Store Street Exchange

Store Street Exchange have launched a new menu, sticking to the tried and tested classic British dishes with some angles and twists, courtesy of executive chef Stuart Fox. We’re here to try out a few samples of this new menu in this impressive open-plan restaurant.

The standout option is the black pudding and apple sausage roll, made using local Bury blood sausage

First off, a selection of starters including some delightful haddock and gruyere croquettes. Best eaten hot, the coating is a crispy, crunchy breadcrumb, giving way to the smokey haddock and creamy cheese. But the standout option is the black pudding and apple sausage roll, made using local Bury blood sausage. It’s rich and earthy, wrapped up in a thin flakey layer of puff pastry and several steps above the average high-street equivalent – and very much not vegan.

The mains keep the standard high, with a nice slab of pork belly which boasts a richly-flavoured slice of Chinese pork belly that tumbles apart with the slightest touch, topped with a heavily-salted layer of thick pork fat. The pies are superb, coming from a new supplier, the highly rated Great North Pie Co who deliver a constantly changing type of pie, according to season. The slices of steak are second to none, cooked beautifully pink in the middle and topped with a rich buttery sauce.

Desserts deliver a high-end finale to the meal, all meringue, brownies, ice creams and cheesecake, surrounded by breadcrumb, honeycomb and raspberries. There’s little to fault here, and they’re a fine example of Fox’s superb culinary skills.

Store Street Exchange offers a nice midpoint between the city’s high-end restaurants and the typical hotel-based eatery. The dishes are reliably great, with a few truly excellent choices dotted throughout. Our tip? The black pudding sausage roll is a must, and if you’re in the mood for meat, meat and more meat, follow it up with the pork belly.