Two Manchester restaurants have been named in the the prestigious 2023 Good Food Guide awards shortlist, which is widely considered one of the UK’s most trusted and impartial restaurant guides.
City centre eateries 10 Tib Lane and Another Hand have both been listed in the ‘Best Local Restaurant’ category for the north west, appearing alongside Stockport restaurant Bombay to Mumbai, Cheshire’s 17th-century timber-framed Next Door (literally named so because that’s where its owners live), and Four and Twenty in Penrith, Cumbria.
The category shortlist is chosen by public nominations, and as a result the Guide has built up a reputation for shining a light on proper hometown favourites that might otherwise fly under the radar.
According to the Guide’s listing, 10 Tib Lane’s cooking “has a confident, gimmick-free air, not everything is faultless. Nonetheless, tweaked and polished, 10 Tib Lane can potentially climb the ratings”.
As for Manchester’s newest Michelin-recommended. Another Hand, it writes: “This is hardly Manchester’s most glamorous location. But inside, this café by day, restaurant by night is an operation of confident, understated sophistication.”
It also writes of Stockport’s Bombay to Mumbai: “True to its name, this ‘irreplaceable’ suburban Indian seeks to meld old Bombay with modern Mumbai. A warm welcome and ‘proper hospitality’ are treasured assets, while the food is ‘a world away from most high-street curry houses.'”
Restaurants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for nomination: – Independently run; owned by the chef or a hands-on proprietor – Offers regularly changing, seasonal menus at affordable prices – Demonstrates strong relationships with local suppliers – Rooted in the local community – Offers at least two dinner services a week – Gives customers a genuine, warm welcome
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Readers can nominate their favourites by heading to The Good Food Guide website, and – even better -each nomination made will be entered into a prize draw to win a £250 restaurant voucher.
Previous Best Local Restaurants discoveries include Carters of Mosely, an electic Michelin-starred restaurant in Birmingham known for its ‘ambitious, creative dishes, and the accompanying natural, organic and biodynamic wines’.
The best nomination submission will be handed the chance to take up the coveted position of Guest Inspector for The Good Food Guide.
“The simple formula of a kitchen that cooks fresh to order is the very principle on which The Good Food Guide was founded,” said Elizabeth Carter, editor of the Guide.
“We have always maintained that the best restaurants offer creative, memorable food based on quality, seasonal and local produce. In other words, no pretensions or gimmicks, just first-class food cooked from ingredients deeply rooted in the region. A commitment to their community and a strong relationship with local suppliers is what makes a restaurant truly local.”
“Our readers are our most valued source for discovering brilliant restaurants and have been since the Guide was founded back in 1951,” adds Chloë Hamilton, managing editor of The Good Food Guide. “Despite tough conditions, the calibre of local restaurants in 2023 is higher than it has ever been, so we look forward to seeing what gems readers send our way.”
Once nominations close, The Good Food Guide’s editors will reveal a shortlist of contenders across seven areas (Scotland, North East England, North West England, Central & East of England, Wales, London & South East England, and South West England).
Anonymous inspections of the frontrunners will follow, before regional winners and the overall Best Local Restaurant of 2023 is announced at the end of June.
The Good Food Guide was first compiled by Raymond Postgate in 1951. Appalled by the British post-war dining experience, Postgate recruited an army of volunteers to inspect restaurants anonymously and report back.
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His aims were simple; among them, ‘to raise the standard of cooking in Britain’ and ‘to do ourselves all a bit of good by making our holidays, travels and evenings out in due course more enjoyable’.
Much has changed since the very first edition of The Good Food Guide but the ethos of the original book remains firmly in place.
Featured image – Another Hand.
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The nominees for the Critics’ Choice award at the 2026 BRITs in Manchester have been revealed
Danny Jones
With the upcoming BRITs ceremony coming to Manchester, we’re more all over the nominations than ever, especially now that the Critics’ Choice nominees for 2026 have been confirmed.
2023 was the annual Chanel ‘Metiers D’Art’ show, 2024 was the MTV EMAs, and next summer will see the BRITs; gosh, Manchester really is in vogue, isn’t it?
Commenting on the nomination, he told the BRITs: “Ya beauty! Tapadh leibh [‘thank you’ in Gaelic] for recognising my work for this award, you legends! Even though I’m Scottish and Irish before I’m British, I appreciate the BRITs critics for this recognition.
“I really care about and believe in this music, and it makes my world brighter every time it reaches someone else. Hopefully, this nomination means some more beautiful people might find something in this wee album. ‘Mon the gays!”
Rose Gray
Next up in the nods is London’s Rose Gray – a solo star who has developed a cult following thanks to songs like ‘ATTENTION!’, ‘Wet & Wild’, ‘Angel of Satisfaction’ and more.
Also the long-time partner and childhood sweetheart of Babygirl, Iron Claw and The King’s Man actor, Harris Dickinson, Gray has been riding a particular wave of popularity over the past year or so, especially after the release of her A Little Louder, Please (Deluxe) double album this past October.
She said in a statement: “I’m so excited for this nomination! This moment feels like a special reminder of how far this journey has carried me and what a crazy year it’s been. One year ago, I was manifesting so hard for my album to travel, to find its people, to really get its light. And it did. Releasing this record has genuinely changed my life…”
Lastly, in at number three is the 20-year-old singer-songwriter, Sienna Spiro, whose soulful voice sounds like one with much more life experience and years of emotion under its belt; it’s no wonder that she’s resonated with multiple generations, let alone been recognised by the panel.
With big theatrical ballads like ‘Die On This Hill’, ‘You Stole The Show’, as well as heavily-streamed songs like ‘MAYBE.’, ‘BACK TO BLONDE’ and more in her impressive and fast-growing discography, we know she’ll go far even if she doesn’t win – you can bank on that.
She added: “So beyond honoured and grateful to be nominated for this year’s Critics’ Choice BRIT Award! To think I started releasing music last year, I would never have expected this at all. Thank you so much!”
Having looked again at the list of people who’ve been both shortlisted and those who have gone on to win it, trust us, you’ll want to be paying attention to this one…
For context:
Past BRITs Critics’ Choice / Rising Star winners and nominees
2008 – Adele (Duffy, Foals)
2009 – Florence + The Machine (Little Boots, White Lies)
2010 – Ellie Goulding (Delphic, Marina and the Diamonds)
2011 – Jessie J (James Blake, The Vaccines)
2012 – Emeli Sandé (Michael Kiwanuka, Maverick Sabre)
So yeah, it’s fair to say that anyone even in the running for this accolade tends to go on to do even more bigger and better things than they already have.
Tickets to be at the 2026 BRIT Awards at Co-op Live in person for whoever picks up the Critics’ Choice gong, as well as all the other categories, are live now.
Featured Images — Audio North/Press shots (supplied)
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The best restaurant in the UK has been named, and it’s just an hour from Manchester
Daisy Jackson
The top 100 restaurants in the UK have just been named, and the North West has come out fighting, taking three of the top 10 spots including the number one position.
Harden’s Top 100 Best UK Restaurants 2026 has named Moor Hall, a three-Michelin star restaurant less than an hour from Manchester, as the best place to eat in the entire UK.
And hot on its heels is another big name from the North West, fellow three-Michelin star restaurant L’Enclume, up in village of Cartmel, which placed second.
Also in the top 10 is a Manchester newcomer, Skof, which launched in the city centre last year with chef Tom Barnes at the helm.
Skof has skipped ahead of Mana, which until recently was the only restaurant in Greater Manchester to hold a Michelin Star, and which placed 11th.
The Harden’s Best UK Restaurants 2026 list has found that the North West has the most entries of any region outside London, with 12 restaurants in the top 100.
Mark Birchall’s Moor Hall in West Lancashire has rocketed into the top spot from last year’s ranking at number 74, with diners praising it as being ‘superb from beginning to end’.
On our recent visit, we declared Moor Hall ‘hospitality on an unparalleled level’.
Moor Hall has been named the best restaurant in the UK. Credit: The Manc Group
Peter Harden, co-founder of Harden’s, comments: “Moor Hall has been a recurring name in the Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurant’s list for many years now, as has runner-up L’Enclume which was in the top spot a couple of years ago.
“In a Top 100 where restaurants are very much at the mercy of diner reports from the first six months of the year, the consistent performance from these two venues is a testament to the high quality of the food, service and location.
“It’s wonderful to see Mark and his talented team reach this year’s pole position and, whilst diners who took part in our national survey did often flag the higher price point, it appears to be a venue regarded as well worth it, albeit for a rare treat.”
Chef-patron of Moor Hall, Mark Birchall adds: “I’m honoured that Moor Hall has been awarded the No. 1 spot in this year’s Harden’s Top 100 UK Restaurants list. This has already been a landmark year for us, and I’m delighted to see the team’s dedication recognised once again.
“Our success is driven by the talent, consistency and commitment of everyone who contributes to the experience at Moor Hall. It’s a wonderful acknowledgement of their hard work and passion, and we’re proud to share this achievement with everyone who dines with us.”
Tom Barnes and the Skof team outside the restaurant. Credit: Cristian Barnett.
Reflecting on this year’s findings, Peter Harden added: “It’s understandable that over the last 12 months the hospitality industry has been toiling away under a cloud of gloomsterism. Hit by food inflation, rising wages, relentless rent increases and soaring utilities – some long-term operators say that 2025 is the toughest year they can recall.
“However, what our survey results and data-crunching from across the sector shows is the remarkable resilience at work from those in the trade – particularly in the North West. Our number of entries remains very steady, and strong newcomers are emerging in each area of a quality that is probably better than ever.
“What is challenging for suppliers can be good for consumers. Customer expectations are so high now, restaurants have to work ever-harder to cut through and we’re seeing a number of new openings from across the UK going straight into the Top 100 – or, in Skof’s case, the Top 10!
“This really is testament to the rigorous standards, hard work and innovation being put in by front and back of house teams who are impressively determined to find a way in difficult circumstances and continue to raise the bar to bring diners high quality experiences.”
Georgina Pellant -
17th May 2023 
