Eats

These north west gastropubs have just been named as some of the top 50 in the UK

Pubs worth travelling for...

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 23rd January 2024

The UK’s Top 50 Gastropubs have been named, and there’s a great showing for the north west – including a reborn boozer right in the heart of Ancoats.

The Edinburgh Castle shot into the prestigious list for the first time, landing at an impressive 24th place.

The city centre pub wasn’t the only one on our doorstep to make the Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropubs list either – The Pack Horse, just outside Greater Manchester in Hayfield, also snuck into the top 20 this year.

Last year’s top-placed pub, The Parkers Arms in Newton-in-Bowland, managed to stay in the top 10 gastropubs in the UK, ranking seventh.

The Parkers Arms is famed for its pies and its idyllic setting, and was the host venue for last night’s awards.

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Also representing the north west was Freemasons at Wiswell, and The White Swan at Fence.

Over in Yorkshire, The Star Inn in Harome, previously shuttered by a devastating fire but reopened for about a year now, was awarded the eighth spot in the list.

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And despite being open for less than a year, Gary Usher’s Cheshire pub The White Horse made it into the top 100 list.

Gary Usher's The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher’s The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher's The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
Gary Usher’s The White Horse made the Top 100 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group

Upon receiving the award news, The Edinburgh Castle wrote: “Not only were we delighted to be included in the @top50gastropubs but to have come away as number 24 in the UK is a huge accomplishment.

“Thank you to all our wonderful guests, our dedicated team and of course @top50gastropubs for including us. We can’t wait for the year ahead! Now, we celebrate…”

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The Pack Horse Hayfield shared: “Well, there it is! Our 3rd year in the @top50gastropubs, our 2nd year in a row in the top 20!

“What an honour and a privilege it is to be among our peers, voted for by the industry, it will always be humbling and surreal.

“Massive thanks to the brilliant @theparkersarms for hosting against all the challenges they faced today, and a huge congratulations to @unrulypig on returning to the top. It is so deserved.”

The Edinburgh Castle has ranked highlight in the Top 50 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group
The Edinburgh Castle has ranked highlight in the Top 50 Gastropubs list. Credit: The Manc Group

The Parkers Arms said: “Delighted to place no 7 in the UK which places us number 1 in Lancashire on the @top50gastropubs list. Thank you to all that voted for us.”

And The White Horse, who placed 68th, said: “What an honour this is! So so proud and to be up there with some amazing other pubs! What a fantastic start to 2024.”

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Ed Bedington, editor of the Morning Advertiser, the pub industry’s main publication and the founders of the awards, said: “Pubs are a beloved institution and part of the UK’s culture, and this list of the most astounding and impressive food pubs in the country is wonderful to see.

“Pubs serve so many roles to so many people, and for operators like the Unruly Pig and all of our list, to be able to offer amazing food and wonderful experiences, up there with some of the best in fine dining, is brilliant to see.”

The full list of the Estrella Damm UK Top 50 Gastropubs 2024

  1. The Unruly Pig, Woodbridge
  2. The Cornish Arms, Tavistock
  3. The Mariners, Rock
  4. The Fordwich Arms, Canterbury
  5. The Sportsman, Seasalter
  6. The Red Lion & Sun, Highgate, London
  7. Parkers Arms, Newton-in-Bowland
  8. The Star Inn, Harome
  9. Freemasons at Wiswell, Wiswell
  10. The Hand & Flowers, Marlow
  11. Heft, High Newton
  12. The Harwood Arms, Fulham, London
  13. The Angel at Hetton, Hetton
  14. The Rat Inn, Hexham
  15. The Bridge Arms, Canterbury
  16. The Dog at Wingham, Wingham
  17. The Shibden Mill Inn, Halifax
  18. The Gunton Arms, Thorpe Market
  19. The Pack Horse, Hayfield
  20. Pyne Arms, Barnstaple
  21. The Coach, Marlow
  22. The Beehive, White Waltham
  23. The Broad Chare, Newcastle
  24. The Edinburgh Castle, Manchester
  25. The Three Horseshoes, Batcombe
  26. The Baring, Islington, London
  27. The Kentish Hare, Tunbridge Wells
  28. The Pipe & Glass Inn, Beverley
  29. The White Swan at Fence, Fence
  30. The Longs Arms, Bath
  31. The Bull & Last, Islington, London
  32. The Black Bear, Usk
  33. The Dog & Gun Inn, Skelton
  34. The Woolpack, Stroud
  35. The Barrington Boar, Barrington
  36. The Parakeet, Kentish Town, London
  37. The Masons Arms, Knowstone
  38. The Abbey Inn, Byland
  39. The Black Bull, Sedbergh
  40. The Cadogan Arms, Chelsea, London
  41. The Bulls Head, Craswall
  42. The Loch and The Tyne, Windsor
  43. The Guinea Grill, Mayfair, London
  44. The Dew Drop Inn, Hurley
  45. The Killingworth Castle, Wootton
  46. The Canton Arms, Stockwell, London
  47. The Double Red Duke, Clanfield
  48. The Duncombe Arms, Ashbourne
  49. The Scran & Scallie, Edinburgh
  50. The Bull, Charlbury

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Featured image: The Manc GroupTi

Eats

Beloved Northern Quarter restaurant TNQ announces shock closure after two decades

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Beloved Northern Quarter restaurant TNQ announces shock closure after two decades

One of the Northern Quarter’s most long-standing restaurants has announced its shock closure after almost 22 years in Manchester.

TNQ, an independent restaurant with a British menu, said that the current climate has made the restaurant ‘no longer a viable business’.

In a shockingly honest statement, the business said that its energy bills have rocketed to a staggering £8,000 per month, and that the two owners have forgone their salaries to try and keep TNQ afloat.

But despite being ‘busy and often fully booked’, the business has been left in a ‘heartbreaking situation where we have to close the doors for good’.

“Thanks E-on and thanks Rachel Reeves”, TNQ said in a statement today.

As for the staff who work at the High Street restaurant, TNQ bosses say they’re committed to paying them ‘every penny they are owed’ and are helping them to find new jobs in the industry.

TNQ said of their staff: “Our amazing team have worked blood sweat and tears over the years, grafted 80 hour weeks busting a gut to deliver our best for our guests. We are incredibly grateful to all our staff for their endeavours, loyalty, commitment and support over the 22 years.

“We are so sorry to all of them that we can no longer continue.”

TNQ statement in full

Unfortunately this is a heartbreaking situation where we have to close the doors to TNQ for good after nearly 22 years.

We have got through the banking crisis, double dip recessions and Covid but the current climate has made the restaurant no longer a viable business.

Our E-on bills are up to £8000 per month, wage costs have rocketed particularly after the last two budgets, food costs have soared and business rates continue to increase.

This has created a perfect storm resulting in the permanent closure of our beloved restaurant.

Last October we borrowed £100k which was personally guaranteed by 2 of the shareholders in order to try and weather the storm and 2 owners stopped being paid salary but unfortunately this wasn’t enough to save our restaurant.

Our amazing team have worked blood sweat and tears over the years, grafted 80 hour weeks busting a gut to deliver our best for our guests. We are incredibly grateful to all our staff for their endeavours, loyalty, commitment and support over the 22 years.

We are so sorry to all of them that we can no longer continue. We are committed to paying all our staff every penny they are owed. We are also working with our friends in the industry to find new jobs for everyone where we can. It is a truly gutting and heartbreaking situation. Sorry.

Thank you to all our partners and suppliers over the years, many of whom we have formed great friendships with.

Finally, thank you to all our wonderful guests who have supported us over the years, many of whom we are proud to call our friends. We will be in touch with all our bookings in due course and we can only apologise that we can no longer accommodate you.

Our restaurant has been busy and often fully booked but it’s just not enough to be a sustainable business. We are so sorry but this is goodbye from us at TNQ, one of the longest established independent restaurants in our magnificent city.

Thanks E-on and thanks Rachel Reeves

Jobe and Ant xx

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Featured image: Google Maps

Eats

A restaurant in Manchester is hosting a bottomless carbonara night

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson A restaurant in Manchester is hosting a bottomless carbonara night

A restaurant in Manchester has announced its first-ever ‘Carbonara Night’, with unlimited helpings of the popular pasta dish.

The Pasta Factory on Shudehill will be inviting diners to tuck into bottomless carbonara, with the chance to eat it all for free.

The restaurant recently celebrated its 10th birthday in the city, where it’s been serving fresh pasta dishes made by hand every single day.

When The Pasta Factory first opened, it chose not to sell carbonara, worried that the traditional recipe (guanciale, egg yolk, cheese – and absolutely no cream) wouldn’t be to the taste of diners in Manchester.

But realising there was an appetite for authentic Italian cooking, carbonara has made its way onto the menu and become a firm favourite.

And now The Pasta Factory is hosting an entire night dedicated to this delicious pasta dish.

There’ll be bottomless carbonara being served up in this cosy corner of Manchester, for one night only this month.

Your booking will get you a table for 90 minutes, during which time you can order unlimited portions of carbonara.

And if you manage to eat more than five carbonaras, Pasta Factory will give you your meal for free.

The bottomless carbonara night at Pasta Factory in Manchester will take place on Wednesday 18 February, with tickets priced at £30 per night.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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