The Stables Restaurant at Manor House Alsager
Ian Jones, Food and Drink EditorVisit now
The Stables Restaurant at Manor House Alsager
Live out those Jilly Cooper fantasies with an evening at Stables in East Cheshire. It’s the in-house restaurant at the excellent Manor House Hotel & Spa in Alsager, and while hunky beefcakes might be thin on the ground, fear not, you’ll find beef, cake and other great British nosh on this luxurious menu.
You don’t need to visit the spa to book a meal – although we’d heartily recommend it, it’s one of the most relaxing places in Cheshire. And if you’re planning an overnight stay, the hotel isn’t half bad either.
It’s a space full of character – a converted stable block with exposed beams and soft lighting, alongside white-tablecloth professionalism. The whole feel is high-end without being overly formal.
The cooking style is both familiar and fresh. The XO-glazed belly pork starter is a stellar item, rich and bawdy, offset by a pristine scallop, met with a dash of scallion-ginger oil.
It’s a particular treat to see jazzed up versions of stereotypically staid dishes. Case in point, the king prawn cocktail. It’s the 1970s remade for 2025: avocado cream for body, Melba toast for crunch, and a Bloody Mary sorbet because why not? Loosen your tie and get with it, man.
All in all, the rack of lamb could be the highlight. The meat is pink, tender, with a precision-crisped layer of fat, while the boulangère potato gives a lighter, smarter take on the more obvious dauphinoise.
That’s not to do down the maple and garlic glazed pork chop. It’s a pleasure to see pork treated well – paired with a very fitting mustard cider sauce and a few dazzling little sundries.
Stables is a restaurant confident enough to play with classics, dancing the line between indulgence and convention. It’s a welcome addition to the Cheshire dining map, spa day or not.
