The stylish Heaton Mersey pizza spot slinging some of Manchester’s best slices

When it comes to pizza, Manchester is genuinely blessed with a plethora of incredible options, with the likes of Nell’s, Double Zero and Rudy’s all masters of the craft on our doorstep.

One name that has flown a little more under the radar, so far, is Black Spot Pizza. Nestled just outside of the city centre, in the charming suburb of Heaton Mersey, the team have been quietly going about their business, serving some of the best pizza the city has to offer in their glorious-looking dining room and bar for a couple of years now.

Dough is taken seriously and is integral to Black Spot’s offering. The team say they tried and tested hundreds of recipes before settling on their current 48-hour proved version. As well as looking sublime, charred to perfection, it tastes phenomenal — miraculously light and airy with the welcome hints of bitterness that come when Neopolitan crust is done properly.

Along with the staple Margherita, marinara and pepperoni, the menu includes more adventurous globetrotting influences like jerk chicken and shredded spiced lamb. The latter, complete with mango chutney, raita and coriander, was too intriguing not to try.

Our choice was quickly vindicated, too, with the unlikely crossover of cuisines providing a vibrant, delicious testament that it is indeed alright to mess with the traditional, especially if you’re doing it this well.

The mushroom, while maybe a ‘safer’ play, was equally as good, packing in three different kinds of mushrooms elevated wonderfully by truffled caramelised onions, adding a little extra indulgence to the timeless combination.

Interior-wise, the place is a real looker. Sleek dark wood vintage panelling meets deep navy textiles to create a gorgeous dining room and bar that wouldn’t look out of place in an episode of Mad Men.

There’s also a pretty substantial cocktail menu to sieve through, including both classics and Black Spot’s own riffs on them — the team’s take on an Espresso Martini, which incorporates dark chocolate and orange, is as good a pour as you’d expect to find in any of Manchester’s best cocktail spots.

Every Saturday between 3pm – 5pm, guests can grab pizzas for just £8, which is frankly insane value given the quality, while a post 9pm Happy Hour on Fridays and Saturdays means £6 cocktails. What more could you possibly ask for?