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The North of England can’t be beat when it comes to food and drink. And there’s plenty to choose from. Visit, and you’ll find a new place to eat and drink on every corner, from high-end cuisine to smash-and-dash dining, street food and pop-up bars. You could eat and drink somewhere new every day for a year, and still be left wanting.
Of course, some venues are better than others. Despite the Michelin star squad’s suspicious aversion to the Manchester’s food scene, the city contains some of the best restaurants and bars in the country, with Liverpool and Yorkshire also making a strong case for a visit.
Whether you’re a born and bred local or visiting the North for the day, here are five of the best places to spend your money, fill your belly and wet your whistle as we enter these warm summer months.
Here are our picks
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1. Manchester House
Ian Jones Manchester House, 18-22 Bridge Street, Manchester, M3 3BZ - Visit now
Despite new contenders, such as 20 Stories, Manchester House remains at the top of the city’s fine dining tree. Young chef Nat has brought a raft of innovative ideas to the table, and the odd forgivable misstep aside, is the perfect person to breathe new life into this venue.
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2. Tattu
Tattu, Gartside Street, 3 Hardman Square, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3EB - Visit now
It’s hard to find fault with anything Tattu do. Over time they’ve finessed the menu, weeding out any of the more mundane dishes, leaving a roster of top-drawer dishes. The food is often unusual, using plenty of out-there ingredients, but the end result is almost always a complete success. This is event dining at its best.
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3. Bundobust Manchester
Lennox Paul David Bundobust Manchester, 61 Piccadilly, Manchester, M1 2AG - Visit now
Since opening their restaurant on the edge of Piccadilly, the team behind Bundobust have built one hell of a buzz around Manchester. For the unaware, this underground restaurant serves up tapas-style small plates of vegetarian and vegan Indian food, along with an exhaustive – and somewhat exhausting – list of beers and craft ales.
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4. Grafene
Grafene Grafene, 55 King Street, Manchester, M2 4LQ - Visit now
Grafene is one of the many highly-regarded restaurants on King Street. It has lofty ambitions, evidenced by the recent hiring of new head chef, 29 year old Ben Mounsey, who comes from a long line of Michelin starred and AA rosetted restaurants in the North.
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5. Mr Cooper’s
Mr Cooper’s, The Midland Hotel, Peter Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M60 2DS - Visit now
Mr Cooper’s is often overlooked in favour of its showier elder sibling, The French, but this shouldn’t be the case. It’s a perfect place to drop in for a bite to eat, less formal and more relaxed than it’s near neighbour, but, thanks to Head Chef Rob Taylor, with just as high quality dishes.
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