Whether you are over in Manchester, England’s third largest city, for a work conference, a concert at the AO Arena, a soccer (of either colour, the red of United or the blue of City) or even the cricket, food is never far from visitors’ minds. Even if it’s for a smaller family or personal event, the one thing Manchester will never run short of is good places to eat.
Photo by Piotr Wojnowski
Michelin-Starred Mancunian Meals
If you want to start at the top, then Mana (on Murray Street) and Skof (on Federation Street) are both Michelin-starred restaurants, the only current eateries in town.
Mana has a lunch menu from £70 and a full menu from £170, offering plenty of fish, including oysters, langoustine scallops and turbot, with duck for the non-pescavores, all with amazing flavorings and sides.
Skof has a lunch menu (£50) and a tasting menu (£120 or £165 for two) with treats like Lightly Set Miso Custard with hen of the woods mushroom, truffle and mushroom dashi. Every portion looks like a delight and comes with the perfect beverage pairings.
The Hunt for A Good Manchester Steak
If you’re after meals that are just as good without the finery of a Michelin Star, such as a great lamb or steak dish in fine surroundings, there are plenty of Manchester restaurants to meet any budget and taste.
Manchester’s Gaucho outpost (Deansgate) offers the finest Argentinian cuisine, including Aberdeen Angus beef reared in Pampas, Argentina, available standard, marinated, and as Chateaubriand for sharing. There are plenty of other options if you don’t fancy a steak, including salmon, sea bass and superb burgers, with a set menu option including steak and chips.
Try Another Hand (also on Deansgate) which offers intimate casual dining, natural wine and hand-crafted cocktails. With a banquet space for up to 25 guests, Another Hand is ideal for gatherings and you can have an excellent starter, main (salt-aged lamb or duck) and drinks for £60.
Looking for Local Diners?
There are lots of big-name restaurants, chains and franchises across Manchester, but if you want to eat somewhere local and support independent business, then there are plenty of those too.
Albert’s Shed, not far from Castlefield’s canals, is a great place to visit after a stroll along the canals, taking in the industrial history and natural views. Albert’s offers a hearty British menu, aka grub, with two courses for £15.95. From a mighty steak and ale pie to Sunday roasts, followed by chocolate orange cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding, it is a great location for families, friends, and those in need of a gentle view and great comfort food.
Another local option is San Carlo (King Street West), popular among the locals for its Italian menu. A great place to be seen and feel great, it has sparkling interiors, and regular new inventions like the Selfridge’s Cocktail for something a little special to go with your meal, be it a lobster spaghetti or veal Milanese.
Pretty close to the main museums, Evelyn’s (Tib Street) offers brunch, lunch, dinner and Sunday meals across a range of compact menus for those who can’t make up their mind. There’s also happy hour deals to kick the can and enjoy the evening. Most meals are cooked on the open charcoal Inka grill, and below the restaurant is Daisy, a Parisian Pigalle-inspired bar with local resident DJs playing every weekend into the night.
And if you fancy exploring Manchester’s gay quarter, then Molly’s House does a great range of tapas and wine deals to help watch the world go past. It is also listed in the Good Beer Guide 2025 if you want to try some local ales.
Finally, there’s one of Manchester’s best-rated restaurants, Blacklock (Peter Street). Set in a protected brick warehouse, previously home to Manchester’s textile merchant trade, a stone’s throw from the Central Convention Complex, it is popular and for good reason.
High on the meat factor, it provides burgers, steak sandwiches, and steak and stout pies for lunch. A range of pork chops, steaks and lamb with stylish sides like broccoli and walnut salad or chilli hollandaise sauce. All well-priced and with plenty of space to accommodate busy passing trade.
The chefs at Blacklock focus on getting the most from their produce, so a recent innovation was Butcher’s Cuts, where they don’t trim the good bits off just to get a steak down to the right weight, if you’re lucky enough to get one as your main.
Photo by Nathan J Hilton
With over 650 restaurants in Manchester, you could dine out for almost two years without repeating yourself, and exploration is half the fun, but from this list, you will find the best dining in the city, and have plenty more to discover.
Whether you are over in Manchester, England’s third largest city, for a work conference, a concert at the AO Arena, a soccer (of either colour, the red of United or the blue of City) or even the cricket, food is never far from visitors’ minds. Even if it’s for a smaller family or personal event, the one thing Manchester will never run short of is good places to eat.
Michelin-Starred Mancunian Meals
If you want to start at the top, then Mana (on Murray Street) and Skof (on Federation Street) are both Michelin-starred restaurants, the only current eateries in town.
Mana has a lunch menu from £70 and a full menu from £170, offering plenty of fish, including oysters, langoustine scallops and turbot, with duck for the non-pescavores, all with amazing flavorings and sides.
Skof has a lunch menu (£50) and a tasting menu (£120 or £165 for two) with treats like Lightly Set Miso Custard with hen of the woods mushroom, truffle and mushroom dashi. Every portion looks like a delight and comes with the perfect beverage pairings.
The Hunt for A Good Manchester Steak
If you’re after meals that are just as good without the finery of a Michelin Star, such as a great lamb or steak dish in fine surroundings, there are plenty of Manchester restaurants to meet any budget and taste.
Manchester’s Gaucho outpost (Deansgate) offers the finest Argentinian cuisine, including Aberdeen Angus beef reared in Pampas, Argentina, available standard, marinated, and as Chateaubriand for sharing. There are plenty of other options if you don’t fancy a steak, including salmon, sea bass and superb burgers, with a set menu option including steak and chips.
Try Another Hand (also on Deansgate) which offers intimate casual dining, natural wine and hand-crafted cocktails. With a banquet space for up to 25 guests, Another Hand is ideal for gatherings and you can have an excellent starter, main (salt-aged lamb or duck) and drinks for £60.
Looking for Local Diners?
There are lots of big-name restaurants, chains and franchises across Manchester, but if you want to eat somewhere local and support independent business, then there are plenty of those too.
Albert’s Shed, not far from Castlefield’s canals, is a great place to visit after a stroll along the canals, taking in the industrial history and natural views. Albert’s offers a hearty British menu, aka grub, with two courses for £15.95. From a mighty steak and ale pie to Sunday roasts, followed by chocolate orange cheesecake or sticky toffee pudding, it is a great location for families, friends, and those in need of a gentle view and great comfort food.
Another local option is San Carlo (King Street West), popular among the locals for its Italian menu. A great place to be seen and feel great, it has sparkling interiors, and regular new inventions like the Selfridge’s Cocktail for something a little special to go with your meal, be it a lobster spaghetti or veal Milanese.
Pretty close to the main museums, Evelyn’s (Tib Street) offers brunch, lunch, dinner and Sunday meals across a range of compact menus for those who can’t make up their mind. There’s also happy hour deals to kick the can and enjoy the evening. Most meals are cooked on the open charcoal Inka grill, and below the restaurant is Daisy, a Parisian Pigalle-inspired bar with local resident DJs playing every weekend into the night.
And if you fancy exploring Manchester’s gay quarter, then Molly’s House does a great range of tapas and wine deals to help watch the world go past. It is also listed in the Good Beer Guide 2025 if you want to try some local ales.
Finally, there’s one of Manchester’s best-rated restaurants, Blacklock (Peter Street). Set in a protected brick warehouse, previously home to Manchester’s textile merchant trade, a stone’s throw from the Central Convention Complex, it is popular and for good reason.
High on the meat factor, it provides burgers, steak sandwiches, and steak and stout pies for lunch. A range of pork chops, steaks and lamb with stylish sides like broccoli and walnut salad or chilli hollandaise sauce. All well-priced and with plenty of space to accommodate busy passing trade.
The chefs at Blacklock focus on getting the most from their produce, so a recent innovation was Butcher’s Cuts, where they don’t trim the good bits off just to get a steak down to the right weight, if you’re lucky enough to get one as your main.
With over 650 restaurants in Manchester, you could dine out for almost two years without repeating yourself, and exploration is half the fun, but from this list, you will find the best dining in the city, and have plenty more to discover.
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