Four restaurants in Greater Manchester have made it onto a top 10 list of the best Sunday roasts in the UK.
A city centre favourite managed to nab joint second place, while the suburbs were represented from Sale to Stalybridge.
Hawksmoor, Greens, Maray and Gladstone Bistro all managed to make it onto this year’s Rate Good Roasts list and have been crowned among the best Sunday roasts in the UK.
The Rate Good Roasts panel sampled more than 200 Sunday dinners across the country, assessing them on everything from meat to venue to value for money.
While the top spot was snagged by The Abbey Inn in North Yorkshire, Greater Manchester absolutely dominated the rest of the list.
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Hawksmoor snuck into joint second place, retaining its local title (awarded by us…) as the king of the Sunday roast.
The Deansgate steak restaurant is famed for its perfectly-cooked roast beef rump, served alongside beef-dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire pudding, roasted carrots, buttered greens, roasted garlic, and bone marrow gravy.
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Hawksmoor Manchester’s Sunday roast ranked joint second on the Rate Good Roasts list for 2024. Credit: The Manc GroupMaray’s Sunday roast was also named one of the best by Rate Good Roasts for Greater Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
In joint fifth was Stalybridge’s Gladstone Barber & Bistro, which is, as the name suggests, part barbershop and part restaurant.
They said they were ‘over the moon’ with placing fifth on the Rate Good Roasts list for this year.
They wrote: “You all know how much we love our roast, and how much this means to us as a team… A massive thank you to the guys at @rategoodroasts and to all of you for your continued support.”
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Then in sixth place was Simon Rimmer’s Greens restaurant in Sale, with the list being announced just hours before he announced the closure of its sister site in Didsbury.
The vegetarian restaurant wrote: “Well we are absolutely buzzing to be listed as number 6 by @rategoodroasts for our roasts in the UK!! Especially when we were against some great non-veggie roasts. Thanks guys!!”
And finally representing Greater Manchester’s Sunday roast scene was Maray in Manchester, ranking in 10th place.
The Middle Eastern-inspired restaurant on Lincoln Square serves twists on classics, like roast beef picanha; lemon, za’tar and saffron-roasted chicken; or a spiced chickpea nut roast, all served with crispy fenugreek potatoes, roast carrots, parsnips, butternut squash tershi, Yorkshire puds and thick delicious gravy.
Rate Good Roasts’ Chief Eating officer, Tom Casson commented: “There’s something romantic about a Sunday Roast. It’s an event.
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“Whether its an opportunity to see old friends or a family celebration of some kind. You don’t want to be let down. As an adult it almost feels like you are going out, out on a Sunday.
“You want a stand out dish on the specials board (a lamb or a porchetta and a creative main option for our veggie or vegans friends). Personally I want the Yorkshire Puddings big enough to act as a vessel for the gravy. Potatoes need to be in that sweet Venn diagram spot of fluffy and crispy.”
Andy Burnham’s favourite Manchester pub, restaurant, neighbourhood and Sunday roast
Daisy Jackson
Andy Burnham’s favourite pub, restaurant, neighbourhood, and Sunday roast have been revealed – and the man’s got taste.
Old footage of now-PM Andy Burnham chatting to content creator Isaac Likes has been doing the rounds again, and while the interview dates back to before Andy left us and headed down to the big smoke, his Manchester recommendations still stand.
From his go-to neighbourhood and favourite pub to where he heads for a Sunday roast, and even the song he likes to play when he gets behind the decks, Burnham gave us a glimpse into his ideal Manchester day.
First up, there’s the Northern Quarter, which Burnham reckons has to be his favourite neighbourhood in the city.
He said: “Got to be the Northern Quarter. It’s the place where it’s all happening.”
When it comes to food, he singled out Firehouse, sitting on the edge of the Northern Quarter, as one of his favourite places to eat. He also gave a shoutout to its sister venue Ramona, where he’s been known to get behind the decks.
Andy said: “On the edge of the Northern Quarter, Firehouse is a place I love to go. Ramona Pizza, I’ve DJ’d there – if the mayor DJs there it’s gotta be alright.”
For a proper pint, Burnham’s choice is a little more traditional, saying his favourite pub is the ‘proper old school’ Peveril of the Peak.
The beautiful tiled pub was recently named the best in the UK, just days before its legendary landlady Nancy passed away.
When Sunday rolls around, Burnham said he has a couple of options up his sleeve. The Wharf in Castlefield gets a mention, as does Edinburgh Castle up in Ancoats.
The Peveril of the Peak pub in ManchesterThe Edinburgh CastleFirehouseSome of Andy Burnham’s favourite places in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
He said: “We love our gravy, we drink it by the pint in Manchester.”
Of course, no conversation with Burnham about Manchester would be complete without talking music.
Asked to name the best Manchester band of all time, he offered a few contenders – The Smiths, New Order, and, ultimately, The Stone Roses.
“The band I think are quintessentially Manchester is The Stone Roses. That was peak Manchester,” he said.
The amazing new doughnut shop that’s opened in a churchyard in Wigan
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new doughnut hatch has landed in Wigan, serving fresh bakes and speciality coffee from inside a beautiful local churchyard.
This is Holy Grounds, the latest independent spot bringing together freshly made doughnuts, excellent coffee and a spectacular setting, right beside the Wigan Parish Church.
The Lancashire-born business expanded to Wigan just three weeks ago, and it’s already proving hugely popular with the locals.
As we’re seeing all over Wigan these days, Holy Grounds have taken on a beautiful characterful space and turned it into a great new independent hangout.
The doughnut hatch is connected to the church itself, with the room believed to have once been an old school space. Today, it’s been given a very different purpose, with the smell of freshly baked doughnuts and coffee filling the building.
And you can still get a very real reminder that you’re sitting inside a church – the bells ring twice a day.
Holy Grounds was set up by Sam, who was previously a vicar, alongside his partner Hannah.
They and their team are making doughnuts fresh every day, using a 48-hour proving process, before transforming them into a monthly-rotating selection of flavours.
This month’s specials at Holy GroundsThe selection of Holy Grounds doughnuts in WiganA peach and almond doughnut, and an OGHoly Grounds stands in the churchyard of Wigan Parish ChurchFreshly-made doughnuts and coffee in Wigan
This month’s flavours include The OG, peach and almond, chocolate cornflakes, and blackberry and white chocolate.
Holy Grounds serves speciality coffee from Clifton Coffee Roasters in Bristol, making the doughnut-and-coffee combination feel less like a quick sugar hit and more like a proper little ritual.
A beautiful old building, fresh doughnuts, excellent coffee and church bells ringing overhead?
We’re not saying we’ve found heaven, but we’re definitely getting closer.
Daisy Jackson -
3rd January 2024 
