San Carlo Cicchetti in Manchester does Italian small plates with aplomb.

A rustic Kentish Oast House (that’s a traditional hop-drying shed, of course) plunked down amidst the glass and steel corridors of Spinningfields.

Gusto Manchester is a lavish Italian restaurant just off Deansgate, with 1920s décor and an extensive menu.

Right next to Manchester’s Albert Hall, Sakana is a casual Japanese restaurant downstairs, with a fancier Pan Asian on the first floor.

Japanese restaurant Yuzu in Manchester is the kind of place that beckons you to return– we review it.

Elegantly laid out with simple wooden tables and Burgundy-coloured banquettes, Côte in Manchester does brasserie food, and does it well.

A cult tv and movie themed bar set below street level on Portland Street in Manchester.

Test your skills and logical thinking with Breakout Manchester’s wide selection of themed rooms for you to escape from.

Miller & Carter Steakhouse brings its traditional steak and sides to Manchester’s King Street.

Crowd-pleasing Thai casual dining at Manchester’s Spinningfields.

Hunan, a Chinese restaurant in Manchester’s Chinatown, may be a bit off the beaten track – but it’s all the better for that.

Jamie’s Italian is located in Edwin Lutyens’ soaringly elegant Midland Bank, one of the city’s treasures. The menu’s full of crowd-pleasing choices, with a huge selection of pastas, mains and bruschettas, and an appealing kids menu.The drinks range is broad and deep, with wine, beer and cocktails for all tastes and budgets.