Afternoon tea is one of the most quintessential British past times going, and here in Manchester, we have a historic tea room that has been serving it for more than 100 years.
The Midland Hotel has been treating Mancs to this popular afternoon treat since it first opened, so it seemed only right that we popped over to sample it for ourselves and see what is it that makes this tea room one of the city’s best.
Serving the longest-running afternoon tea menu in the city, afternoon tea has been a staple at The Midland Hotel since its opening in 1903.
It was originally served on the hotel’s roof terrace, which offered stunning views across the city centre, but moved when the hotel’s roof was closed to the public in 1910, relocating to what was then the Winter Garden area of the hotel.
Over time, afternoon tea moved to the Octagon, where it remained for years until the landmark Manchester hotel opened a bespoke Tea Room in 2017, where it has been served ever since.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Today, teas are enjoyed from the newly-refurbished Wyvern Room overlooking St Peter’s Square – replete in soft pinks, creams, and muted sages.
Its popularity continues at pace, with an astounding 800 pots of tea served weekly on average, alongside 600 scones and 55 bottles of Champagne (equalling approximately 330 flutes).
All of the Tea Room’s cakes, scones, and sandwiches are made in-house by the hotel’s patisserie team, and guests can choose from ten loose leaf tea varieties, including three of The Midland’s own beautiful house blends – one of which tastes just like strawberries and cream.
Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
Scones are served silver service style at the table, with thick scoops of clotted and a choice of homemade preserves spanning strawberry jam, raspberry jam, and tart-yet-sweet lemon curd.
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Sit overlooking St Peter’s Square, sip on beautiful teas, and, if you really want to push the boat out, Champagne, whilst enjoying some dainty finger sandwiches, cakes, scones, and proper silver service from its impeccable team.
Think crustless sarnies filled with the likes of crayfish and prawn, honey roast ham and broad bean puree, cucumber with mint and poppy seed cream cheese, as well as a shining brioche stuffed with zingy Coronation chicken and a miniature tomato and feta quiche tartlet.
As for sweet treats, these span an assortment of home-baked cakes such as raspberry opera cakes with lemongrass panna cotta, Valrhona dark chocolate mousse with salted caramel and vanilla, and lime and mint Savarins with pineapple and white chocolate, plus everyone’s favourite: scones smeared in jam and clotted cream.
Choices span traditional afternoon tea, a Champagne afternoon tea, and a vegan afternoon tea considered by plant-powered foodies to be one of the best meat-free afternoon tea offerings in the city.
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This is where you take your mum, your grandma, your partner or your best friend, to revel in tea, cake, and a few hours of peace just a stone’s throw from the noisy hustle and bustle of Manchester city centre.
‘Classy, clever, confident’ – New Manchester restaurant receives glowing Guardian review
Daisy Jackson
Winsome, one of the newest restaurants on Manchester’s dining scene, has gone and received a seriously glowing review in The Guardian this weekend.
Legendary restaurant criticGrace Dent said that the British bistro ‘may well be my new favourite restaurant’, lauding chef patron Shaun Moffat’s ‘elegant but plentiful modern cooking’.
She said that there’s even a teeny touch of Toby Carvery in their Sunday offering, with meaty and saucy dishes and ‘cartoon-esque XL yorkshire puddings’.
Winsome opened back in March under the steer of three hospitality heavyweights – ex-Edinburgh Castle chef Shaun Moffat, former Schofields head bartender Tom Fastiggi, and Belzan founder Owain Williams.
It’s a beautiful, stripped-back space at the foot of the Whitworth Locke aparthotel and Moffat’s first venture as a chef patron.
Based on this Guardian review, he’s doing a pretty good job so far…
Grace Dent said of Winsome’s nostalgic yet modern menu (featuring dippy eggs and puddings that sound like school dinner puds): “This is Cool Britannia wearing a napkin bib with a side portion of rhubarb jelly and custard for pudding.”
Novelty crockery at Winsome. Credit: The Manc GroupChef patron Shaun Moffat at Winsome. Credit: The Manc GroupDippy egg and asparagus. Credit: The Manc GroupInside WInsome on Princess Street. Credit: The Manc Group
She also wrote that it’s ‘far from a novelty restaurant’ in spite of its animal-shaped crockery.
And Dent added that while there’s an element of fine dining, it’s unpretentious enough that you’re happy to smear it all over the tablecloths and, indeed, yourself.
‘Deeply nostalgic’, ‘forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff’, is how she described her Winsome experience.
“This is confident, clever cooking that stays just the right side of earnest, or at least as earnest as a chef can be when he also serves up a dessert that is essentially a 1980s school sponge pudding with a scoop of milk ice-cream flecked with multicoloured sprinkles, or hundreds and thousands as they will for ever be known in my heart,” she wrote.
Grace Dent’s Guardian review concluded with: “Winsome may well be my new favourite restaurant, and it’s the new, big, generous beating heart of Manchester hospitality. It’s classy but come-all – bring your gran, bring your baby, no one need feel conspicuous.
“There’s something about the place that makes me want to use it as a canteen, not least out of sheer curiosity as to what Moffat will put on the menu next. Great cooking, and forward-thinking fine dining without any of the faff.
“Bring your appetite and don’t wear pale colours. Aaah, Manchester, you have so much to answer for. Winsome will seriously impact your waistline.”
Winsome said in a post on Instagram: “It doesn’t get much better than that! We’re over the moon, full of pride and could not be more grateful to the team who’ve worked so hard to help us deliver this dream.”
Hidden Manchester bar Mala to offer unique ‘movie night’ experiences inside private cabins
Thomas Melia
You can have your own private film experience inside little wooden cabins at a popular Northern Quarter bar this summer.
Manchester city centre secret garden spot Mala is hosting an event where you and your friends can enjoy a private movie night with food, themed drinks, and bucket loads of free popcorn.
Listed as the ‘Cabin Movie Night’, get ready to sit back, relax and watch a cult classic, all from the comfort of your own personal wooden hut.
The film you’ll be watching is very on-brand too, as it’s none other than none than ‘Labyrinth’.
This secret garden spot is hiding right in plain sight over on Dale Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter, and as well as hosting events such as these, they’re also home to some top tier eateries too.
Currently El Jefe, Doodles, Wok Bros, Christakis, D&X Caribbean, and Gulf are all serving up some cross-continental delights for you to enjoy in this marvellous space.
Some mouth-watering scran from El Jefe.Wok Bros have some delicious noodle boxes. Credit: The Manc Group
The Cabin Movie Night’ is the perfect way to round up your friends and watch a classic with a cocktail in hand.
There’s a handful of group packages available too at an additional charge, ranging from £30 to £50, which includes themed cocktails for each guest in the booking, and the cost of the ticket.
Georgina Pellant -
10th August 2023 
