Set amid the tranquil rolling pasture of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley is Northcote, a luxury hotel and Michelin-star restaurant run with esteemed chef Lisa Goodwin-Allen at the helm.
Just under an hour’s drive away from Manchester, this is the perfect weekend retreat to the countryside for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city centre.
We headed to Northcote for an overnight stay as well as to sample their Five Course Seasonal Gourmet Menu, which was a real feast for all the senses.
Hopping off the train at Langho station after just an hour’s journey through the scenic Ribble Valley, we embarked on the short walk to the hotel with a mini suitcase in hand, a vision which must’ve looked like a scene from The Holiday to any passers-by.
Northcote’s luxurious manor house, outdoor terrace and scenic views (Credit: The Manc Group)
The beautiful 19th-century manor boasts 26 rooms each with an individual style, guests can stay in the Manor House rooms or the Garden Lodge rooms.
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The Garden Lodge is situated just across from the Manor House within the beautiful Northcote gardens, which is where we were swiftly led to.
From the views of the kitchen gardens to a ‘Gastronomic Welcome’ waiting for us on the television screen, this immediately felt like a foodie retreat and we couldn’t wait to taste what was in store.
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After taking in the views on our balcony, we headed to the cocktail lounge to enjoy a little aperitif before our dinner.
Northcote’s cocktail menu
I opted for the ‘Obsession Martini’ whilst my guest chose the ‘Passionfruit Spicy Margarita’, a tipple which the bartender explained was one of their best sellers and one which they make by infusing tequila with fresh chilli.
Here we received a copy of the menu and our lovely server discussed our carefully paired wine choices for the evening.
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Lisa Goodwin-Allen joined Northcote when she was just 20, becoming Chef de Partie within a year, and junior Sous Chef the following year. She has been Executive Chef since 2017 and has helped to maintain the restaurant’s Michelin star, which it has held for more than 20 years in total.
New for October, Lisa’s gourmet menu taps into the season’s most celebrated ingredients whilst utilising her signature artistic flair. The fine dining menus also come with a recommended pairing of award-winning wines, and the professional, warm Northern hospitality Northcote is known for.
After being led to our table we were greeted with a selection of ‘snacks’, small bitesize morsels of deliciousness to awaken our tastebuds.
Our sommelier, Magdalene, then presented our first wine to us: a Pinot Gris from France which she explained was meant to offset the flavours of our first dish, an Aged Dairy Cow Tartare with warm marrowbone.
A picture-perfect circular ring of beef tartare topped with a clear layer of pickled jelly; a beautifully balanced dish that truly set the precedent for what was to be a superb meal.
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Everything from the Native Lobster with Iberico Bellota to the Yorkshire Duck topped with Aged Balsamic was simply outstanding, and each dish paired expertly with the beautiful wines it was served with.
Our sommelier also explained to us why each piece of glassware was chosen to fit the wine and how some wines were served in a larger glass to act as a small decanter to allow the wine to breathe.
The Forest Garlic Mushrooms was also a highlight for both myself and my guest who enjoyed the vegetarian menu, a dish which stood out as a celebration of all the wonderfully rich and nutty flavours of the humble mushroom.
Forest mushrooms were placed elegantly on a mushroom-infused jelly before our waiter poured over a delicate mushroom sauce, all of which was to be mopped up with a tiny croissant served on the side.
The attentive service struck just the right balance between friendly and informative but not overbearing, and the brief introduction to each dish added a touch of theatre which really made the whole experience.
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We were lucky enough to be shown around the impressive kitchens, where we also had a peek at their ‘Chef’s Table’, a purpose-built space where diners indulge in the food as they sit in close proximity to the talented chefs and witness the fruits of their labour come to life.
The menu concludes with freshly ground coffee or a selection of teas served with handmade Northcote chocolates — a perfect end to a fantastic experience.
Priced at £125 per person for the Autumn Gourmet Menu, plus an extra £83.60 for the Wine Glass Package, this is a real celebration of culinary excellence where food enthusiasts can enjoy a true taste of the very best of the season.
If you’re a lover of fine food and good wine, this is the place for you. A spectacular stay that combines gastronomic excellence, good old Northern hospitality and luxury accommodation in an area of outstanding natural beauty. To find out more and to book your stay, visit the Northcote website.
Inside Portfolio, the UK’s first ‘champagne boutique’ and bar in Manchester
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new ‘champagne boutique’ is opening in Manchester this week, boasting more than 250 different champagnes to our city.
Portfolio will be a new bar and ‘immersive wine experience’, which will have one of the largest and most diverse champagne collections in the UK.
Mancs will be able to order champagne by the glass from just £12.50, along with plenty of accessible bottles.
To kick things off, Portfolio will open with a bar food offering that includes Welsh charcuterie, British cheeses and accoutrements, created by co-founder Julian Pizer, formerly of Another Hand and the Edinburgh Castle.
But later down the line, there’ll be a fun, relaxed tasting menu, ranging from a few bites to a full dining experience, obviously paired with the best champagne list in the country.
Inside Portfolio, you’ll be greeted by a striking champagne wall of 100 different bottles, plus a wall of photos from the team’s trips to Champagne in France.
Every drink will be served in exclusive Lehmann glassware imported from Reims, with more than 10 different glass styles and a strict no flutes policy.
There’ll be an open chef’s pass and sommelier station with bar seating, plus a working champagne cellar that will function as a private dining room and event space.
Portfolio champagne boutique opens in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Julian Pizer has created Portfolio with Cameron Foster, founder of Duex Six which specialises in providing exclusive grower champagnes to the UK.
They’ll be joined by Wayne Baxendale as food and beverage director, who has more than 30 years of global wine experience including from Michelin starred restaurants, and Nikolai Kuklenko as general manager, who previously held a role as Head Sommelier at Mana.
Portfolio will be a wine boutique packed with rare grower bottles and vintage prestige cuvées and hopes to ‘strip away the snobbery and make champagne accessible’.
As well as well known names, guests will be able to enjoy rare and highly sought-after cuvées, including Jacques Selosse, Ulysse Collin, Jérôme Prévost, Cédric Bouchard, Larmandier Bernier and Egly Ouriet.
There will also be vintage prestige cuvées from Cristal, Philipponnat, Pommery, Jacquesson, Pierre Peters and Bollinger, some dating back to the 1990s.
As Cameron Foster explains: “We want to strip back the snobbery of Champagne and make it a wine for everyone, whether that’s a quick glass after work, a special celebration, or discovering grower champagne for the first time.”
Portfolio will open on 9 December at 67 Bridge Street, Manchester, with the full restaurant experience launching in February 2026.
Popular American fast food franchise Shake Shack is coming to Manchester
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester is getting another big global franchise as Shake Shack is finally set to make its Northern debut.
With so many good burger joints and a million and one great places to grab a good portion of chips in town alone, they’ll have to hit the ground running to fight off the competition.
The well-known transatlantic multinational is nothing short of massive in the States, vying with the likes of In-N-Out Burger, Five Guys, Carl’s Jr. – also eyeing up multiple UK sites over the next few years – Whataburger and Wendy’s, just to name a rather large handful. Oh yeah, and Maccies, of course.
Yanks will debate until the cows come home (pardon the pun) about which is best, and many believe Shake Shack is right up there, so Manchester foodies have every right to be excited. Consider this a belated Thanksgiving contribution.
The New York-founded company already has multiple locations on this side of the pond, such as several in London, which is where we first sampled it for ourselves.
Other venues include Birmingham, Cambridge, Oxford and Cardiff, as well as one inside Gatwick Airport; as for the brand’s first Manchester branch, Shake Shack UK no. 18 will be coming to the borough of Trafford and one of the biggest shopping destinations in the region.
But what sets this burger and milkshake-driven brand apart from the others?
Well, for starters, you could argue they’re not even most famous for their patties, buns or shakes; the first time we ever heard about Shake Shack was regarding their fries – specifically, the crinkle-cut shape and that very American-style cheese sauce.
They have long proved divisive among the masses, but those who love them go NUTS for the stuff, and you’ll find all manner of fakeaway recipes online of people trying to make their best imitation of the side and sauce, specifically.
Put it this way, Colonel’s gravy on KFC chicken is what cheese sauce is on Shake Shack fries. It may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but fans will stan this scran to no end.
Case and point:
My first time at Shake Shack 👌🏼💚 The cheese fries might be my new hyper fixation 🍟 pic.twitter.com/3HVwAgxRtD
Honestly, you’ll find countless examples of this kind of post on social media…
Richard Franks, Business Director at Shake Shack UK, said: “Manchester’s a city that does things proper; it’s full of heart, graft and great taste. We’re so pumped to be growing Shake Shack across the UK, and to be opening our first Northern Shack at Trafford Centre. We can’t wait to be a part of this city.”
The major mall and North West tourist attraction’s Centre Director, Simon Layton, added: “We’re really excited to welcome Shake Shack’s first Northern restaurant to the Trafford Centre.
“We know our visitors are going to love getting their hands on those iconic ShackBurgers and crinkle-cut fries. It’s a huge moment for the North – and we can’t wait for everyone to experience it with us in 2026.”
Opening in place of the Costa in the Great Hall, the opening of Shake Shack Manchester at the Trafford Centre is scheduled for next March. Exciting times.
Clementine Hall -
17th October 2023 
