Not one but two restaurants in Greater Manchester have been named on Time Out‘s list of the 15 best restaurants in the UK.
The highly regarded lifestyle magazine is always pumping out these rankings across the board and with decades of pedigree behind them, it goes without saying that people still take their recommendations very seriously – ourselves included.
So, when we saw that a pair of local food spots were named on the most recent round-up, flying the flag for Manchester’s thriving culinary scene, we were obviously buzzing.
But what two places have they picked out?…
Erst – Ancoats
Erst leads the Manchester front on Time Out‘s best restaurants in UK (Credit: The Manc Eats)
In at number three on Time Out‘s list of the best restaurants in Britain was the ever-impressive Erst, which we can confidently vouch for serving up some of the best food in the city centre just off Cutting Room Square for over half a decade now.
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It’s one of those places that feels like it should have a Michelin star even if doesn’t have one right now, building a glowing reputation around two core pillars: incredible natural wine and stunning small plates.
Genuinely not that expensive considering the sheer level of quality on show, the magazine writers Leonie Cooper and Lucas Oakeley spotlight offerings such as the Cantabrian anchovies that are “excellently sourced and devilishly salty” as well as “inventive plates” like the mussels in escabeche with Marinda tomatoes, lardo and sourdough. Hard agree.
Second up for Greater Manchester is going to annoy all those ‘it’s always been Cheshire’ die-hards but we’ll absolutely be claiming this one; it’s Where The Light Gets In tucked away on Rostron Brow, right near Stockport‘s historic market square.
Boasting a green star from Michelin and an incredible wine-pairing selection to compliment every course, this vegetable-driven dining experience is one of the very best we here The Manc Eats have ever enjoyed.
The menu changes every time you visit and the entire place feels like something special and bespoke. Time Out describes it as serving up “plates of food have nothing to hide and showcase the best ingredients from the farmers and fishermen that chef/owner Sam Buckley has spent years building an intimate relationship with”, summing it by adding, “Sustainability has never tasted so good”.
We’re obviously biased but there are definitely a few more places around Greater Manchester that we’d throw in that for Time Out‘s list but, who knows, maybe they’ll make it on there next year?
Either way, we’re just happy to celebrate two absolutely top-tier eateries in two very distinct parts of the region – it’s not all just city centre spots and it never will be.
Are there any amazing Manc restaurants that you think should have made the list?
Featured Images — The Manc Group/Where The Light Gets In
Eats
The incredible Asian food market held every month at an 800-year-old church in Stockport
Daisy Jackson
One of Greater Manchester’s most unique food events is taking place monthly in and around the grounds of an 800-year-old church.
Held on the second Friday of every month at St Mary’s Church in Stockport, the Asian Food Market brings together some of the region’s best independent Asian street food traders under one historic roof.
Organised by Eat Good West, the event brings together 16 traders every month, serving up dishes from across Asia.
Visitors can tuck into everything from crispy Taiwanese fried chicken and Korean corn dogs to homemade strawberry mochi.
A real highlight is the Japanese yakitori skewers, grilled fresh to order on a traditional charcoal grill while you wait, served in a cloud of smoke and delicious charred edges.
The market originally launched in Edgeley, but after growing in popularity it moved to St Mary’s around a year ago, giving organisers more space to accommodate the increasing crowds.
For the team behind the event, it’s about more than just great food. They see the market as a way of bringing together Stockport’s diverse communities, creating a space where people can connect over shared meals and discover new cultures through food.
Strawberry mochiA round of drinks for £10Sticky fried chicken
There’s a lively atmosphere throughout the evening, with live music performances adding to the experience. And if Manchester’s unpredictable weather makes an appearance, there’s plenty of additional seating inside the church.
The bar also serves a selection of Asian beers and soft drinks at surprisingly affordable prices. We picked up an Asahi, a Singha and a plum beer for just £10 – one of the best-value rounds we’ve seen in a while.
If you’re looking for an excuse to spend your Friday evening eating your way across Asia without leaving Stockport, this is one event worth putting in the diary.
Inside the Greggs outlet store where you can get a sausage roll for 55p
Daisy Jackson
There’s a Greggs Outlet store over in Salford where you can pick up the bakery chain’s top products for a vastly lower price than the high street.
We’re talking sausage rolls for just 55p, four-packs of jam doughnuts for £1.35, and filled baguettes for £1.50.
The items in store at the Greggs Outlet have all been saved from waste and redistributed to customers for a reduced price.
It could be that it’s come out the oven a bit wonky, not sold in a local Greggs shop, has been discontinued, or they’ve simply made too much.
Whatever the reason, you’re likely to find everything from yum yums and fresh bread to filled sandwiches and pastries.
Depending on what you choose to buy, customers can save more than 70% on what they’d paid in a typical high street Greggs bakery store.
Designed to provide ‘affordable food in areas of social deprivation’, a share of profits generated from Greggs Outlets is donated to the Greggs Foundation to distribute through the Greggs Foundation Community Grant Programme.
Inside the Greggs Outlet at Radclyffe Park, you can find steals like a four-pack of sausage rolls for £2.20, or 55p each – around a 60% discount.
There are also two-packs of Yum Yums for 80p (normally £1.70 each), big packs of fresh bread rolls for 30p, and four-packs of filled doughnuts for £2.
You can even pick up fresh sandwiches at Greggs OutletPacks of discounted sausage rollsThe shelves are stocked daily
Then in the fridges, you’ll find classic filled sandwiches sold at exceptional value, like a honey roast ham and egg roll for £1.50, a Mexican chicken flatbread for £1.50, a classic tuna sandwich for 80p, or a roast chicken mayo baguette for £1.50.
That’s all better than half price.
Greggs says on signs in-store: “We can offer you food at a reduced price because we may have made too much, it’s come out slightly misshapen, it’s been unsold at a local Greggs shop, it’s being discontinued or the weather has changed so we’ve over-ordered.
“Whatever the reason, you can be sure of one thing: all our food is tasty and fantastic value for money!”
Danny Jones -
12th April 2024 
