greenwood Street, permanent and temporary stalls are located both indoors and out.
On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, specialty markets focus on themes such as thrifts, antiques, fish and flowers. On the weekends there’s a mixed market (Saturday) and a revolving monthly schedule of design, food, vintage and craft markets (Sunday). You can check online to see which theme is coming up next. Eating options include a bakery as well as a French and a vegan restaurant.
Longsight Market
Longsight Market is located at the junction of Dickenson Road and St. John´s Road in the south of Manchester. This bustling outdoor market has a multicultural vibe, and glorious colors, smells, tastes and sights abound.
Laden stalls offer global foods, spices, jewelry, saris and a host of other delights. Longsight runs a traditional market on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and a mixed (secondhand and new goods) market on Thursdays. There’s also a secondhand market on Tuesdays.
Chorlton Makers Market
On the third Saturday of every month, Chorlton Makers Market sets up at Oswald Road Primary School, next to Chorlton Library, in a suburb southwest of the city center. Stroll around this outdoor market, rummage through the stalls — which offer food, crafts, clothes and other market classics — and chat with the makers directly.
Chorlton has an artsy ambience, so expect to fill your shopping bags with unique handmade goodies.
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