Sora – Manchester’s newest rooftop restaurant offers an Oriental adventure with its afternoon tea

One of Manchester’s newest restaurant openings has been receiving plenty of attention thanks to its rooftop views right across the city centre skyline.  

But even without the incredible setting, the food at Sora is deserving of attention too. 

This beautiful restaurant has a pan-Asian menu of small plates and robatayaki (a Japanese barbecue) dishes, as well as an afternoon tea that’s a little more interesting than your average. 

Sora’s afternoon tea experience promises a ‘sensory journey to the orient’ through perfect bites of sushi, savoury dishes, and sweet treats. 

For just £35 per person, you’re treated to a tower of delicacies, with a free cocktail added in for readers of The Manc (claim yours at the bottom of this article). 

The afternoon tea’s savouries feature tempura prawns with sweet chilli sauce, a cucumber sesame salad, chicken yakitori with tamarind and peanut, and pork belly with burnt apple puree. 

Then there are a couple of beautiful sushi dishes – a spicy tuna gunkan and classic California rolls.

The sweet treats go way beyond your usual scones and Victoria sponges too, infusing exciting flavours from across Asia in this twist on a British tradition. 

There’s a blueberry bergamot roll, a matcha chocolate slice, a mango coconut dome, and dinky miso caramel chocolate tarts.

Oh, there are still scones too – these ones are matcha flavoured, with a kumquat compote and clotted cream. 

Even the crockery is amazing – the afternoon treats are served on a tower of plates arranged around a ceramic golden stork. 

There’s a massive list of cocktails to choose from at Sora, from cherry blossom negronis to passion fruit mai tais. 

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Sora’s main menu is packed full of sashimi, grilled meats, crispy fried small plates, and seasonal specials. 

There’s also a set lunch menu, where you can choose one dish from each section of the menu – sushi, robata grill and crispy – for only £25. 

Sora is the crown jewel in the stylish Malmaison Deansgate hotel, Manchester’s newest luxury hotel. 

To book your Sora afternoon tea, head here. And to add a cocktail to your afternoon tea free of charge, simply quote TheManc in the booking comments. 

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Featured image: Supplied