Eats

Inside Chinatown’s enormous new three-storey restaurant, with futuristic karaoke booths

Three roast meats first, karaoke later

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 9th November 2026

A gigantic three-storey restaurant and karaoke bar has just opened its doors in Chinatown in Manchester.

Sovereign Clouds is the newest addition to one of the city’s most beloved and ever-evolving neighbourhoods, taking over a sizeable building on Faulkner Street that’s been vacant for 10 years.

Inside the 1,000 sq metre space, you’ll find a glittering restaurant adorned with marble and gold, where you can tuck into a massive menu of dim sum and traditional dishes.

One floor up and you’ll find yourself surrounded by live lobster tanks and the massive kitchen, alongside several flexible private dining spaces.

And up on the top floor are the most futuristic karaoke rooms in town, where you can customise lights, LED ceilings, and even sing through an autotune microphone.

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Three roast meats from Sovereign Clouds
Three roast meats from Sovereign Clouds
Delicious dim sum
Delicious dim sum
Authentic Chinese cooking from Sovereign Clouds
Authentic Chinese cooking from Sovereign Clouds
Black Gold Lava Buns with salted custard filling
Black Gold Lava Buns with salted custard filling
The massive Sovereign Clouds restaurant
The massive Sovereign Clouds restaurant

On the menu you’ll find tonnes of steamed dim sum, stir fries, traditional claypot stews, roast meats, and loads more.

There’s seafood like stir-fried lobster with salted egg yolk, and traditional Cantonese steamed grouper; a whole section for abalone (advance orders only) including braised goose feet and fish maw; and a good selection of spicy Sichuan dishes.

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The chefs here also have an impressive array of Chinese roast meats, like Peking crispy duck, pork belly, and char siu, as well as three roast meats with rice.

Futuristic karaoke rooms
Futuristic karaoke rooms
The main restaurant at Sovereign Clouds
The main restaurant at Sovereign Clouds
Futuristic karaoke rooms
Futuristic karaoke rooms

And that’s alongside ingredients you don’t find on a lot of menus in Manchester, like jellyfish, tripe, and century eggs.

It’s all led by Terry Ni, who has been behind the popular Dynasty Chinese and Thai takeaway in Timperley for more than a decade, and has spent years transforming this empty old building into one of Chinatown’s most glittering restaurants.

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Come for dinner, stay for a turn on the karaoke upstairs, and tell everyone – Sovereign Clouds is a fantastic addition to Manchester.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

Eats

‘Surreal’ moment Stevie Wonder dines at Stalybridge restaurant after enormous Manchester gig

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson ‘Surreal’ moment Stevie Wonder dines at Stalybridge restaurant after enormous Manchester gig

Stevie Wonder has stunned a local restaurant in Stalybridge after he popped in for dinner after his massive Manchester show.

The soul icon had performed a huge gig at Co-op Live on Sunday night, performing hits from his illustrious, decades-long career.

And while you might expect someone of Stevie’s fame and stature to dine at one of the city centre’s many Michelin-recommended restaurants, the star instead headed straight for the suburbs.

He was spotted dining at Cafe Continental, an independent restaurant that’s become one of the Greater Manchester’s most-hyped neighbourhood haunts since it launched two years ago.

The stylish spot is famed for its European-style restaurant and cafe culture, aiming to recreate the atmosphere of the sort of place you’d stumble upon down a back street in Rome or Paris.

On the menu they’ve got a rotation of small plates, open-fire dishes, pastas and burgers, along with their divine Parisian hot chocolate, served with a bowl of whipped cream on the side.

Cafe Continental has had a good track record for pulling in local famous faces, but arguably nothing comes close to Stevie Wonder himself.

Inside Cafe Continental in Stalybridge. Credit: The Manc Group
Inside Cafe Continental in Stalybridge. Credit: The Manc Group
Soup and focaccia at Cafe Continental. Credit: The Manc Group
Soup and focaccia at Cafe Continental. Credit: The Manc Group

The night before Stevie’s visit, they’d served his band and daughter – and clearly word got back to Stevie fast, because he returned the next night to test it out for himself.

Cafe Continental posted: “Surreal things happen now and again. This is one of them! Pleasure to welcome Mr Stevie Wonder to the restaurant to close off his tour!”

And according to the MEN, Stevie left a whopping £1,000 tip for the staff.

Not only did Stevie Wonder support a local hospitality business, but he also arrived dressed in Drama Call, a Manchester-based sportswear brand.

What a guy.

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Featured image: Cafe Continental / The Manc Group

Eats

Ancoats Sunday roast named one of the best in the UK

Lydia Mastrolonardo Lydia Mastrolonardo The Sunday roast at Elnecot has been named one of the best in the UK

If there is one thing us Brits have got down to a tee, it is how to spend a Sunday properly.

Go on, try and name a better way to spend the end of your weekend than heading out for some seriously hearty food and a pint with loved ones – I’ll wait.

There truly is nothing more comforting than a proper roast, especially as we head into the depths of winter and one thing is for certain – the UK is absolutely spoilt for choice on where to get a fix of this absolutely timeless meal. The question is where is serving the best?

While everyone argues over whose local is better, global travel site Big 7 Travel, decided to put it to the test.

Every year, they thoroughly investigate this pressing issue for us and release their list of The 25 Best Sunday Roasts in the UK, judging everything from quaint countryside pubs to inventive city-centre restaurants.

Their strict marking criteria covers everything from how the meat and trimmings are cooked, to how much care goes into sourcing ingredients.

They’ll also take into account what other diners say about the Sunday lunch, the atmosphere, and value for money.

This year our beloved Elnecot, nestled in the heart of Ancoats, did us proud being named the sixth best Sunday roast in the UK.

Elnecot in Ancoats is a neighbourhood favourite
Elnecot in Ancoats is a neighbourhood favourite
The Sunday roast at Elnecot has been named one of the best in the UK
The Sunday roast at Elnecot has been named one of the best in the UK

It is clear to see why – with their killer Sunday roast serving a delicious selection of starters, followed by a choice of dry aged native topside; slow-roasted shoulder of Yorkshire lamb; lemon, thyme and butter roasted confit chicken leg; crispy, slow-roasted Yorkshire pork belly; or a nut and squash roast.

All accompanied by the crispiest roast potatoes, giant Yorkshire puddings, pork/vegan stuffing, roasted carrots, parsnips, sautéed greens, broccoli cheese and gravy.

Not to mention their mouth-watering extras such as truffle broccoli cheese, buttered greens in confit garlic or a beef shin stuffed Yorkshire pudding.

Oh – and only the best desserts selection you can imagine to follow, consisting of a burnt Basque cheesecake with mixed berries, sticky toffee pudding with vanilla ice cream, butterscotch tiramisu, an affogato or even an ice cream sundae – by this point we we’re drooling too don’t worry.

This year, the top 10 included some pretty big names making this even more of an achievement for Elnecot:

  1. The Hawthorn – Haworth
  2. Kyloe – Edinburgh
  3. The Camberwell Arms – Southwark, London
  4. Coorie Inn – Crieff
  5. Impossible Restaurant & Wonderbar – York
  6. Elnecot – Manchester
  7. The Horse & Groom – Bourton-on-the-Hill
  8. Blacklock – Soho, London
  9. The Abbey Inn – Byland
  10. Skein – Nottingham

Now all that’s left to do is go and try them all out for ourselves – what a shame.

Read more…

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Featured image: Supplied, @elnecot

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