Itâs a calm, crisp morning in Manchester. Youâve just hopped off a train at Levenshulme Station, and now youâre standing on The Street With No Name - sun in your eyes - ready to gorge yourself of the sounds, sights and tastes of the M19.
What do you mean, not believable enough?
Fine.
Thereâs a kind of damp mist that clings to the air - but no rain, somehow. The morning breeze has a bite to it. Itâs not that cold, yet it cuts through every layer of clothing. The sky is pure white - and carries an oppressive weight.
Either way, youâre in Levenshulme.
Youâre off the train. And now you need something to do. Youâve Googled âThings to do in Levenshulmeâ but the top result is telling you to leave right this second, and head straight for Treetop Adventure Golf in the city centre.
Well, donât worry. Weâre here to help. With an actual localâs guide to one day in Levenshulme, with recommendations of things to do that carry an M19 postcode.
Even if you followed this plan to the letter, youâll spend a grand total of 39 minutes ambling between each spot. So when we say you could only follow this guide and have a good time - weâre backing ourselves.
So. Now what?
Without further ado, hereâs our AM to PM itinerary thatâll make sure you have a cracking day and night in Levy - and still make the last train home.
If the weather actually is on your side. Weâd recommend a morning stroll or cycle along the Fallowfield Loop to Highfield Country Park.
Down in the valley, youâd be surprised at how âout-of-the-cityâ it feels. And the tree-lined cycleway is a pleasant wildlife haven, with plenty of birds, blackberries and bees. I saw a stoat, once. That was cool.
Alongside the nature, youâll get a good view of Station South and some of the fantastic graffiti art murals, too - perfect for The Gram.
See, now youâve earned brunch. And itâs gonna be good.
Leave the Fallowfield Loop at Station South, and youâre a short stroll from a few of Levenshulmeâs best little brunch spots.
Honestly, you canât go wrong with any of them. And we have listings for all of them on Lev You Lots - so Iâd recommend scoping them out and choosing the one that tempts you most.
If youâre after a dirty chai, pick Aunty Jiâs. A full vegan breakfast? Iâd hit up Nordie. If youâre looking for a latte and a pastry, you canât miss out on T R O V E.
Nothing like a spot of shopping on a full stomach. Levenshulmeâs three-floor antiques village, complete with secondhand book shop is right opposite Nordie and T R O V E - so you havenât got far to go.
The village occupies the old council offices. So even if youâre not looking for a new chaise longue, you can probably appreciate the original tilework and mosaic floors.
Make you sure you donât miss the old police station next door, too, where you can find even more antique furniture and other collectibles.
Cross the road again, and youâll find Moss & Maple - our independent plant and flower shop.
Itâs filled to the brim with houseplants, bouquets and other nice things. Just donât buy more than you can carry.
I mean⌠where else?
If itâs a Saturday (and not January or Februart), make your way to Levenshulme Market and take your pick. From wood-fired pizza, to burritos, Nepalese dumplings and pastries - Levy Market literally has something for everyone and is the epitome of everything wonderful about Levenshulme.
And donât just go for the food. Grab a coffee (or something else, we donât judge) and browse the artists and makers selling their own hot stuff.
If the bustle and busyness of the market and the A6 has left you needing to unwind, weâd recommend wandering to a nearby park for a little us-time.
And fortunately, Long Boiâs is on the way to Cringle Park. And I think theyâre a match made-in-heaven.
Long Boiâs bakehouse is tucked away on Forest Range, away from the main drag of Levenshulme. And itâs a pleasant pitstop for a pastry and coffee-to-go.
Cringle Park is seriously quite nice.
Take a stroll down the tree-lined path, and loop back through the fields. If you catch it in the Spring or Autumn, the canopy above (or under your feet) will make for a nice little â¨momentâ¨
It's getting dark. And you're getting peckish. So, where next?
If youâre eating out in Levy for the first time, you should probably head straight for our newest pizza and Italian restaurant.
But book first. Because these guys are popular.
Georgio and Marco are pretty much local celebrities, having ran a stall out of Levy Market for a few years - proving (đ) to be fan-favourites among locals and visitors alike.
With a huge selection of pizzas and other authentic dishes, as well as plenty of veggie and vegan options - you canât go wrong.
A little P.S. - get the doughnuts.
Now that youâre stuffed to the crust with divine pizza, weâre sending you on your way to get merry in one of our favourites bars.
All of them are close to Cibus. And more importantly, close to the train station. We really have thought of everything. Sorry, Manchester Confidentials.
But we are leaving the last choice up to you. Because we donât know you. And thatâs okay. But we can make a few recommendations and guarantee that one of them will match your vibe, and your mood.
If youâre looking for a fairly relaxed evening, and a few craft beers from independent beers to boot, head to Station Hop, ran by Amanda and Chris. Itâs a lovely spot, and the staff are always friendly and happy to talk beer, or make recommendations.
If you want the beer, but somewhere a little more lively - head to OverDraught. They have a huge selection of craft beers on tap, as well as bit of the hustle and bustle you might want in a bar.
Or if you're feeling refined, or like your wine, weâd recommend ISCA wines. Theyâre selection of organic, natural wines is probably one of the best in Manchester. And thatâs before we even get started on their food and small plates.
Really, you canât go wrong with any of them. And if youâre planning a bit of a crawl, why not visit all three? And throw The Talleyrand, Nordie and The Gherkin in for good measure!
Youâve made it. Youâve absolutely completed one day in Levenshulme. Fed, watered, walked. You can thank us in the morning.
Just remember the ibuprofen.
We genuinely hope you have a lovely time in Levy. And while weâve just about covered one day in South Manchesterâs up-and-coming, thereâs plenty more worth seeing and doing here.
So why not stick around? Have a look around Lev You Lots and start planning your next excursion.
And we'll see you around đ