Travelling through Manchester Coach Station and looking for somewhere to eat or grab a coffee nearby?
Finding somewhere to eat while travelling can already involve a lot of planning, and missing or unclear accessibility information can add another list of questions. Is there step-free access? How wide is the doorway? Is there an accessible toilet? How much clear space is there inside?
Manchester city centre has plenty of restaurants, cafés and bars near the coach station, but the accessibility features available can vary significantly from one venue to another.
Using detailed accessibility information available on the Sociability app, we've rounded up a selection of places to eat with detailed accessibility information near Manchester Coach Station where you can check the access before deciding where works best for you.
Accessibility information can change, so we always recommend checking the latest venue information before travelling.
Accessible places near Manchester Coach Station at a glance
Venue | Entrance | Accessible toilet information | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
Madre Manchester | Built-in ramp, small raised edge | Yes, step-free, but transfer space obstructed | Tightly spaced seating in places |
Shoryu Ramen Manchester | Wide double doors, small bump | Yes, step-free, wide routes | Outdoor route may have obstructions |
The Alchemist New York Street | Wide glass doors, small bump | Yes, step-free, RADAR key, right-hand transfer | Some seating tightly spaced |
Slug & Lettuce Piccadilly Manchester | Built-in ramp, small bump | Yes, step-free | Some internal areas have steps |
Café 19 | Small bump, wide manual door | Yes, step-free, left-hand transfer | Some tables recorded as obstructed |
Lass O'Gowrie Manchester | Wide double doors, small bump | Recorded as small, narrow and obstructed | Some seating reached via two steps |
Starbucks Coffee Company | Automatic wide doors, small bump | Yes, RADAR key, right-hand transfer obstructed | Order at counter or via app |
Caffè Nero | Two wide entrances, small bump | Via stairs or platform lift only | Ramped outdoor seating available |
Madre Manchester
Madre Manchester on Chorlton Street has a built-in entrance ramp, wide doors and an accessible toilet recorded on Sociability.
The main entrance has a built-in ramp, with a small raised edge and wide manual doors. Inside, there are wide routes and seated-height tables, although some of the seating is tightly spaced.
There is also a gender-neutral accessible toilet with step-free access, grab rails, a lowered sink and emergency cord. It is worth knowing that the transfer space was recorded as obstructed when the venue was mapped.
There is outdoor seating too, although there is a small raised edge on the route to the outdoor space.
Access at a glance: Built-in entrance ramp, wide doors, wide internal routes, seated-height tables and step-free accessible toilet.
Shoryu Ramen Manchester
If ramen is more your thing, Shoryu Ramen Manchester has a wide double-door entrance with a small bump or raised edge.
Inside, there are wide routes and table service, although some seating is tightly spaced.
The outdoor dining area has step-free access, but there may be some obstructions along the routes between tables.
Shoryu also has a step-free gender-neutral accessible toilet with wide routes and an emergency cord.
Access at a glance: Small entrance bump, wide doors, wide internal routes, table service, step-free outdoor seating and accessible toilet.
The Alchemist New York Street
The Alchemist New York Street is another venue with detailed accessibility information available on Sociability.
The entrance has wide manual glass doors with a small bump or raised edge.
Once inside, the main areas are step-free with wide routes and table service. There is a mixture of seating, including seated-height tables, although some sections are more tightly spaced.
The accessible toilet has step-free access and includes a RADAR-key door, grab rails, a lowered sink, right-hand transfer space and an emergency cord.
There is also an outdoor eating and drinking area.
Access at a glance: Small entrance bump, wide doors, step-free main areas, wide routes, table service and RADAR-key accessible toilet.
Slug & Lettuce Piccadilly Manchester
Slug & Lettuce Piccadilly Manchester has a wide entrance with a built-in ramp and a small bump or raised edge.
There are several different internal areas. Some are step-free with seated-height tables and a range of seating, while other areas involve steps, so it is worth checking where your table will be when booking.
There are generally wide routes through the venue and a step-free gender-neutral accessible toilet with a wide doorway, grab rails and emergency cord.
Access at a glance: Built-in entrance ramp, wide doorway, step-free seating areas and accessible toilet, although some parts of the venue have steps.
Café 19
For a daytime café option, Café 19 on Lever Street has a small bump at the main entrance.
The doorway is wide and manual, while inside there are wide routes and seated-height tables. Some tables were recorded as obstructed, so the amount of clear space varies around the café.
The outdoor seating area is step-free too.
Café 19 also has a step-free gender-neutral accessible toilet with a wide doorway, grab rails, lowered sink and left-hand transfer space.
Access at a glance: Small entrance bump, wide doorway, wide routes, seated-height tables, step-free outside seating and accessible toilet.
Lass O'Gowrie Manchester
Lass O'Gowrie Manchester is a traditional pub option on Charles Street.
The main entrance has wide manual double doors with a small bump.
There is seating available inside and outside, although the Sociability information records some tight or uneven routes. One side area also has two steps, so not every section of the pub is step-free.
The toilet was recorded as small, narrow and obstructed, which may be important if you need more internal or transfer space.
Access at a glance: Wide entrance with a small bump and some step-free seating areas. Internal routes vary, and the toilet was recorded as small, narrow and obstructed.
Starbucks Coffee
If you just need a quick coffee before or after your coach, Starbucks Coffee is another option with detailed access information available.
The entrance has wide automatic double doors with a small bump.
Inside, the routes are wide and there are seated-height counters, as well as the option to order at the counter or through the app.
There is a step-free gender-neutral accessible toilet requiring a RADAR key, with grab rails, a lowered sink and pull cord. The right-hand transfer space was recorded as obstructed.
Access at a glance: Automatic wide entrance doors, small bump, wide routes, seated-height counters and step-free RADAR-key accessible toilet.
Caffè Nero
Caffè Nero on Portland Street has two wide double-door entrances, both with a small bump or raised edge.
The main entrance also has a call-for-assistance button.
Inside, routes are wide and there is a step-free back seating area alongside a mixture of tables and seating. Outdoor seating is available via a ramped route.
There is a gender-neutral accessible toilet, although access to it is either via stairs or a small platform lift. If you rely on step-free toilet access, this is something worth checking with the venue before visiting.
Access at a glance: Wide entrances, assistance button, wide internal routes and ramped outdoor seating. Accessible toilet reached using a small platform lift or stairs.
What should you check before choosing somewhere to eat?
Accessibility isn't one-size-fits-all.
Two wheelchair users can look at exactly the same venue information and make completely different decisions about whether it works for them.
Before choosing somewhere to eat near Manchester Coach Station, it can be useful to check:
whether the entrance is completely level or has a small threshold
whether doors are automatic or manual
how wide the routes are inside
what type of seating is available and how much space there is around it
whether the accessible toilet is reached via a step-free route
which areas of the venue are step-free and which require steps
This is why detailed access information is so much more useful than simply labelling a venue "accessible".
Getting to and from Manchester Coach Station
Manchester Coach Station on Chorlton Street is staffed, and National Express advises contacting its Assisted Travel team in advance if you have specific access requirements for your coach journey, since wheelchair access on most coaches is via a passenger lift at the front entrance.
Manchester Piccadilly and St Peter’s Square are also nearby, with rail and tram connections if you’re continuing your journey.
Frequently asked questions
Which places near Manchester Coach Station have a step-free accessible toilet?
Madre, Shoryu Ramen, The Alchemist, Slug & Lettuce, Café 19 and Starbucks all have a step-free accessible toilet recorded on Sociability, though some have obstructed transfer space worth checking in advance.
Which venues have step-free seating throughout?
Madre, Shoryu Ramen and The Alchemist have step-free routes through their main areas recorded on Sociability, while venues such as Slug & Lettuce and Lass O'Gowrie have some seating areas reached by steps.
Does Manchester Coach Station itself have accessible facilities?
Yes. Manchester Coach Station on Chorlton Street is staffed, with wheelchair access to most National Express coaches via a passenger lift, and National Express recommends contacting its Assisted Travel team in advance of travel.
Which venues have barriers around accessible toilet access?
Lass O'Gowrie's toilet was recorded as small, narrow and obstructed, while Caffè Nero's accessible toilet is reached via stairs or a small platform lift rather than a completely step-free route. Check the individual listings to decide whether those features work for your access needs.
Do I need to book ahead for step-free seating near Manchester Coach Station?
It isn't always required, but for venues with mixed step-free and stepped seating, such as Slug & Lettuce, letting the venue know you need a step-free seating area when booking can help them allocate an appropriate table.
Georgina Grogan
Georgina is the Community Engagement Officer at Sociability. Bringing 12 years of lived experience as a Disabled content creator, she handles SEO and blog writing to successfully build and engage our community
