18 May
Manchester House
Manchester House restaurant is based in Spinningfields and is home to the youngest British chef ever to win a Michelin star. Allow Aiden Byrne to demonstrate his fantastic culinary craft in the gallery kitchen whilst you feast your eyes on the very stylish décor. You will be as amazed by the decadent surroundings in the twelfth floor lounge and the second floor dining room as you will be by Aiden’s top notch menus. You can choose from a fixed-priced lunch, an à la carte option or a 13-course taster menu.
Mr Cooper’s House and Garden
At Mr Cooper’s you will find good food, cooked with flair and imagination and served in unique surroundings by a friendly yet professional team. Mr Cooper’s House & Garden combines modern touches with the history and heritage of Mr Cooper himself, whose house and famous gardens sat on the site back in 1819. A multitude of different dining settings under one roof, Mr Cooper’s offers a unique setting for everyone. Lounge in the garden amongst the cascading wall of plants and 30ft tree, enjoy drinks in the Library or cosy up next to friends in the leather booths of the study.
Damson MediaCityUK
The name’s familiar; the location changed – for Damson has spread its wings and the award-winning neighbourhood restaurant in Heaton Moor now has a cracking big sister act in MediaCityUK with a splendid first-floor panorama over the dockland’s remarkable transition. The bar is reason enough for BBC types to head north! Steve Pilling and chef-partner Simon Stanley made their mark at Manchester’s two hugely popular chop houses but at Damson the cooking emphasis is on skilful modernism rather than meaty tradition, backed by superb use of fantastic ingredients.
Grenache
Four successive entries in the Good Food Guide, including 2013’s entry as “Best North West Restaurant”, makes Grenache one of the most talked about restaurants in Manchester despite its out of town location in Walkden, Salford. Michelin trained chef Mike Jennings’ weekly changing menu combines first class locally-sourced ingredients with assured classic technique to produce dishes that are always exciting and innovative without indulging in experimental flights of foodie fancy. Front of house service is highly praised and prices very reasonable at this level.
James Martin
Sumptuous interior design meets stark industrial functionality at James Martin’s restaurant within the mammoth cast iron and brick Victorian railway goods warehouse that’s home to the Manchester 235 Casino. The location can divide opinion, but the signature dishes on the celebrity chef’s accomplished menu of modern British classics have won widespread praise. The seasonal ingredients – especially the meat and fish – are all impeccably sourced and the “Meat Market” display is a clear statement of commitment to the finest quality.