Manchester

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Manchester: North Star Deli

The latest jewel in Chorlton's gastro crown

Is there no end to Chorlton’s gastronomic delights? It already has the Barbakan, Unicorn, Belgian Belly and a clutch of excellent butchers, fishmongers and bakeries. Chorlton’s rash of bar-cum-restaurants spreads every month. It even has its own food and drink festival (which runs alongside the main Manchester festival each October).

So, it’s no surprise that the swanky North Star Deli has set up shop in this foodie enclave. Situated at the Whalley Range end of Wilbraham Road, the North Star is everything a good deli should be. An excellent selection of wine and champagne jostles for space next to shelves groaning with conserves, olives, dried pasta and ‘authentic’ ready-made sauces (such as Sri Lankan Curry Sauce, £3.99, from Seasoned Pioneers). There’s a teeth-aching selection of chocolate and unusual sweets (Amaretto Turkish Delight, anyone? £4.95 for 250g). The deli counter has a wide choice of cured and cooked meats, and an encouragingly broad selection of cheeses.

There’s also a small on-site café, which plays host to the Chorlton masses – Guardian-reading, left-leaning creative types who prop up the suburb’s local food and drink establishments. We recommend the toasted mozzarella, tomato and homemade basil pesto sandwich served on crusty ciabatta (£3.75). In fact, the only thing wrong with the North Star is that some of its wares are a tad pricey. Almost £3 for a small loaf of bread seems a bit much, especially considering the fact that just as lovely alternatives can be bought for less nearby.
North Star Delicatessen Wilbraham Road, Chorlton, M21 0SD (862 0133/www.northstardeli.com). 9.30am-6pm Mon-Sat, 10am-4pm Sun.

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