With strong cultural quarters boasting hip restaurants, dirty burgers and street food delicacies there is so much going on in the Manchester food scene that sometimes you need to take stock. If you’re looking for a more upscale evening, maybe because that’s just who you are or if you’re treating that special someone, Manchester is now home to a number of fine dining restaurants. Whilst this city is still lacking its Michelin stars, the mentioned below websites are certainty working towards breaking that trend, now offering some of the best places to eat in Manchester and the North West.
A newer addition in comparison to the others mentioned, Refuge is already know as a top spot for dining, with an interesting indoor garden that provides and idyllic setting for pre/post meal drinks – perfect for dates or those of you who are a fan of fairy lights. From the team behind Didsbury’s award winning Volta, they have rejuvenated the former Palace Hotel restaurant, adding a modern but fitting detail to the decadent surroundings as to the delightful menu. The evening menu consists of tapas-like small plates (Voltini) – perfect for sharing – and delicious larger plates that offer tasty alternatives to standard restaurant fare such as belly-stuffed seabass, the lamb shwarma naan burger or hake with black daal.
The most prestigious dining experience Manchester has to offer, Manchester House specialises in unconventionally traditional dishes, providing a twist on classic combinations, which is all displayed impeccably. The 10 or 14 course tasting menus (vegetarian options available) offer delectable flavours that are designed to give diners a taster of the full à la carte menu with dishes such as steamed pigeon with cherry broth and mustard, carpet clam with morels and asparagus and Manchester tart ice cream. You can even hire a private dining room where you can enjoy unrivalled views of the Manchester skyline.
Not one for the veggies out there, Hawksmoor is the dining hotspot if you want sample some of the best steak the country has to offer. One of the most popular Manchester restaurants, their iconic steak menu offers larger cuts such as Chateaubriand or Porterhouse are ideal for sharing while their smaller sirloins, fillets and rumps are frequently touted as the best in the city. Located on the edge of Spinningfields inside a Victorian courthouse, the interior of the restaurant is suitably grand, with upcycled reclaimed materials used throughout.
These are our top 3 picks currently but that doesn’t mean to say that Manchester is limited to these 3. The new 20 stories restaurant is making waves in the fine dining scene so it’s a close fourth at the moment. Start off with the above 3 and let us know which one you liked the most!