The co-located shows attracted a high-calibre of visitors alongside leading exhibitors and speakers

Northern Restaurant & Bar (NRB), and lunch! NORTH, both sponsored by Uber Eats, have concluded another successful edition, welcoming 10,120 visitors across two days at Manchester Central on 10th and 11th March 2026.

With over 300 food, drink, tech and equipment suppliers showcasing the very best innovation across the sector, the co-located shows continue to cement their position as the biggest hospitality trade event in the North.

The event attracted a high-calibre audience of operators, buyers and decision-makers from across the hospitality industry, who engaged with exhibitors alongside its strongest keynote programme yet, with headline interviews and panels tackling the biggest issues facing the sector.

On day one, NRB proved its value as a forum of honest conversation in the industry, with UKHospitality CEO Allen Simpson using his exclusive interview to deliver a frank assessment of the pressures facing the sector, from rising business rates to National Insurance costs - while making a forceful case for hospitality’s irreplaceable role in the UK economy and its power to influence the political agenda ahead of the next election.

Industry leaders continued the conversation across the programme. Hawksmoor CEO and Co-Founder Will Beckett discussed the brand’s expansion into new cities and communities, including its US sites, and how it maintains a consistent culture across locations. Meanwhile, double Michelin-starred chef Kenny Atkinson shared his journey to becoming one of the UK’s most celebrated chefs and spoke about opening his latest restaurant in London.

Day two opened with a keynote from KAM founder Katy Moses on ‘Feeding the Mounjaro Generation’, exploring how the growing prevalence of GLP-1 medications – now used by approximately 10% of the population – is already affecting customer behaviour and will have an immediate, tangible impact on hospitality menus.

Across the show floor, the Chef Live Theatre showcased culinary talent from across the North including Shaun Moffat (Winsome, Manchester), Nina Matsunaga (Black Bull, Sedbergh), Ahmed Abdalla (The Grand, York), and Jamie Pickles (Stow / Trof, Manchester), while the Pub & Bar Theatre hosted discussions focused on pub leadership, drinks trends and operational challenges facing operators.

One of the most anticipated moments of the event was the return of the Kuits NRB Top Fifty, now in its thirteenth year. The prestigious list celebrates 50 outstanding hospitality operators across the North, recognised for both their commercial success and critical acclaim. Special achievement awards were presented to Nell’s Pizza, Cheshire Cat Pub & Bars, and Moor Hall Restaurant with Rooms.

Running alongside NRB for its second year, lunch! NORTH continued to build on the momentum of its successful 2025 launch, bringing together the North’s café, coffee shop and food-to-go community for two days of insight, inspiration and networking.

GAIL’s Managing Director Nick Ayerst gave an exclusive interview sharing insight into the brand’s continued growth and positioning within the market. Panels across the two days covered coffee shop leadership, new site openings and menu innovation.

Another standout session featured Knoops CEO William Gordon-Harris, who spoke about the brand’s rapid growth and distinctive business model, which combines immersive in-store experiences with strong online retail and gifting sales. The brand is also focused on opening locations in underserved communities, aiming to build local ecosystems rather than concentrating solely on major cities.

Reflecting on the event’s success, Chris Brazier, Group Event Director for NRB,, stated: “NRB26 proved once again why this show is the heartbeat of northern hospitality. The conversations happening on the show floor and in the theatres this year felt particularly charged - operators are navigating real challenges, and yet the energy, ambition and innovation on display was remarkable. We can't wait to do it all again in March 2027.”

Katie Tyler, Event Director for lunch! NORTH, added: “Seeing lunch! NORTH build real momentum in its second year has been incredibly rewarding. The community that we’re building around this event - the coffee shops, the food-to-go operators, the independent café owners - is exactly what we hoped for when we launched. The conversations this year went deeper, the connections felt stronger, and we're excited about where the show goes from here.”

Nick Ayerst, Managing Director at GAIL’s and keynote speaker at the show, commented: “lunch! NORTH is a brilliant event. The energy, the innovation, and the quality of suppliers made it an unmissable two days."

Sam Grainger, Head Chef at Madre/Salon Madre/Belzan and demonstrator at Chef Live, also commented: “This year's NRB was the best one yet, the panels were really informative and gave such a positive view on hospitality in such a turbulent time. A much needed positive boost for the Hospitality Sector.”

Katie Colvin, Marketing Director UK & IE at illycaffè and an exhibitor at lunch! NORTH commented: “A highlight of the calendar. lunch! NORTH is the perfect launchpad for new products, industry connections, and celebrating everything great about coffee."

Dave Mansbridge, MD at Mercury Support and exhibitor at NRB also said: “We had a fantastic time exhibiting at NRB. The show continues to go from strength to strength - it genuinely gets better year on year. The energy across the event was brilliant, and we had some great conversations with operators. We’ve come away with some really positive leads to follow up. We’ve already secured our spot for next year, which says it all really. In our view, it’s the best trade show in the hospitality calendar. See you next year!”

The date for next year’s Northern Restaurant & Bar and lunch! NORTH has already been set, with 2027 marking the 25th anniversary of NRB. The shows will take place on 9th–10th March 2027 at Manchester Central.

To register your interest in attending or to book a stand, head to: www.northernrestaurantandbar.co.uk /www.lunchnorth.co.uk