Food and Drink in Manchester and the North

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Last Updated 21 September 2022

Summer is drawing to a close and autumn is rearing its chilly head, so it’s time to look beyond outside dining and toward hearty meals to get us through the upcoming colder months. With that in mind, we’ve uncovered one of the city’s best Sunday roasts, courtesy of Carnival at Freight Island, as well as some other filling meals from in and around Manchester and the North.

But first, we should mention the last great summery outdoors food festival of the summer, Festa Italiana, which put on yet another sterling show at Cathedral Gardens. Full of Italian street food vendors, live music and family-friendly activities, this is fast-becoming one of the highlights of the Manchester sunny months.

Sit back and prepare to get hungry

As we wave goodbye to one festival, it’s time to welcome the big boy of the food festival circuit, the Manchester Food and Drink Festival 2022, which has been postponed a week, but launches properly on Thursday 22nd September. We have a full rundown of all the events and any important changes below.

Aside from that, we’ve been enjoying some superb food from across the North-West lately, including East Asian food in Levenshulme, American dishes in the city centre and mind-blowing small plates in Ancoats, plus we’re taking a look at some of the best places to eat out in Leeds.

So sit back and prepare to get hungry. Here’s this month’s food and drink guide to Manchester and the North.

Here are our picks

1. The Jane Eyre

Ian Jones

The Jane Eyre, 14 Hood St, Ancoats, Manchester , M4 6WX - Visit now

The Jane Eyre isn’t just one of the best restaurants in Ancoats, it’s one of the best in the North.

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2. Gaijin Dumpling House

Ian Jones

Gaijin Dumpling House, 948 Stockport Rd, Manchester , M19 3NN - Visit now

Gaijin Dumpling House sits at the heart of Levenshulme’s main strip, serving up steamed dumplings and innovative versions of classic East Asian dishes.

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3. The Blues Kitchen Manchester

The Blues Kitchen Manchester

The Blues Kitchen Manchester, 13 Quay St, Manchester, M3 3HN - Visit now

The food at The Blues Kitchen is a smart progression from the venue’s early months, diving deeper into American cuisine and coming up with some fairly far-out ideas, which is always commendable.

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4. Carnival at Freight Island

Ian Jones

Carnival at Freight Island, Ticket Hall, Freight Island, 11 Baring St, Manchester, M1 2PZ - Visit now

Escape To Freight Island has been a triumph since it opened, attracting many, many thousands of people for drinks and high-quality food. Now they’ve set their sights on Sunday roasts and the results are remarkable.

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5. Supper Club at the Vegetarian Society Cookery School

Supper Club at the Vegetarian Society , Until 25 November 2022, from £50 - Book now

Over the autumn, some of the recipes featured at this excellent vegetarian supper club include Israeli Holishkes, tzimmes and courgette kugel casserole.

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6. Festa Italiana

Si Ronconi

Festa Italiana, Festival Piazza, Cathedral Gardens, Manchester, M4 3BG - Visit now

This laid-back weekend-long Italian festival went swimmingly, full of excellent street food vendors, live music and family-friendly activities.

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7. Restaurants in Leeds

The food scene in Leeds is the envy of its neighbouring cities, proudly securing multiple Michelin stars in recent years (sorry Manchester, you’re lagging behind).

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Activity Until 31 December 2022, from £35

Craft Beer Tour Manchester

Join Craft Beer Tour Manchester for a journey through some of the cities best local breweries and artisanal beer serving bars. Discover the personality of Manchester’s beer through a diverse range of pints.