A roast dinner is held dear to the hearts of many Mancunians.
This quintessentially British meal marks a time to gather your nearest and dearest around the table to enjoy one of the heartiest meals you’ll probably have all week, yet with the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic having once again forced all hospitality businesses to close their doors to diners since January, aside from takeout and delivery services, it’s been a while since we’ve let someone else chef the roast up for us.
In no particular order, here’s eight more places to choose from.
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Elnecot
Ancoats
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Ancoats’ industrial-themed neighbourhood bar and kitchen should always been on your list of places to hit up if you’re after a Sunday roast, as this two-course feast means you choose from a choice of starters, before tucking in to either beef, poussin, pork belly, roast of the week, or the vegetarian / vegan nut roast.
All roasts come with a rich range of sides and accompaniments to top it all off.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via the Elnecot website here.
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The Refuge
Oxford Street
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“Those dreams of sharing a Roast Platter once more are just weeks away”.
The Refuge is known throughout the city for its slap-up Sunday roasts, with the highlight undoubtedly being the ‘Roast Platter’, which lets you combine a choice of meats on offer with a rich range of sides and accompaniments to top it all off.
A vegetarian / vegan roast option is also available, alongside extensive drinks and dessert menus.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via The Refuge website here.
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Volta
West Didsbury
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Ask Didsbury folk about the Sunday roasts served up at Volta, and you’ll only hear good things.
Catering for all tastes, you can choose from either grass-fed rump of Yorkshire roast beef, roasted poussin with lemon and thyme, or the vegetarian / vegan wild mushroom wellington, all complete with a rich range of sides and accompaniments to top it all off, as well as a selection of mouth-watering puddings.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via the Volta website here.
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The Jane Eyre
Ancoats
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The Sunday roasts at popular Ancoats hangout, The Jane Eyre, are no doubt some of the finest the city has to offer, with everything from roast beef, roast pork fillet, the special roast of the day and the vegan nut roast all making up the menu, served alongside a rich range of sides and accompaniments, as well as a selection of small plates on offer.
Don’t forget to try out the extensive drinks and desserts offering too to top it all off.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via The Jane Eyre website here.
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Hawksmoor
Deansgate
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If it’s fine dining your after for your first Sunday roast in the city once restrictions lift, then you really need look no further than Hawksmoor Manchester, where a slow-roast rump or prime rib for up to three people comes complete with beef dripping roast potatoes, Yorkshire puddings, carrots, greens, roasted shallots and lashings of bone marrow and onion gravy.
There’s also a range of puddings to finish off with as well.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via the Hawksmoor Manchester website here.
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The Bay Horse Tavern
Northern Quarter
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Offering up a modern take on the Victorian pub atmosphere, and with roasts of either chicken, beef sirloin or a mushroom wellington, accompanied by “all the trimmings”, served all day every Sunday, it’s not hard to see why The Bay Horse Tavern is a much-loved Northern Quarter hangout.
A wide range of starters, desserts and drinks are also available alongside your choice of roast.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via The Bay Horse Tavern website here.
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TNQ Restaurant & Bar
Northern Quarter
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Sundays are pretty special at TNQ as it prides itself on providing “top notch proper award winning roasts” and was even named runner up for the ‘Best Sunday Lunch’ in the Observer Food Monthly Awards both in 2018 and 2019.
The sought-after roasts include a rump of beef, pork belly, a leg of lamb and the vegetarian kale, chestnut and mushroom wellington, alongside a range of sides served separately.
A selection of mouthwatering starters and desserts are also on offer.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via the TNQ Restaurant & Bar website here.
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Hispi
Didsbury
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Elite Bistros are renowned for their Sunday offerings, and the popular Didsbury hangout, Hispi, is certainly no exception, with a everything from roast beef, pork belly, smoked haddock, sea bream and the vegetarian miso glazed squash all making up the main menu, alongside a selection of sides, as well as a wide range of starters, desserts and drinks.
You can find Sunday menus, more information about COVID-safe guidelines and book your table ahead of reopening via Hispi website here.
Food & Drink
Beloved bowling bar to close after 12 years ahead of major transformation
Daisy Jackson
Dog Bowl, a bowling bar that’s been part of Manchester’s bar scene for 12 years, will be closing for good next month ahead of a major rebrand.
The beloved bowling alley will be shutting down on 16 August to make way for Wynwood Lanes, a new downtown Miami-themed venue.
It’s promising ‘pool-side party vibes’ inspired by Miami’s vibrant Wynwood district, famed for its bold geometric murals, neon lit streets and 24/7 energy – but bowling lanes will remain as part of the venue.
The bar will offer five upgraded bowling lanes, east coast playlists, celebratory smoke machines and upgraded lighting effects that bring every strike to life.
That’s alongside new pool tables, basketball hoops and a coconut shy.
Taking over the kitchens at the Whitworth Street venue will be Kong’s NQ, who’ll be serving up fresh Cuban sandwiches, meat-filled arepas and fried chicken tacos.
Wynwood Lanes will also feature a bottomless brunch menu every Saturday and Sunday from 30 August, with Miami brunch plates and bottomless drinks for 90 minutes and bowling packages available too.
The drinks menu will star cocktails inspired by Miami – think frozen margs, fruity daiquiris, and coladas.
By day, you can expect poolside cocktails, low-fi tunes, and a laid-back atmosphere – with children welcome until 7pm, Sunday to Wednesday.
But then by night, Wynwood Lanes will be all about drinks offers, late night snacks and a late night playlist.
Dog Bowl has been part of Manchester’s nightlife scene since 2013, and was acquired by gaming bar NQ64 in 2018.
Now it’s ready for its next era as Wynwood Lanes.
Credit: The-Vain – Carl Sukonik – @thevainphotosCredit: The-Vain – Carl Sukonik – @thevainphotosDog Bowl is closing in Manchester to become Wynward Lanes
Matt Robson, Co-founder of Wynwood Lanes, said: “We went and sat in Dog Bowl recently and just realised we weren’t proud of it anymore – (especially the name, we no longer want to compete with pet shops on Google).
“Wynwood Lanes will bring something new to Whitworth Street and we’re buzzing to crack on with it!
“We have a hit list of passions from a trip to Wynwood in Miami and built a space that brings together the things we love – drinking rum and tequila, smashing avo on toast with Cuban coffee for brunch, tacos and fried chicken at night, playing and watching basketball, sharking people at pool and partying late into the night…”
Bowling prices will start at £9 with food and drink add-ons while you bowl available.
Wynwood Lanes will open at 4pm on Friday 22 August.
Featured image: The-Vain – Carl Sukonik – @thevainphotos
Food & Drink
The old fire station in Salford that’s now home to a bakery, brewery and bar
Daisy Jackson
A former fire station in Salford has been turned into a bustling base for some of the North West’s finest baking and brewing talents.
The Old Fire Station, right beside the University of Salford, is now operating as a bakery, brewery, bar, cafe and restaurant.
That means pastries, bread, pizzas and even beers are made within a few feet of where you’ll be eating and drinking them.
The space is beautiful, still boasting those gigantic red fire station doors and the traditional ceramic tiles that would have been here when the space was still home to fire engines instead of bread mixers.
Around half of the pastries coming out of the bakery, headed up by Erick Molero Delgado (his CV includes top bakeries across the USA and Europe), are completely vegan – not that you can tell from looking at their glossy, laminated layers and extravagant fillings.
We’re talking perfectly cubed laminated brioche with sweet maple flavours, mini pizzettes with olives and tomatoes dotted inside a pastry wall, and striped pain suisse stuffed with nuts and chocolate.
Then there are the not-very-vegan-at-all pastries, like a spandaeur, which is like a croissant and pastel de nata hybrid, and thick slices of Basque cheesecake.
There are new signature ‘Salford bagels’ too developed by assistant head baker Scott Shannon, which are a fusion of North American, German and Jewish styles, fermented for up to 48 hours with a crisp outer shell and a chewy centre.
A spandaeur pastry and a pain suisseHeirloom tomato bruschetta on sourdoughThe bakery line-upThe ‘Salford Bagel’ with smoked salmon
We had ours stuffed with smoked salmon, cream cheese and capers and raved about it all the way home.
Erick says: “Our new menu is a true labour of love by the whole team – from early ideas and experiments right through to the final bake.
“If someone has an idea, we run with it. That creative freedom is priceless. It keeps the work exciting, and it means our customers have the opportunity to get something fresh every time they visit.”
As for the beers, they’re all made on site too – on the opposite side of The Old Fire Station is Lark Hill Brewery, headed up by Jack Dixon, who’s able to experiment and explore new flavours in this top-spec microbrewery.
Jack Dixon in the Lark Hill BreweryLaminated briocheThe Old Fire Station bakers at work
There are experimental beers, sometimes made in collaboration with researchers at the University, as well as true-to-style classics like a New England Pale Ale and the Lark Helles, a fresh take on a classic German lager.
Jack said: “Having the autonomy to design and brew what I want, without limits, is rare and exciting,.
“It means every beer we pour here has a story and a personality. We’re proud to bring something new to Salford’s craft scene.”
This summer, they’re launching New York-style pizzas, made on slow-fermented, hand-stretched pizza dough.
And very little goes to waste here – the trimmed-off croissant pastry is now being turned into their own croissant loaf, which they’re whipping into French toast for the brunch menu.
Everything at The Old Fire Station is crafted with talent and love, and you can really taste it.
Emily Sergeant -
17th March 2021 
