Manchester has no shortage of places to eat Italian food, but GiGi Gusto Griglia wants to make dinner feel like the start of a night out.

The new Italian grill restaurant has taken over the former Gusto space inside the historic City Library building, just off Deansgate.

Rather than simply changing the sign, the team has recast the venue as a dining room and cocktail bar built for lingering.

It is a noticeable shift for a familiar Manchester address.

Chandeliers, intimate booths and a baby grand piano give the interior the feel of an Italian hotel bar from another era.

At its centre, Bar Eleganza brings cocktails, a DJ booth and plans for live music into the dining experience.

That combination makes sense in this part of the city, where a meal off Deansgate can easily lead into an entire evening out.

In the kitchen, Manchester chef Sam Astley-Dean has shaped a menu around Italian favourites and grill dishes intended for sharing.

Pasta and pizzette sit alongside seafood and steak, offering options for a quick catch-up or a more leisurely table of friends.

The challenge will be making the food as memorable as the room.

The restaurant is the creation of Jamie Barber, who has positioned it as a more ambitious successor to Gusto rather than a break with the building’s dining past.

That distinction matters: regulars may recognise the address, but the emphasis now falls on music, cocktails and the pleasure of staying a little longer.

The former City Library dates back to 1878, giving the glossy new interior a backdrop that newer Manchester venues cannot easily replicate.

Its next chapter depends on more than striking chandeliers, though.

If GiGi Gusto Griglia delivers a warm welcome and consistently good cooking, it could become a natural choice for celebrations, date nights and spontaneous drinks in the city centre.

For now, its arrival gives Manchester another reason to rediscover an old building through a fresh dining experience.