Manchester foodie guide: where locals eat and drink

A weekend break in Manchester

Mooch around Manchester’s Northern Quarter and adjoining trendy Ancoats neighbourhood for the weekend. Start at antipodean-style Federal, and brunch on French toast laden with summer berry compote or corn fritters piled high with toppings. Work your way through the Northern Quarter’s network of shops, cafés and bars – Beermoth is jam-packed with local brews. Amble over to Ancoats’s New Islington Arena to scandi-cool Pollen Bakery to enjoy canalside Manchester tart cruffins and cuddles with Maru the chow chow. For dinner, Rudy’s is the local go-to for Neapolitan pizza and refreshing aperitivo with pals.

The next day, head over to The Feel Good Club for crumpets with thick lashings of butter and jam, or Mackie Mayor for a less traditional nacho brunch beneath the high glass ceilings of the former Smithfield market, built in 1852. For something sweet, pass Siop Shop to grab an artisan doughnut before venturing down to Mayfield Park, circling back to visit Escape to Freight Island’s self-contained deck courtyard lit by strings of festoon lights for wiling away long afternoons with Pomona Island craft brews and plates from its restaurants within. For a whistle-stop tour of Manchester’s cultural and foodie history on foot and more meals than you can fit in, try a bespoke Scranchester Food Tour.

Where to stay in Manchester

Converted textile warehouse Native Manchester is part of the Grade II listed Ducie Street complex of serviced apartments under five minutes walk from Piccadilly station. Each apartment comes kitted out with a well-equipped kitchen, living room and super comfy bedrooms, plus the lobby doubles up as a restaurant, bar and all-day deli. There are also classes available at BLOCK gym in the basement. Studio doubles from £125 per night, check availability at booking.com

Best restaurants in Manchester: the full list

Nell's – for New York-inspired pizza

A homage to New York pizza, Nell’s was created by Jonny and Charlotte Heyes, owners of the legendary bar Common in Manchester’s hip Northern Quarter. The foundation for Nell’s pizza – served in slices and whole 14-inch or 22-inch pies – is a 36-hour fermented dough made with Shipton Mill organic flour. Examples of its creative toppings include the Corn Supremacy (miso corn, Lancashire cheese and crispy onions with garlic and jalapeño creams) and the Funghi Jambon’s combination of roast ham, mushrooms, vodka sauce, mozzarella and oregano. Nell’s has four Greater Manchester outlets. Altrincham is its second standalone restaurant. nellspizza.co.uk

Madre – for tacos and wood-fired grill dishes

A collaborative homage to Mexico, Madre opened in Liverpool in 2019, where its Albert Dock site includes a large summer terrace with DJs. In June, a second Madre opened in Manchester at canalside development, Kampus. Created by chefs Nud Dudhia and Sam Grainger, the Manchester site’s evolving menu has retained Madre’s trademark tacos and snacks, including sweetcorn with chipotle mayo and queso fresco, while expanding to include ceviche, oysters and wood-fired grill dishes, such as Sinaloan-style prawns, adobo mayo and salsa diablo, or beef wing rib, grilled jalapeños, masa onion rings and potatoes. thisismadre.co.uk

Higher Ground – for local produce and natural wines

Created by the team behind acclaimed natural wine bar, Flawd, Higher Ground restaurant is a bigger showcase for chef Joseph Otway’s creative use of British, seasonal, sustainable produce. Opened in February at Faulkner House, this hip restaurant is buying in whole animals from small rare-breed producers and using flavour-forward local, heritage ingredients, many from its Nantwich partner farm, Cinderwood Market Garden. Expect to see this superlative produce deployed in dishes such as home-smoked beetroot and brill roe, salt-baked celeriac, bay leaf and preserved blueberries, bone-in pork chop with nasturtium dressing, or burnt Manchester honey tart. highergroundmcr.co.uk

Rudy’s – for pizza

Rudy’s is an unanimous favourite among Manchester’s foodies that has now spread across the UK. It’s a go-to place for pizza and cocktails with your pals. Pizza dough is made on site twice a day and cooked for no longer than a minute to produce a springy base. Choose from toppings including classic margherita with buffalo mozzarella, spicy nduja sausage with tomato and fior di latte, or white pizza with smoked mozzarella, Tuscan sausage and wild broccoli.

The aperitivo list uses some of our favourite Italian brands to create great twists on classic cocktails – gin fizz is spiked with Cynar (a bittersweet artichoke leaf liqueur) and Disaronno is mixed with limoncello, lemon juice and fresh basil for a refreshing amaretto sour. Otherwise, go for a creamy Dolci Colline prosecco, a bright and citrusy Sicilian white or forest-fruity Puglian red. rudyspizza.co.uk

Exhibition – for three independent kitchens in one restaurant

Exhibition is a novel concept: a restaurant where you can order simultaneously from three independent kitchens. These include the acclaimed Basque-inspired Baratxuri, Scandi-influenced OSMA and, at the time of writing, Osmatxuri – a collab in the former Sao Paulo Bistro kitchen, ahead of a new operator taking that space. Snack informally on pintxos and plates of crispy chicken thigh with teriyaki mayo or smoked cod’s roe, or go big with baked lobster in herb butter or Baratxuri’s sharing txuleton steak of Galician ex-dairy beef. The open-plan space includes a large bar, with DJs until 1am at the weekend. exhibitionmcr.co.uk

Climat – for wines and views of Manchester's skyline

Manchester’s Climat, the second venue from Chester’s Covino team, is a wine-led rooftop restaurant, where the 300-bottle list ranges from classic grand crus (in Burgundy, a climat is a unique, prized vineyard plot), to hip orange, pét-nat or small-producer wines from less-celebrated areas. Executive chef Luke Richardson’s love of the new wave of informal, internationalist Parisian bistros informs Climat’s menu, created with head chef Simon Ulph. Signature vol-au-vents sit alongside sharing plates of, for example, sardines, salsa verde, lemon and pine nuts; tandoori quail, chilli carrot salad and lime pickle; or duck with clementine and radicchio. restaurantclimat.co.uk

10 Tib Lane – for date night

Its scale and location (two compact floors on a back street), décor (candles, wood, distressed walls) and feel (calm, welcoming) make 10 Tib Lane a date night doozy. Start with cocktails, such as the whisky and soda made using a house yogurt-washed Chivas Regal. Revived, head upstairs for on-point sharing plates of smoked trout mousse, roe and brioche toast; sea bream with champagne sauce; or sea salt caramel tart. 10tiblane.com

Pollen Bakery - for 28 hour fermented sourdough

With its rich, caramelised crust, Pollen’s 28-hour sourdough was a game changer when it hit Manchester in 2016. Pollen’s Kampus and Ancoats Marina bakery-cafés, both stylishly functional spaces, maintain similar standards in their stellar brunch dishes (think eggs benedict with smoked ham hock, brown butter hollandaise and crispy kale) and pastries ranging from cinnamon morning
buns, made using laminated croissant dough, to seasonal specials such as light joconde sponge cakes, topped with pistachio and Yorkshire rhubarb. pollenbakery.com

New Century – a slick and stylish food hall

Built in the 1960s within a then-futuristic office complex for the Co-operative Group, the New Century conference centre and dance hall was a key fixture in Manchester’s cultural life, hosting the likes of The Rolling Stones and Jimi Hendrix. This now Grade II-listed building was reborn as a gig venue and ground-floor food hall. Its kitchens mean you can choose from pizza, 'Parmageddon', Japanese fusion and more. newcenturymcr.com

Another Hand – for casual dining and natural wines

In their slick Deansgate Mews hideaway, chefs Max Yorke and Julian Pizer marry the ancient (foraging and fermenting books share shelf-space with natural wines), and the modern – rare species of mushrooms cultivated indoors in Altrincham, for example – to produce visually dashing, highly creative plates. Think charred Hispi, pickled clams and burnt butter, or a trout tartare in a stunning smoked turnip and burnt apple dashi. anotherhandmcr.com

The Feel Good Club – for relaxed & friendly brunches

Kiera and Aime, the wives behind Feel Good Club, are on a mission to make spaces where people feel comfortable, safe and good about themselves. Their flagship coffee house in Manchester opened mid-pandemic from a simple aim to make one person each day feel less alone or give them a reason to smile. It also has a full bar and brunch menu with our favourite, classic crumpets on offer.

Each Friday, they book out the long communal tables for freelancers and solo-workers. Look up their weekly events, you might catch anything from Plant Club, Karaoke, Juno’s Pup Club or even Miss Chief Cabaret. feelgoodclub.co

Ginger’s Comfort Emporium at Afflecks – for small batch ice cream surrounded by curiosities

Google Afflecks and you’ll find it described as an ‘emporium of eclecticism, a totem of indie culture in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.’ Iconic for its family of 60+ independent traders that make up the indoor market, it’s a seamless side-step into Ginger’s Comfort Emporium.

Tucked in a bright corner of the first floor, it’s home to deliciously innovative real dairy, vegan ice cream and sorbet flavours you likely won’t have tried anywhere before. Chef and former food stylist Claire Kelsey has several British Street Food Awards and a recipe book, MELT under their belt, thanks to an idea she had in 2010 to refurbish an old ice cream van.

Original ice cream flavours, including marmalade on toast and olive oil & sea salt, remain on the menu today. Toasted ice cream sandwiches, shakes and changing specials are also up for grabs. The mint stracciatella, flavoured with fresh mint leaves, was a perfectly sweet refresher. gingerscomfortemporium.com

Mackie Mayor – for global food against a historical backdrop

This 1852 Grade II listed market building is the only one remaining fully intact in the city’s historic Smithfield Market and is now home to 10 independent bars and kitchens. Its high window-lined ceiling means the space is always flooded with natural light and even when it’s busy, doesn’t feel overcrowded.

It’s a great brunch spot for sharing a tray of Pico’s breakfast nachos layered with salsa roja or verde, queso fresco and topped with a runny fried egg. You don’t need to book, plus it’s dog friendly. instagram.com/mackiemayor

Freight Island – for social street food, live music and rollerskating

Just five minutes from Manchester’s Piccadilly station is one of the city’s latest examples of urban regeneration: a food hall in the footprint of what was formerly a freight depot, now a vibrant centre for eating and socialising. The space is packed with multi-level terraces, long benches and tables for trying diverse eats from the variety of street food joints, but there are quiet spots dotted around if you’re after a more relaxed date-night.

Venture past the live music stage and you’ll find o Mayfield Park, the new green space, which opened in September 2022 as Manchester’s first new city park in 100 years. It’s 6.5 acres big, perfect for mooching around to walk off your food. escapetofreightisland.com

Siop Shop – for alternative artisan doughnuts

Coffee and doughnuts are the specialties here, but whatever you’re imagining, it’s better. Siop is the Welsh word for shop and this is just one of many personal, creative touches that owners, Iwan Roberts and Lucy Jackson of Blawd Bakery have curated to create a relaxed and welcoming pit stop on Tib Street.

The doughnut menu changes regularly. During the Manchester Coffee Festival in November, we tried the brand’s limited edition coffee bean, ‘48hr cold proofed carbonic macerated thermal shock brioche with coffee creme diplomat injection’ doughnut.

For firework night, they developed an apple compote-filled number with a toffee glaze on a lollipop stick. This is fun, delicious food. siopshop.co

The Midland Hotel – for regal afternoon tea

Its elegant tea room is a modern addition but the Grade II Midland has been acing the scone game since 1903. Said scones arrive with clotted cream and award-winning jams from Cheshire’s Mrs Darlington’s, amid a regal parade of sandwiches and enticing work from pastry chef, Austin Appleton. Think Valrhona dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel or raspberry opera cake with lemon grass panna cotta. The Midland’s loose leaf teas include three unique blends created with supplier Quinteassential. themidlandhotel.co.uk

Wash House speakeasy – for satisfyingly secret cocktails

Before Covid descended, the password to this speakeasy on Shudehill Street was reportedly, ‘I’d like to put a wash on.’ Now you book in advance, but the concept remains the same. Laundrette on the outside, cocktail bar within, the Wash House is inconspicuous to those not in the know and for those who do, an adventurous cocktail menu awaits combining a liquid alchemy full of surprises. washhousemcr.com

The Vurger Co – for plant-based junk food

Created in 2016 after founders Rachel Hugh and Neil Potts took a life-changing trip to California – then the epicentre of a burgeoning plant-based food revolution – The Vurger Co has grown from a small market stall to four branches based in London, Brighton and Manchester. Along the journey, Rachel and Neil have worked with some of the meat-free industry’s sharpest minds to help shape a brand that promises ‘vegan fast food to feed your soul’.

Plus, all of The Vurger Co’s packaging is also made from plants and fully compostable. Rachel and Neil are dedicated to waste management and guarantee that nothing goes to landfill. thevurgerco.com

Bundobust – for Indian street food and craft beers

Bundobust is many things (craft beer haunt, Indian street food hangout, veggie restaurant) but it sells itself as a ‘beer and Indian joint’. The basement bar is filled with casual, communal tables that encourage interaction with fellow punters, and has a relaxed order-at-the-bar system that keeps the crowd mingling.

The food menu is all about vegetarian Indian street food. We suggest opting for one of the combos that arrive on wooden trays – a modern twist on the thali. Plant-based are filled with paneer and mushroom tikka skewers marinated in yogurt curd, crisp onion, broccoli and kale bhajis spiced with fennel, and tarka lentil dhal to mop up with deep fried bhatura flatbread. Our highlight was the bundo chat – layers of crisp samosa, sweet-and-sour tamarind and frilly little crunchy bits on top.

Beers include collaborations with Leeds brewery Northern Monk and several Manchester breweries (see some of the best in the Beermoth section below). There’s simple house chai for a booze-free option, though you can add a dash of bourbon or cognac if you’re after more of a kick. bundobust.com

Federal – for leisurely brunch

This popular antipodean cafe drags loyal Northern Quarter locals out of bed at the weekend for its epic brunches. Emily’s homemade banana bread is treacly and dark, spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg with a fragrant vanilla mascarpone. If you’re really hungry, the hefty French toast is very popular, laden with homemade summer berry compote, almonds, whipped vanilla mascarpone and salted caramel; while corn fritters with a choice of toppings make a worthy savoury choice.

Federal’s owners are committed to excellent sourcing, with sourdough bread brought in from Lovingly Artisan in the Lake District, and coffee carted up from London’s Ozone Coffee Roasters (try a signature espresso martini made with vanilla infused vodka and Ozone espresso).

It’s a lovely spot to spend a few hours – above wooden floorboards mustard banquettes hug two sides of the almost triangular corner room, and lush green plants spill out of tiny hanging pots. federalcafe.co.uk

El Gato Negro – for stylish small plates

This upmarket tapas restaurant opened in 2016 and quickly gained a reputation as Manchester’s go-to spot for a splash-out dinner, and now has a branch in Liverpool too.

Set over three storeys of a converted townhouse, there are plenty of choices when it comes to seating – a ground floor bar framed with shiny black tiles and seats that spill out onto the pavement, and red leather stools overlooking the open kitchen on the first floor, allowing punters to inhale aromas from the Josper grill. Then there’s el Gato Negro’s trump card, a swish rooftop dining area, complete with sliding roof, where you can enjoy a glass of fresh and fruity Albariño wine from Galicia.

The restaurant’s small plates menu sees chefs adding modern twists to traditional tapas dishes. Though we thought some additions weren’t needed (Galician octopus, for example, was so soft and beautifully finished on the Josper grill that it didn’t need the punchy pickled shallots), other dishes really shone – long, slim heritage carrots were drenched in walnut pesto, miso and aubergine purée, while croquettas entailed an extra cheesy béchamel encased in crisp breadcrumbs. elgatonegrotapas.com

Beermoth – for craft beers by the bottle

This small shop on buzzy Tib Street is jam-packed with bottles, cans and kegs of beers from Manchester, as well as from the UK and across the globe.

Brews from the inner city include neon-packaged Runaway Brewery (smoked porter, summer saison, American brown ale), Track Brewing Co. (visit its weekly brew tap events under the arches of Picadilly), and Cloudwater (which has gained a global reputation over the past few of years).

The friendly staff sure know their porters from their DIPAs, so make sure you pick their brains. We came across a fab new favourite from Northern Ireland after describing our preferences. beermoth.co.uk

Adam Reid at The French – for fine dining

Hidden behind a curtain in a corner of the grand lobby of the Midland Hotel, there’s more than a feel of Alice in Wonderland as you are transported through mirrored doors into the dining room of The French. Soft grey and sage green tones give everything a muted luxurious feel and there are two huge cylindrical chandeliers which throw light back and forth via the mirrored panelling around the room.

Chef Adam Reid’s cooking is inventive and playful but executed with real precision and flair. A nibble of the creamiest smoked cod roe with puffy squid ink wafers kicked the six-course tasting menu off in style. Crispy pig’s trotter to start, proper came as fall-apart meat slowly braised in a rich deep umami soy base then breadcrumbed and deep fried into a crisp nugget, with pickled onion purée. Courses to follow include corned beef and potato hash, brill with silky artichoke and basil purée and suckling pig belly served with fermented cabbage and punchy cherry sauce.

Reid won the Great British menu in 2016 with his Empire apple dessert – a blown sugar apple filled with a meadowsweet custard mousse – and our incredibly pretty pud is a take on that, this time a shiny orange clementine sugar shell filled with airy white chocolate mousse. It’s a little piece of cooking wizardry which perfectly reflects the rest of the menu at this magical place. themidlandhotel.co.uk/thefrench

TAST – for Catalonian cuisine

Executive chef Paco Pérez, who holds five Michelin stars across seven restaurants around the world, is behind the Catalonian menu, which starts with three types of bread and tomato, cheese and charcuterie, and canapé-like tramuntanades, including toasted cheese and truffle sandwiches.

‘Tastets’ are similar in size to tapas, and beg to be matched with the all-Spanish wine list, Catalan gins and out-there cocktails (try vodka with apple, black garlic and basil oil). Order a couple of tastets each – whether Iberian ham or roasted chicken croquettes, or plates from the ‘garden’, ‘sea’ or ‘mountain’ – then move on to shared rice platters, or the likes of Iberian pork presa and bone-in sirloin steak cooked in a charcoal oven.

With space for 120 covers across three dining areas (the private Enxaneta on the second floor, main dining room Folre, and Pinya bar), the décor is slick but understated, with plenty of natural light. tastcatala.com

20 Stories – for modern British with a view

D&D London group's all-day restaurant, bar and grill, 20 Stories, on the 19th floor of the No1 Spinningfields building in central Manchester.

The modern British menu in the main restaurant showcases local produce, with the majority sourced within a 50-mile radius of the city. Herdwick lamb sits on potato gnocchi and chanterelle mushrooms, poached John Dory is served with a smart langoustine velouté and white asparagus, and butter-poached salsify is topped with burnt leeks and parsnip purée. There’s also a more casual brasserie focussing on the grill, serving the likes of Yorkshire beef steaks, grilled heritage beetroot salad, and bone marrow burgers topped with beef cheek, mushroom and an onion ring.

With 360-degree views, the swish space also brings the outside in with glamorous interiors inspired by nature (plenty of wood, hanging plants, stone features). The bar and outdoor terrace is dedicated to cocktails, including the signature 20 Stories cocktail made with Tanqueray gin, vermouth, honey and herb cordial, and grapes shaken with fresh lemon. 20stories.co.uk

Salut – for wine by the glass

“Salut aims to be the place where you want to break bread and drink wine with your pals,” says Sara Saunby, co-founder of Salut Wines, which she opened with husband Jon in 2014. With the help of an Italian Enomatic wine preservation and serving system, Salut offers around 60 wines by the glass as well as a large range of craft beers and spirits. Salut.co.uk

Porta – for inventive tapas

Founded by brothers Ben and Joe Wright, there are now three Porta wine and tapas bars spread across the north-west, the latest of which opened in Salford at the end of 2018. The Iberian-influenced tapas – staples of jamón, croquetas and patatas bravas but also slow-roasted ox cheek, pickled walnuts and purple sprouting broccoli with romesco sauce – is complemented by a carefully curated selection of Spanish wines, cava, beer, sherries and vermouth. portatapas.co.uk

Words by Alex Crossley, Tony Naylor and Mark Taylor

Trust olive Food and arts journalist Tony Naylor was born, lives and works in Manchester. olive’s digital editor Alex Crossley has family in Manchester and visits regularly.

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