Steak Restaurants in Manchester

Ian Jones, Food and Drink Editor

Looking for the best steaks in Manchester? Of course you are. Nothing says luxury (and climate change) like a big slab of meat, cooked medium rare. And Manchester has a whole host of top-class steakhouses in which to blow your hard-earned pay packet. This guide focuses mostly on those restaurants that make steak the headline act of their menu, but we’ve included a few wider-ranging destinations that have superb steak dishes on the menu too.

So, whether you prefer your steak rare, medium or well-done – in fact, no, if you’re eating steak well done you’re barely eating steak at all, begone with you – we have expert recommendations for all the most barnstorming beef-based bistros, brasseries and, er, buffets in town. This one’s for the Desperate Dans amongst us.

Our top picks

Gaucho Manchester

Gaucho Manchester, 2a St Mary’s Street, Manchester, M3 2LB - Visit now

The steak scene in Manchester has hit fever pitch in recent years, with countless newcomers trying to make their mark. But where some places can have a slightly off-putting atmosphere, Gaucho takes a more elegant approach – nothing too pompous or macho, just top-quality produce prepared beautifully, with countless subtle touches that most competitors couldn’t even imagine.

Hawksmoor

Hawksmoor, 184-186 Deansgate, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M3 3WB

A night dining at Hawksmoor doesn’t come cheap. But then, quality rarely does. The steaks are arguably the finest in the city, and the starters aren’t far off. If price is no object, Hawksmoor stands tall among Manchester’s finest restaurants.

James Martin Manchester

James Martin Manchester, 2 Watson St, Manchester, M3 4LP - Visit now

James Martin’s Manchester restaurant delivers a solid high-quality experience. It’s certainly not one for vegetarians, as the most visually impressive and tastiest dishes are all geared around hefty chunks of meat, but it’s a top-drawer option for those of the carnivorous persuasion.

Alston Bar & Beef

Alston Bar & Beef, Cathedral Street, Manchester, M4 3TR - Visit now

Alston places itself carefully towards the top end steakhouse – making the bold assertion it’s bringing the best steak to Manchester. Originally set up in Glasgow, they use only the finest Scottish beef, each animal and cut chosen specifically for its quality and flavour by their expert butcher.

Alston Bar & Beef
Alston Bar & Beef

The River Restaurant at The Lowry Hotel

The River Restaurant at The Lowry Hotel, 50 Dearmans Place, Salford, M3 5LH - Visit now

The Beef Wellington is raved about, and the best is exactly what is delivered – unsurprisingly, considering this is the chef’s favourite dish.

Store Street Exchange

Store Street Exchange, 1 Auburn St, Manchester, M1 3DG - Visit now

The slices of steak at Store Street Exchange are second to none, cooked beautifully pink in the middle and topped with a rich buttery sauce.

Tariff & Dale

Tariff & Dale, 2 Tariff Street, Manchester, Greater Manchester, M1 2FN - Visit now

The bone marrow steak burger here is as good as it sounds, with a dill pickle, two slices of brie and all the crispy veg on a sweet brioche bun above a huge patty.

Where to go in Manchester

CUPRA City Garage DJ Decks
City Centre
Café or Coffee Shop
CUPRA City Garage

Already based in Paris, Mexico City, Sydney and Vienna, CUPRA’s international expansion is driven by culture as much as cars, and Manchester’s creative energy has clearly caught their attention.

Ancoats
Restaurant
Bruco

Bruco is a new restaurant in Ancoats, serving up stylish Italian small plates.

Samsi
Manchester
Restaurant
Samsi

Long-standing Japanese restaurant on Whitworth Street in Manchester with a pleasingly affordable menu.

Chorlton
Restaurant
Yane

Friendly neighbourhood restaurant in Chorlton, specialising in authentic Japanese cuisine such as donburi, katsu kare and traditional pickles, made in-house.

Stables Tavern
City Centre
Restaurant
Stables Tavern

The Stables Tavern is an olde style pub in the St John’s neighbourhood of Manchester, where the Rovers Return once stood.

Manchester
Restaurant
Ban Di Bul

Ban Di Bul is a longstanding Korean restaurant in the very centre of Manchester.

Interior Decorations - Viet Deli
Manchester
Café or Coffee Shop
Viet Deli

Viet Deli is a small venue, not the kind of place for a sit down meal. Serving only bánh mì, traditionally street food in Vietnam.

Levenshulme
Restaurant
My Nawaab

Eye-catching banqueting hall in Levenshulme, with a wide-ranging buffet showcasing freshly-prepared Indian and Pakistani cuisine.

Manchester Visitor Guides

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.

Bars in Manchester

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

SB_BreweryTour- Distillery Two
Brewery Tours in Manchester

A growing number of breweries and independent tour operators now offer behind-the-scenes access to the city’s thriving beer scene.

Afternoon Tea in Manchester

The finest places in Manchester to sip Darjeeling, eat dainty finger sandwiches and slap extra clotted cream on a freshly baked scone.

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

Cinema in the North

This month we recommend a season of Film noir, cult Australian movies and a huge celebration of DIY community cinema.

Theatre in Manchester and the North
Theatre in the North

This season’s theatre is gloriously eclectic: from radical cabaret and reinvented classics to new musicals and boundary-pushing performance.

Author portrait
Literature Events in the North

Our latest round-up features plenty of one-off live literature events to wrap your ears about, so get those diaries ticking over...

Sprints
Music in the North

10 fresh shows across Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool, threading together noise, ritual, euphoria and release in all their messy, beautiful forms.

Detail of an abstract sculpture, with burned materials and rusty chicken wire at the centre, with rusted metal bars bent around it.
Exhibitions in the North

Chocolate fountains, beautiful batiks and medieval marginalia - this month's supersized Exhibitions Guide has it all.