Three Greater Manchester restaurants have been named among the top 100 places to eat in the UK.
As per data compiled by food review and booking site, OpenTable, a trio of Manc eateries made it onto their official list of the best restaurants in the UK.
Now, we are by no means surprised to see 0161 represented on this list — we have some of the best food in the world here, FACTS — we were just expecting there to be more local names on it, but it’s still good to see that the picks weren’t just city-centre venues.
Without further ado, after collating thousands of reviews, here are the selections for 2022:
Gaucho is the Argentinian steak house located just off Deansgate on St. Mary’s Street that serves up some of the most perfectly-cooked meat and accompaniments you’ll find anywhere in town. The brand may have expanded to 17 different sites across the nation, but they’re not compromising on quality.
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The five-star establishment is a favourite among famous faces like the City squad and according to one reviewer, it is “just the most beautiful experience… first class”. It’s no wonder it won best restaurant in Manchester earlier this year.
Next up is the beloved Kala Bistro located on King Street. The place specialises in combining fine dining with comfort food and never fails to deliver, so it just had to end up on this list. Owned by Gary Usher of Hispi in Didsbury, Kala had a following from minute one.
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It’s a favourite among The Manc office, but don’t just take our word for it. One person wrote: “I cannot recommend this amazing restaurant enough. Food was wonderful, the staff were amazing. The overall experience was fantastic. Definitely will be returning”. High praise and well deserved in our books.
And then we come to a pick that really put on a smile our faces: The Cherry Tree at Blackrod over in Bolton. Renovated over lockdown, this place was always lovely but post-makeover its food has been better than ever. Most importantly, reviewers seem to agree.
The independent restaurant promises unpretentious, classic and seasonal cooking, local ingredients wherever possible and a “gorgeous ambience”. Not only do they deliver tried and tested favourites but they always manage to put a modern British twist on things. Give it a try.
Unbelievably, Manchester made up only a sliver of OpenTable’s top 100 places to eat in the UK, with more than 60% of the restaurants picked located in London.
But not to worry, we’re sure all will be corrected come next year.
Inside Manchester’s new padel club with a Pot Kettle Black cafe and courtside cocktail bar
Daisy Jackson
Padel is the fastest-growing sport in the world, and it’s really picking up speed in Manchester now too with another city centre club opening this month.
The Pollen Club is a little different to the others, in that it’s fully undercover and protected from Manchester’s less-than-favourable weather.
And another thing that makes it a must-visit is the cafe attached to it – a third site for the beloved Pot Kettle Black.
The Pollen Club and Pot Kettle Black have both taken over a prominent city centre spot just off Deansgate, at the foot of the recently-opened Treehouse Hotel.
There are two state-of-the-art padel courts inside, with a mezzanine terrace for enjoy Pot Kettle Black’s offerings.
In summer, there are plans to launch a bar downstairs too, where you can sip spritzes courtside from loungers and swing seats.
The exciting new Manchester padel club will host pop up events, DJ takeovers and an extended evening food offering.
Pot Kettle Black are part of the new padel clubInside Manchester’s new padel club, The Pollen ClubPot Kettle Black are part of the new padel club
And even if you’re not heading inside The Pollen Club, Pot Kettle Black has a grab-and-go hatch facing onto Blackfriars Street, making their delicious coffees, sandwiches and pastries (from their own bakery Half Dozen Other) even more accessible.
Commenting on the opening of the new site, Pot Kettle Black co-owner, Mark Flanagan said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to have opened our third Pot Kettle Black site at The Padel Club. This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team.
“After ten years in the city we’ve been enjoying seeing some familiar faces stopping by for a coffee and we can’t wait to get started on our programme of summer events!”
Insomnia Cookies is giving away FREE cookies to anyone with these two names
Emily Sergeant
Manchester’s late-night sweet treat spot Insomnia Cookies is dishing out freebies this week… but there’s a catch.
You have to be called one of two specific names to get one.
With the long bank holiday weekend upon us, those in-the-know will also have noticed that this Sunday isn’t just Easter Sunday, it also happens to be 4/20… and that means Insomnia Cookies is back with its ‘blazing’ £4.20 deal, giving you the chance to bag a box of four warm cookies while saving nearly £7 at the same time.
But even better still, if you happen to have either the first or middle name ‘Mary’ or ‘Jane’, then you can also get yourself a warm tasty cookie for free.
To mark both 4/20, and celebrate the launch of its newest strain of mouthwatering cookie, the Mary Jane, anyone called Mary or Jane can pop into either of Insomnia Cookies’ two Manchester city centre sites – Cross Street and University Green – show their valid ID with their name on, and walk alway with a cookie free of charge.
If you want to try the new Mary Jane cookie, then this limited-edition special is made up of a cookies n cream dough base, packed with rainbow sprinkles.
The freebie deal has been running all week, and you have up until 3am on Monday 21 April to take advantage of it.
Customers will be limited to one free cookie per day.
Insomnia Cookies is giving away free cookies to anyone with these two names / Credit: Insomnia Cookies UK
If you aren’t lucky enough to be called one of those two names though, then thankfully you can still make some great savings on a classic four-pack of cookies over the spring bank holiday weekend, and for every four-pack sold, £1 will be donated to Groundwork – a charity helping make Manchester greener for nature and for local people.
“We’re calling for Marys and Janes to join us to live the high life with free cookies all week,” commented Millie Ralston, Head of Marketing at Insomnia Cookies.
Danny Jones -
9th December 2022 
