The Good Food Guide has published its list of Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants – and Manchester has done very well indeed with seven restaurants featured.
In the list for the North West, a number of Manchester restaurants have been included after receiving public nominations and visits by Good Food Guide inspectors.
Coming out on top was The Sparrows as regional winners, whilst more Manchester restaurants that appear on the list include Higher Ground, 10 Tib Lane, Edinburgh Castle, Another Hand, Bombay to Mumbai and Lily’s Vegetarian Indian Cuisine.
A public nomination for Higher Ground read: “A friendly, welcoming local restaurant in the heart of the city centre, creating a much-needed link to the local food system.
“Using local produce from the restaurant’s partner farm, Cinderwood Market Garden, guests are able to connect with the seasons and the land. Many regulars and neighbours meet here and enjoy each other’s company, often bumping into other friends which creates a real sense of community”’
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Dill pickled cucumbers and spatlze at The Sparrows. / Image: The Manc Eats
Inside The Sparrows restaurant. / Image: The Manc Eats
All of the restaurants in the list have been inspected by Good Food Guide inspectors, travelling the length and breadth of England, Scotland and Wales, to compile the final list.
Tallow, a neighbourhood restaurant in Southborough, Royal Tunbridge Wells has been named the overall Best Local Restaurant by The Good Food Guide, topping a list of 100 local favourites across the country.
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Regional winners include Les 2 Garçons in London, The Sparrows in the North West, Homestead Kitchen in the North East, The Kinneuchar Inn in Scotland, Seasonality in the South East, Wild Artichokes in the South West, Rocket & Rye in Wales and Tropea in Central and the East of England.
The Good Food Guide’s Editor, Elizabeth Carter said of the winner of Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants 2023; “Tallow stood out, head and shoulders above what is a very strong list this year. For a chef of this quality to be so happily focused on running a neighbourhood restaurant is extraordinary.
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“There’s a level of commitment here that would sit happily in many top restaurants. Everything is beautifully thought through, from food you really want to eat – delicious, simple, seasonal – to the remarkably at-ease service and the care of customers.
Tallow owner Donna Taylor said of the award; “What an unexpected and humbling acknowledgement for the whole team at Tallow, and such a privilege to be considered alongside restaurants we love and respect.
“We’re incredibly proud to receive confirmation from our guests that Tallow has become what we had hoped, an accessible, relaxed dining experience that they wish to enjoy over and over again.”
The complete list includes city centre locations, as well as suburban and rural offerings.
A ragu with buttery mash at Higher Ground. / Image: The Manc Eats
Inside Higher Ground. / Image: The Manc Eats
Typically, Best Local Restaurants have been geographically located in classic ‘neighbourhood’ locations, but The Good Food Guide’s team of inspectors found that connection to the community is far more important than the restaurant’s address. Les 2 Garçons in London and Higher Ground, a bistro in central Manchester both epitomise this.
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Britain’s 100 Best Local Restaurants will provide a huge boost to the hospitality industry across the country, highlighting those who often miss the spotlight whilst providing an excellent and vital service to their community.
Kate Nicholls, CEO of UKHospitality said of the awards; “Local restaurants are so often the heartbeat of communities; providing jobs, generating economic growth and, most importantly, providing fantastic food. It’s brilliant to see such huge support from the public for their local restaurants and is deserved recognition of their hard work. This sort of support is invaluable as venues face ever-rising costs and is essential in keeping valued businesses viable.”
Thom Hetherington, Co-founder of the Northern Bar and Restaurant Show said; “The Good Food Guide was a revelation to me as a fledgling foodie 25 years ago, and its authority and independence is as crucial to today’s diners as ever – not just highlighting big names, but shining a light on the sometimes hidden restaurant gems that locals love and others need to know about.”
The full list of restaurants can be found below, together with their Best Local Restaurant region. Regional winners are highlighted in bold.
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Central & East of England
Tropea, West Midlands
Watson and Walpole, Suffolk
Chapter, West Midlands
Brix & Bones, Norfolk
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Stiffkey Red Lion, Norfolk
Fancett’s Bistro, Cambridgeshire
The Kilpeck Inn, Herefordshire
Hitchen’s Barn, Rutland
Lark, Suffolk
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The Silver Cup, Hertfordshire
London
Les 2 Garçons, London
Copper & Ink, London
Sam’s Riverside, London
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The Holland, London
Giulia, London
Akub Restaurant, London
Hawthorn, London
Church Road, London
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North East
Homestead Kitchen, North Yorkshire
The Hispanist, East Yorkshire
Hearth, East Yorkshire
Ophelia, Tyne & Wear
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Coin, West Yorkshire
Brooks, West Yorkshire
Long Friday, Tyne & Wear
The Orange Bird, South Yorkshire
Bantam, North Yorkshire
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Hinnies, Tyne & Wear
Tonco, South Yorkshire
Hern, West Yorkshire
North West
The Spärrows, Greater Manchester
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Four & Twenty, Cumbria
Belzan, Merseyside
10 Tib Lane, Greater Manchester
The Yan, Cumbria
Edinburgh Castle, Greater Manchester
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Another Hand, Greater Manchester
Covino, Cheshire
The Kirkstyle Inn and Sportsman’s Rest, Cumbria
Parkers Arms, Lancashire
Bombay to Mumbai, Greater Manchester
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The Nag’s Head, Cheshire
The White Horse, Cheshire
Lily’s Vegetarian Indian Cuisine, Greater Manchester
Kysty, Cumbria
Higher Ground, Greater Manchester
Scotland
The Kinneuchar Inn, Fife
The Loveable Rogue, Strathclyde
Celentano’s, Strathclyd
Bar Brett, Strathclyde
Eighty Eight, Strathclyde
The Palmerston, Lothians
L’Escargot Bleu, Lothians
Ga Ga Kitchen & Bar, Strathclyde
Gloriosa,Strathclyde
Eusebi Deli, Strathclyde
The Oystercatcher, Argyll & Bute
The Dory Bistro, Fife
The Galleon Bistro, Highlands & Islands
KORA by Tom Kitchin, Lothians
The Bothy, Moray
South East
Tallow, Kent – (Overall winner)
Seasonality, Berkshire (South East regional winner)
The Greyhound, Buckinghamshire
The Dew Drop Inn, Berkshire
Samphire, Kent
Five Little Pigs, Oxfordshire
Quince, Kent
The Victoria Oxshott, Surrey
The Pilgrim, Buckinghamshire
Palmito, West Sussex
The Purefoy Arms, Hampshire
Pompette, Oxfordshire
The Folkestone Wine Company, Kent
The Goods Shed, Kent
Fourth and Church, East Sussex
South West
Wild Artichokes, Devon
Sonny Stores, Bristol
Pythouse Kitchen Garden, Wiltshire
The Greenhouse, Cornwall
Art Sushi, Dorset
Bank, Bristol
Little Hollows Pasta, Bristol
The Cotley Inn, Somerset
Iford Manor Cafe & Kitchen, Wiltshire
Caper and Cure, Bristol
Brassica, Dorset
Littlefrench, Bristol
The Rocket Store, Cornwall
Andria, Devon
Beckford Canteen, Somerset
The Exmoor Forest Inn, Somerset
The Halfway at Kineton, Gloucestershire
Wales
Rocket & Rye, Glamorgan
Y Polyn, Carmarthenshire
The Warren, Carmarthenshire
Heathcock, Glamorgan
Paternoster Farm, Pembrokeshire
The Black Bear Inn, Monmouthshire
Yr Hen Printworks, Ceredigion
Featured image – The Manc Eats
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Michelin guide Prestwich restaurant Osma announces heartbreaking closure
Daisy Jackson
Osma, a beautiful, Michelin-recommended restaurant in Prestwich, has announced its closure next month.
The Scandi-esque restaurant has been a front-runner of Prestwich’s ever-growing food and drink scene since it opened in 2020.
Fronted by Manchester born Danielle Heron, who you might recognise from the Great British Menu and MasterChef: The Professionals 2024, alongside Sofie Stoermann-Naess.
Osma has been a favourite among Prestwich locals over the last five years, famed for its inventive small plates and delicious Sunday roasts – but now its time in the suburb has come to an end.
In a statement shared online, Osma said that they have ‘struggled to find experience staff, leaving us with little to no personal life’.
The restaurant has teased a move into the city centre, where it’s hoped the business will be more sustainable and ready to grow.
“This is by no means the end of Osma,” they wrote.
Their kitchen at Exhibition in the city centre will remain open even after Osma in Prestwich closes on Sunday 9 February.
Osma in Prestwich has announced its closure. Credit: Instagram, @osmakitchenbar
Other food and drink businesses in the village have all been sharing farewell messages, with The Pearl commenting: “Prestwich’s foodie foundations will be very wobbly without the OG cornerstone that welcomed the ‘foodie neighbourhood’ accolades. Good luck in town both, we’ll definitely come and visit the new place.”
Whole Bunch Wines, formerly known as Grape to Grain, said: “Absolutely devastating news for Prestwich. A HUGE loss but a sign of their quality that they’re forced to move.”
Osma’s full statement reads: “Neighbours & Friends. We’ve spoken with some of you already, but it’s time to make it official. It’s with a heavy heart, but excitement for the future, that we have decided to close our Prestwich restaurant ahead of a move to the city centre.
“Being fully transparent – we’ve struggled to find experienced staff, leaving us with little to no personal life. We have made the decision to move on to what we hope will be a more sustainable business that can grow, and allow us more time to follow our dreams. This is by no means the end of OSMA.
“We’re optimistic, but it’s bittersweet. After (almost!) five years we have met so many amazing and incredible people, who we’re proud to call our friends and OSMA family. So many of you have kept coming back week after week – we feel honoured and so grateful for your company. There have been hard days over the years and your kindness, patience and good moods have made such an impact on us to keep pushing forward. Thank you! 🙏🏼
“Of course, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do without our one-of-a-kind staff. Your efforts make OSMA what it is. Even when so understaffed, you all keep moving and help each other get through the day as a team. There’s not many of you, but what you guys can achieve is incredible!
“Lastly, we want to thank our landlord, Tony Freeman, for taking a risk on two 26-year-old girls wanting to open a restaurant. OSMA wouldn’t be here today without him believing in us. You will live on in our memory forever.
“Our last day of service will be Sunday, 9th February. Bookings are open now and we’d love to see as many of you as possible before we go. Stay tuned on our socials as we’ll be throwing a leaving party, too.
“A little housekeeping… gift cards bought after the 9th of Feb 2024 may be refunded to the original payment method, or extended to use at our new site (to be valid for one year after the opening date). Our Kitchen at Exhibition on Peter Street will also remain open as usual, so please don’t be a stranger.
“We appreciate every single one of you… and we’ll be back before you know it! Love Dani & Fie x”
Quiet Corners: The Fox and Pine – Oldham’s proper good pub that feels like someone’s front room
Danny Jones
Our search for Greater Manchester’s cosiest pubs is never-ending, especially when it’s cold and grey outside as it often is around these parts, and we recently stumbled across a corker over in Oldham.
Let us introduce you to The Fox and Pine: a brilliant little boozer sat quietly on the corner of Greaves Street, an otherwise unsuspecting road just a block over from the main high street.
You’ll first spot it by the old-school lantern and hanging baskets placed outside, then by the door itself which bears the pitch-perfect British pub name pressed into a metal plate across what we assume (and certainly hope) is a pine door.
Its decorative but modest frontage is just a teaser of what’s to come as once you open that front door, you enter into a world of knick-knacks, bric-à-brac, sports memorabilia and more fox-related ornaments than you could possibly imagine.
The Fox and Pine pub in Oldham has all the charm as its name would suggest. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Opened in 2020 by Michelle and Chris Riley, the distinctive Oldham pub was named in honour of their two beloved football clubs, with Michelle born in Leceister (The Foxes) and Chris an Oldham Athletic fan (who were once known as Pine Villa), but the story behind the site itself gets even more interesting.
Although it is now an award-winning watering hole – having been voted CAMRA’s Greater Manchester ‘Pub of the Year’ three years on the foxtrot, among a number of other accolades – the location was previously used for local AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) meetings.
Now, while we obviously fully support anyone’s journey to sobriety, we’ll confess we’re quite pleased that it’s now become somewhere that not only serves alcohol but champions real ale, specifically, with an ever-rotating lineup from around Greater Manchester, Lancashire and beyond.
Better yet this isn’t a place that gives off binge-drinking but rather one that proudly embraces the undeniable sense of community that a really good, welcoming pub can give small towns like this.
Spanning two floors, both of which are decked out like a warm and quintessentially British family home, the Latics blue glow of the bar quickly catches your eye as you scan the various pumps of cask ale, stout, cider and lager – all of which the staff and customers alike have a good knowledge of.
A brûlée-flavoured number appeared to be the favourite on the day we popped in and it’s nice to see a genuinely friendly, engaging exchange between pourer and punter rather than just a transaction. The longer we lingered there the more nods to the local footy and rugby culture we found too.
A luminous sign reading ‘Yeds’ looms above the bar, referring to the local rugby supporters club that gathers there on matchdays; jerseys, scarves and more adorn the rest of it and much of the surrounding walls, but turn your head to the right and the vibe shifts from pub to what feels like a front room.
Twinkling with fairy lights and soft candlelight on each table is the main seating area, complete with framed pictures of local dogs (we’re talking dozens), a telly for the sport and a faux fireplace but one that still effectively serves as the hearth of the room for people to gather around and be merry.
Credit: The Manc Group
Once again, the whole room feels more like someone’s house than it does a pub and the same goes for when you head upstairs, where you’ll find two more seating areas. Between the fox-themed wallpaper, general decor and another mantlepiece, the only things that feel pubby are the tables and a dartboard.
In fact, we think it’s the little creature comforts and personalised touches that really set this place apart. Be it the hair gel, aftershave and even beard oil left free to use in the bathroom, or the various homemade pasties being served on tiny chopping boards downstairs, it feels delightfully intimate.
Not only were locals keeping a tab of whose round it was from across the room even if they weren’t sat together, but there was even a sign seemingly left out to reserve a corner table for their oldest regulars who seemed to know everyone – and we get the feeling they don’t have to book.
There are live music and comedy nights throughout the week too, should you desire some entertainment beyond good company and whatever game’s on the box, but we’ll be honest: we were quite happy just nestling up in the corner, nattering over a proper pint and getting to know the familiar faces.
When the air does get a bit warmer outside, there’s also a garden area waiting out back and they even turn space out front into a small beer garden terrace as well.
That being said, it is the undeniably cosy interior that we fell in love, so much so that we ended up spending pretty much the entire day there.
It’s been a minute since we’ve been truly swept up in the effortless magic of a pub like this and those who already frequent in don’t need reminding that it’s got a real gem here – they’re proud of it and we dare say a lot spend the majority of their time in here.
So, the next time you’re over Oldham way and in need of a quiet corner to cosy up in, or just fancy a decent pub to whet the whistle, you won’t go far wrong with The Fox and Pine.
Georgina Pellant -
7th July 2023 
