Best Restaurants in the North to Visit in 2024

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

So you’ve dined at each of our favourite Manchester restaurants and now you’re looking further afield? Have no fear, Creative Tourist is here, with a top ten list of the best places in and around the North that we visited in 2023.

The North of England has some of the finest dining destinations in the world, and this list showcases the sheer variety of what this great region has to offer. You’ll find entries from various cities, including Liverpool, Sheffield, and, of course, the mighty Lake District, catering for all kinds of diets and budgets. Now, get stuffed.

Our top picks

SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel

SOURCE at Gilpin Hotel, Crook Road, Windermere , LA23 3NF - Visit now

Best fine dining restaurant in the Lake District

A meal at SOURCE, the Michelin-starred jewel in the Gilpin Hotel’s crown, in the Lake District, is something special. Treat yourself and your favourite person this year (just so you know, I’m always available).

Dumpling City

Dumpling City, 53 Chesterfield Rd, Meersbrook, Sheffield , S8 0RL - Visit now

Best vegan food in Sheffield

It’s not a city and it’s not just dumplings. What it is is a fantastic all-vegan restaurant, currently based in The Tramshed Bar, focusing on a wide range of Chinese and East Asian-inspired dishes.

Tsuchi at The Black Bull Inn

Tsuchi at The Black Bull Inn, 44 Main St, Sedbergh, Yorkshire Dales, LA10 5BL - Visit now

Best fusion tasting menu in the North

We can’t recommend the Taste Of The Black Bull menu enough. Focusing on seasonal ingredients, it takes influences from chef-owner Nina’s Japanese and German heritage, as well as her partner James’s upbringing in the Dales. The result is a gloriously unique meal, full of surprising twists on traditional British cooking.

Groobarbs Field Kitchen

Groobarbs Field Kitchen, Wild Farm, Mag Ln, High Legh, Groobarbs , Knutsford, WA16 0AA - Visit now

Best field-to-fork dining in the North

A meal at Groobarbs Field Kitchen is something special indeed. Based at Groobarb’s Wild Farm in Knutsford, Cheshire, they offer field-to-fork dining, which is exactly as it sounds: ingredients sourced from right outside, from the 6.5-acre kitchen gardens you can see from the window.

Groobarbs Field Kitchen

Inventery

Inventery, 59-61 Station Rd, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, SK8 7AA - Visit now

Best small plates in Stockport

As central Manchester becomes bigger, bolder and more Dubai-like by the day, it’s time to start looking further afield for those charming, independent venues that used to define areas like the Northern Quarter a mere decade ago. Inventery is exactly that.

Gino D’Acampo Sky Bar 360

Gino D’Acampo Sky Bar 360, 18th Floor, INNSIDE, Old Hall St, Liverpool , L3 9LQ - Visit now

Best afternoon tea in Liverpool

If you’re looking for a treat, or just fancy a really nice Wednesday afternoon (with incredible views over a beautiful city), Gino’s afternoon tea is definitely up there with the best in the North.

Gino D'Acampo Sky Bar 360

Northcote

Northcote, Northcote Rd, Langho, Blackburn, BB6 8BE - Visit now

Best Michelin-star dining in Lancashire

A meal at Northcote isn’t just a great example of fine dining in the North, it’s one of the most impressive sensory experiences in the UK. Everything is designed to induce a sense of awe – the presentation of the food, the perfectly paired wines, the sheer inventiveness of the ideas, and most memorably, the flavours.

Shoulder of Mutton Inn

Shoulder of Mutton Inn, Middleton Tyas, Richmond , North Yorkshire, DL10 6QX - Visit now

Best traditional dining in North Yorkshire

Shoulder Of Mutton is at the heart of Middleton Tyas, a picturesque village not far from Richmond, North Yorkshire. It’s also an old-timey inn, dating back to the 18th century, and, unsurprisingly, the food is as traditional as it gets. Expect hearty plates of locally sourced meat and veg designed to fill the belly of locals after a hard day’s work.

Nordie

Nordie, 1044 Stockport Rd, Manchester, M19 3WX - Visit now

Best bistro-style dining South of Manchester

Nordie is a superb independent bar with some of the best food and drink options for miles around.

Albert’s Schloss Liverpool

Albert’s Schloss Liverpool, 18-26 Bold St, Liverpool , L1 4DS - Visit now

Best hospitality staff in Liverpool

At Albert’s Schloss Liverpool, the first thing you’ll note is the atmosphere – during our Friday evening visit, the venue is packed with friendly post-work groups of friends, all age ranges, all out for a good time, all in high spirits. This is due, in no small part, to the excellent staff.

The Jane Eyre Chorlton

The Jane Eyre Chorlton, 60 Beech Rd, Chorlton, M21 9EG - Visit now

Best cocktails and small plates menu in South Manchester

In an area jam-packed with great bars and restaurants, The Jane Eyre Chorlton stands out as one of the most appealing destinations on Beech Road. From kitchen to bar, you’ll find a wealth of forward-thinking ideas and unforgettable flavours.

Where to go in

Manchester
Food hall
Kargo MKT

Mighty food hall in Salford Quays, with around twenty street food vendors, serving a huge range of cuisines.

Asap Coffee Interior/ Counter
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
ASAP Coffee

If you’re looking for quality coffee and a decadent brunch in a setting that nails the Northern Quarter brief, you’d struggle to do better than ASAP Coffee.

Chinatown
Restaurant
Pho Cue

Family-run Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown. Prepare to queue for Pho Cue.

Peak District
Restaurant
The Chequers Inn

The Chequers Inn is a 16th century, family-run, traditional country inn with an impressive dining space. The Peak District at its best.

Manchester
Restaurant
Salt & Pepper

Chinese inspired British food in the centre of Manchester, backed up by plenty of well-deserved local hype.

Morning Glory - Coffee Cup
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Morning Glory

Morning Glory positions itself as a grab-and-go spot, with just 12 seats inside serving coffee, bagels and sweet treats.

The Chevin is a great place for visitors to do lots of different activities and is open all year round with 5 free car parks. To help you find out whatís best for you we have divided this section up into some of these different activities.Please be aware that The Chevin is a working estate so you may see vehicles including timber-extraction lorries using some of the tracks.Self-guided WalksThe Chevin is a big place and there is a good network of paths to make your own circular walk, but if you want to follow a themed trail there is a Geology Trail, Heritage Time Trail and a route for Tree Spotters.Bikes & HorsesThere is an extensive bridleway network on the eastern parts of The Chevin that caters for a range of abilities.Orienteering and GeocachingTwo orienteering courses and a number of geocache sites are waiting to be discovered.Climbing & BoulderingThere are many fantastic crags for climbing and boulders for bouldering.Mobility Scooters & Wheelchairs
Leeds
Restaurant
Oporto

For many years, Oporto has been a beacon of alternative energy on Leeds’ Call Lane – serving up great food and drink alongside resident DJs and live music.

Visitor Guides

Manchester Restaurant Deals

Manchester's restaurants are bending over backwards to create deals that take the sting out of eating out. Here are the best of the bunch for January.

Bars & Pubs

The best new bars in Manchester, plus some old favourites for good measure.

Vegan and Vegetarian Food

Whether you’re a proud vegan or merely curious, let us guide you towards the best vegan food in Manchester for Veganuary.

Classical Music in the North

Read our latest highlights from the live classical music offer in Manchester and the North, taking in a number of the region's most cherished orchestral forces and venues.

Sunday Roasts in Manchester

Looking for the finest roast dinners in Manchester? Look no further. We've picked out the very best Sunday dinners in the city.

UNITOM bookshop
Bookshops in Manchester

Manchester is a UNESCO City of Literature, so of course there are a few go-tos for books. Read our guide to discover the best places to pick them up.

Spas in the North West

If you find yourself in the North West of England looking for a spa day, look no further, check out our guide featuring our favourite spots.

Image by Jonathan Schofield.
Spotlight on

Walking Tours in Manchester by Jonathan Schofield

Presenting the best walking tours in Manchester for history buffs, culture enthusiasts, and those looking to scratch beneath the surface of the city.

Take me there

Culture Guides

Hofesh Shechter - Theatre of Dreams at Lowry
Theatre in the North

Picks this month include bold visual art, wondrous opera and cinematic dance - plus a touch of ghostly storytelling for the Halloween season.

A white mattress is burning in a black rocky landscape.
Exhibitions in the North

Galleries in the North are far from spooky this October - instead you'll find tactile sculptures, plant magic and curatorial experiments.

A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
Cinema in the North

It's busy month across the cinemas of the north as Halloween programming leads into two of the region's biggest film festivals.

Poet Helen Mort.
Literature Events in the North

One to add to your TBR pile, our latest round-up is a bumper edition and features some amazing events in Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds and beyond...

Music in the North

From New York’s experimental underground to the most exciting sounds coming from local scenes, we're lining up a noisy autumn of gigs.