Manchester, Italian Restaurant Guide

This celeb-favoured Italian in a listed Victorian building was founded 12 years ago by former United captain Rio Ferdinand – and fans reckon it is a “stunning restaurant”, serving “superb Sunday lunch” and “amazing cocktails”. Despite the ownership, no shorts or football tops are permitted – the dress code is rigorously enforced!

These “slick and professional” Italians (offshoots of the national San Carlo chain) are “buzzy and convenient sorts of places, where you can enjoy an upbeat bite without hanging around too long”. They serve “an extensive menu of small Venetian sharing plates”: “at best they’re excellent” and almost invariably a meal is “good fun”. The best known outlet is steps from Piccadilly Circus – “it might look like a tourist trap in its prime location but it’s a reliable and smartly decorated venue”.

“Simply stunning pasta” heads a menu of “absolutely delicious southern Italian food” at this Ancoats spin-off from a smaller Altrincham original – and makes “a perfect antidote to winter blues, if needed!”. Top Menu Tip – “the house sugo is to die for” (orecchiette with 8-hour beef shin, pork shoulder and nduja ragu).

This “unusual and unique find” – “hidden away in a railway arch near Manchester’s Victoria Station” – offers “a wide selection of pasta and dumplings from south Germany, Switzerland, Alsace, Austria and the German-speaking parts of northern Italy”, washed down with an interesting variety of beers, wines and Japanese alcoholic drinks. Even the occasional critic who finds it “not entirely to my liking” concedes that “the very interesting menu has good and unusual food”. The same team is scheduled to open a sake bar and shop called Suzume.

“Always buzzing, with very helpful staff” – this “busy but reliable” pizza-stop in Chorlton is now – since the demise of its much-missed city-centre counterpart – the most commented-on branch of this small Mancunian pizza chain. It’s most often nominated for being “excellent with children”.