Whaley Bridge, British, Modern Restaurant Guide

This “brilliant inn on the fringe of the Peak District” was praised this year for its “well above average and varied fresh fare”, from a menu that skips happily from Chinese-style bao buns to Thai fish dishes and Indian-spiced cauliflower. “Dan, the owner, ensures a great atmosphere – as does a surprisingly large crowd of regulars” (plus their furry friends, this being a venue that is “very dog-friendly, which we really appreciated for our puppy’s first meal out!”). Directly next door is the owners’ more casual sister pub, The Paper Mill Inn, for pizzas, pies and regular pop-ups.

“The landlord is the chef and he knows how to cook fish, which he sources from the best suppliers”, say regulars at this unusual and “delightful” Peak District village pub which is “supported by the community” – having bought the freehold 20 years ago when the venue faced closure. “Good ales” completes the picture.

“Scandi, seasonal, local foraging vibes; small plates, fermentation and natural wines… all may be ten-a-penny in London, not so much in Stockport”, which has helped win massive ongoing acclaim for Sam Buckley’s hipster outpost, whose launch eight years ago has helped put the seal on the area’s emerging reputation as a haven of cool North Western vibes. It helps that it occupies a “nice space too” – an airy, brick-walled former coffee warehouse with large windows and high ceilings – in which is presented a no-choice menu for £110 per person (for which you are advised to allow two-three hours). All who report rate it do so extremely highly – its ratings would be even higher were it not for the fact that the volume of feedback we receive in our annual diners’ poll is always much lower than its phenomenal reputation might suggest. From November 2024 to March 2025, Sam and his crew will be aiming to take Manchester by storm with a pop-up ‘Where The Light Gets In: A Play in the City’. Till December 21 2024 this will be at the Altogether Otherwise community centre in Hanover Street – from January 7 2025 at The Bungalow at Kampus, a former security cabin on stilts in Aytoun Street. Whether this is part of a plan to shift longer-term to Manchester city-centre remains to be seen.

“Long Live the Lime Tree!” – where “the best food, impeccable service and great wine is why we go time and time again”. A chic brasserie in posh West Didsbury, it was launched in 1987 by chef-owner Patrick Hannity, who has always been ahead of the game with seasonal modern British cooking using locally sourced ingredients (he invested in a 20-acre smallholding in Macclesfield Forest 17 years ago to be self-sufficient in eggs and rare-breed beef, lamb and pork). “It’s been my favourite restaurant for years even though it’s quite a schlep to get there, and it rarely disappoints in any department”.

“This gem in the excellent urban revival of Ancoats” is “a very special place” with a “vibrant atmosphere” and “highly skilled and professional” cooking from acclaimed self-taught chef Richard Withington – a plumber before switching careers at the age of 27. He produces an “ever-changing menu with a choice of around 15 dishes, all designed for sharing” – and “always excellent: I’ve never been disappointed”. “Attentive, charming staff” providing “unpretentious service”, a “modern, light dining room” and “excellent” natural wine complete the picture. Top Menu Tip – “grilled flatbread and wild garlic butter with the flowers on top is as delightful to behold as to eat”.

“Exceptional from start to finish” – the praise just keeps piling up year after year for Simon Martin’s Ancoats “fault-free” legend, which went down in the annals in 2019 when it won Manchester’s first Michelin star in over four decades. The local competition just gets hotter, but the “stunningly creative and beautifully executed” cuisine here still makes it the most highly rated venue in the city in our annual diners’ poll. It’s a dazzling room too, with an open- plan kitchen integrated into the dining area within a striking double-height space.

“After years of being abandoned”, this iconic 1811 Ancoats establishment “is alive and kicking and playing in the premier league of traditional pubs – three cheers for the imaginative owners who have not only restored the fabric but also the atmosphere of this old city boozer, with a classic bar on the ground floor and a dining room upstairs”. They have done a “charming and stylish” job, combining “superb, unusual pub food with proper ales and an exceptional wine selection”; “dessert is served on old family china plates – a lovely touch”. Top Menu Tip – “you must try the cheese doughnuts!”

This “lovely space in the Midland Hotel” is part of the city’s heritage in many ways: a famous Grade II listed chamber that was already sufficiently well-known that Charles Rolls first met Henry Royce here in 1904 on the path to establishing Rolls Royce. Later in the 20th century it held Manchester’s first Michelin star, only to lose it in 1957. Great British Menu winner Adam Reid is currently the head chef, having arrived at the stoves in 2013 when the dining room was run by Simon Rogan, and then staying on in his own right as chef-patron in 2016. Under Adam, it has won an impressive four AA stars… but not one from the tyre man as yet. Choose between the ‘Signature’ menu for £160 per person, or the ‘Signature Experience’ at £230 per person. Fans say it’s “absolutely stunning and brilliant!”.

Founded in 1868, this landmark Manchester “institution” serves traditional dishes including steak ’n’ kidney pudding, corned-beef hash and a 12oz Barnsley chop. L.S. Lowry had lunch here most days – he was an art school pal of long-time proprietor Bert Knowles.

“Altogether a model for other pubs to aspire to”, this village gastroboozer sits in a “delightful” setting in the Peak District National Park, with many a ramble on the doorstep. “Luke (Payne) is the chef and can be seen in his open kitchen” turning out seasonal, sustainable British cooking “with skill and a light touch”, while “Emma, his wife is on front of house” overseeing the “smart and helpful” staff. NB pooch fans: as they themselves announce, they’re ‘completely dog-friendly’ (down to having a resident ‘Maître D’og’, Lola).

A “very enjoyable and original menu of small and large plates is eaten with a great view of the countryside” (particularly from the conservatory, though you can also eat in the bar) at this “always superb” 12th-century inn – Visit England’s pub of the year in 2023, and – even more impressively – the fifth oldest pub in the land. PS – if you want to linger in the Peak District, they now have five luxury bedrooms as well as a stand-alone cottage, ‘The Barn’.

The River Wye is the river in question, and this attractively located period restaurant with rooms (dating from the 1600s) sits nearby, complete with walled garden. It doesn’t inspire huge volumes of feedback, but fans are enthusiastic: “a fabulous meal here to celebrate an 80th birthday – wonderful food was beautifully presented”.

The dining room of this “elegant” two-year-old boutique hotel serves some “excellent” food – “it was all I could do to stop myself from licking the plate clean!”. Top Menu Tip – “A sort of slightly spicy shredded lamb special that was crispy to bite and just the right amount of dressing to make it not too dry. The Asparagus, Jersey Royals with duck egg was a spectacular triumph in mid-May. The cavatelli with crab was well done, if a bit rich”.

“On a miserably wet night in Manchester, a superb discovery”: a modern bistro in the city centre serving sharing plates “with strong Nordic influences (I almost thought I was back in Copenhagen)” that “knock your socks off” (“many plant-based”, supplied by the Cinderwood Market Garden which is part of the group) and “a fun curated selection of wines with something for everyone”, “all delivered with the most charming service”. Even those who are “not sure about the interior”, with its bright contemporary looks and concrete counter, say the food is “carefully made”.

“What a find” – Hackney hipsterdom meets Manchester mettle at this “delightful” indie, which specialises in superbly priced, “delicious” small plates with a side of cool (tiles, dark-wood booths, good tunes). “Service can be slow” (the staff scuttle between dimly lit dining areas spread over three levels), but it’s “worth booking if you can” for its surprisingly exotic food; alternatively, rock up during happy hour (16.00-18.00) and you can grab £1 oysters washed down by £7 cocktails (if, that is, you can resist the excellent natural wines).

Set in the landmark Great Northern railway development, this “seriously good” 24-seater bistro has made waves since its 2022 opening thanks to “really smart, creative” small plates (mostly, but not all vegetarian) that champion produce from local ethical growers. “With chefs on view” in the open kitchen, and a “cool” industrial look, it makes the “loveliest of places to relax, work, have fun and eat superbly”. Top Tip – if you’re stuck on the waiting list, try their brand new, more casual Middle Eastern spin-off ‘Jaan by Another Hand’, set in the Exhibition food hall, and showcasing the hugely popular flatbreads from this Deansgate elder sibling.