Italian Restaurants in Manchester
1. San Carlo
Italian restaurant in Manchester
40 King Street West - M3
“A see-and-be-seen venue” – this “vibrant and longstanding Italian” is one of the most successful in the national chain and one of the city-centre’s key “glitzy” haunts. But whereas fans praise “great food, it at footballer prices”, mere mortals can feel ignored: “staff are disinterested unless your face fits (i.e. you’re a footballer or some other celeb!”).
2. San Carlo Cicchetti
Italian restaurant in Manchester
42 King Street West - M3
With its menu of quality Venetian tapas, this bright city-centre staple (on the ground floor of Kendal’s the department store, but with its own entrance) wins consistently good feedback from reporters. Those who find its glam namesake a bit snotty say “the service especially is miles better here than at its bigger sibling nearby”.
3. Sugo
Italian restaurant in Manchester
46 Blossom Street - M4
“Extremely authentic pasta from Puglia” (“you smell how fantastic it is going to be”) has been successfully duplicated from the Altrincham original at this larger Ancoats spin-off, where “the wine is great value, served in painted jugs”. “The minus has got to be the huge warehouse-y, new-build space, which is of a type that’s abundant in Manchester, but cold and samey”.
4. Rosso
Italian restaurant in Manchester
43 Spring Gardens - M2
Going strong for a decade and looking good after a revamp – Rio Ferdinand’s glossy Italian restaurant and cocktail bar in a “lovely listed building” with twin domed ceilings is rated well across the board for its “exceptional atmosphere” and “great food”.
5. Pasta Factory
Italian restaurant in Manchester
77 Shudehill - M4
2018 Review: Founded by friends from Turin, this two-year-old pasta shop and restaurant is just a stone’s throw from Ancoats, FKA Manchester’s Little Italy. The main event is homemade and “excellent”, and there are “top Italian beers” and wines to go with it…“what’s not to like”?
7. Gino D'Acampo My Restaurant
Italian restaurant in Manchester
Unit 11 Corn Exchange - M4
Flamboyant TV chef Gino has opened his own line of Milanese restaurants; other branches can be found in London (Camden and Euston), Harrogate, Hull, two in Leeds and Liverpool.
8. The Sparrows
Swiss restaurant in Manchester
Unit 3, Mirabel Street - M3
In a converted railway arch near Victoria Station – opposite the now-sadly-defunct Umezushi – this little 12-seater specialises in different varieties of pasta and dumplings from all over Europe: many of course of Italian inspiration, but including, for example, Polish pierogi. It opened after the survey had started in April 2019 – too late for feedback – but the word on the street is that it’s very good.
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