Manchester vegan restaurant Allotment has just been named one of the best in the world.
Appearing in the latest rankings release by global travel website Big 7 this week, the popular eatery – famed for its seaweed and banana blossom ‘fish and chips’ – is the only Manchester restaurant to make the list.
Ranking at number 28 in a list of the best 50 vegan places to eat around the world, Allotment is described by the guide as ‘a fantastic restaurant located in the heart of Manchester’ that stands out for its ‘use of fresh, locally-sourced ingredients’.
According to the guide, Allotment has an ‘extensive vegan menu’ with a good mix of the ‘extraordinary’ and ‘classic comfort food’ including a ‘must try’ Sunday roast with a vegan steak to rival the traditional roast.
Image: Allotment
Image: Allotment
On the Sunday menu, you’ll find a choice of mustard, maple and brown sugar glazed tofu steak or seasonal vegetable roast. Both options are priced at £17 and come served with rosemary roasties, parsnips and carrots, sauteed greens, crispy kale, red wine and fennel gravy, and sage pine nuts and quinoa stuffing balls.
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As for the main weekday menu, think jackfruit tacos, tofu laksa, tom yum soup and fennel risotto, bahn mi sandwiches and the aforementioned ‘fish and chips’, served with chunky chips, minted peas and homemade tartare.
There are also some eye-catching desserts, including a raspberry and chocolate tart, sticky toffee pudding and lemon and blueberry cheesecake.
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Elsewhere on the list, other UK restaurants to make the cut include Brighton’s Food For Friend (9) and London’s Vanilla Black (42) and Gaultier Soho (45).
Allotment’s famous ‘fish and chips’. / Image: Allotment
King Oyster Mushroom Scallops. / Image: The Allotment
Big 7 also, somewhat confusingly, ranks another Manchester restaurant Bistro 1847 which is now permanently closed at number 36. An early adopter of veggie and vegan-friendly cuisine since 2010, Bistro 1847 closed not once but twice – first in 2017, then again in 2019.
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Yet, the travel website continues to describe it as follows: ‘Bistro 1847 is a sophisticated vegan restaurant located in Manchester, UK, offering a refined dining experience that showcases the best of plant-based cuisine.
‘With a menu inspired by British and European flavours, Bistro 1847 offers a range of elegant dishes that are crafted with precision and creativity. From exquisite starters and main courses to decadent desserts, Bistro 1847 is a must-visit destination for those seeking a taste of vegan fine dining in Manchester.’
The list is created based on a mixture of editorial opinions, previous critic reviews, online customer reviews and presence, value for money, presentation, atmosphere and service, location and accessibility.
Gary Neville’s St Michael’s development reveals plans for FOUR new food and drink openings
Daisy Jackson
Gary Neville’s landmark St Michael’s development has revealed a major new food and drink arrival – actually, FOUR new arrivals.
The huge site in the city centre has announced that acclaimed restaurant group Pasture will be opening four different food and drink destinations here, including a new era for the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub.
Pasture will also have a flagship restaurant on the ground floor of the 43-storey St Michael’s tower, operate the W Lounge hotel bar, and breathe new life into the much-loved historic pub that has stood here long before the development began taking shape.
Pasture has partnered with Relentless Developments and Salboy to bring its food and drink offering to the huge city centre scheme.
The group will take over the much-loved historic Abercromby pub, which is being sensitively restored as part of the development, as well as Terrace, an outdoor dining destination serving a Mediterranean-inspired, all-day menu.
Together, the four concepts will bring a varied hospitality offering to St Michael’s, adding to the restaurants and bars already operating at No.1 St Michael’s such as Circolo Popolare and Chotto Matte.
Founded in 2018 by chef-owner Sam Elliott, Pasture began in Bristol and has since expanded into Cardiff and Birmingham, becoming known for its expertly prepared meat, lively atmosphere and commitment to provenance.
St Michael’s will welcome Pasture to ManchesterSt Michael’s new food and drink offering will also feature an outdoor terracePasture is coming to Manchester
Speaking about the announcement, Sam Elliott said: “Manchester is a city with a huge personality, a strong independent spirit and a real passion for great food, so bringing Pasture here is incredibly exciting.
“St Michael’s gives us the opportunity to create something that goes beyond a restaurant, with four distinct destinations that each have their own identity while sharing the same values around quality, provenance and memorable experiences.
“From our signature open-fire cooking at Pasture Manchester and Mediterranean-inspired all-day dining at Terrace, to the atmosphere of W Lounge and the much-loved character of the Abercromby, we’re looking forward to becoming part of the city’s dynamic hospitality scene.”
Gary Neville, director of Relentless Developments, said the restaurant group was exactly the kind of operator the team wanted to attract to St Michael’s.
“When we started St Michael’s, our ambition was to create a destination in the heart of Manchester that genuinely reflects the energy, confidence and character of the city.
“Pasture is exactly the kind of operator we want to attract. Sam and his team have built something special, and bringing four distinct concepts into the scheme will add another layer of quality and personality to what we’re creating here.”
The announcement forms part of the second phase of St Michael’s, which also includes 75,000 sq ft of premium office space, a 162-room W Hotel and 217 W Residences within the 43-storey tower.
No opening dates for the four Pasture venues have been confirmed yet.
Inside Counter, Manchester city centre’s newest restaurant with beef croissants and Vimto trifle
Daisy Jackson
Manchester has a brand-new restaurant right in the city centre, where modern British cooking shines.
Counter comes from acclaimed chef Andrew Sheridan, who just weeks ago launched Arcadian over in Didsbury – and now he’s continuing to put his stamp on Manchester with this newest launch.
Taking a spot in a new building off South King Street, the space itself is dominated by huge elm trees that line the restaurant as a centrepiece, as well as a looming metal face sculpture.
And at the top of it all is an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs at work, creating meat- and fish-forward plates.
Expect stand-out dishes like a flattened croissant topped with beef tartare, loaded flatbreads, and huge sharing dishes like a roasted duck sharing platter, and wagyu ribeye.
There are also not-so-subtle nods to Manchester on the dessert menu, with a Vimto 1908 trifle that’s bringing together Vimto jelly, baked yoghurt, vanilla sponge, blackcurrant, raspberry and custard; plus The Manchester Glory that layers vanilla custard, raspberry, coconut ice cream, banana, toasted coconut, whipped mascarpone and cherry.
The beef tartare croissant and carrot flatbreadA huge duck sharer from Counter restaurant in ManchesterGrilled lamb chops
The new restaurant, which comes from Open Restaurant Group, will officially open its doors on Monday 9 November, with 60 covers.
The best seat in the house is at the chef’s counter, where diners can look directly out onto the pass at the kitchen in action.
And the best section on the menu has to be the grill, with plates like the satay spatchcock chicken, turbot steak, and sides such as gravy fries with beef dripping, and mac and cheese brulee.
Andrew Sheridan, chef and co-founder at Open Restaurant Group, said: “For us, great cooking isn’t about sticking to rules or defining food by where it comes from. It’s about taking the best flavours, textures and ingredients from around the world and bringing them together in ways that surprise people.
“We start with great produce, take inspiration from different food cultures and have fun with it, creating dishes that are bold, playful and full of flavour.
“Manchester is creative, loud and full of character, and we wanted Counter to reflect exactly that. It’s a place where great food meets a sense of occasion, without ever taking itself too seriously.
“Whether you’re joining us for lunch or dinner, we want Counter to feel like a natural part of the city, somewhere you come back to time and time again.”
Georgina Pellant -
25th May 2023 
