While the rest of the country remains divided over masks and social distancing, Manchester continues to churn out fabulous food and drink like we’ve never seen. With summer in full swing, and a heatwave very much present, we’re stepping away from deep-fried to-go food, and shifting the focus on to smaller plates with a big impact. Read on to find out this week’s top five…
Dishing up Asian-inspired meals like no other in Manchester, new Deansgate addition Yours is already making a big impression on the city. Open Wednesday to Friday, Yours offers a sophisticated dining experience with a burst of colour.
This is very much reflected in the restaurant’s interior, as mesmerising murals depicting beautiful women decorate the walls, starkly contrasted by brightly coloured graffiti dotted around the venue.
As well as a bespoke cocktail menu and a live soundtrack for your evening, the menu is more than impressive, with each dish handled with immense care and precision.
Highlights include lobster wontons, salt and pepper salmon, duck breast with a sour plum glaze and charred kale, miso-glazed celeriac steak, and a traditional sashimi platter rightfully titled ‘The Crown Jewels’. Yours is the epitome of ‘boujee’, without being too obnoxious about it. If you’re looking for fine dining with limitless flavour – this is the place for you.
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What better way to celebrate hot summer nights than with a table full of wine and cheese? New wine bar and charcuterie restaurant The Mews has officially opened its doors, welcoming Mancs from across the boroughs to try their handpicked selection of wines from across the globe.
From New Zealand to Argentina, The Mews has got bottles we’ve never even heard of. On top of that, the team have also whipped up a mouth-watering cocktail menu, turning bartender classics into their own signatures. Our top picks include the Black Forest Gateu Martini – made with fresh espresso and garnished with chocolate shavinas – and the Gold Rum & Ginger Daquiri, which sounds like the ideal drink for this unbearable heat.
Locally-sourced artisan cheese, meat and breadboards are supplied by none other than the Crafty Cheese Man: Manchester’s favourite cheese expert. Known for his life-saving lockdown cheese deliveries, and an iconic collab with Rudy’s which resulted in a seven-cheese pizza (yes seven) earlier this year, Jonathan Pearcey certifies the new charcuterie spot as the ideal destination for a hot summer’s afternoon.
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After a devastating fire struck the venue over 15 years ago, the classic Black Friar pub sadly closed to the public and has been shut ever since. Until now…
A £1.4 million restoration job later, The Black Friar has transformed into a 200-cover restaurant, with hospitality legend Neil Burke at the helm.
The building was originally said to be built in 1886 by William Bell, and to this day the pub still boasts characteristics of the original infrastructure. However, according to the plaque outside the pub, this Salford resident could actually be much, much older.
Now dwarfed by two giant apartment blocks, the pub stands stubbornly on the junction of Blackfriars Road and Trinity Way, having waited almost two decades to welcome you back.
The ‘resurrection’ of Salford’s iconic Black Friar pub is set to take place on Tuesday 27 July, hoping to be the next best pub in all of Manchester. Keep posted on their Instagram for more details.
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From former head chef of acclaimed Stockport restaurant Where The Light Gets In comes a brand new natural wines store and night time bar: Flawd Wines.
The new spot hopes to highlight small-scale wine producers, local breweries and natural, low-intervention wines – further adding to the rich wine culture developing in Ancoats.
Although officially opening in New Islington in September, until then Flawd will find a temporary home at popular Ancoats bakery Pollen for the perfect summer takeover. Until Sunday 15 August, from 5 until 10pm every weekend, you can find the new neighbourhood wine bar serving up some of the best bevvies on this side of town, as well as ethically-farmed charcuterie boards from Curing Rebels, and – of course – fresh bakes from Pollen. The perfect combination, if you ask us.
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- Words:
- Simon Bland
- Published on:
- Mon 19 Jul 2021
A promising new addition for all the eco-conscious eaters out there – a new café is taking over the spot at the top of Affleck’s, pledging to be 100% sustainable and ethically-sourced.
The new takeover comes from the owner of Earth Friendly Rocker – Affleck’s first and only zero waste shop. Hoping to maintain the same values as the store, Potion is committed to serving only local produce, with a heavy focus on Northern-inspired food.
Naturally, as an environmentally friendly café, there will also be plenty of plant-based options, including dairy-free milk alternatives to go in your brew. In fact, in this kitchen, meat products are treated as an allergen, not a centre piece, and owner Rock Fairy hopes to make her menu as inclusive as possible.
Potion is set to open on Monday 26 July, replacing the bare bricks walls with pastel pinks and a gothic chic interior. Guests can expect more casual seating than the regular tables and chairs, including a gorgeous vintage crushed velvet couch that we can’t wait to plonk our bums on.