The top 100 restaurants in the UK have been named at the prestigious National Restaurant Awards – and Manchester has once again come out fighting.
Four local restaurants have shot into the list, which has been celebrating the ‘brilliance and vibrancy of the UK’s eating out scene’ for almost two decades.
And while the list is incredibly London-centric, especially in the top 20, there are some fantastic Manchester restaurants standing proud among them all.
Making it into the National Restaurant Awards’ top 100 restaurants in the UK were Skof, Erst, Higher Ground, and Winsome.
The Manchester restaurant that placed highest, ranking in 29th, is Skof, which received its first Michelin star last year AND was awarded the coveted AA Restaurant of the Year award.
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The acclaimed fine dining restaurant by chef Tom Barnes was said by the National Restaurant Awards to be ‘elegant yet approachable’, describing its decor as ‘stripped-back but characterful’.
Skof placed 29th in the National Restaurant AwardsSkof placed 29th in the National Restaurant Awards
The awards also recognised the personal touches that make Skof feel so magical, like ‘artwork referencing [Tom’s] life and a boozy tiramisu dessert that pays tribute to his late father’.
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Up next at 37 is Erst, which ‘might just be the perfect neighbourhood spot’, according to the National Restaurant Awards.
The beloved local restaurant is set in the heart of Ancoats, and is famed for its flat breads, its natural wine selection, and its ever-evolving menu of Mediterranean dishes.
Erst in Ancoats has also featured on the National Restaurant Awards top 100Erst in Ancoats has also featured on the National Restaurant Awards top 100
The Awards said: “Co-founders Patrick Withington and Will Sutton possess an eye for detail that’s rare for a low-key ‘local’ place.
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“Overseeing the kitchen and front of house respectively, the pair deliver a laid back yet grown-up experience that’s an antidote to the glitzier ‘going out out’ restaurant scene for which Manchester is traditionally known.”
Hot on Erst’s heels at number 39 is Higher Ground, the bistro from the same team behind wine bar Flawd and cocktail/seafood bar Bar Shrimp.
Initially launching as a pop-up at Kampus, hospitality heavyweights Joseph Otway, Richard Cossins, and Daniel Craig Martin went on to open their own space right in the heart of the city centre, on the edges of Chinatown, in 2023.
The vast majority of the produce used in their exciting menu is grown at their own market garden, Cinderwood.
The National Restaurant Awards said: “Higher Ground is modern and minimalistic without being austere with a long island that runs along one side of the room that serves as an open kitchen, pass and bar, as well as a counter where people can sit and eat and drink. A proper neo bistro then.”
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Finally, just missing out on the top 50 but placing in a very respectable 67th place is Winsome, Shaun Moffatt’s excellent British bistro on Princess Street.
Shaun Moffatt’s Winsome in Manchester is listed in the National Restaurant Awards
The guide wrote: “Fans of Moffat’s cooking at The Edinburgh Castle will recognise the same produce-led approach, with a regularly changing menu built around dishes designed to feel familiar and comforting.
“The menu moves through snacks, starters, mains and desserts and centres on ingredient-led British cooking with a strong emphasis on seasonality, regional sourcing and produce from across the UK, ranging from Brixham seafood and Welsh pork to Clyndria beetroot and Garstang Blue cheese.”
Outside Greater Manchester, the highest northern entry is – in news that will surprise no one – the three-Michelin star Moor Hall, which placed fifth.
Manchester’s beautiful winter Teepee is back, with free pints this weekend and live music every day
Daisy Jackson
Nothing heralds the arrival of the autumn/winter seasons quite like the appearance of The Oast House’s beautiful winter Teepee.
The popular seasonal space is officially reopening its doors this weekend, and inside you’ll find roaring fires, a giant disco ball, live music, and plenty of pints to keep the colder months feeling a little less grim.
After giving its beer garden a major glow-up this spring and hosting a summer packed with live music, The Oast House is bringing back one of Manchester’s favourite winter hangouts – and it’s kicking things off with a proper belter of an opening weekend.
We’re talking twinkling fairy lights, faux fur throws, and a dedicated bar pouring Staropramen fresh from the tank, all inside its massive winter Teepee.
And there’s even better news for the first few through the door.
To celebrate the Teepee’s return, The Oast House team will be cracking open a full tank of fresh Staropramen on Saturday 10 October, with free pints up for grabs for the first 440 guests.
There’ll be live music every night in the winter TeepeeManchester’s cosiest venue is back
The Teepee will be keeping things lively seven nights a week throughout autumn and winter, with The Oast House’s much-loved Open House programme moving indoors for the season.
Expect everything from Bandeoke and Musical Bingo to Retro Sounds and Oast Acoustic sessions, meaning there’ll be something different on the cards every night of the week.
The venue’s free monthly live music festival, Oast House Live, isn’t going anywhere either. It’ll continue inside the Teepee on the last Saturday of every month, bringing even more live music to the heart of Spinningfields.
Of course, it wouldn’t be The Oast House without a menu worth getting stuck into.
The kitchen will be serving up its 12-hour-brined rotisserie chicken, alongside a line-up of tempting sides like Ziggy Fries tossed in chicken salt and chicken butter, cheddar and onion slaw, and charred corn on the cob drenched in house-made Scotch bonnet butter.
Food in The Oast House Winter TeepeeThere’ll be 450 free pints given away on SaturdayRotisserie chicken
And if you’re after something a bit different, the house-special ‘addictive’ Chicken (T)oastie is one you won’t want to miss.
Sundays are all about the roast, too, with the kitchen dishing up its signature rotisserie chicken alongside chicken-butter roasties tossed in chicken salt, all the trimmings and bottomless house chicken gravy.
Basically, if you’re after somewhere to escape the cold without sacrificing a good night out, you know where to head.
The Oast House and its Winter Teepee are open daily from 11am until late throughout the season.
The Oast House Winter Teepee opens Saturday 10 October, with free Staropramen pints for the first 440 guests.
For more information and to book your table, head HERE.
The UK’s largest wine festival is returning to Manchester this autumn
Lydia Mastrolonardo
The UK’s biggest festival of wine will be coming back to Manchester this year, with more than 300 wines on offer plus plenty more.
The Laithwaites’ Wine Festival is returning up north, following the major success of last year.
As well as having hundreds of wines to showcase, the festival will also offer a chance to discover a selection of luxury spirits, plus join expert-led tastings, and visit artisan food stands, all under one roof.
As the UK’s longest-running wine tasting event, with 40 producers from 17 different countries, and artisan food all accompanied with carefully paired wines at each stall, it’s safe to say they know what they’re doing.
Struggling to think of a birthday present or ideas for how to celebrate with loved ones? Look no further – each ticket includes a tasting guide to help plan your route around the room and a complimentary tasting glass to sample over 300 different wines – trust me, they will love it.
As part of the Friday evening entertainment, guests can also expect a special appearance from wine presenter and communicator Tom Gilbey. Here, fans will be able to talk with Tom and sample the Signature Six case, which is a collection of wines approved by the man himself.
What’s more, is that this year, guests are invited to get creative at their brand new ‘design a wine label’ competition. You never know, maybe a few top-quality glasses of wine is the sweet spot for your drawing abilities to show themselves.
It is also possible to upgrade each ticket to gain access to expert-led masterclasses, with tutored tastings of sparkling wine, sherry and food, or cheese with wine. Fine Wine ticket holders will also be granted access to the Fine Wine Room and its rarer bottles.
Whether you spend ages aimlessly deliberating in a supermarket aisle, pick the cheapest bottle and call it a day, or you can smell the bottle and tell me the exact province it is from – this event welcomes all wine-drinkers, no matter the level of expertise.
The festival will be hosted at Manchester Central, starting with an evening session (6pm to 9pm) on Friday 20 November, as well as a lunchtime (12pm-3pm) and evening session (5pm to 8pm), on Saturday 21 November 2026.
Tickets are on sale now, starting at £40 per session. Click HERE to grab yours now.
Daisy Jackson -
9th June 2026 
