Eats

The best restaurants in Manchester named at prestigious National Restaurant Awards

The North West did pretty well last night...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 11th June 2024

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.

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’.

Food at Skof in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Food at Skof in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
Food at Skof in Manchester. Credit: The Manc Group
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.

Mana has been chased pretty closely by Higher Ground in 16th place, a relative newcomer that’s already jumped up from last year’s 51st spot, been named one of Rick Stein’s favourite places to eat, and scooped a prestigious Bib Gourmand.

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 won big at the National Restaurant Awards
Higher Ground in Manchester has been awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand
Erst in Manchester has been named as one of the best restaurants in the UK at the National Restaurant Awards
Erst in Ancoats is Michelin-recommended restaurant
Higher 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.

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.

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Featured image: Supplied

Eats

Kala announces closure after more than half a decade in Manchester city centre

Danny Jones Danny Jones

Another hit for the Manchester hospitality sector as city centre cult favourite Kala has announced it has closed with immediate effect.

The Manc bistro, beloved for putting a contemporary slant on British and French classics, was opened by restaurateur Gary Usher back in 2021, receiving plenty of positive press over the years.

Perhaps the most notable bit of praise it received was from renowned food writer Jay Rayner, who said it “quietly feeds you well”. But that was part of the problem: it was too quiet, unfortunately.

Announcing the shutdown on Tuesday evening (24 June), Usher shared an extended statement on social media, explaining the details behind the decision – but there was one, clear, overriding reason.

Confirming the news on Instagram, the chef-owner wrote: “Gary Usher here.. It’s with a heavy heart that I announce the immediate closure of Kala. I’m not really sure how to explain why we’ve closed other than we weren’t busy enough to cover our costs.

“I really really want to blame the economy and the pandemic. I really want to say the rising costs have made it impossible. All those factors haven’t helped, but we are 50% down in trade at Kala, and that is the killer.”

This isn’t the first of the St Albans-born chef’s locations to close either, as his Burnt Truffle venue on the Wirral also shut back in January.

Nevertheless, Kala’s reputation has remained strong throughout, boasting one of the best elevated albeit accessible evening and lunch deals in the city centre, not to mention at very reasonable prices.

Moreover, they were famed for their stunning Sunday dinners, with Sacha Lord dubbing them the best roasts in Manchester he’s had “in ages.”

Sacha Lord hails Manchester restaurant for serving up ‘the best Sunday roast’ he’s had ‘in ages’
That perfectly blushed beef was incredible.

Usher goes on to add: “It goes without saying our business rates [are] increasing substantially, and the hike in NIC [national insurance] contributions only works against us. This was not planned, but neither was us being this quiet in June. All the Kala team will be paid up to date, our rent & suppliers too.

“If you have a voucher with us, as always, it can be used in the wider group. It was always a dream to have a restaurant on King Street in Manchester. I just wish it had lasted longer than 6 years.

“Thank you to all the team past & present & I’m so sorry to all of you and all the guests that I couldn’t create something with longevity.

“Please come and visit us in Didsbury at Hispi where it will be our pleasure to welcome you. Farewell, King Street. Farewell Kala. Gary.”

Kala closing marks yet another local business we’re gutted to see go, as it was only earlier this month that we had to bid goodbye to both Medlock Canteen and Indian street food spot, Rola Wala, which closed on Monday.

Safe to say it’s been a gutting few days for local food and drink.

With that being said, please do support the Elite Group’s remaining restaurants where you can, which include the aforementioned Hispi, The Sticky Walnut in Chester, The White Horse in the Cheshire village of Churton, as well as Wreck in Liverpool.

All we can say is thanks for the memories and the brilliant food.

Inside Gary Usher’s cosy new village boozer The White Horse at Churton
Kala may be closed but this nearby gem is still well worth the trip.

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Featured Images — The Manc Group

Eats

First look at Zaap Thai as popular Thai street food restaurant opens in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson

A Thai street food restaurant with sites all over the North has finally announced plans to come to Manchester for the first time.

Zaap Thai is famed for its authentic and affordable street food-inspired menu, served up in restaurants designed to mimic the bustling street food markets of Bangkok.

Expect colourful fairy lights, illuminated signs, graffiti art, enamel crockery and even seating booths built into tuk tuks.

Zaap Thai already has locations in cities including Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and Durham, but hasn’t made it into the North West before now.

It’s now set to open on Lincoln Square – where you’ll already find Maray – this June.

This new Zaap Thai location is set to be one its biggest venues to date, with 160 covers.

The expansive menu features 80 dishes from across Thailand, from street food small plates to big bowls of noodles and fiery curries.

Their menu highlights include chicken satay, crispy pork belly, stir-fries like Pad Ga Prao, and sweet dishes such as mango sticky rice and pandan custard pancakes.

That’s alongside Thai-inspired cocktails and mocktails, plus Thai lagers like Singha.

Ban Kaewkraikhot, founder and executive chef at Zaap said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing Zaap Thai to Manchester. 

Inside Zaap Thai Manchester

Noodles at Zaap Thai Manchester
Food at Zaap Thai Manchester
Seafood at Zaap Thai Manchester
The Moo Deng mural
The Moo Deng mural
Noodles at Zaap Thai Manchester
Stir fries at Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai
Inside the new Zaap Thai

“This is a city with a rich and diverse hospitality scene, and we’re delighted to be joining that fantastic community.

“Our mission is to share our authentic flavours of native Thailand with the city – we want to transport guests to sunny South East Asia by providing an amazing and affordable menu where you can try something new each time.

“Our restaurant is inspired by the places we love back home and everyone is welcome. We can’t wait to bring the Zaap experience to Manchester!”

Zaap Thai Manchester will open on Lincoln Square in on Thursday 26 June, with free pad thais or curries to the first 100 people in the queue from midday.

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Featured image: Supplied

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