International restaurant brand agrees deal for St Michael’s rooftop

Global Japanese-Peruvian restaurant, Chotto Matte, will open its only UK venue outside London at the £200m St Michael’s development in Manchester.

It will occupy the 20,000 sq ft rooftop space at former Manchester United and England footballer Gary Neville’s development.

The restaurant operates venues in Miami and Toronto, as well as London, while new international venues in Doha, San Francisco and Los Angeles are due to open by the end of this year.

The Chotto Matte brand is founded and owned by Kurt Zdesar, former European director for Nobu and consultant to Alan Yau for the launch of Hakassan.

Chotto Matte specialises in Nikkei cuisine, which blends Japanese and Peruvian culinary traditions.

Due to open in Summer 2024, the venue will include a rooftop terrace, overlooking Manchester’s historic town hall and boast an interior design scheme by award-winning, international architect and designer, Andy Martin,

Featuring Chotto Matte’s signature design elements, such as open sushi counters, robata grills, table side torched sushi, lava stone and graffiti-inspired artwork, accompanied by live DJs and entertainment, dinner at Chotto Matte is expected to be a highly sensory experience.

Fourteen years in the making, St Michael’s is expected to create around 1,800 jobs. The development will transform a major part of Manchester city centre, including the creation of a new public square.

Gary Neville, from Relentless, said: “This deal aligns perfectly with our vision for St, Michael’s and the 5* quality we are aspiring to with this project. We are pleased to be bringing this world class, innovative brand to Manchester.

Founder and owner of Chotto Matte, Kurt Zdesar, said: “I am personally very excited to bring Chotto Matte to such an ambitious place. I have been monitoring the city’s growth for years but never found the right opportunity until now.

“It is only when meeting with Gary Neville and understanding his vision, with Relentless, for this first of a kind development that I felt a great synergy with our brand.

“The city is growing at an exciting pace and timing couldn’t be better for Chotto Matte to bring diversity to the local landscape. I see this new opening as an important part of our international expansion plan.”

St Michael’s terrace

St Michael’s is the first real estate investment in Manchester from global investment firm KKR, which formed a joint venture with Relentless last year to deliver the project.

The scheme will bring a major part of Manchester city centre back to life. It will also see the refurbishment of Bootle Street Police Station which has stood empty for more than eight years, which is important to the wider city’s restoration project following on from the pandemic.

The scheme is expected to attract new businesses north-shoring to Manchester taking space in the development’s commercial space and the opening of food and beverage units on both the ground and rooftop with new leisure/restaurant operators providing inward investment into the city as well as jobs for the hospitality sector in the city.

Dan Davies, from Metis Real Estate, consultants for St Michael’s, said: “St Michael’s is a unique scheme and is the perfect setting for Chotto Matte in Manchester. Known for their spectacular locations, I have no doubt the restaurant will be something special once launched and will complement the wider scheme impeccably.”