This February, there are still plenty of great Manchester restaurant and dining deals to get stuck into.
Quite a few of the city’s bars and cafes have decided to extend their 50% off food deals from January into February, and we’re absolutely chuffed to see it.
Beyond that, there are some awesome set menus, lunch deals and general discounts going around – not to mention quite a lot of Valentine’s deals to take up if you’re looking to celebrate Cupid’s holiday with someone special this month.
Keep reading to discover the best Manchester restaurant deals, discounts and offers to try this February.
50% off food – Manchester February dining deals
Image: The Firehouse
Image: The Mews
Almost Famous
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What is it: Legendary burger bar serving the original ‘dirty burgers’ as well as loaded fries and wings.
The offer: 50% off burgers
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T&Cs: Offer available Sunday to Friday all day ending 3 February.
The Bay Horse Tavern
What is it: A brilliant little Northern Quarter gastropub famed for its pies, Sunday roasts and massive sandwiches.
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The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday, 12-5pm. Booking recommended.
Cocoa Cabana
What is it: A dedicated chocolate cafe in Ancoats serving up indulgent hot chocolates, afternoon teas, martinis, brunch and more.
The offer: 50% off brunch and afternoon tea
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T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday. To redeem must be booked in online in advance with code ‘50% off’ in comments. Offer only applies to food and afternoon tea. Not available 9-17 February. Further T&Cs apply.
Ducie Street Warehouse
What is it: A huge cultural hub serving small plates and disco brunches and good vibes.
The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Valid all day on Tuesdays only from the Something for Everyone menu between 1 and 28 February. Booking recommended.
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Firefly
What is it: A glitzy spot across the water from Spinningfields, serving small plates influenced by south east Asia.
The offer: 50% off food and drinks
T&Cs: 50% off food available Wednesday to Friday. 50% off entire bill Sundays ONLY from 5pm. Maximum 6 guests, book in advance using code SUN50.
Provence
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What is it: A gorgeous wine bar where you can wash down your natural wine with Manchester-made charcuterie and cheese boards.
The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Discount applies to grazing boards when purchasing a bottle of wine between until 7 February. Cannot be used with any other deal or experience.
The Firehouse
What is it: A cool Detroit-style restaurant and bar housed in a former MOT garage.
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The offer: 50% off peri, plates and pitas.
T&Cs: Available until 10 February, Wednesday and Thursday between 4-9pm, Friday 12-9pm. Booking in advance is required.
Three Little Words
What is it: Sleek restaurant and bar in industrial railways arch with vaulted ceilings, with a neighbouring gin school and distillery attached.
The offer: 50% off food and selected drinks.
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T&Cs: Available until 10 February, Wednesday and Thursday between 5pm-midnight, Friday 12-7pm. Anything ordered after these time periods will not be eligible for discount. Maximum party of six.
TNQ
What is it: A proper institution offering a little taste of bistro culture in the heart of the trendy Northern Quarter.
The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Available until 10 February. Applies to the A la Carte only Monday to Friday between 12-10pm. Maximum booking of six. Quote ‘JanSale’ when making booking online to get the deal.
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Image: The Manc Eats
Image: The Manc Eats
The Mews
What is it: A wine and charcuterie bar tucked away on Deansgate Mews.
The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Offer runs until 12 February. Available every day except Saturday, offer excludes fondue.
Trof
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What is it: A Northern Quarter OG turned independent bar and restaurant, known for its Sunday roasts, tasty burgers and pub grub classics.
The offer: 50% off food
T&Cs: Available all day on Tuesdays only throughout February.
Wood
What is it: MasterChef Simon Wood’s high-end restaurant down at First Street, perfect for a pre-theatre treat.
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The offer: 50% off Taste of Homage menu (five cheeses and five wines for £25 per person)
T&Cs: 50% off cheese and wine at Homage throughout February. Bookings via [email protected].
Other Manchester February dining deals
The Blues Kitchen is serving up bottomless chicken wings this month. / Image: The Blues Kitchen
You can get pies and a side for £10 all month at The Black Friar as its pub grub menu makes a return. / Image: The Black Friar
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What is it: Ultra-glitzy restaurant and bar set way up amongst the city’s skyline.
The offer: Three courses and a glass of wine for £30.
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T&Cs: Available Monday to Wednesday between 630-10pm. Available for groups of six people max.
Abeja
What is it: A Southern Spanish tapas kitchen serving up classic favourites alongside traditional dishes.
The offer: Three tapas plates for £15, add a bottle of sangria or wine for £15.
T&Cs: Available 5-9pm Wednesday and Thursday, until 5pm Friday and all day Sunday. Book a table in advance and ask for the February deal to get the saving.
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The Black Friar
What is it: A classic pub reborn, with a huge new restaurant installed into a new glass extension.
The offer: £10 pie and mash.
T&Cs: Available all day Monday and 12-6pm Tuesday to Friday until the end of February.
The Blues Kitchen
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What is it: Dedicated blues bar serving hickory-smoked comfort food, plus regular live music and DJs.
The offer: Bottomless chicken wings.
T&Cs: Available every Sunday throughout February between 12pm and 6pm. Available for £12 per person (£20 for two people), served with blue cheese dip and celery.
The Beeswing
What is it: New Kampus wine bar with a sun-soaked terrace (probably not right now), sandwiches and small plates.
The offer: Meat or cheese board with bread and a carafe of wine for £25.
T&Cs: Available every Wednesday and Thursday between 4-9 pm.
Image: The Beeswing
Image: The Beeswing
Canto
What is it: A lovely Portuguese restaurant from the minds behind El Gato Negro.
The offer: Three courses for £18
T&Cs: Available Monday to Thursday evenings, 12-5pm Friday and all day Sunday throughout February.
Cane and Grain
What is it: New York-style style bar split of over three themed floors, serving ribs, burgers and cocktails.
The offer: Burger, fries and a drink for £10.
T&Cs: Offer available Monday to Friday between 12-4pm.
Image: Cane and Grain
Image: Cane and Grain
Cibo
What is it: Modern Italian cafe, restaurant and prosecco bar serving Italian pizzas, grill dishes and sharing plates.
The offer: One course £7, two courses £12.
T&Cs: Available 12-230pm Monday to Friday, 12-3pm Saturday and Sunday.
Ducie Street Warehouse
What is it: A huge cultural hub serving small plates and disco brunches and good vibes.
The offer: Bottomless pancakes
T&Cs: Available on Pancake Day only from 10am until 5pm.. 30 minutes of unlimited pancakes priced at £13.50.
Don Giovanni
What is it: Modern Italian restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows, marble bar and a large selection of traditional dishes.
The offer: Two courses £23.95, three courses £28.95.
T&Cs: Available 12-2pm and 4-6pm every day for a maximum of six people.
Edinburgh Castle
What is it: Another classic pub reborn – cosy vibes and pies downstairs, fancy small plates upstairs.
The offer: Two courses with a drink £30, three for £35.
T&Cs: Available Wednesday to Friday between 5 – 6.30pm throughout February.
El Gato Negro
What is it: Widely considered one of Manchester’s best restaurants thanks to its world-leading tapas menus.
The offer: 3 dishes for £18.
T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday 12-4 and all day Sunday throughout February.
Evelyn’s / The Daisy
What is it: More great brunches and roasts, plus an all-day menu that’s just had an overhaul and a charming bar underneath.
The offer: Roasts followed by £12 carafes at The Daisy
T&Cs: Enjoy a carafe of red or white wine for £12 at Evelyn’s subterannean bar The Daisy before or after your Sunday roast.
Greens
What is it: Manchester’s longest-standing vegetarian restaurant, from TV chef Simon Rimmer with two sites – one in Sale and the original in Didsbury.
The offer: Two courses for £15
T&Cs: Available Monday to Friday until 6.30pm.
Habas
What is it: The third restaurant from El Gato Negro’s Simon Shaw, this time celebrating the middle east.
The offer: Two courses for £20 or three for £24
T&Cs: Available between 5 and 10pm every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday throughout February.
Hawksmoor
What is it: Premium British steakhouse serving the very best dry-aged beef, sustainable seafood and seasonal farm produce from the UK.
The offer: Two courses for £25, three for £28
T&Cs: Available for reservations made Monday-Saturday until 6.30pm and all day Sunday.
The Lawn Club
What is it: Airy cafe bar with wicker chairs, food served on wooden boards and an extensive cocktail menu.
The offer: Dine out for £50(for two)
T&Cs: Available Valentine’s Day only. Offer includes a bottle of prosecco, any 2 mains and 2 sides from the main menu, between two people for £50. Walk-ins welcome.
Musu
What is it: High end Japanese restaurant serving quality sashimi, sushi, fine wines and a special Omakase chef’s choice menu.
The offer: Four courses for £35
T&Cs: Available as part of the Subayai (meaning ‘quick’) lunch tasting menu. 12-2pm Monday to Friday.
Mira
What is it: A grab-and-go sandwich dealer selling focaccia slabs and Naples-inspired cuzzetiellos, currently operating out of a hatch next to The Sadler’s Cat pub.
The offer: 15% off sandwiches
T&Cs: Available throughout February. Just rock up to get the deal.
Pastan
What is it: A new all-vegan pasta restaurant that has taken over the old Vertigo unit on Cross Street.
The offer: £10 mains
T&Cs: Offer available throughout February at lunchtime only. Further T&Cs may apply.
Provence
What is it: A relaxed, independent new wine bar serving quality cheese and charcuterie boards alongside low-intervention wines by the bottle and glass.
The offer: Free dessert boards and free prosecco.
T&Cs: Free dessert boards (chocolate brownies, blondies and cupcakes, all made by local baker ‘cupcakes by donna) offered with any bottle of wine purchased. Guests who pre-book will receive a complimentary glass of fizz. Available Valentine’s Day only.
The Shack
What is it: Laid back Northern Quarter bar and restaurant showing sports fixtures and serving cocktails.
The offer: Bottomless booze and pancakes.
T&Cs: Available from Pancake day, running 21-23 February. 90 minutes of unlimited pancakes (£12.50), unlimited drinks from £15.
Feature
25 of the very best Sunday roasts in and around Greater Manchester
Danny Jones
From the moment we start to feel the weekend rolling in, we can’t help but turn our thoughts to Sunday roasts, steaming jugs of gravy and big glasses sploshing over with red wine – it’s just the best feeling, and there’s plenty of it to be found here in Greater Manchester.
We’re used to it being wet and miserable most of the year, so while we do love Sunday lunch on a sun-soaked afternoon in the beer garden when we get the chance, nothing warms the cockles more on those darker days than a giant plate piled high with roasted meats, vegetables and gravy.
Genuinely one of the simplest pleasures in life, there’s not much more comforting than this classic English staple. We’re big fans of Manchester’s Sunday roast scene, and we can confidently say this city serves some of the best.
So, without further ado, this is The Manc Eats‘ list of deep reading to discover our top picks for the best Sunday roast dinners in Manchester and beyond. Dig in.
The best Sunday roasts in Manchester city centre
Let’s start with the best in town. Our tummies are rumbling just think about it…
1. Banyan – Corn Exchange and Spinningields
First up is one that’s never disappointed us: Banyan Bar & Kitchen, which boasts two busy restaurants in the city centre and has not-so-quietly been serving up some of the most solid and consistently good Sunday roasts in Manchester for a while now.
Offering a choice of beef, chicken or a veggie roast dinner, you can even go bottomless for two whole hours – and not just with booze: even with your Yorkshire puddings, roast potatoes AND gravy, because you can never have too much of the highlights, right?
With red or white wine by the glass and the experience priced at £41.95 with all the trimmings, booking is highly recommended, but you can still chance a walk-in. You reserve your table HERE.
You can even substitute a pie for your choice of meat. ‘Keep going…’Credit: The Manc Eats
2. The Wharf – Castlefield
In at number two is the waterside gem that is The Wharf over in Castlefield, which is both one of the most picturesque and up there with the places for a Sunday roast in Manchester, in our humble opinion.
This family-friendly country-style pub sits pretty on the Bridgewater Canal and serves up great seasonal food and drink all year-round, but we find ourselves going back on this particular day of the week at least once a month for the good stuff.
Our top tip if there’s just two of you: order one of The Wharf‘s Sunday sharing platters and then get the mixed roast and just split the whole lot down the middle. You can thank us later.
Not only has this roast been named among the best in the entire UK in recent years, but it also happens to boast a dedicated cauliflower cheese menu. Need we say more?
The ‘Sunday with Sides‘ roast includes options like dry-aged local shorthorn beef sirloin, rosemary roasted leg of lamb and roast turkey breast with stuffing and a pig-in-blanket, as well as a regularly changing vegan roast served with all the trimmings and a vegan Yorkshire pudding.
All plated roasts are served with ‘proper’ roast potatoes, a giant Yorkshire pudding, seasonal vegetables and gravy, with more sides available such as Tuscan pork stuffing, maple-roasted parsnips, honey-roasted rainbow heirloom carrots, lemon and garlic tenderstem broccoli gratin, and macaroni cheese.
Quite literally drooling at the thought of all this. (Credit: The Manc Eats)
4. Pip – Central
Next up is one of the relative newcomers to the world of Greater Manchester roasts, but make no mistake, there is plenty of wealth of experience behind these stunning Sunday dinners – and they just so happen to be found within The Treehouse Hotel on Blackfriar Street.
We’re talking about Pip, whose Sunday menu is produced and perfected by local chef Mary-Ellen McTague, bringing her pedigree as chef-patron of the late, great Aumbry in Prestwich, Creameries in Chorlton and her time with Heston Blumenthal’s at the legendary Fat Duck to the shiny new Manc hotel.
Admittedly, we had such an indulgent time when we visited that we kind of forgot to take pictures (we were busy marvelling at the oysters and smoked mackerel starters), so you’ll just have to take our word for the time being. Suppose we’ll just have to go back and try that hot pot everyone is talking about.
Not a reference to Charlotte Brontë, but rather to the owners’ mum, neighbourhood kitchen and cocktail bar The Jane Eyre on Cutting Room Square is a must for any self-respecting cocktail lover. It also serves a cracking Sunday roast; we can only assume the same is true for their Chorlton location.
Start with ham hock and manchego croquettes or a salad of fennel, chilli and crab, before moving onto roast sirloin (£18), nut roast (£14) or the selected ‘roast of the day’ (£18), all served with duck fat potatoes, honey roasted carrots, greens, carrot & swede mash, pork stuffing, Yorkshire puds and gravy.
We’d recommend springing for sides, too. An extra £4.50 will get you a skillet of house cauliflower cheese or truffled potato puree. As for dessert, think tarte tatin (£7) or chocolate biscuit cake (£5), both served with ice cream on the side.
Look at the char on that.When the light hits just right.Credit: The Jane Eyre (via Instagram)/The Manc
6. Trof – Northern Quarter
Entries like this are why we’re glad we don’t do these things in order, because it’s simply too difficult to rank things when you remember you’ve got to squeeze top scran like they serve at Trof somewhere in the mix, especially when it comes to Sunday dinner.
Put simply, this is one of our all-time favourites, and when anyone asks us where to go for the best roast in Manchester, this place pretty much always pops into our heads almost immediately. They also hit the sweet spot when it comes to portion size and value for money, if you ask us.
Housed in a former Victorian Courthouse on Deansgate, Hawksmoor manages to be chic, glamorous and entirely unpretentious all at once. Designed to share, roasts here can be split between two or three people – with starters, mains, sides and puddings all included and priced from just £50.
Main choices include perfectly pink cuts of bone-in prime rib, chateaubriand and sirloin, as well as Dartmouth lobster with garlic butter, whilst sides span the likes of creamed spinach, macaroni cheese, grilled bone marrow, carrots, roasties, cabbage and, of course, giant Yorkshire puddings.
We’re talking Yorkshire puddings bigger than your face, crispy beef fat roasties, unlimited jugs of bone marrow gravy, and an oozing skillet of cauliflower cheese made with a four-cheese blend of Ogleshield, mozzarella, Stichelton and ‘good cheddar’.
The next shout-out goes to Maray over on Lincoln Square, which has earned itself quite an impressive reputation in Manchester since arriving here from Liverpool’s Bold Street, especially when it comes to their Sunday dinner.
You won’t find a roast quite like it anywhere else in town, with a unique za’atar and lemon twist on chicken with saffron, roast beef picanha and those unbelievable fenugreek potatoes. They’re also known for some of the best veggie/vegan food in Manchester, including their spiced chickpea nut roast.
We’re just hoping they bring back that freebie offer again sometime soon.
9. The Refuge – Oxford Road
With the option to share a roast platter between two or order individual plates, The Refuge at the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel is not messing about with its roast dinners.
On The Refuge’s famous sharing platter, think grass-fed rump of Lancashire beef and half a roast Cumbrian chicken plus trimmings, with the option to add on a lamb shawarma shepherd’s pie for an extra £9. Go on then.
Platters are served with thyme and salt roast potatoes, glazed veggies mixed amongst other seasonal greens, Yorkshire puddings, cauliflower cheese and proper pan gravy; meanwhile, individual roasts come with roast potatoes, gravy, Yorkshire pudding and a selection of vegetables. The vegan one is great too.
Another relative newbie is The Trading Route over in St John’s: that cool new neighbourhood steadily fighting for popularity with the neighbouring district of Spinningields.
Well-known for their already famous ‘Roast-tisserie’ chicken, naturally, serves up a brilliant Sunday dinner and wider menu come the end of the weekend.
We’d also argue it’s maybe one of the best places to go if you want a roast and the biggest servings of fresh suds at the same time – you can even make it bottomless. Try it for yourselves.
If you’re a person who cares about where your food is sourced from, Elnecot is the place to come. Owner Michael Clay has excellent connections to local suppliers and celebrates quality British produce in every dish.
Starting from 1:30pm until they run out, roast choices at this Ancoats favourite include dry-aged Welsh wagyu beef, lemon and thyme corn-fed Goosnargh chicken, crispy Yorkshire pork belly, slow-cooked shoulder of Yorkshire lamb and a vegetarian or vegan nut roast.
All served with roasties, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, stuffing, roasted carrots and parsnips, sauteed greens, cauliflower cheese and a rich gravy, prices start from £14.50 for nut roast and £16 for pork.
Located just off Oxford Road at The Quadrangle, Zouk is one of our very favourite curry houses in town, but they also serve an incredible Sunday roast sharing platter with generous helpings of spicy gravy.
Featuring a whole roast poussin, plus slices of roast lamb, topside of beef, and heaps of seasonal veg alongside crispy roasties and loads of Yorkshire puddings, you can also opt for extras like mashed potatoes, cauliflower cheese and tenderstem broccoli with red chilli and garlic.
We’ve somehow managed to demolish Zouk‘s whole sharing plate multiple times, and here’s the video evidence to prove it. Don’t judge us; this will be you soon.
One for the vegans, the veggies, the flexitarians, and anyone who likes big flavours and doesn’t mind not eating meat, Wholesome Junkies puts an ethical twist on the British Sunday favourite by using mock meat in what was a Manchester first and remains a pioneering part of our culinary legacy.
For the summer, they’ve pressed pause on the traditional roast and introduced a range of roast burgers instead. Think minted ‘lamb’ burgers, ‘pork’ sausage with apple sauce, smashed roasties and fried onions, and a cauliflower cheeseburger. Yes, it’s as good as it sounds.
On Sundays between 12-6pm, Argentinian steakhouse Gaucho serves up its bottomless roast dinner. Specifically designed for overindulging, choose from three different joints of meat to enjoy with unlimited quantities of seasonal vegetables and Yorkshire puddings.
All Gaucho’s meat originates from Argentina and comes from premium Black Angus cattle, bred at hand-selected farms in the southern province of La Pampa, South America. Every cut is cooked in its own drippings and then presented on steak boards alongside all the usual trimmings.
Priced at £32.50 per person, you can enjoy 90 minutes of non-stop feasting on prime steak here (and make sure you really get your money’s worth).
With its own dedicated margarita and wild spirits bar, The Firehouse on Swan St is one of Manchester’s coolest venues. Attached to popular Detroit pizza place, Ramona, it’s housed inside an old MOT garage and offers (as the name suggests) a selection of wood-fired meats alongside fluffy pittas and sides.
Come Sundays, though, the team also offers a roast with roast Cheshire beef rump, garlic and thyme chicken, slow-cooked lamb shoulder or vegan oyster mushroom wellington, with sides including Yorkshire puddings, crisp roast potatoes and flamed chipolatas
Elsewhere, think buttered greens, melting pots of cauliflower cheese, honey-roasted carrots and parsnips, and lashings of house gravy. This place might straddle the border of both Ancoats and NQ, two of this city’s coolest districts, but it firmly plants itself amongst the best Sunday roasts in Manchester.
Credit: The Firehouse/The Manc
16. The Bay Horse Tavern – NQ
Want another fantastic roast that also happens to be in one of our favourite city centre bars and late-night spots? If you’ve ever eaten at The Bay Horse Tavern before, you’ll know that they don’t mess about when it comes to their munch.
Also, this might surprise you, but aside from their delicious chicken supreme (which really does live up to the name) and those brilliant garlic and rosemary roasties, we’re going to recommend the miso-glazed and roasted cauliflower above all else. Even the roast beef butties are great if you’re just feeling peckish.
Specialising not only in hearty dishes perfect for the colder months but also delivering big portions at good prices, TBHT is much more than a pub if you order the right thing
Another Manc Sunday roast gem is The Counter House over on Cutting Room Square, which also happens to boast one of the prettiest rooms you’ll probably ever sit down for a serving of meat, spuds, veg and gravy.
Known for great portion sizes, opting for carrot and swede mash instead of the usual and some of the very finest (and largest) homemade Yorkies you’ll find anywhere in 0161, we’ve grown very fond of this place come Sunday afternoons.
The lemon, thyme and garlic half-roast chicken (£19.50) is to die for, the beef (£21) is always so tender, and we’ve heard good things about their vegan option too. It’s also one of the few places we’ve decided to have starters before the main event, and it’s never disappointed.
With a dozen plates done and dusted, we feel like it’s time to move beyond the city centre now — ready for another serving?
The best Sunday roasts around Greater Manchester
If you’re based outside of town or simply want to find the best Sunday roasts around Greater Manchester, look no further.
We’ll confess that when a friend from Tameside told us that one of the best Sunday dinners in all of Greater Manchester was attached to a barbers, we raised our collective eyebrows and did plenty of head-scratching. What’s worse is that they were absolutely right.
If you haven’t heard of this place before, Gladstone’s Barber and Bistro is one of the crown jewels in Stalybridge’s increasingly decorated foodie crown; it isn’t too far from another place making waves in Cafe Continental, either.
With a Middle-Eastern-inspired ‘small plate’ menu (they’re not that little, to be honest) throughout the work and one of the most charming settings we’ve enjoyed a roast in some time, you really should give it a try if you haven’t already.
19. Folk – West Didsbury
Credit: The Manc Eats
A longstanding neighbourhood favourite amongst the West Dids set, independent bar and restaurant Folk is owned by four mates with a love for fresh seasonal produce, great coffee, beers, cocktails, as well as plenty of wine, and it’s an absolute Burton Road institution.
The roast here is cracking, with options including roast beef and chicken, a pan-roasted sea bass and a vegan wellington made up of mushroom, cranberry and pistachio. Each is served up with seasonal veg, roast potatoes, proper gravy, and a Yorkshire pudding big enough to cover your plate.
You also have the option to add on seasonal small plates, including cider and honey-glazed pigs in blankets and Tunworth cauliflower cheese.
Over in South Manchester, local bar and restaurant, The Chorlton Green, is serving up a banging Sunday roast – and they’ll even do a special portion for your dogs.
Perfect for when you want to head out with your furry friends for a gravy-soaked dinner, this cosy neighbourhood spot has you (and your pets) covered for all your Sunday lunch needs.
With a choice of chicken, beef or nut roast served alongside carrot and swede mash, perfectly crisp roast potatoes, stuffing, seasonal vegetables and a giant Yorkshire pudding, this Chorlton favourite dishes up a seriously good roast if we’ve ever seen one.
Heading just beyond the edge of the city centre now and that lovely little reach around Greengate, the lovingly restored Black Friar on the eponymous Salford street has become one of the cosiest traditional pubs in the borough once again, and the food is now of a gourmet standard.
Known for proper homemade pies and hearty pub grub no matter the day or time of year, it’s no surprise that their thick, flavourful gravy goes perfectly with fresh seasonal veg from local suppliers, cooked to the highest quality, making for some bloody unreal roast dinners.
The gravy at Station South in Levenshulme is SO good that some customers famously drink it straight from the glass. The ‘cycle cafe for everyone’ has become something of a neighbourhood favourite since opening its doors this summer, and now we’ve got another reason to go. Roasts.
With giant, fluffy Yorkshire puddings, heaps of potatoes and greens, the plates here are very generous – but you will have to spring an extra £1.50 for a jug of additional gravy. We reckon it works out fair enough, though, thanks to the huge portion sizes.
We could happily die here – that is all. Moving on.
23. Hispi – Didsbury Village
Credit: Hispi
From Gary Usher’s Elite Bistro team, this charming neighbourhood bistro in Didsbury Village is, without a doubt, one of the best places to grab a roast south of the city centre.
Still priced very well even amidst the growing cost of living crisis and multiple sister site closures of their own, mains include roast beef, pork belly, sirloin (for two) and chicken, each served with their own dedicated list of perfectly paired sides.
Elsewhere, you’ll find confit chicken terrine, beer-battered salt pickles, pan-fired sea bass in a langoustine bisque and a chestnut mushroom and goats’ curd linguine. A must-visit this, trust us, and if the egg tart is on, simply order it and don’t look back. You’re welcome.
For proper country feels, head to The White Hart at Lydgate for a bang-up Sunday feast. Priced at £29 for 2 courses or 3 for £35, those after a traditional roast can tuck into grass-fed Hereford rump of beef, Easingwold pork belly or roasted Yorkshire chicken.
Roasts are served from 12-8pm with Yorkshire puddings, roasted potatoes, cauliflower cheese, honey-glazed carrots, savoy cabbage, crispy stuffing, apple and red wine sauce. Alternatively, swing for the coronation cauliflower, crispy haddock and chips or pan-fried stone bass if you fancy something a little different.
A real ‘hidden gem’ before chronic overuse resulted in the phrase losing all meaning.
25. The Pack Horse – Hayfield
Credit: The Pack Horse
Credit: The Manc Eats
This multi-award-winning country gastropub has had some impressive accolades of late, not least an ebullient new inclusion in the Michelin Guide.
All roasts here come served with crispy potatoes, carrot and swede mash, braised vegetables, buttered cabbage, Yorkshire pudding and gravy. Choose from Derbyshire beef sirloin, High Peak lamb shoulder slow-roasted overnight, or a ‘chicken of the woods’ mushroom and truffled Baron Bigod tart with seaweed gravy.
A regular haunt of some of Glossop’s most esteemed foodies, technically it’s not in Manchester but we’re not letting that get in the way of a great scran — and neither should you.
It goes without saying that there are obviously plenty of other brilliant places serving some of the best Sunday roasts in Greater Manchester, and we simply couldn’t include them all — why do you think we couldn’t just stick with 10?
Honestly, if you don’t spot your favourite on this list, we’re sure it pains us just as much, but at least you can feel at peace with the knowledge that this city doesn’t disappoint when it comes to Sunday dinner.
That’s all from us for now, anyway, we’re off to drown in a sea of gravy. After all, that’s the best part of Sunday lunch, right?
Self Esteem at Manchester Academy – a night of pure energy and immaculate music
Kristen MacGregor-Houlston
A Complicated Woman – the name of Self Esteem’s album, she is currently touring around the UK and Europe. While she may be complicated, there is nothing complicated about how absolutely sensational a performer is.
I only ‘got into’ Self Esteem (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) this year. I kept hearing others talk about her and her music, but I’d never really given her a listen until we saw her on the line-up for Glastonbury. A Complicated Woman had just come out, so that was my intro, and I immediately became a massive fan.
I was lucky enough to watch her set at Glastonbury, which brought tears to my eyes for being both an incredible performance and thematically. When the opportunity then came to see her again, but at home in Manchester, I practically bit the promoter’s hand off.
The energy is palpable at Manchester Academy; everyone is just buzzing with a joyful energy that’s incredibly infectious.
Unfortunately Moonchild Sanelly, the collaborator on ‘In Plain Sight’ and Self Esteem’s support act on this tour, was unwell, so the delightful Tom Rasmussen stepped in at the last minute.
Fresh from a family christening and pulling in some last-minute pals, he delivers a delightfully camp and moving show, getting everyone pumped up.
The lights went down at 9pm, and the audience was met with a wall of handmaids, and then Rebecca walked out on stage to a huge eruption from the crowd. Her fans (myself included) clearly love her. She opens with ‘I Do And I Don’t Care’ which brings a tear to my eye once again.
This is more than just a ‘gig’. It is a full, theatrical experience with dancing and storytelling the whole way through.
Whilst Taylor is very clearly the focus, her team of performers are an essential element of the whole show: they’re so much more than just simple backing singers/dancers. They’re so in sync with each other, and there is so much joy on stage as they shine together – a very clear bond ripples through with such love.
The show flows almost as different ‘Acts’, with the running order not following the album order itself, with a mix of songs from her current album and the 2021 album, Prioritise Pleasure. ‘Mother’ gets the crowd grinding away as she moves onto ‘Lies’ and ‘69’ – which always gets a chuckle from the crowd.
We are fixated on her. She just draws you in and holds you there throughout the whole gig. Nobody is shifting around to go to the loo or get a beer; everyone is just glued to their spot and basking in her sensational energy. Despite some of the themes during the gig, everyone was abuzz with energy.
When ‘Fucking Wizadry’ comes on, every single person sings (or screams) along, and Taylor and her onstage posse absolutely lap it up.
With Moonchild Sanelly being unwell during our gig, when ‘In Plain Sight’ is performed, Self Esteem still moves to the side of the stage when the recording of Moonchild is played, giving space to where she would have been. Hopefully, she is feeling better for her further dates, because her presence would have been a powerful addition to the song, and I’m gutted to have not experienced it.
When ‘Cheers To Me’ came on, the party really began; the audience went utterly MAD for it when the inflatable men (like the ones you see at car garages) appeared. It is honestly so hard to describe the feeling of euphoric joy that is just blasting through the crowd – it is a sight and sensation to behold.
Now you may or may not know, but Self Esteem is personal friends with Julie Hesmondhalgh – yes, as Hayley Cropper from CORRIE! – in who appeared on stage on night two of her three-night gig in Manchester.
She admits to us that on night one, she forgot that Julie was only doing night two and had shouted to introduce her during ‘If Not Now, It’s Soon’, which had apparently caused a bit of a stir with some of the night one’s audience.
Making light of it, she asked if the crowd wanted her to shout Julie Hesmondhalgh again, so we all felt equal – of course, we did.
The show goes from strength to strength, “finishing” with ‘The Deep Blue Okay’ which perfectly encapsulates the raw emotion and talent of Self Esteem. The crowd is beside itself with cheer as they erupt in applause, deafening just about everyone around them as the stage empties and the lights dim.
Self Esteem returns to the stage alone initially, and chats to us about two important charities she is raising money for, the Schools Consent Project, which goes into schools and teaches kids about consent, and the other is X – helping relocate people displaced as a result of conflicts around the globe.
She then moves into ‘I Do This All The Time’, joined by her troupe again on stage, and finally finishing on ‘Focus Is Power’. Emotions are incredibly high. There isn’t a single person who hasn’t been moved and hyped by the whole show.
Georgina Pellant -
31st January 2023 
