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.”
Ian Wright raves about Chorlton takeaway Jerk Junction
Daisy Jackson
Ian Wright has publicly raved about a Greater Manchester takeaway, saying it’s the ‘only reason’ he comes to the city.
The TV personality and football great took to Instagram yesterday to share his short but sweet review of Jerk Junction.
It’s a beloved takeaway and restaurant that has a few sites across Greater Manchester and tonnes of loyal followers – including more than a few famous faces.
And now Ian Wright has joined the legions of fans celebrating Jerk Junction, a Caribbean spot famed for its jerk chicken and curried meats.
On his Instagram page yesterday, Wrighty shared a video of himself tucking into a huge helping of curry and rice, with fried dumplings on the side.
In it, he gives the camera a big thumbs up before saying: “It’s the only reason I come to Manchester really.”
Jerk Junction has also shared a photo of them delivering the food to Ian, writing: “Special delivery to everyones favourite Uncle, The Legend himself Mr @wrightyofficial.”
Ian Wright raving about Jerk Junction on Instagram. Credit: Instagram, @wrightyofficialIan Wright with Jerk Junction. Credit: Instagram, @jerkjunction
Ian Wright has then replied: “Too much food! But it was amazing!! Thank you so much.”
The takeaway’s menu is filled with dishes like Jerk chicken, curried goat, and vegetarian options like Ital stew, all served with rice and peas, and prepared with traditional spices and ingredients.
Family-run tapas restaurant shames customers who stole decorations
Daisy Jackson
A family-run restaurant in Whitefield has publicly shamed a couple who stole new decorations from them.
Campo Blanco, a popular tapas joint in the Bury suburb, threatened to call ‘Santa’ over the petty theft.
Owned and operated by high school sweethearts Aaron and Faye Cummins, the charming local spot opened back in 2018 and has been a firm favourite in Whitefield ever since.
But it’s not just their tapas menu that’s caught the attention of locals – now apparently it’s their new table decorations.
Campo Blanco has shared CCTV footage of a couple who dined there recently pocketing lamps off their table.
The customer in question quietly reaches across her dinner, picks up the pretty gold lamp, turns it off, and shoves it into her coat pocket.
The restaurant shared the video online and pleaded for them to return the lamps by Christmas Eve.
They then said they’d be telling Santa – ‘and by Santa, we mean the police’.
Campo Blanco wrote: “We love our new table lights too. We actually can’t get them anymore as they’ve stopped making them so please bring them back. Also, they aren’t yours!
Daisy Jackson -
3rd January 2024 
