Small plates in Manchester

Everywhere you turn in Manchester, you’ll stumble across yet another restaurant offering small plates. But what are they? If you’re greedy, like me, it’s a fine way to try out a variety of dishes, plus if you’re simply not that hungry, it’s a decent way to save a few quid and still enjoy an evening out. Plus, it’s a great way to take a punt on something you haven’t tried before, without risking being lumped with a big plate of unappealing slop.

A great way to take a punt on something you haven’t tried before

Small plates are also called ‘tapas-style’ dishes, but whereas tapas is most often associated with Spanish food, small plates can apply to all kinds of cuisine, and indeed, some of Manchester’s best are from further afield (or even closer to home). Of course, classic tapas makes an appearance, thanks to the always-excellent Lunya, off Deansgate, and of course El Gato Negro Tapas on King Street (the name should have been a clue) but in our expert guide you’ll also find offerings from Portgual in Canto, locally-sourced food at Erst and much more.

Classic tapas makes an appearance, thanks to the always-excellent Lunya, off Deansgate, and of course El Gato Negro Tapas

Strictly speaking, practically every restaurant in Manchester could be done ‘small-plates-style’ – just work your way through the ‘starters’ section and ignore the big imposing mains. It may seem a bit unusual to do this though, and rather than risk the wrath of an eyebrow-raising maître d’ (we jest, the Manchester restaurant scene is lucky enough to have a notable lack of snooty waiting staff, god bless it) you might prefer to go to a venue that specialises in smaller, less-pricey options.

And this is our list of the best. Variety is the spice of life, so try them all, and try all on offer at them all while you’re at it.

Here are our picks