Rosso, the upscale restaurant part-owned by footballer Rio Ferdinand, has closed for good, it has confirmed.
The Italian spot, at the top of King Street, served its final customers last night, and signs from the front of the building, at 42 Spring Gardens, have already been removed.
It said in a statement on Twitter: “It is with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of our Rosso Restaurant & Bar. Last night, after nearly 14 years, we were delighted to hold a final service for our wonderful customers.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to close this wonderful restaurant which has flourished into an icon of the Manchester restaurant and social scene. It feels like the right time to go out at the height of our popularity and look ahead to new horizons.”
A celebrity hotspot in town, it opened in 2009 in a hail of flashbulbs, and soon became a haunt for Ferdinand and fellow Manchester United footballers like Wayne Rooney, as well as the likes of One Direction stars Harry Styles and Louis Tomlinson.
Prior to that, however, it opened as the Establishment bar in 2004, and was at one time being tipped for a possible Michelin star, thanks to its acclaimed chef Ian Morgan.
Like what has now become Gordon Ramsay’s Lucky Cat, which sits opposite, the building was a former financial institution, the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank.
It was also known for its elaborate Christmas lighting displays.
It is with mixed emotions that we announce the closure of our Rosso Restaurant & Bar. Last night, after nearly 14 years, we were delighted to hold a final service for our wonderful customers. pic.twitter.com/8cQxfNJnBd
— Rosso Manchester (@RossoRestaurant) September 18, 2023
The statement went on: “Rosso wouldn’t have been the same without our wider family, suppliers and our wonderful customers whom we have had the enviable pleasure of serving. We could not be more grateful to our Champions League winning staff both past and present.
“Our thanks go out to each and every one of them for making Rosso what we are today. We always believed we should close Rosso on a high and we thank each and every one of you for being part of our championship team,
“From Rosso with Love, Ciao for now.”
