Brand-spanking-new, unique, and old favourite restaurants

Manchester’s food and drink scene is the fastest growing outside of London, with a high demand for casual and high-end eateries. 2018 saw the opening of the hotly anticipated Dishoom, serving traditional Indian food in an elegant setting and famed for their breakfast bacon naan, as well as the arrival of famous institution The Ivy in Spinningfields, dishing out British classics in the ground floor brasserie, and new twists on Asian dishes on the second floor. Spinningfields also welcomed rooftop bar and restaurant 20 Stories in 2018, located on the 20^th floor of No.1 Spinningfields it offers stunning panoramic views of the city.

The restaurant at the Radisson Blu Edwardian Manchester received an overhaul last year and was reopened as Peter Street Kitchen, serving a fusion of Japanese and Mexican cuisine. Hotel Indigo Manchester Victoria has recently opened its doors and with it comes the brand-new Mamucium Restaurant & Bar, a dynamic dining destination serving family favourites with a Mancunian twist.

For the most unique experiences head to the Northern Quarter where you will find Mackie Mayor, a marketplace style food hall housed in an 18^th Century glass-roofed market hall, with locally sourced ingredients turned into delectable food inspired by international cuisines. You can join the fight against food waste from the team behind Real Junk Food Mcr at Open Kitchen in Didsbury, serving an ever-changing menu made from ingredients that would have otherwise gone straight to landfill.

Deansgate has welcomed a luxurious Turkish bar & mezze, inspired by the café culture of Istanbul. KAI serves traditional Turkish food that brings people together in unique surroundings. Discover new flavours at King Street’s newest high-end restaurant opening, Tast, the brainchild of Michelin-starred Chef, Paco Pérez, showcasing Catalonian small plates or ‘Tastets’.  Manchester Arndale has now also joined the city’s foodie scene with their new Halle Place, a contemporary dining quarter at the heart of the mall, where Wolf Street Food, serving up twists on Italian classics, has opened its doors and the prosecco bar FIZZ takes centre stage in the double-height atrium.

Manchester also has a host of well-established eateries, known for quality service and exquisite food. The aptly named The River Restaurant boasts a riverside terrace and an elegant restaurant serving classic, seasonal dishes delivered with flair and flourish. One of the city’s most well-known hotels, The Midland, is famed for being the place where Mr Rolls met Mr Royce, now, it’s fine dining establishment, The French, is famed in itself, serving signature menus of modern British food with the whole experience directed by Great British Menu winner Adam Reid.

Relaxed by day, lively by night, Refuge by Volta showcases globally-inspired small plates and sharing platters in the Dining Room, and an eclectic list of craft beers, wines and cocktails in the Public Bar. The unique atmosphere and carefully curated spaces of Refuge are the design of DJs-turned-restaurateurs Justin Crawford and Luke Chowdrey. A little further out of the city sits Pier Eight, a stylish restaurant and bar, serving fresh, British flavours and seasonal ingredients whilst overlooking the stunning waterside setting of Salford Quays.

Another of Manchester’s well-established foodie destinations is the Corn Exchange, showcasing its original Edwardian beauty with a modern twist and home to a mouth-watering mix of restaurants offering a fusion of flavours from around the globe. If it’s something a little more unique you’re after, head to Oxford Road where you will find Hatch nestled in a series of vibrant shipping containers underneath the Mancunian way. Home to a variety of pop-up independent traders which rotate frequently, you’ll experience something a little different and unique each time you visit.