As one Manchester institution, Simon Rimmer’s Greens vegetarian restaurant, announced its closure this week, another would-be Manc institution took flight – Louis (see photograph), billed as a “love letter” to Italian-American dining, complete with live jazz and a ‘no-phones’ policy.

Greens announced its closure with a post saying, “It is with deep regret that the board of directors and shareholders have decided to close the doors permanently of Greens Sale with immediate effect. We’ve done everything possible to make this work, but it is now clear the business is untenable.“

Simon opened the original Greens in West Didsbury 33 years ago, and it was hailed as a trailblazer for modern vegetarian dining. It closed earlier this year, and was followed this week by the offshoot that opened in Stanley Square, Sale, in 2022.

Louis, which is already booked out until the end of October, is the latest venue from Manchester’s Permanently Unique, the outfit behind Tattu and Fenix., who have transformed the former Carluccio’s site in Spingfields with a design inspired by New York’s 1950s ‘golden age’, along with graffiti-style artworks to lend a more contemporary feel.

The menu of Italian-American classics includes a dessert trolley for added retro appeal, while the ‘no-phones’ policy is enforced by a fedora sticker being attached to guests’ phones on arrival, with the aim of keeping diners ‘in the moment’ during their night out.