The essential guide to the best places to shop, eat and relax in Stoke-on-Trent. Find the best restaurants, cinemas and nightlife spots along with general need-to-know information including shopping hours and going out tips.

Shopping in Hanley (City Centre) is dominated by The Potteries Shopping Centre (open daily) on Quadrant Road. It has 90 stores including a TK Maxx, Monsoon, Next and a Debenhams. Nearby are all the high-street names.

Items to take home include Tutbury crystal glassware and the quality china for which the region is famed - look out for Royal Doulton, Spode and Wedgwood - sold at the individual factory shops or from The Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley.

For antiques and bric-a-brac, browse the markets of Leek and Newcastle-under-Lyme. The six towns of Stoke-on-Trent have weekly outdoor markets selling fruit, vegetables and household goods and there is a daily indoor market in Hanley.

Shopping hours are 9am-5.30pm Monday-Saturday and 11am-4pm Sundays. Shops open until 8pm on Thursdays.

Trentham Garden Centre has recently opened a shopping division, The Village, and is planning a new dedicated wine section, The Winery, due to open Christmas 2005.

Crystal glassware from Tutbury, discount designer shops in Freeport Talke Outlet Mall

Festival Park, ten minutes by bus west of Hanley, is the major entertainment complex with a ten-screen cinema, bowling alley and lots of chain restaurants (Fatty Arbuckles, Brannigans) as well as the Ski Centre and Waterworld.

Stoke's Cultural Quarter is home to the Art Deco gem of the Regent Theatre where West End shows and theatre tour. It is also the northern base for Glyndebourne's touring operas. Victoria Hall welcomes top gigs and concerts while the New Victoria Theatre welcomes performances in the round. Live rock bands come to The Sugar Mill and Fusion.

Clubs stay open until 2am at weekends. Pubs close at 11pm except on Sunday when they shut at 10.30pm.

West End shows at Regent Theatre, family entertainment at Festival Park

The Cultural Quarter in Hanley is the main restaurant district. Cuisines on offer include Italian, Indian, vegetarian, Thai, Chinese and Mediterranean-style bistros. Festival Park (for bowling and Quasar) also has big chain restaurants and fast food outlets.

Whatever else you sample during your stay, be sure to try the local speciality - Staffordshire oatcakes - served warm with cheese and bacon.

A classy meal with wine will come to £25-£30 per head. Most restaurants open seven days a week.

Awarded "Best Ethnic Restaurant 2003" by the Taste of Staffordshire awards and the only restaurant in Staffordshire with an AA rosette, The Elms serves authentic Indian cuisine using culinary traditions of the Northern Punjab. Signature dishes are cooked with tawa (hot iron griddles).

This family-run bar and brasserie serves Portuguese and modern British cuisine. Favourite dishes include crab claws, Morecambe Bay potted shrimps, Portuguese monkfish and healthy salads. Yummy Portuguese pastries feature for dessert. Live music at the weekends and very family friendly.

9am-5pm Monday to Friday

Manufacturing, distribution and public administration

Burslem, Tunstall, Longton (manufacturing), Stoke (Civic Centre and Mayor's residence), Hanley (administration), Sideway and Trentham Lakes (distribution)