Best Restaurants in Manchester

Launched in 2016, the casual on-site restaurant at the chic AC Hotel Manchester offers a personalized dining experience in an inviting atmosphere. Tucked in the heart of Salford Quays, the dining space features upscale interiors, with cream, brown, and blonde décor, offering a relaxing setting ideal for unwinding over a meal. The restaurant serves inventive Spanish-inspired dishes fused with fresh British ingredients. Tapas highlight the restaurant's menu, featuring small dishes such as harissa chicken skewers and sauteed wild mushrooms. Diners can also dig into the restaurant's entrees, including pasta, burgers, seafood, and sandwiches. The restaurant boasts a wide selection of craft cocktails to accompany the cuisine.

BAR SAN JUAN is a Spanish-inspired bar and restaurant nestled in the lovely south Manchester suburb of Charlton. The restaurant offers a vast menu featuring inventive Spanish specialties and local favorites, including classic tortilla, Sobrasada, quail's egg on toasted bread, and morels. The restaurant also serves tapas from all regions of Spain with a touch of innovation, including fish, meat, and vegetable tapas. The restaurant features a warm and friendly atmosphere with a Spanish vibe. Bullfighting posters and flamenco singers' photos grace the walls, and the scenic patio is open in warm weather.

Established by Sussex greengrocer Bill Collison in 2014, Bill’s is located in the heart of Springfields Manchester. The restaurant serves inventive meals, including breakfast on weekdays, lunch, and dinner in a friendly atmosphere. For lunch, Bill's serves everything from delectable platters to Bill's Signature Burger of the Week. The restaurant comes to life in the evenings, with fine cocktails accompanying the innovative dinner dishes, ranging from British classics to fresh vegan alternatives, including signature dishes like pan-fried chicken served with wild mushroom and feta risotto.

Opened in 2020, Black Leaf is a vegan dining concept from owner Braddan Quayle and head chef Grace Stubbs, located in the basement of a cocktail bar, Alvarium. The restaurant features a three-course chef-inspired a la carte plant-based menu, serving innovative flavor combinations and eye-catching meals that characterize its creative cuisine, complemented by a vegan cocktail menu. Diners can savor specialties like vegan scotch eggs served with creamed turnips and toast or dig into local favorites, such as vegan sausages and mash. The restaurant also serves a range of side dishes and desserts.

Bundobust, an Indian street food and craft beer destination, launched in Manchester Piccadilly in 2016 and quickly became a local favorite. The restaurant features a spacious beer hall offering a wide selection of craft ales, accompanying a vast, diverse menu of inventive dishes. Bundobust boasts a friendly, comfortable atmosphere and personalized quality service. The restaurant has gained accolades and recognition, including winning “Restaurant of the Year” at the 2017 Manchester Food and Drink Festival awards.

Tucked into the Northern Quarter, Evelyn's Café and Bar is a neighborhood restaurant that opened in 2016. Evelyn's boasts a diverse menu helmed by chef Jimmy Carr, serving a unique and compelling combination of dishes, from fresh seafood to meats and vegan options. The restaurant’s friendly, tranquil atmosphere features an open kitchen, nature-inspired colors, mismatched furnishings, and a remarkable green chandelier. Diners can also enjoy Parisian-inspired cocktails at the restaurant to complement their meals.

Fress is a family-owned restaurant in the heart of the Northern Quarter. Since its debut in 2017, the restaurant has been committed to providing inventive comfort food. Fress serves brunch, lunch, afternoon tea, and dinner throughout the week. The restaurant is famous for its wide selection of desserts and cocktails, from local favorite “Pick ‘n Mix” Margaritas to Nutella Martinis. Fress boasts a chic yet inviting atmosphere, featuring a charmingly retro interior with classic Victorian-style tiling and bistro seats.

Gaucho, located in a renovated church in the heart of Deansgate since 2001, serves exceptional Argentinian dishes in a stylish setting. The restaurant features an elegant, welcoming ambiance, with a magnificent church organ at the center of its sophisticated, split-level dining room. Crystal décor glistening at each table and stylish ebony furniture provide a remarkable dining experience. During the week, the steakhouse provides quiet lunches and dinners. However, on weekends, the restaurant transforms into a social hotspot, boasting DJ-hosted brunches and a lively cocktail bar to complement its inventive cuisine.

Hawksmoor, open since 2015, is a chic steakhouse in Deansgate offering innovative specialties. The restaurant is located in an old courtroom, offering a unique, welcoming atmosphere. Hawksmoor’s interior features reclaimed items, such as parquet flooring, glazed bricks, oak paneling, and copper doors, to create a cozy vintage vibe with a touch of contemporary glamour. The restaurant offers a vast menu, featuring staples such as seafood specialties and vegan options, alongside its signature sizzling steak and complemented with a selection of spectrum wine labels.

Hispi is Chef Gary Usher's bistro concept, serving British-inspired meals since 2016. The restaurant has a relaxed, homey vibe, with cabinetry crafted from old Indian window frames and restored yard tiles. Hispi features a spacious, inviting dining room ideal for any occasion, from family dinners to date nights and group gatherings. The restaurant features a vast, diverse menu, offering bistro favorites, kids’ meals, and vegan options, accompanied by a selection of wines, cocktails, and beers.

Since its debut in 2016, Indique, tucked in West Disbury, has been committed to bringing classic Indian street-food flavors to Manchester. The couple-owned restaurant's name is coined from two words: Indian and unique. True to its name, the restaurant serves inventive dishes, featuring a distinctive blend of classic Indian favorites with contemporary techniques and presentation. The restaurant's menu, featuring three-course meals, is inspired by Dinesh Maheshwari's childhood and experience in Rajasthan, India. Diners can enjoy aromatic appetizers, such as onion bhaji and chicken tikka, before digging into classics like lamb biryani, duri puri, and Hyderabadi biryani chicken. The restaurant also offers desserts, gluten-free alternatives, and a selection of cocktails and wine.

Since opening the doors of Ivy Asia in 2018, Richard Caring has been serving inventive dishes meant to be shared accompanied by classic and creative cocktails. Located on the second floor of The Pavilion, Ivy Asia has a sophisticated yet friendly atmosphere with an upscale interior, featuring semi-precious stone flooring and opulent textiles, illuminated with stunning greenery. Diners can socialize over drinks late into the night while relishing the soundtrack of the restaurant's resident DJ.

Jane Eyre is a warm, inviting neighborhood bar serving seasonal fare accompanied by classic cocktails with a twist and local beers. The bar, established by Eyre brothers Joe and Jonny in 2016, is a tribute to their late mother. The kitchen offers inventive meals made from fresh, locally sourced ingredients, such as Vacio steak served with chimichurri, chorizo scotch egg, salt cod, and roast cauliflower served with romesco sauce.

Kala is Chef Gury Usher's bistro concept, open since 2019. Kala is a spacious, exquisite, yet relaxed restaurant, with 55 seats in the dining room and ten at the bar. The restaurant features an open kitchen helmed by chef Jack Huxley, serving bistro favorites such as silky-smooth chicken liver pâté with rhubarb and cider chutney and seasonal specialties, including Wye Valley asparagus. The menu also offers side dishes, starters, shareable treats, and desserts, including vegan and children's alternatives, meeting all dining needs. Diners can complement the inventive dishes with drinks from the restaurant's full bar.

Lizhi is a Chinese and Thai restaurant serving inventive dishes in a chic setting. Located upstairs in Astley Point, it provides quality service in a warm, inviting atmosphere with elegant Chinese-inspired décor. Lizhi features a vast, varied menu, offering Chinese classics blended with Thai flavors, prepared using the freshest ingredients. Diners can savor favorites like creative dim sum, chicken, and pork belly. The restaurant also offers a rich selection of wines, gin, and beer to accompany its meals.

Peru Perdu is a South American-inspired dining concept located in the heart of Central Manchester, debuting in 2019. Inventive cuisine from all over South America is served, including Uruguayan wet aged steaks and a ceviche bar that combines classic Peruvian flavors with Manchester's desire for globally inspired cuisine. Seafood is also a staple on the restaurant's menu, as well as plant-based specialties. The restaurant offers a chic yet inviting atmosphere, featuring an open kitchen that allows diners to watch the food preparation technique from the chef's table. Peru Perdu also features a comprehensive South American wine list, with bottles from Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.

Platzki, located in the Great Northern Warehouse, was established in 2018 by two culinary enthusiasts, Lukasz Mazurek and Przemek Marcinkowski. Like its name, the restaurant specializes in platzki, or Polish potato pancakes. The restaurant's menu, which changes every week, offers a contemporary twist on Polish classics, from potato dumplings to spicy pork. Vegan-friendly options are also available at Platzki, including galabki z grzybami I kasha, or barley groats served with wild mushrooms.

Since its debut in 2007, Proof has been offering a variety of drinks and inventive dishes, prepared with fresh ingredients from local suppliers. The bar boasts an ambient and relaxed atmosphere, unlike other city center joints, featuring a spacious, scenic patio for a memorable al fresco dining experience. Proof serves innovative, wholesome meals for brunch, lunch, and dinner with a diverse menu featuring starters, side dishes, entrees, and desserts. Diners can savor drinks from the restaurant's award-winning selection of cocktails and wine.

Purezza, a vegan pizza chain, opened its Manchester location in 2021, offering a wide selection of inventive vegan-friendly pies. The restaurant's remarkable prominence is undoubtedly due to its homemade dairy-free cheese, which took years of mastering in a lab before being used on wood-fired vegan pizzas. Purezza's unique recipes have earned it national accolades and recognition, including winning the National Pizza of the Year award in 2018. The restaurant's menu includes various specialties, including sourdough pizzas, calzones, lasagna, pasta, and burgers. Purezza also has a range of beverages, including craft cocktails, to accompany the menu.

Ramona, opening in 2021, serves Detroit-style pizza, focusing on coal-roasting, blistering, and charring. The restaurant is located in an old warehouse building that has been renovated to look like a Pacific Coast beach house. Ramona boasts a warm, inviting atmosphere with a vintage vibe, ideal for a memorable dining experience. The restaurant offers diverse sides, from salads to cookies and tater tots, accompanied by a margarita bar and a selection of beer, wine, and cocktails.

Salvi's is a classic family-run Italian restaurant named after Maurizio Cecco's father, featuring inventive cuisine inspired by Cecco's mother and fresh ingredients outsourced from their hometown of Campania, Italy. Conveniently tucked into Manchester's Northern Quarter, the restaurant opened in 2011 and serves antipasti, panini, and classic Italian specialties. Diners will enjoy a vibrant and contemporary atmosphere, featuring classic wooden seats and elegant personal touches that highlight Salvi's solid family heritage. Salvi's also offers a curated cocktail list and a diverse drink menu to complement the restaurant's Italian meals.

Seven54 is a café, bar, and restaurant opened in 2021 by Nikolas Opacic. The restaurant's name was coined from its location at 754 Wilmslow Road. Seven54 offers a vast chef-inspired brasserie-style menu, featuring global flavors, a separate kids’ menu, brunch, and an all-day menu. The restaurant boasts an inviting, laid-back café atmosphere during the day, then transitions to an elegant, casual dining scene at night. Moreover, Seven54 features a fully enclosed, heated outdoor patio, ideal for an al fresco dining experience. Diners can choose from inventive favorites like fresh salmon, buttermilk buffalo fried chicken, and sizzling steak. The restaurant also offers vegan alternatives and a selection of drinks, from contemporary cocktails to beer, champagne, and wine.

Since launching in the Northern Quarter in 2020, Sicilian has been committed to bringing the flavors of Sicily to Manchester. This inviting neighborhood bistro and bar serves inventive Italian-inspired specialties, from creative street culinary nibbles to pasta to vegan options and desserts, including innovative gelato flavors. Diners can try the local favorite arancini, made from fresh ingredients to create unique flavors. The restaurant also sells bottles of Sicilian wines, cocktails, and signature sauces, so diners can take a taste of Sicily home with them.

The Allotment, opened in 2016 by award-winning chef Matthew Nutter, is committed to offering creative vegan and gluten-free dishes right in Mancester’s city center. The restaurant uses fresh, engaging, and locally sourced ingredients to create a unique, exclusively plant-based dining experience. The Allotment boasts a chic-yet-friendly atmosphere, with rustic finishes and monochromatic photos adorning the walls of its spacious dining room. The restaurant also features a selection of vegan-friendly drinks, from non-alcoholic beverages to cocktails and beer.

The Blues Kitchen, opening in 2021, serves inventive Texan BBQ accompanied by blues music, offering a touch of Southern soul in Manchester. Diners can enjoy the live background music, from classic blues to soul sounds and rock 'n' roll funk played by the world's most renowned resident performers, while savoring the southern-style barbecue, inventive burgers, and creative buffalo wings. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of curated wines, cocktails, and local craft beer.

The Daisy, tucked in the basement of Evelyn's, is a Paris-inspired cocktail bar lounge that debuted in 2017. Drawing meticulous influence from Parisian bar culture, The Daisy features a relaxed and cozy atmosphere. Its décor includes the industrial elements of the building, yet maintains an inviting ambience tailored to create a neighborhood hang-out space. The lounge features a carefully curated cocktail list and a vast selection of wines, from small-batch-produced alternatives to biodynamic and natural wines.

Located on the ground floor of The Ivy Spinningfields, The Ivy Brasserie, which debuted in 2019, offers inventive British-inspired dishes for dinner, lunch, brunch, and breakfast throughout the week. Upon stepping inside, diners are greeted with a burst of sparkling brass, elegant fabric, and iridescent glass, offering a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere ideal for a memorable dining experience. The restaurant's menu is vast and diverse, featuring British classics blended with eclectic global flavors, from Italian truffled orzo pasta to Japanese crispy duck salad and fresh seafood.

Two brothers own The Jane Eyre, a friendly and inviting neighborhood pub named after their mother that opened in 2018. The bar serves traditional drinks with a twist, a varied selection of keg and bottled beers, and simplistic, inventive cuisine made with fresh, high-quality ingredients. The restaurant has a Spanish-inspired menu, with small plates meant to be shared in its warm, inviting atmosphere.

The Jolly Hatters is a family-friendly neighborhood bar located in Haughton Green. The bar features friendly staff providing high-quality service in a warm, relaxed setting. Jolly Hatters offers a wide variety of different types of beer, along with snacks.

Since its debut in 1976, Koffee Pot has been offering inventive, quality British staples. The restaurant is famous for its outstanding brekkies and inventive homemade pies. The Koffee Pot boasts a cozy, inviting atmosphere, featuring leather booths with artwork and graffiti adorning the walls. The classic British breakfast menu is fused with specialties, such as fluffy pancakes. Diners can indulge in the restaurant's drink menu, featuring cocktails, natural wines, and beers.

The Post Room, located in Denton, is a casual dining restaurant boasting a diverse menu of inventive cuisine. The restaurant is dedicated to providing a cozy, inviting atmosphere and quality service. To accompany its perfectly prepared meals, The Post Room provides a wide variety of curated cocktails and fine wines. The restaurant's one-of-a-kind drink menu complements its extensive culinary selections to create an unforgettable dining experience.

The Refuge is located in one of Manchester's historic landmarks, the old Refuge Assurance offices on Oxford Street, and features four areas: the relaxed dining room, the scenic winter garden, the chic public bar, and the comfortable den. The restaurant, which opened in 2016 in the city center, serves inventive cuisine, showcasing Volta's award-winning concept of homemade, creative grilled items and small plates. The menu is influenced by Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford's extensive travels and adventures throughout the world. The Restaurant at the Refuge also features a diverse beer menu and comprehensive wine list alongside live DJ music, creating a memorable dining experience.

Volta is a friendly neighborhood restaurant and pub in West Didsbury. Luke Cowdrey and Justin Crawford, popularly known as DJs the Unabombers, operate this award-winning restaurant. The restaurant exudes a sophisticated yet casual feel, thanks to its lively outside patio, wooden bistro-style decor, and lively background music. Volta provides a diverse, inventive menu, featuring globally-inspired specialties, from Spanish charcuterie to cheese and Iberian ham, as well as vegan alternatives.

WOOD Manchester, open since 2017, is award-winning chef Simon Wood's concept, demonstrating his unimposing upscale dining style with an emphasis on purity and simplicity. This chic restaurant, tucked between Deansgate and Oxford Road stations, has a sophisticated yet inviting atmosphere, featuring a glass façade, open kitchen, and a color palette of blues and greys throughout the interior. WOOD features two seasonally-inspired menus: the tasting menu and the a la carte menu, both complemented by a fine assortment of wines, beers, and spirits.

KBOM is adapted from the Portuguese words "que bom," meaning delicious, which sums up the Portuguese and Brazilian soul food served at this restaurant. Opening in 2020 in a well-groomed shipping container at Manchester's Hatch Court, this casual dining restaurant boasts simplicity while offering a wide range of unique and exciting dishes. KBOM blends the exuberant flavors of Brazil with classic Portuguese soul food to create inventive specialties adored in Manchester. At the bar, diners can savor a curated list of Brazilian-inspired cocktails, a modest selection of fine wine, and Portuguese beers.

Vertigo First Street, which debuted in 2019, is Michael Jebelli's plant-powered concept, serving inventive vegan specials. The restaurant and coffee bar features a charmingly inviting atmosphere, with a spacious, chic dining room and a scenic outdoor patio, ideal for soaking up the elusive Mancunian sun during warm weather. Vertigo's diverse menu provides plant-based dishes, including salads, stew curries, sandwiches, and smoothie bowls, accompanied by a comprehensive range of craft beers and wines.