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Located in an old textile warehouse, this restaurant from former L’Enclume Executive Chef Tom Barnes gives a nod to Manchester’s industrial heritage with its exposed brickwork and girders. The cooking skilfully blends measured international flavours with those from the restaurant’s doorstep; for dessert, you’re just as likely to get amakase sorbet as you are Manchester honey ice cream. The meal ends with a scoop of “Barney’s Tiramisu”, touchingly inspired by Tom’s late father. A relaxed atmosphere is encouraged, with the chef’s hand-picked playlist and the chattering diners combining for a bri

The personality and experience of chef-owner Simon Martin shine brightly at this stylish, modern restaurant, where every one of the well-spaced tables has a view of the kitchen. British produce leads the way, including plenty of seafood because, as Simon puts it, “we live on an island”. There are many Asian techniques on display and the cooking marries complex flavours with a pure, natural approach, in dishes such as a superb roasted hogget with white miso sabayon.

After over four decades of consistent culinary success, the Northcote hotel's restaurant continues to excel under the stewardship of Lisa Goodwin-Allen. Her cooking is underpinned by superb produce, which often comes from local, biodynamic and organic suppliers or the kitchen garden. This is fashioned into dishes with distinct, bold flavours, brought together in complementary combinations – such as rabbit 'pillow' with scorched corn, chilli and coriander. The extensive wine list includes some exceptional bottles and a glass-walled "Chef's Table" room lets you in on the action.

Nestled under the railway arches in Manchester’s Green Quarter is this somewhat hidden restaurant where you have to ring a bell to enter. Its name is (almost) the English translation of the word ‘spätzle’ – which gives some clue as to the style of food on offer here. An assortment of dumplings and pastas are made in-house, from gnocchi to pelmeni via some excellent pierogi, with bright, fresh salads on hand to balance out the carbs. There's a bottle shop attached for you take something home, while the wine list favours smaller producers – surprisingly, there's a sake selection too.

‘The Black Cat’ is a buzzing tapas restaurant split over three levels: the ground floor is home to the bar and outdoor tables in the pedestrianised street; the first floor boasts great counter seats in front of the open kitchen; and the top floor includes a fabulous roof terrace that’s ideal for private events. The cooking is as enjoyable as the atmosphere, offering great value across the wide selection of recognisable Spanish dishes, including meats from the Josper grill. The chefs certainly know their way round a classical dessert too – so save room for the crèma catalana.

With its open kitchen, sharing plates, faux-industrial design and bounty of natural wines, there's something incredibly current about Erst. It's truly a restaurant for our times, but cooking like this would be a joy in any era. The underlying themes across the menu are great value and bright, punchy flavours; make sure you start with one of the freshly charred flatbreads, which might come topped with sweet Vesuvio tomatoes. The cuttlefish risotto is terrific too, offering impressive depth of flavour. The friendly team provide natural, attentive service.

What started life as a pop-up in 2020 is now a permanent spot in the heart of the city, owned and run by three friends who also operate wine bar Flawd, seafood and cocktail spot Bar Shrimp, and a market garden in the Cheshire countryside. The latter provides much of the top-quality produce found on the menu, in dishes that are designed for sharing and packed with flavour. Sit at the large counter to see the chefs putting care and pride into every dish, be it cheddar tart with mustard leaf or Scottish halibut with purple sprouting broccoli. The whole team, led by the owners, are charming and ch