Manchester Restaurants
Manchester’s restaurant scene offers an exciting selection of British favourites and authentic international flavours. From European and traditional Chinese to exotic Turkish dishes; there is hearty pub grub, affordable Indian curry houses, and genuine tastes from South East Asia. In fact, it’s difficult to find a style of cooking or cuisine that isn’t represented somewhere within the city. Here’s an overview of the city’s foodie neighbourhoods.
Spinningfields / Castlefield
The newest quarter on the block, Spinningfields has quickly established itself as a hub of food, drink and social life. It’s home to 25 popular bars and restaurants including Gourmet Burger Kitchen (Irwell Square, M33HF), Carluccios (Hardman Square M3 3EB) and Australasia (The Avenue, M3 3AP), to name but a few. A lively outdoor events programme entertains visitors with live music, festivals and Screenfields, the city’s first open-air cinema. In contrast, Castlefield is an historical area with cobbled streets and canal side dining. Dukes 92 (Castle Street, M3 4LZ) offers informal ambience with views over the canal. The multi award-winning Choice Bar & Restaurant (Castle Quay, M15 4NT) is just across the basin, serving a delicious, modern British à la carte menu, while Albert’s Shed (Castle Street, M3 4LZ) brings a Mediterranean flair to the city by serving delicious Italian cuisine.
Chinatown
Take in the lights, sounds and tantalising smells of Chinatown. The Yang Sing (Princess Street, M1 4JY) is considered one of Europe’s finest Cantonese restaurants, using only the freshest ingredients to create authentic dim sum and à la carte dishes. The popular and award-winning Pacific (George Street, M1 4HF) offers both Chinese and Thai food and has one of the best wine lists in town. For less formal food, stop by Ho’s Bakery (Faulkner Street, M1 4FH) where you can pick up delicious soups and sweet and savoury Chinese pastries.
Northern Quarter
Considered the creative heart of the city, the Northern Quarter is home to many of Manchester’s independent bars and restaurants. If you’re searching for a hearty lunch, Bread and Butter (Tib Street, M4 1LX)is a boutique café that both embraces chintz and offers delicious home cooking; stop by for a slab of cake or a huge meatball piadina flatbread. Soup Kitchen (Spear Street, M1 1DF) has a modern canteen feel and takes pride in its healthy menu, with daily soups and specials and a superb salad bar. In the evening, The Northern Quarter Restaurant (High Street, M4 1HQ) is a must, serving gutsy, fresh food and using prime, locally-sourced Ingredients with added flavours of the Mediterranean and beyond while Blackdog Ballroom (Oldham Street, M1 1JG) offers a slice of NYC’s secret downtown speakeasy style.
Piccadilly
Vibrant and cosmopolitan Piccadilly is conveniently situated for Piccadilly railway station, bus station and city centre shopping. The area has a range of quality places to eat and drink and there’s always something to fit any budget. For lunch, the award-winning Barburrito (1 Piccadilly Gardens, M1 1RG) serves fresh, tasty, healthy food: portions are huge with burritos, tacos and quesadillas. Adjacent, Rice Piccadilly is a lively restaurant where you can take front row seats to see your meal being cooked. The menu is excitingly eclectic, serving a range of dishes from Thai to Japanese to Moroccan specialities. For something that little bit special, Michael Caine’s restaurant at ABode (Piccadilly, M1 2DB) offers superb modern European cuisine, using the finest produce and ingredients sourced from the surrounding regions of Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire.
Deansgate / King Street
For an indulgent treat, the exclusive areas of Deansgate and King Street are the places to go. It’s a great place to finish your day after a spot of designer shopping. The food and drink offerings around King Street and Deansgate lives up to the standard set by the first class stores in the area. Room restaurant (King Street, M2 4AH) fuses antique and retro for a stunning interior that once welcomed Kylie; the classic contemporary menu is fantastic value for money. Chaophraya (Chapel Walks, M2 1HN) provides the finest Thai cuisine in a luxuriously modern setting, whilst Café Istanbul offers a truly wonderful Turkish feast. And the five-star Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant (Chapel Wharf M3 5LH) offers a modern British menu and serves the finest Sunday roast in the city, with the added bonus of relaxing and peaceful views over the River Irwell.
