Category: Manchester Restaurants

In restaurant terms, Manchester has perhaps always been most famous for those inspired by the Indian subcontinent, thanks to the ‘Curry Mile’ in Rusholme. However, in recent years its Mediterranean offerings have become more and more prominent, particularly the Italian variety.

The latest is Jamie’s Italian – part of the national chain owned by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver – which has just launched on King Street. Meanwhile, other recent additions to the scene include Salvi’s Mozzarella Bar in Exchange Square and Pertutti in Castlefield.

Here is my lowdown on other prominent city centre options…

Famous Italian restaurants
Popular with footballers and the people who surround them, San Carlo on King Street West and Rosso on Spring Gardens are Manchester’s ‘big two’ Italian restaurants. The former has been established longer, but the latter’s ownership by Rio Ferdinand has given it quite a boost.

Reliable staples
Piccolino is now a selective chain, but the Clarence Street branch is the original – and many say best. Other stalwarts include Don Giovanni’s and Felicini on Oxford Street, Stock on Norfolk Street, San Rocco on South King Street, Cocotoo on Whitworth Street and Albert’s Shed (Italian in nature rather than name!) on Castle Street. Relative newcomers Don Marco in Campfield Arcade, Cicchetti within House Of Fraser and Destino’s on Pall Mall are also worth a trip.

And the rest
Manchester has no shortage of Italian chain restaurants either, with branches of Zizzi, Pizza Express, Bella Italia and Strada scattered far and wide throughout. These often feature deals and are popular with families.

At present, the most famous Italian restaurants Manchester has to offer are known more for their high-profile guests or owners than for their food – but many local foodies hope that their popularity will attract the attention of Italian restauranteurs with more lofty ambitions.

Here in the capital of the north, we may not have quite as many five-star hotels as they do in London (they’ve got more than 50 and we’ve got two – one of which is actually in Salford), but there are still some very nice places to stay.

Providing five-star accommodation in the heart of the city centre, the Radisson Edwardian is located on Peter Street, which links Deansgate and Oxford Street. This makes it an ideal base for sightseeing and entertainment in Manchester, enjoying proximity to a plethora of theatres, art attractions, restaurants, bars and clubs. It is housed within the grade II-listed Free Trade Hall, which was originally built in 1846 and rebuilt after the Manchester Blitz of World War Two. It has also famously hosted gigs by Bob Dylan in 1966, Pink Floyd on numerous occasions and a legendary concert by the Sex Pistols in 1976. Its well-regarded restaurants are named Opus One (formal) and Alto (less so).

Despite being geographically located in Salford, the Lowry Hotel is often considered part of Manchester city centre, sitting on the banks of the River Irwell within easy reach of the shopping district and numerous bars and restaurants. It is the choice of many celebrities who visit Manchester, due to its five-star status and striking design. The Lowry Hotel’s River Restaurant has received excellent reviews in recent years and it also boasts luxury spa facilities.

The Midland Hotel on Peter Street is probably Manchester’s most famous, being the meeting place of Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce in 1906 – an event which resulted in one of the world’s most well-known car manufacturing companies. The grand building was built between 1898 and 1903 and has been a hotel ever since, now operating at a four-star level.

Manchester’s other notable hotels include Abode and Malmaison in Piccadilly – and the city also offers a wide variety of self-catered accommodation options. Manchester serviced apartments are located in the Northern Quarter, Deansgate, the Gay Village and Salford Quays, among other locations.

It’s a funny time of year for businesses to make changes and start new offerings, what with the chaos of Christmas and hospitality gloom of January being so near – but apparently no one’s told Manchester’s food and drink purveyors.

Not that I’m complaining. I’m a foodie through-and-through and I always get excited when there are new developments to appreciate.

In the openings stakes, there’s Aubaine at Selfridges in Exchange Square, Leckenby’s just off Deansgate and Peppermint Bay in Spinningfields.

Meanwhile, moves and updates include a change of hands at Livebait, a departing head chef at Harvey Nichols Second Floor and Paul Heaton (of The Beautiful South and The Housemartins fame) is the new landlord of Chapel Street’s The Kings Arms.

Aubaine is Manchester’s latest high-end French eaterie, following hot on the heels of 63 Degrees – and certainly appears to have the right tools to become one of the top Manchester restaurants.

Leckenby’s Champagne & Tea Rooms and Peppermint Bay both cater more for light bites and have received rather good reports, so far. I can’t wait to visit… though I might ask the wife to test out Leckenby’s with her lady friends before venturing in myself. I like a good cake, but it looks a bit girly. Though, having said that, they do morning fry-ups too!

It’s heartening to see that dreary fish place Livebait will have a new lease of life, with a new menu and refurbishment planned under successful restaurant businessman Richard Muir. He’s done great things in Scotland, apparently.

As for Paul Heaton at The King’s Arms in Salford… well, I just hope I like his pub strategy more than I liked his music.

Hold on to your Santa hats, everybody – the Manchester Christmas Markets are back this week (Thursday, 17 November, 2011).

I can’t believe it’s come around so fast again. Everything seems to go pretty quickly at my age, I have to admit, but nothing makes you aware of it like Christmas time. The decorations and lights are already up all over the place, including that bizarre giant Father Christmas thing on top of the entrance to Manchester town hall. It’s environmentally friendly, apparently, despite being made of 100,000 light bulbs.

I do like the markets, especially the mulled wine stalls and sausage traders – though it seems to get more and more difficult to walk around them every year! I can’t believe how many thousands of people show up. They say there are traders coming from all over the north west, as well as Europe – and even Lapland. There’s an extra area opening on King Street at weekends, selling work by local artists. Might go along and see if there are any presents worth buying – or maybe even something for my own walls.

Christmas dos will be in full swing soon too – and I’m sure all the top Manchester restaurants are gearing up for them. The wife and I love eating out with our friends during the festive season, but it can be difficult to get a table with all the office parties. I expect places like Australasia in Spinningfields will be absolutely packed, this year – and that French place on the edge of the Northern Quarter, 63 Degrees. Certainly no harm trying, though.

The wife will also be wanting to get her shopping done soon – and I know what that means. She’ll be in and out of shops all over the Arndale Centre, The Triangle and King Street while I trudge behind carrying bags. If I’m really lucky, I might get a seat outside the changing rooms in Marks & Spencer while she tries on dresses for Christmas Day. We’re having family round at ours. Just thinking about the food is making me hungry…

Amid an array of successful food establishments, Manchester sees regular restaurant openings with new offerings for the city. Abundantly filled with various establishments offering every kind of cuisine, Manchester is renowned for offering good grub.

One of the city’s newest contributions to the restaurant scene is Australasia. Situated just off Deansgate, it is set to be one of the best restaurants manchester has seen.

This restaurant is unique to the city in that it offers a fusion of Australian, and Asian foods with a European influence. It also holds a late license, with a bar that stays open until the early morning giving Manchester’s trendy residents a late night venue to converse in.

The selling point on the menu is sushi, but it also has a lot of other stunning dishes to choose from. All presented in a modern way, placing this restaurant at the higher end of Manchester’s market.

A sample menu includes:

Soft Shell Crab Californian Roll (£7.50)
Sashimi (£18.50)
Blackened Cod Roasted in Banana Leaf (£15.50)
Beef Fillet with Sesame, Sweet Soy and Red Chilli (£22.50)
Passion Fruit Marshmallow, roast pineapple parcels and pineapple sorbet (£7)

The prices are higher than some in Manchester, but it is good value for money and still far from London prices. For a nice meal as a celebration or for a few cocktails before a night out – or even after – Australasia is proving to be a popular venue in the city already. Although Manchester does cater for many tastes, Australasia does offer its customers something new.