The best restaurants in the UK have been named at the National Restaurant Awards – and Manchester has done pretty well for itself.
The prestigious awards took place last night, listing the top 100 places to eat in the entire UK.
Three restaurants within Manchester itself managed to make it into the top 50 of the country’s best restaurants.
And there was a glowing endorsement for a brand new spot that’s only been open for a couple of weeks.
Skof is a beautiful new spot by celebrated chef Tom Barnes, who has worked at L’Enclume, the three-Michelin star Lake District restaurant widely considered one of the best in the world.
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His first restaurant, located in the NOMA neighbourhood, has been named the ‘One to Watch’ at the National Restaurant Awards.
Judges said that Skof is set to make ‘a big impact in a city that has a pumping restaurant scene but is in general unmoved by fancy restaurants’.
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Food at Skof in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
The highest-ranking restaurant in the Top 100 list for Greater Manchester is Michelin starred Mana, which came in 14th place.
The fine dining establishment in the heart of Ancoats got its Michelin star just a year after opening and National Restaurant Award judges praised it for being ‘understated and confident’ with ‘highly technical and precise’ cooking.
Higher Ground is operated by a powerful trio – one of the UK’s brightest young chefs Joseph Otway, front-of-house man Richard Cossins, and wine expert Daniel Craig Martin – and made the list thanks in part to its focus on regenerative farming and local produce.
Higher Ground in Manchester has been awarded a Michelin Bib GourmandErst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurantHigher Ground and Erst in Manchester have both been named among the UK’s best restaurants. Credit: The Manc Group
Completing the Manchester portion of the best restaurants in the UK list is Erst, which has swooped in at number 50.
The beautiful Ancoats restaurant was named as ‘the perfect neighbourhood spot’, with its ever-changing menu of small plates and natural wines hailed as being ‘an antidote to the glitzier ‘going out out’ restaurant scene for which Manchester is traditionally known’.
All eyes have been on Erst in recent weeks after Trove – the bakery which is a sister site to the restaurant – suddenly shut down.
There was a lot of success for the North West in general too at the National Restaurant Awards.
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Two Michelin-star Moor Hall, just up the road from Manchester in Lancashire, placed third overall in the UK but lost its crown as the best restaurant in England.
L’Enclume in the Lake District sits in 20th place, The Parkers Arms pub in Lancashire made 51st, and Forest Side in Ambleside came 75th.
You can see the full top 100 list from the National Restaurant Awards here.
Society is offering Mancs a chance to win free dinner and drinks if they share their best breakup texts
Danny Jones
Ever hoped that a crushing breakup text from a few years back would one day come in handy and bring you some joy?
Well, you’re in luck because that day is almost here.
Popular Manchester city centre food and drink venue, Society, is putting itself out there for all those who have been ghosted, left on read, or just plain dumped this Valentine’s Day with an exciting trade: some of your romantic moments for free scran and drinks.
That’s right, Society are inviting foodies from all over Greater Manchester to share their best (or worst) breakup texts to be in with a chance of winning dinner and drinks at the food hall along with a plus one of your choice – be a bit of a gamble if they picked them in some kind weird blind date situation.
Breakup texts finally making us feel good. (Credit: Society)
With reports finding that as many as 45% of breakups take place just before the 14 February – as partners look to avoid pricey dinners and gifts – and up to 88% of these happening over a mere text, Society is stepping in to provide solace for the those on the wrong side of the ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ text.
So how does it work? Well, it’s all rather simple: submit a memorable breakup text that you’ve received to be in with a chance of winning a free Valentine’s dinner and drinks at Society for you and your equally lucky plus one.
Texts can be submitted via Society’s Instagram, TikTok DMs, or by email; you can enter from Monday, 3 February until Tuesday 11 Feb 2025.
The team will then choose the most iconic/unbelievable/heartbreaking/downright hilarious entries to win prizes from the on-site food traders and bar team, and, with your consent, may even share some of the best to their social media channels.
The food and drinks selection and Society is top-notch, so that’s a good start. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
Now, before you get all panicked that you have to air your dirty laundry, don’t worry: all entries will remain anonymous unless you say otherwise.
Best of luck to all those submitting their breakup text entries and we sincerely hope we get to see a corker or two.
Love you, Society – you’re one of the most stable relationships in our lives x
New Manchester restaurant ‘couldn’t be happier’ after ALREADY receiving glowing national review
Daisy Jackson
Stow in Manchester is already making waves beyond the city, just weeks after it opened, receiving a glowing review in The Sunday Times.
The new restaurant on Bridge Street is a cosy space with a ‘supercool bar’ in front and a white-bricked dining room out back.
And what sets it apart from the others is that everything – desserts, breads, meat and more – is cooked over fire. No ovens, no hobs.
It’s this theatrical element that’s earned it its first (and surely not last) glowing review in a national title, impressing restaurant critic Charlotte Ivers in a dazzling review in The Sunday Times.
She raved about Stow’s potatoes, particularly, but also about the cosy restaurant’s service, theatre, decor, atmosphere, and basically everything they touched.
In the column, she said: “Particularly good restaurants make you feel as if you are at the centre of the world when you walk in… Stow is one of these restaurants.”
The Sunday Times piece continued to say that Matt Nellany and Jamie Pickles are creating food that is ‘far more exciting’ than their roots, down the road at much-loved Northern Quarter bar Trof.
She heaped praise on their milk bread, served with salty onion butter, the ricotta and beetroots which are roasted overnight on the embers of that huge grill, and the pork and fennel sausage with creme fraiche and tomato sauce.
The review then added that she will think of the ratte potatoes, topped with fat slices of garlic and shavings of Corra Linn cheese, ‘on my deathbed’.
Since the review went to print, Stow has said: “This day goes down as a big one for the Stow team – we couldn’t be any happier.”
Congratulations to the whole team. If you haven’t checked Stow out yet, make sure you do HERE.
Daisy Jackson -
11th June 2024 
